Rum Punch Regrets (25 page)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The morning light was just beginning to fill the front rooms of La Cantina. Abby had risen to another gorgeous day on St. Kitts and to another to-do list a mile long. Her schedule now required her to wake up with Maria at 6 a.m. so they could prep breakfast for the guests. Abby was making it a habit to eat with anyone staying there and to be visible in case the guests had any questions or needed suggestions or help organizing their day on the island.

This particular morning, Abby had given Maria some much-needed time off, which was a first. Even though the guests staying at the inn had asked to sleep in, Abby insisted on being there in the morning in case anyone’s mind changed. She knew she could whip up a meal if needed.

Abby shuffled over to the check-in desk in the front hall with her coffee and settled in to go over the reservations for the week and organize any special accommodations. These mornings were like gold, silent starts to the day where she had a minute or two alone before the hustle and bustle began. Soon Ziggy would need his grocery list, more guests would arrive via a cruise ship and from the airport. To top it all off, she was organizing a poolside happy hour for the guests, a new tradition, complete with rum punch and conch fritters.

As Abby opened the drawer to pull out a pen, the white envelope with Andrew’s handwriting on it caught her eye. She smiled to herself, remembering the moment he had given her the plane ticket for her flight to London. A hot, comforting warmth traveled through her body as she thought of him this morning.

It had been a few weeks since Andrew had rushed out the door, with Abby racing to get him to the airport for his plane back to London. Their goodbye had been hurried, but they had made up for it, logging several hours a few days a week on video chats. Abby was excited knowing he would be back in a few short weeks because he was needed for the beginning stages as the construction began on Ricky’s. Since the Rhys family had decided on remodeling Ricky’s versus tearing it down, it meant that Andrew’s job would be a touch easier, but complicated nonetheless. Jack Sr. had asked that Andrew spend more time overseeing this project with J.D., and Andrew had quickly said yes. While Abby was thrilled that Andrew would be back for more time with her, she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling she had in her gut that Jack would insist on turning their lives upside down if he saw the chance.

If he could do it once by sending Andrew home, he’ll find a way to do it again,
she thought as she lovingly stroked her airline tickets.

Abby had been thrilled with the tickets, as they would serve her a dual purpose when the time came: visiting her handsome boyfriend in London and meeting her father’s lover and the mother of her half-brother, Carla Stenson. Abby sucked in a deep breath, feeling her stomach fill with excited butterflies. She wasn’t sure when she would go yet, but she knew it would be soon.
When the timing is right,
she thought.

Abby sipped her coffee slowly, watching as the morning light stretched its golden fingers further inside the inn, welcoming the morning. The sun’s rays hit the framed photo in front of her, which caught the light, begging to be seen. She smiled as she gazed lovingly at the picture that had been taken just a few days previously, before Leigh and Daryl had left to go home. Somehow they had all managed to pile in the photo together, after Ben had made several attempts at setting the camera on auto for a picture. Maria, Ziggy, Ben, Abby, Daryl and Leigh . . . they were all sitting on top of one another by the pool, laughing and hugging each other as they were toasting the inn and their family. Abby caught herself giggling at the memory.

In a few days’ time, Will, Leigh’s son who lived in Los Angeles, would be flying down with some of Abby’s belongings and her cat, Giles. He would have with him packages she was ready to have in her possession again and most certainly needed. Will was going to spend some time with her and his Uncle Ben, getting to know him and helping Abby and Ziggy repaint the second floor of the inn. Yes, things were moving right along.

The voicemail light on the desk phone was blinking, teasing Abby to begin her day. As she pored over the reservations, her eyes kept being drawn back to the phone. She knew she should just get it over with, listen to the calls, and then she could move on to the next item up for business. While it was an easy task, taking down voicemails was the most mundane chore for her for some reason, but she knew she had to get it done.

She picked up the phone, plugging in the code to get into the voicemail system, and began to take notes. One call was in regard to a guest coming in the next day who wanted to arrange a dive out in the Caribbean.
Easy enough,
she thought.
I’ll just call Cutty.
The next caller was requesting a pickup at the airport and left flight details. It was the third call that made Abby’s heart race so fast she thought for sure her head would explode. Just hearing the familiar voice on the other end of the line sent an odd mixture that felt like both ice and boiling water through her veins.

“Hello, La Cantina, and all of its amazing occupants -- but most importantly, hello, Abby. It’s J.D. Don’t worry, I’m not calling to make a reservation. I’m actually calling because I’m sitting here on the balcony of
my
hotel, watching the moon and its reflection as it dances over the sea.” He took a moment to laugh at himself, then continued, “I can’t believe I said that. That a moon dances. Anyway, Abby, you should be here on this balcony with me. I’ve been thinking about it more, and I still don’t like losing. Not the inn and certainly not you. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, you know. So be prepared, because I fully intend on winning you over.” Abby wasn’t positive, but she thought his words might have been slightly slurred. “Anyway . . . I, uh . . . God, I hope you’re the one that gets this message, otherwise I may look like a fool, huh? I’ll be seeing you around, Miss George. Sooner than you think.”

And the call disconnected.

There were still a few more messages, but Abby was stuck somewhere between rattled and excited, so she absentmindedly placed the phone back on its base. She felt something soft, a furry winding around her ankles, and looked down to see one of Ben’s cats dancing at her feet. “How the hell is it he can make me feel like this?” She sat back and was speaking directly to the feline as if he had the answer she needed. “Like I need this right now.”

Abby sat back and drank in her surroundings, observing La Cantina with new eyes. This time, as she took in the beautiful hand-carved pieces and the local art that had been placed lovingly on the walls, she was looking at her things. Her place. Not with wide-eyed wonder and a feeling of uncertainty, but with the keen eye of someone who owned the property. Her mind raced with ideas and plans for her future on the island as well as the future of the inn, knowing it was up to her to keep it going now.

Looking at the art on the walls, she giggled at the thought of having some of her old French liquor posters brought down from her apartment in Los Angeles and having Ziggy hang them on one of the walls in the main house. She was opting instead to put them in the pool house. Maria would never have appreciated that joke, anyway. Plus, with Ben leaving, Abby got the pool house as her own and she was looking forward to decorating it and staking her claim.

Abby’s thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing beside her. She sat up straight, smoothed back her hair and smiled as she realized she was ready to start the day.

“La Cantina . . . you need to speak to the owner? Yes, that’s me . . . ”

Questions for Book Clubs

1. Abby comes across as a strong female with good values who is finding her way. Yet, when it comes to the two men she meets in this book, J.D. and Andrew, she couldn’t be more different with each one. Why do you think she is so much more relaxed yet holds back so much with the Andrew? And why is that she seems more open and feisty with J.D.? If it is a case of “love vs. lust,” which man represents which of these emotions for her, and can the situation be reversed – could she feel the same emotion for both men?
   

2. Leigh’s loyalty to her father makes for a minefield of issues in Abby and Ben’s lives. Do you think Leigh did the right thing by keeping her word to her dying father or should she have at least brought Abby in on the big secret that much sooner?
   

3. Leigh kept the secret of the inn and Ben from her husband, Daryl, which resulted in him being upset and separating from her temporarily. Do you think that was fair of Daryl? Would you do that if this situation happened to you?
   

4. Abby and Leigh have a powerful sisterly bond that they navigate throughout the course of the book. In the beginning we see how Abby feels she must please her older sister and in the end she finally stands up for her own beliefs and wants, gaining respect and acceptance from her sister in the process. If the readers were to put themselves in this situation, would they have been able to speak up for themselves sooner? Discuss the way Leigh’s taking on the role of “mother” to Abby after Stanley passed may have changed this relationship.
   

5. Maria takes on a motherly role herself not only to Abby, but also to everyone around her, including her husband. When Abby is sitting on the porch thinking she lost Andrew, Maria makes the statement, “You don’t find love it finds you.” Do you agree with this statement and why?
   

6. Abby takes back her own “power” by staking her claim on the inn. Besides wanting to stay on the island because of the pull she feels, do you think she also knows by staying here she is closer to her father and all of the secrets he and his mistress, Carla, have hidden? Do you think Abby made this decision for the right reasons?
   

7. When Abby first gets to the island, she is thrown into a pool house with a stranger and is expected to adapt very quickly. How would you react if this scenario happened to you?
   

8. Ben emits a quiet support for Abby after they get to know one another and the two are almost instantly connected when they find out the truth about being related to one another. Do you think, given the history with Leigh and their sisterly issues, that this new brother-sister dynamic is helpful in boosting Abby’s self-esteem and belief in herself?
   

Caribbean Themed Menu for YOUR Book Club

The one thing I love about my book club - besides the fact I get to hang out with some amazing women! - is that when we get together, the person hosting creates a menu themed around the books we’re reading. I feel like this truly allows some of our inner Julia Childs’ to come through, even if just for one night.

When I lived in the Caribbean, it was a very different adventure than what most folks get to experience. For me, I was living as a laid-off, budgeted gal that was staying on an air mattress in her oldest nephew’s small one bedroom apartment.

I was living in the living room. By a litterbox. For real.

There were times we didn’t get to the store in time to buy groceries. You see, on the island, the boat comes in once a week and if you don’t get your supplies before the residents, tourists and all of the other students attending the three colleges there do, then you have to figure it out. There were times we had to figure it out.

Author’s Note: If I truly were recreating
my
Caribbean menu it would be garbanzo beans with pasta, homemade tomato sauce and tuna. But I won’t do that to you.

I’d love to see pictures of your book club meals or gatherings, especially if you build around this theme! Play with the ideas here, take them and expand on them. And have fun!

Suggested Menu:

Caribbean Chicken Skewers

Caribbean Rice and Beans

Plantains

Vanilla and Coconut Ice Cream

Fresh Fruits

Caribbean Chicken Skewers

What you need:

4 large skinned chicken breasts

red peppers

green peppers

yellow peppers

sweet onion

mushrooms

pineapple

shredded coconut

ginger root

fresh orange juice

papaya (or passionfruit) nectar

pineapple juice

lime juice

garlic

honey

What to do:

1. Marinate the chicken in a mixture of pineapple juice, papaya nectar, orange juice and lime juice – I suggest at least 4 hours. Prep vegetables and pineapple by cubing and placing into separate containers. Cube chicken and parboil for 15-20 minutes. Let cool then begin placing on skewers.
   

2. Using wooden or metal skewers, alternate chicken, vegetables and pineapple on the skewers. Don’t load them too heavy. Before cooking, drizzle each skewer with honey.
   

3. Put them on the grill, watching carefully until meat is cooked through.
   

4. If cooking in an oven, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet in tin foil and place skewers across. Turn every 3-4 minutes and watch carefully until the meat is cooked through.
   

5. Top skewers with shredded coconut and shaved ginger root. Garnish with mint sprigs.
   

Mama Cita’s Caribbean Rice and Beans

Thanks to Mamacita aka Irasema Chavez

What you need:

2 cups dried black beans, soaked overnight

2 cups white rice

2 cups coconut water

2 cups water (for rice)

2 beef bouillon tablets

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 teaspoon of ground garlic

1 chili pepper

What to do:

1. Drain the beans and put in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until tender, drain reserving the cooking liquid.
   

2. In a medium pot, add the coconut water and rice, sauté for 2 minutes and stir.
   

3. Add the cooked beans, 2 cups of the cooking liquid and 2 cups of water. Add beef bouillon, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and add the chili pepper in the middle of the pot (do not cut the pepper, it will make the rice too spicy).Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
   

4. Remove the rice from the heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes before serving.
   

Plantains

What you need:

6-8 plantains

unsalted butter

cinnamon

sugar

What to do:

1. Take 6-8 plantains and slice them lengthwise in half. Place on tin foil and top with pats of butter. Bake at 375 degrees in the oven until soft.
   

2. Serve with either alone, with salt or with cinnamon and sugar for topping.
   

Dessert

Serve vanilla and coconut ice cream. Provide toppings such as pineapple, mango or papaya. Sprinkle with coconut and mint leaves for garnish.

Another option is serving cut, fresh fruit.

Rum Punch

Perhaps the most important drink/dish to be served - and luckily it can be done with or without the rum. . . But the rum is a good addition!

What you need:

1 cup (fresh) Lime Juice

1 cup Papaya or Passion Fruit Nectar

1 cup Pineapple Juice

2 cups rum of choice

2 cups (fresh) Orange Juice

½ cup – 1 cup (to taste) Grenadine

Bitters

Nutmeg

What to do:

Stir and refrigerate at least one hour before serving. When serving, use bigger ice cubes so they melt slower and won’t add water to the punch.

Top each glass with a sprinkle of nutmeg and a few shakes of bitters. Voila!