Rum Punch Regrets (24 page)

Abby jumped for joy and grabbed her sis in a big hug.

“I’m going to do amazing things with La Cantina, Leigh. I promise!”

“I have no doubts, Abby. None at all.” She looked at her watch. “Well, Jack will be ready to meet soon. Let’s tell him together when everyone gets here, shall we?”

Abby’s grin was ear-to-ear. Getting to tell someone that La Cantina was not for sale would be the best line she got to deliver to anyone ever.

Leigh pulled back and looked adoringly at her little sister. “Dad’d be so proud of you, Abby. So would Mom.” She kissed Abby on her forehead. “I wish I had the balls to do this full-time.”

Abby smiled. “Now I can take the torch and pick up where you left off.”

“Yeah . . . well, fly, little birdie.” Leigh pulled back and made a kicking motion at Abby with her right foot. “See? I’m kicking you from the nest.”

Abby rolled her eyes. “Please, I jumped.”

Leigh nodded. “And Andrew?”

“That’s still a work in progress.” She narrowed her eyes and wagged a finger at her sister. “And when I say I’m declaring independence, it’s in all things. So don’t you dare go butting your nose in there, either. Got it?”

Leigh held her hands up in surrender. “Hey, I’m obviously not the one to give advice. I almost ruined my marriage. Lesson learned.”

It was Abby’s turn to kiss Leigh’s forehead. “Good.” She headed out the front door, turning as she reached it. “Just wish me luck?”

Leigh smiled, standing in the light of the dining room window looking ten years younger than she had the night before. “Luck, Abby. Nothing but luck to you.”

Abby flashed a big grin, crossed her fingers and headed out the door.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Abby’s gait showed she was as deflated as she felt inside. She had spent the last hour and a half walking the property and the neighborhood trying to find Andrew, with no luck.

Trudging up to the front porch, she sat down in one of the lounge chairs. She surmised that if she were to stake out the front yard, eventually he’d show up.
Not that I’m even sure what to say anymore,
she thought sadly to herself.

A noise at the other end of the porch startled Abby out of her daydream about “things to say to Andrew to make it all better.” The front door had been opened a slight crack. It was Maria checking on her.

“Saw you come walking up the drive, girl. Looks like you’re dragging a little.” She stepped out onto the porch to join Abby. “You okay?”

Abby shrugged, trying to disguise her crestfallen face, but not able to. “Eh. I can’t find Andrew.” She looked up at Maria sadly. “I wanted to . . . well, make things right. As right as I can, anyway. I’m not sure what that means yet, I just know I need to see him.”

Abby was using the tips of her sneakers to trace a heart in the sand on the porch floor. “Maria, how do you know? How do you know it’s okay to take a chance? You know . . . with love or whatever it may be that seems like it’s love.”

Maria threw her head back and laughed at Abby. “You and your sister with your overanalyzing.” She breathed out a heavy sigh and sat down next to Abby on the lounger. “You never know if it’s a good idea to take a chance. That’s why you take them. Chances, risks, leaps of faith.” She put her arm around Abby, squeezing her close. “You’re gonna find out that’s all you do in life. No one ever knows. Like with you taking over the inn.”

Abby sat there for a few minutes in comfortable silence before she smiled at Maria and stood up.

“Thank you, Maria.” She looked at her watch. “Almost time for Leigh and me to meet Jack and give him our apologies that we are pulling the offer.”

Maria nodded. “First you should go and check in the pool house one more time, Abby.”

Abby eyed the woman suspiciously. “For what, exactly?”

“Just go. And remember, Abby. You don’t find love. It finds you.”

#

Abby burst through the door of the pool house, expecting to find Andrew sitting there waiting. However, she instead found it was neater than it had been earlier. Upon further inspection, Abby realized Andrew wasn’t the only thing missing from the pool house. His bags were, too.

Taking a big breath, she walked outside, prepared to go across the lawn and into the meeting with Leigh. As she was walking across the yard, a familiar figure was heading her way, holding up his hands as if he were under arrest.

“Truce?” Andrew asked sweetly.

Abby gasped, and stifled the yelp that was threatening to escape her lips as she dashed into his arms. He held her close as she gripped his body close to hers.

“I thought you left!”

Andrew pulled away so he could see her face fully, kissing her forehead and stroking her hair. “I told you, I had to meet my boss today. I packed my things and put them in Ziggy’s cab to save a step later.”

Abby felt her insides shaking. She realized at this moment that the thought of losing Andrew had been a little more than she could bear right now.
That has to mean something!

“You already met with your boss?” She was holding his face in her hands, and smiling at him. It was setting in that she was truly happy in his arms and couldn’t imagine this feeling going away anytime soon.

He nodded. “I did. We met at Ricky’s.”

“Ricky’s? Well, that was convenient.”

“Actually, we met there more out of need. The family I work for, the Rhyses, are buying Ricky’s.”

The words had more of an impact on Abby than either one of them could have expected.

“The Rhys family? You work for them?”

Andrew’s answer was slow and premeditated. “Well . . . yes. They buy property all over the Caribbean and rebuild or revamp it for turnaround or to keep. Depends on their mood, really.” Abby noticed Andrew’s eyes darken ever so slightly. “Well, depends on the mood of the sister, Colleen. She and her mother, Brittany, have interesting tactics when it comes to business. Not the nicest, those two.”

Abby felt ill. “What about the men? The father?”

Andrew’s face was questioning. “Their father is a decent man, I guess. Jack has always been good to me. For that matter, so has Jack Jr.” He caressed her shoulders as if trying to get the genie out of Aladdin’s lantern. “The fellows are good, honest men. Why, Abby?”

Abby, in her shock, was still trying to comprehend everything. “Andrew, your boss is staying here at La Cantina. Did you know that?”

Andrew shook his head. “No. He never mentioned it. But he asked if I’d sit in on a meeting here with someone he is thinking of buying out.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I honestly figured it was a neutral territory for some local selling off one of the old sugar mills or for a real estate agent to conduct his business.”

“Andrew, I hope you don’t get in trouble for all of this, but . . . Jack Rhys is here to buy La Cantina. He’s planning on making an offer to Leigh today.”

Andrew’s face twisted in confusion. “Really? Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure! I took the reservation myself. He’s here. And he’s not going to be happy . . . ” Abby took a second to pause for dramatic effect . . . “because we’re not selling it, Andrew.”

Andrew stood expectantly in front of Abby, waiting for her to continue.

“We’re not selling it because I’m staying here. I’m going to run it.”

Abby didn’t have to wait long for Andrew’s reaction. As soon as she uttered “I’m going to run it,” he swept her into his arms and twirled her around the yard, quite similar to the way Ziggy had twirled Maria one afternoon many moons ago when Abby had first arrived on the island. Giggling and kissing and spinning, Abby knew she could live happily if she was killed by a bolt of lightning knowing this was her last moment on earth.

“I’m so happy for you! Brilliant, Abby! Absolutely flipping brilliant!” His gaze was filled with prideful admiration. “So, you’re not going back to Los Angeles?”

“No. Well, eventually I’ll need to go pack things up or sort them out, but I’m going to stay here for a bit. We have some of our own rebuilding and revamping to do.”

“And you’re okay with this?” Andrew’s signature sweet gaze was in full throttle and Abby couldn’t break free from him.

“I am more than okay with it. It was my idea!” she answered, giggling. “I’m thrilled. And I’m thrilled you like the idea, too.”

He grabbed her in another big hug, setting her down gently on the ground after one last spin. “Well, this makes it easier to come back here now as we work on Ricky’s. Jack wants us both to be very hands-on with this project. Seems this island is pretty special to him and his family.” He winked at her. “And, now, you’ll be here.”

Abby felt that warm heat surge through her body as she realized this wouldn’t have to be a long-distance relationship, at least not for a while.
It’s almost like we’ll be taking our time to get to know each other,
she thought.
It’s the best of both worlds.

“That makes me happy, too. Especially since I’m not sure how long it will be until I can afford to get to London to see you. Plus with the inn and the repairs . . . ”

Abby didn’t get any further. Andrew was pulling an envelope out of his pocket.

“Here.” He thrust the envelope into her hands.

“What is this?” Abby asked as she inspected the small, somewhat bulky package.

Andrew rolled his eyes. “Well, go on and open it. I can’t tell you what it is. Technically a present should be a surprise.”

The corners of Abby’s mouth were already curling up into a wide grin that was threatening to encompass the lower half of her face. She bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud as she tore into the envelope. Its contents spilled out and into her hands.

It was an open-ended airline ticket to London.

With her jaw dropping to the floor and tears threatening to spill, Abby stood gripping Andrew’s hand so tightly that he had to ask her to stop trying to cut off his circulation. Throwing herself into his arms, she placed her lips on top of his to thank him the best way she knew how, taking a moment to whisper in his ear the ways she would find to thank him at another, more opportune time.

Andrew put out his hands and stepped back from their embrace. “Abby, I’m not done yet. I still have one more gift to give you.”

“Andrew! This is insane. I give you a hard time and you give me a ticket to London and there’s still more?”

“Well, I was hoping you’d change your mind . . . if you didn’t, I was going to have to return all of it before I left.” Winking at Abby, he continued, “That’s why that ticket is open-ended. See definition of ‘refundable’ in the airline dictionary.”

Abby giggled and playfully swatted him. “Okay, mister. Good one.”

Andrew then took a small box out of his pocket. It wasn’t so small that it could be misconstrued for a ring box, but she knew it either held jewelry of some fashion or it was a joke. Tentatively, she took the small square box out of his hand and began unwrapping the paper around it.

Inside the box, Abby found the most delicate charm bracelet she had ever seen. Suspended on links of silver or pewter -- not that she could tell or even cared -- were two small palm trees growing from the same trunk with an emerald or some other green gemstone set inside, and another charm that was a heart with a red stone, possibly a ruby but more than likely a perfect imitation. Abby’s breath was taken away as she picked up the fragile piece, which sparkled brilliantly in the sun, sending cascades of tiny lights like those on a Christmas tree floating around the pair.

“I saw it and thought of you. I was at Ricky’s and Miss C. was selling them. She said she knew you and she thought the charm should actually be of a rum punch drink . . . not sure why, though.” Abby still hadn’t said anything. “Look, I know it’s silly, and I’m pretty sure the stones are fake but . . . ”

“It’s beautiful,” Abby whispered, interrupting his nervous prattling. She held the bracelet and her wrist out to Andrew. “Will you?”

He obliged, finishing off the moment with a soft kiss on the tip of her nose. Abby squeezed his hand and gazed into his eyes.

“So, we’re going to do this?” Andrew asked.

Abby nodded. “You betcha.”

She stood on her tippy-toes to give him a final kiss on the lips, long and slow. She wanted it to say
Thank you, Trust me
and
I’m going to do the best I can.

Linking hands, they made their way inside for the impending meeting with Jack Rhys.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Abby stood alone outside the door leading into the dining room. She was pacing nervously, waiting for Leigh to join her so they could walk in together. She and Andrew had decided it was best to go in alone; for one, she didn’t want to mix business with pleasure. And two, she didn’t want to jeopardize his job if his boss, Jack Sr., thought they had something going on.

She was filled with nervous energy, knowing she was about to officially become the talking head for the inn. Knowing that she had the support of her family, Andrew and Maria behind her had made her all the more confident that this was the right decision.

She heard the soft tapping of feet on the floor behind her. Turning, she was greeted by the sight of a very refreshed and jubilant Leigh. Not like the Leigh she was accustomed to as of late, but Leigh from years past. This Leigh was one who liked to smile and thought frowning was for grumpy-farty old men.

She was almost skipping as she came to a halt next to Abby.

“Well, let’s go tell these guys that we ain’t selling. I already broke the news to our real estate agent, and now these folks are officially the last to know.” Leigh smacked her sister’s butt playfully as if they were about to “Play ball!”

Abby pushed open the doors to the dining room and stepped in. But the person sitting at the table wasn’t the older man, Jack Sr., that she was expecting. No, the person sitting next to Andrew was very familiar. Too familiar, in fact. So familiar that she wasn’t sure what was going on, but she was more than concerned that these two had been talking.

Abby could feel the color drain from her face as she stood across the room from Andrew’s boss, Jack Jr.

“J.D.? What are you doing here?”

J.D.’s face lit up at the sight of Abby, almost as if he were backlit by a golden glow.

“Abby! I wanted to explain the other day . . . ”

“You two know each other?” Abby heard the voices in unison echoing in the room, knew it was Leigh and Andrew, but couldn’t shake the fact that the man she had been locking lips with the other day, the one person besides Andrew who physically made her crazy and made her question her own sexual sanity, was here in front of her . . . in her inn.

Her inn that he wanted to buy from her.

Abby and J.D. stared at each other a moment longer before she broke the gaze.

A little too much of that and everyone will wonder what the hell’s going on,
she thought.

Clearing her throat, Abby answered the question for Leigh and Andrew. “Yes. I know J.D. We’ve met on a few different occasions since I’ve been here.” She turned to her sister, whose puzzled expression made her pause. “That’s all. A little bit of a shock to see him here when I was expecting Jack Rhys.”

“Well, I am Jack Rhys, Abby. J.D. to my family.” His eyes were zeroing in on her lips and she could feel his heat even with a table separating them. “And to my close, intimate friends as well,” he added.

“Well, I wouldn’t go so far as intimate, but fine.” Abby took a moment to regain her composure so as not to drag this out any further. Running her hand through her hair, she attempted to gather her thoughts but was interrupted by none other than J.D.

“That’s a pretty bracelet you got there,” he said, nodding at the charm bracelet. It had caught the sunlight as she was smoothing her hair back, causing the delicate twinkling to begin in the enclosed space.

“Thank you.” Abby looked down lovingly at it.

“In fact, I almost got one just like it for my sister, Callie.”

Abby worked overtime attempting a straight face. “Your sister’s name is Callie?”

Andrew cocked his head as he spoke. “Yes. Well, her name is Colleen but I’ve always called her Callie. She was with me the other night. Do you remember seeing her? At the casino?”

“Oh.” Abby’s face was twitching in an effort to mask her surprise.
Mystery woman is his sister? So, Callie was the woman he was meeting on Nevis, as well as the woman who was with him at the casino the other night.
“I see.”

Leigh grinned as she took Abby’s arm, admiring the bracelet as well. “Well, this is absolutely gorgeous! Where did that come from?”

“Just someone very special,” Abby said, hoping for a mysterious tone.

“Funny,” J.D. began. “Andrew picked one of those up today for a lady friend, didn’t you?” He turned to Andrew pointedly. “In fact, your words were that you were going to use it to lure her out of ‘her cold, hard conch shell she chooses to live in,’ I believe?”

Andrew’s cheeks were a soft flushed pink as he realized he had been outed by his boss, not understanding that there was so much more subtext happening here. Subtext that didn’t involve the bracelet. Or Andrew.

“Not that I meant you were cold and hard, Abby. In fact, just the opposite -- ”Andrew stopped as soon as he realized he was revealing too much information. “Sorry. Carry on.”

Abby took a deep breath, steeling herself for the next few moments. Her mission now was not just to tell J.D. they weren’t selling the inn, but to get J.D. the hell out of the house. And fast.

“Look, J.D., or Jack . . . I’m sorry to tell you this when you came here to buy the property, but we’ve decided not to sell. I hope that doesn’t interfere with your plans for the rest of the evening.”

J.D. kept his cool gaze on Abby, matching her faux-relaxed facial expression and her attitude of utter calm, which she had quickly regained. Abby was channeling her bosses of years past as she stood there with him staring at her. She knew she had to keep up her appearance as the cool business owner not just for him, but for Leigh as well.

The room was quiet. Abby wasn’t sure what was going on, except for the fact that Andrew and J.D. were parked next to each other in her dining room. Both sets of lips had been on hers and both men had found ways to make her weak in the knees. Not that it mattered, but still. And now, no one was speaking. Not even Leigh. Abby wanted to swallow, but felt they’d all hear it and take it as a sign of weakness.

Just when she thought it couldn’t go on any longer, J.D. cleared his throat and stood.

“Well, okay. I get it.” He looked down at a folder that was on the table in front of him and he scribbled a number inside. He slid the folder over to Andrew, allowing him to see it. Andrew nodded his head in agreement.

“I’m going to double the offer.”

Abby felt her heart drop in her chest.
Are you kidding me?
She wanted to slap him.

From behind her, Abby heard Leigh shuffle her feet. “I’m sorry. You want to double the offer?”

Keeping his gaze steady with Abby’s, J.D. nodded. “Double. It’s the only time I’ll offer you that much.”

Abby was flabbergasted. “Double. You want to pay double for this inn?”

J.D. tilted his head slightly to the right and smiled cryptically. “I do. I want La Cantina.” It was only then that he tore his eyes from Abby’s and focused on Leigh. “I told you double, and you have my word.”

Leigh laughed, high and flitty. She grabbed Abby’s arm. “Please excuse us for one moment. I just need to talk to my sister.”

Abby felt as if she were rooted to the spot. It was as if she were in a dream, the way it felt when Leigh was tugging on her arm, signaling she wanted to speak with her privately, away from the stare of Jack Rhys, a.k.a. J.D., and his architect, Andrew. Abby finally gave way and allowed herself to be led into the kitchen.

“Double, Abby! Double! He wants to pay double.” Leigh took Abby by both shoulders and sat her down on one of the barstools. “I’m going to ask you this only one time and this will be the last time. . . . Are you sure you want to do this? Take over the inn? Stay here on this island and not go back to Los Angeles?”

Abby sat for a second taking it all in. She knew she could just take the money and go. Go back to her apartment, her non-life in the city, her home full of broken memories and the sad air that still threatened to suffocate her on a daily basis since Matt. She could say “Yes, let’s take it” and be gone, leave Maria and Ziggy here to tend to things and Cap’n Joe Cutty to his happy-hour parties of one. Yes, indeed, she could say yes and she, Ben and Leigh would all be the richer for it.

Yet when she thought of leaving the island, she was sad. She didn’t want to say yes. She had to say no. The only thing she had now was this island and the inn. Abby knew in her heart that she could do this and she was going to kick some ass running this place.

Grinning, she looked up to her sister’s face and slowly began to nod her head.

“Are you saying yes to selling it?”

Abby shook her head. “No, I’m saying yes to staying here. I got this, Leigh. Let’s tell him to leave. We’re done. I have a business to run.”

Leigh wrapped her arms around her little sister and hugged her close.

“Oh, Abs, I know you can do this. You know why?”

“Because I’m so freaked out I have no choice?”

Leigh laughed. “No, because
you
know you can do this.” She began walking back to the dining room. She stopped at the doors and waited for Abby to join her.

Abby opened the doors and locked J.D. in her stare as she gave them their final answer.

“No, thank you, Jack. As I said, we’re keeping the inn. It belongs to my family and we’ve decided to keep it.” She tossed a small smile Andrew’s way. “It’s time I got to know it a little better.”

J.D. pushed away from the table. “So be it. Can’t say I didn’t try.” He put out his hand to Leigh. “You must understand, we Rhyses hate to lose. Anything.”

Leigh took his hand and shook it, smiling. “I completely understand.”

J.D. then put his hand out to Abby. “We like to win, at any cost.” His smile was tight but his eyes were flirting. Abby sensed that all she had managed to do was to turn him on for the last half-hour.

“Well, J.D., it’s been a pleasure. Again, I’m really sorry that we wasted your time.”

His smile was almost a smirk as he held her hand for a moment too long.

“You didn’t waste my time, Abby. I came here for Ricky’s and your inn was brought to my attention, just a mere blip on the screen. Now it’s front and center. I’ll be watching it and you.” He let go of her hand and started to walk past her, but stepped back, whispering, “I told you I didn’t think we were done yet.” J.D. then took a moment, allowing his eyes to rest seductively on Abby’s lips as he brushed past her, making sure she felt the heat that she knew already existed between them.

And if she wasn’t mistaken, it had gotten hotter.

J.D. paused at the door, turning back to the room to address Andrew, his tone taunting and his eyes watching Abby for her reaction. “Don’t forget, you need to get back, Andrew. When’s your flight?”

The realization hit Abby like a ton of bricks: J.D. must have known.
He knew the whole time,
she thought, narrowing her eyes and struggling to keep her composure.
He knew that Andrew was here with me, so he decided to send him back!
She wanted to confront him, but knew now was not the time. Not here.

“Bollocks, Abby! I needed to be at the airport ten minutes ago! Do you mind . . . ?” he didn’t need to finish, because she was already out the door and dashing to get Ziggy’s keys from Maria.

As she bolted across the property to the maids’ quarters, all she could think of was that Andrew was leaving her and she’d be left on this island, alone, with J.D. Rhys just down the road to torture her . . . if he felt the need.