Sheila Galloway is always in trouble when it comes to love. Perhaps it is her penchant for picking the unavailable, the bad boy, the married man, or the guy who has no love for her because he loves himself far more. She longed to find that fabled "N...
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The cancellation of Lanie's and James' wedding was splashed over the society page in the Philadelphia Inquire. Unable to bear reading more James tossed the affronting paper aside.
"Are you all set," Christian asked looking over to James as they were about to make their landing in the Bahamas."
"No," James confided, "but I will be when the time comes."
"You had better be," Christian said in a warning tone. "You've got one shot to make this right and Shelly has gone through a lot of trouble for you."
"I know," James said guiltily. "Are you sure she'll be able to pull this off?" he asked warily.
"Without a doubt," Christian told him letting him know he had complete confidence in her even though her plan did seem a bit over the top.
James and Christian checked into the hotel at noon. By Sheila's calculations, Lanie was scheduled to check-in by one. Christian still marveled at Sheila's ability to convince Lanie's father to send Lanie here on holiday.
There were three short raps on the door. Christian opened it and Sheila quickly slid past him closing the door behind her. "Great you're here," she said giving Christian a quick kiss on the cheek and giggling as his look of disappointment. "We have no time for that," she told him. Earning her one of Christian's adorable mischievous grins.
"Are you ready?" she asked James as he stared pensively out the balcony window. He turned and locked eyes with her. "How can you be so sure she'll come?"
"I explained everything to her father. How much you love her. How you did what you did to help your best friend and me? And that you both share the same goal which is to make his little girl happy," Sheila told him.
"He believes you're a good guy and he had to admit Lanie has never been happier than she had been with you and couldn't be more miserable now that she's without you. He even went as far as to say you reminded him of himself at your age."
"He said that?" James asked shocked beyond belief.
"Yes, now look everything is in place for tomorrow night. You've got one shot at this and then it's over so don't blow it," she told him firmly.
She really doesn't pull her punches, James thought gloomily. His nerves made his stomach feel like one giant knot but he would do it and everything would go according to plan. It just had to.
Lanie normally would love to come to a place as beautiful as this but the white sandy beaches and the warm sultry air were lost on her. She traveled lifelessly back to her room. However, just the thought of James and her anger breathed life back into her. A flashback of throwing her ring at him and storming out of his life forever came to mind. Lanie knew she should be relieved, her friends were all telling her how much better off she was without him but God help her she still loved him.
Her father had insisted she take this holiday to "regroup" as he called it. Saying things would only be worse if she stayed. The press would show her no mercy. She guessed there were worse fates than being exiled to an island paradise. Tossing her carry on bag aside and flopping down on the soft full-size bed, she curled up with a pillow and cried herself to sleep.
The next morning, her spirits had lifted slightly. It was difficult to hold on to a melancholy mood with so much sunshine around you. The light poured into her suite and she soaked up its warmth. Spying the brilliant blue waters of the pool below, she decided to don her bikini and go for a swim.
Lanie took a deep breath drawing in the salty ocean air as she looked for just the right spot to sun herself. She found it located at the other end of the pool and eagerly strode over to it.
James' stomach flipped when he'd seen her exit the hotel. She was a vision in her baby blue bikini. "They should outlaw such garments," he thought moodily as he watched every male she passed strain their necks to catch a glimpse of her.
It felt like torture not to be able to reveal himself to her. He felt an overwhelming urge to run to her and plead for her forgiveness, beg if he had to. Anything to be able to hold her in his arms once more. What a fool he had been. He couldn't stand it any longer and left to return to his hotel room.
Ten minutes had passed and Lanie giving up on concentrating on her book had placed the novel back in her bag and closed her eyes, drifting off into a peaceful slumber. She jolted awake as someone touched her arm.
"Is this chair taken?" a well-built man asked pointing to the lounge chair next to hers. "No," Lanie said shyly removing her hat from the chair so he could sit down. The man was an Adonis his finely tanned body accentuated his rippling muscles as he relaxed into the chair beside her.
"Are you here on holiday?" he asked turning his head to look at her, his eyes shielded by his hand so to get a better look.
"I guess you could say that?" she said reservedly feeling slightly uncomfortable under the man's assessing gaze.
"I hope you don't think it too forward of me to ask but are you alone on holiday or is your husband with you?"
Lanie's baby blue eyes clouded momentarily as she thought she should be here with her husband. The man she loves but no she was alone. Sighing heavily, she said, "No, I'm here to get some much needed R&R, with no tag along."
The man brightened and smiled at her. He had perfect teeth, Lanie noted instantly missing James' crooked smile.
"I am too. Here alone that is," the man said turning to stare ahead. "It's sometimes nice to get away, by yourself. In fact, I prefer it, except of course for meals. I always do hate eating alone. What about you?"
Lanie couldn't remember the last meal she ate alone. James was always with her; even stealing away from work in order to grab lunch with her and since their break up she more or less gave up eating altogether. Suddenly the ideas of eating alone seemed oppressively depressing.
After a prolonged silence had passed the man turned to look at her again. "What do you say to dinner? Tonight?"
Lanie looked uncertain at the stranger beside her but then thought what did she have to lose it was only dinner after all. "Sure, why not?" she told him with a smile.
"Good," he said warmly, " I'll meet you in the cocktail lounge at seven."
"Okay," Lanie said. "I'm Elaine by the way," she said extending out her hand to him.
He laughed a throaty laugh, "I guess introductions are in order. Wesley," he told her staring at her with veiled eyes. "It's a pleasure to me you."
Lanie took great care to dress that evening. She knew she was being silly but needed to dress up to bolster her confidence. The idea of having dinner with another man felt wrong somehow but she shook it off as her dependency on James and figured that maybe a distraction was in order. She studied her reflection in the full-length mirror. Her time at the pool had added a glow to her skin and she wore her hair swept up exposing her long neck. Her blonde hair seemed brighter too, most likely bleached from the Caribbean sun.
The dress she wore was an alluring red halter dress that exposed her entire back and had quite a daring plunge to the neckline. It was one of her favorites because it was the only dress she owned that when she wore it she'd have James' undivided attention.
She completed the ensemble with her black high-heeled sandals and a matching shoulder bag. With one last look, she decided she's fussed enough and left her hotel room to meet up with her dinner date.
