Summer Vows

by Rochelle Alers

  “I’d prefer if my identity be kept off the radar.”

  “No worry, Jake. Your name will not come up. And don’t forget to be ready when I call you back.”

  “Copy that,” Jacob said, using his old military jargon. He ended the call, then stripped naked, pausing to pick the discarded clothing off the floor.

  * * *

  Ana rested her head on a bath pillow and closed her eyes, luxuriating in the pulsing water flowing over her body. She felt alive—more alive than she’d been all week, and she knew it had something to do with Jacob’s promise that he was going to take her back to Florida.

  A smile softened her features. She was going home, home to where she would sleep in her own bed; home where she would prepare meals in her own kitchen, and home where she’d sit on the balcony drinking a chai latte while watching the sunset. Her eyes flew open when she realized she hadn’t thought about Serenity.

  Had being away from the company changed her that much or was it because of the problems with Slow Wyne that had soured her on the music industry? Ana shook her head as if banishing the thought. She couldn’t walk away from Serenity, not when it was in transition. Jason had decided to relocate, but where? And would he reduce or increase the number of employees? She also had to decide whether to take a less than hands-on role, and if she did then could she convince Graham to leave ColeDiz and join Serenity.

  Although Jason had decided it was best Serenity go on hiatus, Ana knew he would never dissolve the company. Like ColeDiz, Serenity was a privately-held, family-owned conglomerate. Music had been and still was her father’s life despite being a retired musician and former CEO, and she knew it would be the same with her.

  Then there was the matter of she and Jacob. They’d decided to try and make a go of their arranged marriage, however, there was still the issue of where they would live. Boca Raton and Miami were less than fifty miles apart but would he expect her to move in with him, or would he be willing to relocate to live with her?

  His apartment wasn’t in Key Biscayne or Coral Gables but in a neighborhood undergoing gentrification. She had to think of the time when they would eventually have children, and for Ana a quality education was definitely a priority. She didn’t want private schools to become a necessity, but an option. She and her siblings had attended Boca Raton public schools where they weren’t ferried to and from classes in chauffeur-driven limos or forced to join the social clubs that were so much a part of the lives of the affluent residents in their upscale neighborhood. Serena Cole’s mantra was that she wanted to have normal kids living normal lives.

  Ana knew if she and Jacob were going to remain together the subject of parenthood and parenting would have to be discussed beforehand. She wasn’t certain whether she would be like her mother, establishing boundaries and limits when necessary or if she’d leave that responsibility to Jacob.

  She wanted to raise her children the way she was raised with respect but also with enough independence to explore their gifts and talents. Ana was certain of one thing. She didn’t want her son or daughter to go into law enforcement, only because she would wear out her knees praying nothing would happen to them.

  Get a grip, girl, she mused. Why was she ruminating about children when she knew she wasn’t pregnant? Or was it wishful thinking?

  Reaching for a bottle of scented bath gel she squeezed a generous glob on a bath sponge and began lathering her body. Jacob walked in, gloriously naked, at the same time she stood up and rinsed her body with a retractable nozzle.

  Leaning over, he patted her bottom. “Hey, skinny mama.”

  “Please hand me a towel.” Ana took the bath sheet from his outstretched hand, wrapping it around her body and tucking the ends over her breasts. “I’m hardly skinny.”

  Jacob lifted her from the tub, setting her down on a thirsty bath mat. “You’ve been eating like a bird. Take tonight. You hardly tasted the soup, managed one forkful of the lobster and steak entrée, and even refused the key lime pie. You’ve been picking at your food for the past week, yet you tell me there’s nothing wrong with you.”

  Sitting on a padded bench, Ana applied a light layer of scented body crème to her neck, shoulders and arms. “I always lose my appetite whenever I’m stressed.”

  Jacob walked over to the free-standing shower behind a frosted-glass enclosure. “What are you stressed about?” he said over the sound of running water.

  She removed the towel and continued moisturizing her body. “I told you before I want to go home.”

  “You’re going home.”

  Ana froze, her heart pumping wildly against her ribs. “When?”

  “As soon as I get a call from Diego. Hopefully it will be either later this week or early next week. We need to pack, only leaving out what we’re going to wear for the next day.”

  Pressing a fist to her lips, she whispered a prayer of thanks. “Thank you, Jacob.”

  “You’re welcome, baby.”

  She heard the sound of his mechanical toothbrush, followed by gargling. “I’ll be in bed waiting for you.”

  * * *

  “What took you so long?” Ana asked when Jacob got into bed and nuzzled her neck.

  His hand rested on her bare hip. “What’s this? No nightgown.”

  She giggled. “I thought I’d save you the trouble of having to take it off.”

  “Are you trying to seduce me, Mrs. Jones?”

  “Of course not, Mr. Jones. There’s never a need for me to seduce you because you’re always hard and ready.”

  Jacob’s unrestrained laughter filled the bedroom. “She’s back,” he crooned. “I love it when you talk dirty.”

  “That’s because you’re a dirty old man.”

  “Dirty I’ll cop to. But not old. At least not yet. When I’m not able to get it up, then I’ll have to acknowledge that I’m getting older. Thanks to modern medicine there’re pills to counter erectile dysfunction, so that means I can keep going like the Energizer Bunny until I’m at least ninety-five.”

  Turning over and facing Jacob, Ana pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “If you think I’m going to allow you to climb up on me when I’m ninety, then you’re as crazy as a loon.”

  Jacob sobered. “Are you saying we can expect to celebrate a sixtieth wedding anniversary?”

  She closed her eyes. “No, I’m not saying that. I told you before that I’m willing to give our marriage a chance. But there are a few things we need to talk about.”

  “What are they?”

  “Children.”

  “What about them?” he whispered.

  “Do you want children?” A swollen silence followed her query and Ana thought perhaps Jacob hadn’t heard her.

  “Of course I want us to have children,” he finally said. “Do you?”

  “Yes.” She’d noted he’d said children and not child. “Now that we’ve settled that, the next question is where are we going to live?”

  “I’d like you to move in with me. I know it’s not as luxurious as your Boca condo, but at least you’ll be able to keep out of the spotlight.”

  “Is your apartment large enough for the both of us?”

  “I have a bedroom, living/dining area, a serviceable kitchen and I don’t have to share the bathroom with other tenants.”

  A noticeable shudder shook Ana when he mentioned sharing a bathroom. “My condo has a manned gatehouse, semi-private elevators that serve only two residences per floor. I have a large bedroom with walk-in closets and en suite bath, gourmet kitchen, a living and formal dining room and another full bath. And because I have a corner residence there are gorgeous wraparound balconies with unobstructed ocean and city views.”

  “If I move in with you, then it would mean I would have to commute to Miami.”

  “And if I move to Miami, then I’d have to commute to Boca,” Ana countered. “What if we compromise?”

  “Compromise how?”

  “What if we move midpoint?”

  There was another pause.
“What do you consider midpoint?” Jacob asked.

  “Fort Lauderdale. I’ll put my condo on the market and have my real estate agent look for something in Harbor Beach, Rio Vista Isles, Las Olas Isles or Bay Colony.”

  Jacob felt himself withdrawing from Ana even though he hadn’t and couldn’t move. It was apparent she’d planned their future without his input. “I can’t afford to live in the communities you just mentioned.”

  Placing a hand over his chest, Ana swirled the crisp hair around her finger. “Yes, we can, baby.”

  He caught her wrist. “No, we can’t. I’m not going to pimp my wife.”

  “You’re not pimping me, Jacob. We have enough money to live wherever we want.”

  Jacob’s hold on her wrist tightened. “Wrong, Ana. You have enough money to live wherever you want. I don’t. I work for the government, and that means I fall into the ninety-nine percent category. You on the other hand can count yourself among the one percent—”

  “Why are you turning this into a social debate? This is not about the haves and have-nots, Jacob. It’s about you and me and our future. And if we have to argue about money, then maybe we should live in separate residences.”

  “That’s not going to happen until after they catch the person or persons who want to kill you. Until then we’ll live together.”

  Ana’s temper rose quickly. “You may have the upper hand here in the Bahamas, but once I set foot on U.S. soil we’re done, Jacob.”

  “That’s not for you to determine.”

  “We’ll see.”

  Pulling her hand from his firm grasp, she turned over, presenting Jacob with her back. She’d had enough. From the moment that bullet hit Tyler her life hadn’t been her own. She’d been held captive at her parents’ home, then at Long Key and Key West. And now it was Cannamore Cay where she was married to a man not chosen by herself, but others. Ana had believed she and Jacob were able to make the best of a situation in which they’d no input; a situation that had and would change them forever.

  Ana was no different from her girlfriends who went on constantly about meeting Mr. Right. She wasn’t a serial dater, but she’d gone out with enough men to know what she expected from them and what she refused to accept. No permita que nadie le defina ni determine su destino. Never had her grandmother’s words rung more true than they did now. Her father had determined her destiny when he’d taken the keys to her condo and car; then Diego decided it was best she go into exile in the Florida Keys with a man who was more a stranger than family friend. Her exile was exacerbated when she and Jacob took up residence on a private island in the Bahamas as husband and wife.

  Like most normal women Ana had hoped to fall in love and marry, but not through a marriage of convenience. After all, it was the twenty-first century and they lived in a country where arranged marriages were peculiar to the culture.

  Annulment. The word was as stinging as a slap. Once married, no one in her family had ever had an annulment. Nor did they divorce. There was an unspoken adage that Coles marry for life.

  A wry smile twisted her mouth. Regardless of the circumstances that brought them together, the only thing standing in their way for a happily ever after was her wealth. It was something she’d accepted and couldn’t change. Either he dealt with it or they could say goodbye. Ana Juanita Jones née Cole intended to end her marriage to Jacob Stephen Jones.

  Jacob’s cell phone chimed Diego’s ring tone and he stared at it for several seconds before picking it up off the countertop. “What’s up, buddy?”

  “We’ll touch down at eight. Be ready.”

  “Copy that.”

  He ended the call and made his way to the bathroom. It hadn’t taken a week but three days for Diego to arrange their return. Leaning against the door frame, Jacob stared at his wife as she brushed her hair. He smiled. The chic hairstyle was missing, replaced with black curls that made her look like a fragile doll.

  “M’ija?” She turned on the stool in front of the dressing table. Her golden eyes appeared unusually large and haunted in her small face. It was good they were going home because Ana was disappearing before his eyes. “We’re leaving.”

  With wide eyes she continued to stare at him. “Now?”

  Jacob smiled. “Yes, now.”

  Ana sprang off the stool, launching herself at him. He caught her in midair. “Thank you, darling. Thank you, thank you,” she repeated over and over while kissing his face.

  “Slow down, baby. Let’s get ready to blow this nightclub.”

  It was Diego who descended the steps to the jet. Casually dressed in a pair of taupe slacks, a short-sleeved shirt and tan woven-leather sandals, he extended his arms to Ana. Smiling, she went into his embrace. “Hola primo,” she whispered.

  Holding her at arm’s length, he angled his head. “Beautiful tan. A little thin. But none the worse for wear.”

  She exhaled an audible sigh. “I have Jacob to thank for that.”

  “We have Jacob to thank for a lot of things. Somewhere along the way he’s become the Coles’ guardian angel.” Diego glanced over Ana’s head. Jacob and the limo driver were unloading bags from the trunk. “Let me help with the luggage so we can lift off.” He kissed her forehead. “Go on up and get belted in.”

  Ana walked slowly up the stairs and entered the luxurious aircraft. She recognized the flight attendant. Linda Franklin was one of four ColeDiz flight attendants that were a part of the crew for the Gulfstream corporate jet. Linda was in the galley with an onboard chef.

  The flight attendant, carrying a travel mug emblazoned with the ColeDiz logo approached her. “Mr. Thomas told me you like your coffee light and sweet.”

  “Thank you, Linda.”

  The tall, slender redhead nodded. “Congratulations on your recent marriage.”

  Ana forced a smile she didn’t feel. “Thank you.” She took a sip of coffee, savoring the rich taste. She recognized the blend. It was Jamaican Blue Mountain, touted as the best coffee in the world. ColeDiz owned coffee plantations in Jamaica, Mexico, Belize and Puerto Rico. The flavor was also served at the Cannamore Cay resort. She’d drunk half when Jacob and Diego entered the aircraft. Light coming through the oval window reflected off the band on Jacob’s hand as he sat opposite, leaving Diego to sit in the adjacent row.

  Linda, carrying a tray, handed each man a similar mug. “Breakfast will be served as soon as we’re airborne.”

  Ana stared out the window at the stretch of white sand and beyond the vibrant blue-green water. Even though she’d averted her gaze she could feel the intensity of Jacob’s stare. It was over. The make-believe and the fairy-tale marriage would end once they were back in the States.

  The fasten-seat-belt sign was illuminated and Ana placed her mug into a holder, then fastened the belt around her waist. Pressing her head against the back of the leather seat, she closed her eyes as the sleek jet taxied down the airstrip, picked up speed, and within minutes they were airborne. She opened her eyes, staring down at the rapidly fading island landscape as the jet increased its altitude. Once they obtained cruising speed, Diego turned his seat to face her and Jacob.

  “We’re going to touch down in Miami where Jake has to pick up a few things. Then Henri will drive you to Boca where the two of you will stay until—”

  “No, Diego—” Ana interrupted.

  Diego held up his hand. “Please let me finish, Ana.”

  She gave him a long, penetrating stare. One thing she didn’t want was for her and Jacob to continue cohabitating. With a great deal of reluctance, she said, “Okay.”

  “I’m bringing you back to Florida against my better judgment. But knowing you’ll be with Jake belies some of my apprehension. We still haven’t finished our investigation but we’re closer than we were a month ago. I’d like you and Jake to stay at your condo until this is over.”

  “Are you saying I can’t leave?”

  “Yes. You’re a newlywed, so you’re still on your honeymoon.”

  When she gl
anced at Jacob she was unable to read his expression. “What about visitors?”

  “I would limit visitors to members of the family.”

  “You bring me out of exile to make me a prisoner in my own home.” The familiar mask of brooding settled on

  Diego’s features. “I understand your concern for my wellbeing,” she continued, “but somehow you forget I’m not a child. You, my father, Uncle Martin and Joshua get together, make decisions, and then expect me to follow them without question. I would’ve liked to have known in advance that I was going to get a husband.”

  “You never would’ve gone along with it, Ana,” Diego argued softly. “But you have an out. You can annul it.” His gaze shifted from her to Jacob who shot him a lethal stare. “Why do I feel as if I’ve just come down with a case of foot in mouth? Lo siento,” he apologized softly.

  Ana and Jacob shared a glance. She wanted to tell her cousin that she had fallen in love with her husband, didn’t want to end her marriage, yet dissolution was inevitable. He was willing to share her life but not her wealth.

  The awkward moment was shattered when Linda approached with a serving cart. She pushed a button under the burl armrests of the saddle-tan chairs that converted to beds. Activating the retractable tray tables, the attendant covered the trays with damask tablecloths.

  Working quickly and efficiently, she set out plates of fluffy mushroom omelets with strips of crisp bacon, crystal goblets with freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly baked scones and cups of coffee. Prerecorded music flowed throughout the cabin during their mile-high breakfast.

  Ana managed to eat most of her omelet, while drinking two glasses of orange juice and a cup of coffee. The anxiety that had weighed on her like a lead shield lifted the closer they came to the U.S. coastline. The blue-green waters of the Caribbean Sea faded as the colder gray water of the Atlantic Ocean came into view. She recognized the island of Cuba and the Florida Keys as the jet began its descent.

  The fasten-seat-belt sign chimed, and Jacob moved across the aisle to sit with Diego, and within minutes all evidence of breakfast disappeared. “Ana and I have a few things we’re going to have to work out before deciding whether we want to stay together, so I’d appreciate it if you don’t get involved in what’s going on between me and my wife.” His voice was low, words cold and biting as needle pricks.