Rum Punch Regrets (12 page)

Abby turned around and saw Ben was still standing there, talking to one of the cabbies and watching her wrestle with her purse. She walked over to where Ben stood, nodded curtly at the cab driver and asked Ben, “May I borrow some money? I overpaid at the bar, and now I don’t have enough to get home.”

“You can go hit de ATM at de hotel.” The helpful cabbie pointed toward the Royal Palms.

“No, I want to ask my friend here if he has it, but thanks.” Abby realized how crappy she sounded, but she just couldn’t help it. “Seems he has a few things of my families he’s holding on to. Giving me cab fare shouldn’t be a problem.”

Ben was taken aback. “What do you mean by that, Abby?”

“I really don’t want to get into it now, but I may as well tell you I found the book, Ben.”

Abby had made the last statement so dramatically that when she looked up, she expected Ben to be wide-eyed and fumbling for an excuse. But when her eyes met his, they were blank.

“Book? What are you talking about?”

Abby shook her head. “My sister’s book. It’s from our father. I found it in the kitchen, shoved in a bag with a bunch of her things and yours. It has sentimental value, Ben!”

Ben’s face was twisted with confusion. “I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about. If any of your sister’s things are mixed up with --”

Abby couldn’t hear his excuses right now.
There will be plenty of time when I get up tomorrow to figure out why he has that damn book,
she thought. So, as maturely as she could, she covered her ears and shook her head at Ben. “Not listening anymore. Done.”

“Let me drive you home, Abby. Please,” Ben begged her. “I really think you may be drunker than you think you are.”

Abby stared down at the sand. When she looked up at Ben again, her eyes pleaded with him. “Please, Ben. Let me go. I want to go home. Or at least go to the place I have to call home for the time being.”

This time, Abby’s face read of her feelings, clear enough that Ben saw it, too. The sadness, the hurt.

“Abby,” he began.

The look she gave him made him stop. Instead, he reached for his wallet and pulled out 40 EC and handed it to her.

“Should be more than enough to cover it,” he said as he grabbed her hand and put the money in her palm.

Abby nodded at him and whispered, “Thank you,” as she made her way up to the man at the counter who was coordinating her ride.

She climbed in the first cab that pulled up, glanced back at Ben and the other cabbie, and then strapped on her seatbelt. As a silent tear rolled down her cheek, she thought about how all she wanted right now was her apartment in Los Angeles,
her
home,
her
cat and
her
friends. St. Kitts was feeling more like hell tonight than paradise.

CHAPTER SIX

The kitchen of La Cantina could only be compared to an orchestra performing at the Hollywood Bowl on a summer’s night with Maria center stage as conductor. She was in the midst of making Eggs Benedict à la Ziggy (which meant the eggs were scrambled and not poached) and waffles with a topping of crème fraîche sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg served with heated maple syrup on the side.

Abby had come over for her usual morning coffee and was greeted by a stressed Maria as she entered the kitchen.

“Abby! Please, help me. Ziggy is busy trying to help some guests plan a day outing on the island and the other guests all want breakfast, right now at this very moment, and Buddy should be here soon to get started on the roof.” Her face was flushed and she was breathless as she moved from counter to stove and back again, balancing all of the duties hurriedly, but with ease and precision. “I’m in a time crunch.”

Abby nodded, grabbed two plates, and waited for her marching orders.
Thank goodness I washed my face and pulled my hair back before I came over,
she thought, as she used her butt to push open the swinging door that led from the kitchen into the dining area.

As Maria completed each order, Abby helped get the plates out to the main communal table for the early risers. Guests were seated not only in the dining area, but also in the living room, lazing around on the couches watching the news and drinking coffee.

Once everyone was fed, coffees refilled, and plans for tours and dives made, Abby, Maria and Ziggy all gathered in the kitchen to have their breakfast and coffee.

As they ate, Abby told Maria about the events of the night before: the conversation with her sister, her discovery of Ben’s things mixed with Leigh’s and the argument that had ended her night.

Maria chewed thoughtfully, listening to Abby and letting her vent. When Maria did open her mouth to offer insight, Abby could tell she was being particularly mindful of the words she chose.

“Ben is a special bird, Abby. Not to say he deserves special treatment or that you deserved the treatment your sister gave you. It’s just that, well, there are two sides to every story. Be it an email or a stray book. Don’t jump to no conclusions, girl.”

Abby pondered her words, watching Ziggy as he shoveled his food into his mouth, washing it down with his mug of coffee and then getting up to refill all of their mugs.
Talk about special birds,
Abby thought as she grinned to herself.

“I don’t think I understand, Maria. Two sides? Like his side and Leigh’s?”

She shook her head. “No. Ben’s side of the story and your side of the story. Ever thought that they just may be different?”

Is she smoking crack?
Abby thought.
Of course they are going to be different. I’m a decent person and he’s an asshole. Done and done
.

“I feel like I know what you mean, but I’m pretty sure my sentiments are going to be just the opposite of what you are intending to get across to me.” Abby sighed. “Just lay it on me, Maria, don’t hold back. Tell me what you see.”

Maria shot a look in Ziggy’s direction, and in one swift motion he took his coffee and disappeared from the room as if into thin air. Abby braced herself for Maria to let her have it. Maria was taking her time, stirring her coffee and staring at the swirly look of the creamer as it integrated into the murky depths of her mug. Abby couldn’t tell if she was gearing up for the kill or maybe calming herself down. After a few moments that felt like an eternity, Maria looked up at Abby and spoke.

“Sometimes, things happen for a reason, Abby. We never know what it is. It’s just the way of the world. You lost your job and you weren’t expecting to. Then you got the chance to come here. You come here and think you’re going to be in a nice house, dealing with a few things like papers, have a vacation, relax, then get back to life in L.A. Then you don’t; instead, you get --” she pointed to the pool house -- “Ben. And friends, like Cutty, Ziggy and me.”

She took a sip of her coffee and looked intently at Abby.

“Has Ben told you about his problems with school?”

This surprised Abby, since Tracey had told her to keep it to herself.

“Well, he didn’t, but someone else told me.”

Maria nodded. “Not easy on him. Your sister knows that he has been through a lot, and she has actually helped him a lot. A lot more than even he knows. Did you know Leigh footed his bill for the hospital trip since his mom couldn’t afford the whole thing?”

Abby slowly shook her head no.

“
If she didn’t tell you, then she doesn’t want you to know, I assume. Although, I hate to assume.” She winked at Abby. “It makes an ass out of you and me.”

Maria was grinning, and it made Abby smile as well.

“I know you’ve been thrown into the lion’s den or the fire or some sayin’, girl. But it’s time for you to adjust, just as Ben wanted to adjust, too. I knew he sent the emails to Leigh. In fact, she forwarded them all to me so I could talk to Ben and try to head off any issues here at the pass. And I thought that was what I did yesterday when I sat with him and we had a long talk about ‘Abby’s side of things.’”

Now it made a little more sense, Abby thought. It was like a puzzle, and Abby had just found another piece of it. “You talked to him yesterday, and that’s why he was friendlier. It wasn’t because Leigh told him to or he’d have to get out?”

Maria hooted with the very thought. “He’s paying rent, girl! She’s not letting him go anywhere as long as the roof is paid up. No, I --” she patted her chest and bobbed her head up and down -- “sat with Ben right at the pool there and we talked about being nicer to others because we don’t always know the whole story. Maybe I should teach a class and make you both take it.”

Abby felt less like a thirty-five-year-old and more like an eighteen-year-old who had just been scolded, but in the kindest way possible.
She’s right,
Abby thought.
You never know the whole story. I jumped to a conclusion because of my own trust issues. Now, I look at his side. I come in, I want to take over . . . The poor guy never had a chance with me being such an aggressive “friendly” gal.

Instead of responding, Abby stood up and walked around the table to hug Maria. They stood there in silence for a second, and then Maria called out to Ziggy. Seemed he had appeared at the screen door in the kitchen like a dog wanting to get back in.

“You old fool, get in here. You got people to take on tour. Get ready and go. And you --” she turned to Abby and stroked her head -- “you need to talk to Ben when he gets home from school later. Make peace.”

Abby smiled at Maria and was about to say thank you when she realized what she had just said.

“Maria, did you say when Ben is home from school later?”

Maria looked at Abby quizzically.

“Yes, girl. Didn’t you see his car is gone? He got up early today and went to school at 6 a.m. Like he does every day. Maybe you’re still a little drunk?”

“Maybe, Maria,” Abby answered. “Maybe.”

Abby headed out the door to go back to the little pool house. What Maria didn’t seem to understand was that Ben had left this morning at his usual time, at 6 a.m., to go to school.

And Abby never heard the screen door slam.

#

With Buddy in place on the roof, Abby slipped down to the office in the inn so she could enter a few numbers for the day’s accounting. She and Maria had been co-bookkeeping in case the buyers needed answers fast, and so far they had done a great job staying on top of things daily. Maria had used to take one day a week, Sundays, to enter all of the data. With Abby there, Maria was actually able to enjoy her Sundays with a little more freedom and wasn’t as tied to the inn as she had been.

As Abby was pushing away from the desk to go check on Buddy, the phone rang. Knowing Maria was busy cleaning the rooms, she grabbed it.

“La Cantina!”

The voice that greeted Abby was laced with a clipped accent, definitely British and female.

“Hello, I’m calling on behalf of Jack Rhys. He’d like a reservation at your inn.”

“Great! Let me get the book out and we can get him set up.”

“He is hoping to have some time with the owners while there.”

At first surprised by this request, she quickly guessed he must be interested in the inn. “Is he looking at the property, since it’s for sale?”

“Yes. He’s in the area presently and is planning on meeting with the real estate agent.”

“Okay, I’ll note the reservation and make sure the owners are aware.”

Abby logged the new guest into the computer and wrote Maria a note referencing the guest’s intentions as a potential buyer of the inn. As she was finalizing the reservation, she felt sad to think that this gorgeous place would be sold soon, but happy knowing it would all be taken care of for Leigh. She knew her sister wanted to sell it and move on.

Abby took a few moments to go over the comings and goings of guests and to return a few messages on the inn’s voicemail before she made her way to Ricky’s for her lunch date with J.D.

Abby arrived at Ricky’s right at noon, and found J.D. by himself at a table, and alone on the deck except for Miss C., who was tending bar. As Abby strolled up to the table, Miss C. began making throw-up motions from behind the bar, teasing her. J.D. caught her in mid-act.

“You two know each other well?” he asked.

Abby shook her head. “No . . . I actually got really sick here on one of my first nights out. Threw up in the Caribbean and everything.”

J.D. grinned at his date. “I heard about you. Captain Cutty loves you.”

She giggled. “Yes, he does. I saw you chatting with Cutty and Ziggy, too. You seem to know everyone here pretty well.”

“Well, let’s just say it’s my job to know people.” He slid a menu across the table to Abby. “Veggie burgers are okay here, but the conch fritters . . . ”

“You don’t have to tell me,” she replied, grinning. “So, are you running for office?”

He stared at her in quizzical amusement. “Funny. But no. I’m kind of the perpetual tourist. I take a few weeks out of every summer and hit the islands to see whatever I can. I like to get to know the locals, makes life that much more interesting.”

Abby wasn’t sure if she should believe him or not, but really didn’t care at the moment.

“Well, I’m from L.A. Transplanted here for just a bit to help my family with some business, and then I go back.” She grinned at him evilly. “And my business is very hush-hush, so don’t expect me to tell you anything more.”

“Agreed. Let’s both be mysterious, then, shall we?” His British accent dripped with a sultry edge that made her heart skip a beat.

Miss C. arrived just then with their drinks. They raised their glasses into the air and they toasted each other.

“To mysterious British men that jump islands for fun.”

J.D. chuckled, retorting, “To mysterious American women that won’t explain why they’re transplanted.”

Abby put her cocktail down after a hearty swig, and looked her lunch companion square in the eyes. “So, tell me something about you no one else knows.”

J.D. put down his glass as well, contemplating his answer.

“No, don’t think about what you are going to say. Just say the first thing that you think of. Go.”

“Okay. Umm . . . that I give to charity every month.”

“Okay . . . good one. Cute and kind.”

He smirked in her direction, then pointed at Abby. “And you?”

“That I can play the drums, not very well, but I can keep a beat.”

J.D.’s look was of sheer admiration. “I don’t think I can even keep a beat. Two left feet, here.”

Abby shrugged her shoulders. “What can I say? It’s a gift.”

They were about to order their food when Abby’s phone rang. It was Buddy, and since she had left him on the roof, she knew she had to take it. She bit her lip and looked apologetic as she stood up. “I’m so sorry to do this again . . . ”

J.D. waved her off. “Please, it’s obvious you are on an important mission for the drumming alliance of America. Please, take your call,” he said with a wink.

Abby barely had time to hit Talk when she heard Buddy’s voice over the speaker, “Ziggy! Calm down, mon. I’m callin’ Miss Abby now!”

“Buddy? What’s going on?” Abby was trying with all of her might to multitask properly: focus on her lunch companion, keep her cool and also sound calm and collected as she handled a repairman on the phone. But his frantic reply knocked that house of cards over and quick.

“Abby! You got to get back here now. Quick! We need you on de roof!” And with that he hung up, leaving her staring at her phone.

It also meant that once again, Abby was going to be saying goodbye earlier than expected to J.D. Sadly she put her phone down and pushed her chair back away from the table.

“I have to go, again. I’m so sorry.”

J.D. didn’t seem to be someone who was easily disappointed, but the look on his face gave him away to Abby.
At least he’s as bummed about this as I am,
she thought.

“Can I at least drive you to where you need to go?”

She started to say yes, but then realized she had driven Maria’s little car. “I came prepared, actually. Rain check? Again?”

“Of course. Let me at least walk you to your car.” Without waiting for an answer, he fell into step beside her, almost protectively guiding her to the parking lot of Ricky’s.

As she reached the car, Abby turned to J.D. and went to say thank you, but found his lips on hers. It was breathtaking and refreshing, surprising and also monumental, since this was the first man she had wanted to kiss in a long time. His kiss was sweet and slow, as if neither of them should have a care in the world. When it was over, she slid out of his arms and into the front seat of the car.

“I hope you’re serious about that rain check, Abby,” he said, grinning down at her.

“I’ll call you,” was all she could muster as she threw the car in reverse.

“Or I’ll find you,” he said as he waved goodbye.

As she was tearing out of the lot at Ricky’s, Abby glanced up at her rearview mirror to find J.D. standing in his spot, watching her as she drove away.