Touch of Paradise

by Dara Girard

  Rachelle stared at him with a look of both joy and confusion. “H.C., you don’t know what you’re taking on.”

  “Yes, I do. Most of my life has been about work, and now I’m making room for love.”

  * * *

  Aaron found Rebecca exactly where he expected to—talking to the caterers. She’d been against the idea of him going to see Kelli, and he’d expected to have her in handcuffs instead of letting her go. He knew that would make Rebecca happy, since she’d been frosty since their fight. When she saw him, she said something to the chef, then walked over to him.

  “Did you do it?” she asked. “Did you go and see Kelli and arrest her?”

  “Yes and no.”

  “You must feel proud of yourself—wait, what?”

  Aaron nodded, resting his hands on his hips. “I did go and see her, but no, I didn’t have her arrested. I was very proud of myself until I discovered you were right.”

  “What?”

  “After talking to her, I don’t think she did it, either.”

  “You didn’t have her arrested?”

  “Isn’t that what I just said?”

  “I want to hear it again.”

  “Couldn’t you just say ‘I told you so’?”

  Rebecca shook her head with a smile tugging on her mouth. “No, this is better. You didn’t have her arrested, right?” she asked one more time, just to be sure.

  “No, I had police standing by, but I wanted to talk to her first.”

  “Must be nice to have that kind of power.”

  “It is, when it works.”

  Rebecca snapped her fingers, satisfied. “I knew you had your doubts.”

  “How?”

  “Because you still had someone watch me. If Kelli had been behind all that has been going on, you wouldn’t have.”

  Aaron rubbed the back of his neck. “That doesn’t make me feel better.”

  “Nothing has happened. Maybe the person has left the island.”

  “I don’t like unanswered questions.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck, her mouth spreading into a smile. “At least now we can kiss and make up.”

  He removed her arms. “Not yet. I’m on duty.”

  Rebecca was about to try to persuade him to go off duty when her cell phone rang. She answered it. “Hello, Rachelle.”

  “I’m getting married and moving to St. James.”

  Rebecca held her cell phone to her ear, not sure she’d heard her sister correctly. “Wait, did you just say that you’re thinking of coming back and living here?”

  “Yes. Oh, Rebecca, H.C. is the most wonderful man. I know I’ll be happy with him, and we’ve talked about Gran and I know this environment will be good for her. I can work anywhere, so it won’t be any trouble. I know he’s not dashing and gorgeous, but he’s so sweet, and his brown eyes make my heart melt.”

  “I’m happy for you,” Rebecca said, acutely aware that Aaron could hear what her sister was saying.

  “And if it works out with Aaron—”

  “Aaron isn’t as impulsive as H.C.,” Rebecca said, sending Aaron a tremulous smile, embarrassed. “He had one bad experience with marriage.”

  “You could convince him to marry again.”

  “I really have to go. We can talk later.”

  Her sister swore. “He’s there, isn’t he?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Good. He’s crazy about you. It’s obvious,” she said, then hung up.

  “Your sister?” Aaron asked.

  “Yes,” Rebecca said, putting her phone away. She didn’t want to discuss what she had just heard. She had to focus on the show; the catering was set and the runners knew what to do. Now she just needed to see the set. After the accident, she’d let Aaron work with the set designer while she dealt with publicity and other tasks. But the moment she saw what he had done, she hated it.

  Rebecca looked at the stage, horrified. It was all wrong.

  “I’m going to kill him,” Rebecca mumbled, turning to find out where Aaron was, but he’d strangely disappeared. She couldn’t see him, but knew he was there. He probably knew how she’d react. She’d have to call him. She took out her cell phone.

  “Put that away,” Melanie said. Rebecca turned to her stage manager.

  “Why? It’s—”

  “What he’s done is amazing. I saw a tiny fragment of what he has in mind when he was practicing with the technical team, and I am getting the girls ready now.”

  Rebecca motioned to the stage. “He’s going to ruin my show.”

  “No, this is brilliant.”

  Rebecca waved her hand in front of her, stunned. It wasn’t like Melanie to give someone praise. “How can this be brilliant? It’s just a stage. A plain, boring stage.”

  “Exactly. It will make your clothes look even more spectacular. I know that you’re known for your gallery showings, but this will be something new for people to see. Don’t you think your clothes should speak for themselves?”

  “But everyone else has the same black background and—”

  “Yes, sometimes there’s a reason for tradition. The girls are already taking to it.” She gestured to a volunteer, and moments later the models began walking onto the stage.

  Melanie frowned. “My God, who taught you how to walk? A damn mummy?” She pointed to another. “And you, learn some rhythm. Count in your head if you have to. I need to see you float.” She turned to Rebecca. “They’ll be much better in two days.”

  “Stop being so harsh. They’re doing their best, and you’re right, the clothes look great.”

  “They’d look even better if you’d had the other three models. But leave this in my hands, and this collection will be all over the web. That’s what I do.” She turned to the group. “Faster. Why is the change taking so long?”

  “Sorry, ma’am.”

  Melanie rolled her eyes. “Amateurs. Look at her,” she said, pointing to a woman helping a model change. “She can hardly dress herself. How can she expect to dress others?”

  “You don’t have to push them so hard.”

  “I want excellence. And the only way I get it is when I demand it. You know, I have connections. I can get you a better assistant,” she said, glancing at Kelli, who was helping one of the runners with their headset.

  Rebecca felt relieved that Kelli still wanted to work even after such a painful conversation with Aaron. She remembered holding her and crying a little as she told her more about her sister and what St. James had meant to her. She now saw her in a new light, not just as a flighty, flirtatious woman but someone who wanted to live life fully for both her sister and now for herself. Melanie didn’t know about the suspicions that had been cast on Kelli. Her feelings were personal.

  “I don’t know why you never liked her,” Rebecca said.

  Melanie sniffed. “She’s not hungry enough. I could get you a girl willing to lick your boots if you asked her. That’s dedication.”

  “No, that’s scary.”

  Melanie gestured toward Kelli. “She doesn’t have fashion in her blood. She doesn’t eat, drink and live it.”

  “I don’t want someone who wants to be a designer. Besides, she’s efficient and good at what she does.”

  “From the looks of her, she doesn’t want to be anything but one man’s wife and another man’s mistress. Unfortunately, she has all the equipment to pull it off.”

  “Retract the claws. I’m not getting rid of her.”

  “You have more courage than I do. I wouldn’t want a woman like that around my man.”

  Rebecca frowned. “You’ve lost me. My man?”

  Melanie shrugged. “I heard that you’re living with the owner.”

  “The owner of what?” Reb
ecca asked, feigning innocence.

  Melanie made a dramatic gesture around the hall. “Of the resort. Adam—”

  “Aaron,” Rebecca corrected. “And I’m hardly living with him,” Rebecca said, keeping her voice low. “He just let me stay in his house because of what has been happening.”

  “I also heard Aaron killed the snake with a knife.”

  Rebecca made a tsking sound with her tongue. “You shouldn’t believe everything you hear. They were scissors.”

  “And you fell into his arms, and he carried you out of the hall.”

  “Not exactly.”

  Melanie couldn’t help a laugh. “I know. I made that part up. But it’s being whispered that he’s taken a keen interest in you.”

  “He was just being cautious.”

  “He may be,” Melanie said slowly, “but are you?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Do you know one of the reasons why you’ve risen so fast? It’s not just because you’re talented, but because your clothes tell a story. They invite people in. They’re engaging. Just like you. You were raised by a grandmother who loved you, a sister who adored you. And you approach the world with an open heart. You give everyone a chance, and that can be dangerous. You have to learn to guard your heart. There are some bad people in the world. You don’t have to be frightened of them, but you do have to know they’re there, and they can really hurt you. Are you sure there’s no one with a grudge or something?”

  “Positive.”

  “Fine, then be extra careful. Aaron is brilliant, and he’s rich. A man like that has enemies somewhere.”

  * * *

  Later that afternoon, Rebecca met Rachelle at the hotel where she’d been staying, and the two women sat in the lobby. Aaron watched from a distance, giving them privacy.

  “Why are you being so impulsive all of a sudden?” Rebecca asked her sister.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Don’t play dumb. I couldn’t believe what I heard over the phone. Are you really thinking of moving to St. James on a whim, after meeting some man you really don’t know?”

  Rachelle pursed her lips, angered. “Watch your tone. H.C. is not just some man. It’s not like he’s someone I picked up off the street.”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that,” Rebecca said quickly, not wanting to offend her sister.

  “Don’t you think Aaron’s a good reference for H.C.’s character?”

  “Yes, but I’m concerned about you bringing Gran to live here. The only place she’s ever known is back home in Delaware.”

  “Yes, but with her dementia, and all her friends dead, the only people she knows are you and me and her brother, who visits her every now and then.”

  “I still think you’re being too impulsive. At least think about it for a while before making things final.”

  “Too late. I’ve already accepted H.C.’s proposal and made arrangements to put Gran on the waiting list for one of the best nursing facilities here on St. James.”

  “I’m still not sure about this. I think—”

  “Some of us don’t need to be with someone forever before they know it’s true love.”

  “True love?” Rebecca scoffed. “What do you know about true love?”

  Rachelle tilted her head, studying her sister. “If I didn’t know you better, I would think you were envious of me.”

  “No, it’s not that. It’s just that...”

  “I know you love Aaron, and after seeing you with him, I think you’ve loved him for a long time. When are you going to tell me what happened on this island? Don’t you think it’s time we stopped having secrets between us?”

  “You’re right,” Rebecca said with a sigh. “I am envious. I am envious that you’ve found a man who’s willing to say he loves you and wants to spend his life with you. I’m envious that you’ll get to call this island home while I’ll have to leave.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  “I’m not going to cling on to Aaron like a piece of seaweed. And I’m not going to pretend that I wish he’d ask for me.” She wiped away a tear and plastered on a smile. “But now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, I can admit that I’m happy for you.” She hugged her sister.

  Rachelle hugged her back. “Don’t stop dreaming, little sister. Anything can happen.”

  Chapter 17

  A sliver of the moon hung low in the sky as Candace, Aaron and Rebecca sat on the veranda.

  “The show is tomorrow night,” Candace said. “So far nothing has gone wrong.”

  “Nothing will go wrong,” Aaron said, staring at the ugly statue that had arrived from Dr. Gladwell.

  Candace laughed. “You should have seen H.C.’s face when he saw Kelli. He couldn’t believe you didn’t have her arrested.”

  “I explained it to him,” Aaron said, turning the statue upside down.

  “I still don’t understand what changed your mind.”

  Aaron sent Rebecca a look. “Let’s just say I had my doubts.”

  “Why do you keep staring at that thing? I feel so bad about how it made Trident sick.”

  “You wouldn’t have known it could poison his bowl,” Rebecca said.

  “Where did you get it anyway?” Aaron asked.

  “From one of the models. Sareta. Yes, that’s right. Sareta Monay.”

  Aaron paused. “Who?”

  Candace grimaced. “I knew I shouldn’t have told you.”

  “You hired a Monay?”

  “They’re not all bad. And she seemed perfect.”

  “You know that the Monay clan is bad news.”

  “Why?” Rebecca asked.

  “The Monays are a family of smugglers, although they have several legitimate businesses here on the island. Candace knows I never work with them because doing so always causes trouble.”

  “I’m sure it’s just an ugly little statue.”

  “Let’s see.” He tapped the statue against the ground, cracking it open. He pulled out some cotton, and then the corner of his mouth quirked in a cynical grin.

  “What?” Candace said.

  He poured the contents into his palm—precious stones, just as he suspected.

  “I think we’ve solved our problem,” Candace said.

  “Why did they come after me?” Rebecca asked, stunned.

  “They always start subtle, then make their threats more pronounced,” Candace said. “I guess they thought Aaron was keeping what belonged to them.”

  “I never thought I’d witness something like this in real life. This is just like in a story.”

  Aaron gripped the stones in his hand until his knuckles turned pale. “Yes, too much so. I feel like I read this in a book somewhere.” He poured the gems back into the statue and stood with controlled fury. “Excuse us,” he said to Rebecca, then yanked his sister up from her chair and pulled her into another room.

  “What were you thinking?” he demanded. “Were you even thinking when you did this?” he asked, tapping the side of his forehead.

  “Did what?”

  He pointed at her. “Trident didn’t fit. That was your first mistake.”

  “What?”

  “I always wondered why Trident didn’t fit. Now I know it’s because of you. You always have to go over the top. I would never have guessed if you hadn’t stolen a scene from one of the stories from our childhood.”

  Candace held up her hands as if to calm him. “Aaron, just listen.”

  “Was any of this real?”

  She bit her lip. “Some of it.”

  “How much?”

  “The announcer really did get drunk and get in a fight.”

  Aaron tightened his hands into fists. “Candace,” he said in a l
ow, ominous tone.

  “Aaron, I—”

  “Why did you do this?”

  “I couldn’t stand the thought of you marrying Martha, so I knew I had to do something.”

  “So you came up with this whole charade?”

  “It worked, didn’t it?”

  He headed for the door. “Not after Rebecca finds out.”

  Candace grabbed his arm, stopping him. “She can never know about this.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I always felt it was my fault you two didn’t end up together, so I wanted to find a way to make it right.”

  “By threatening her life? This time you’ve gone too far. The stage mishap—you could have killed someone. You nearly did. And the thing with the poisonous snake—”

  “How was I supposed to know the guy I hired was color-blind? He got the wrong snake. Lucky he didn’t kill himself.” She rubbed her hands together nervously. “As for the stage thing, it was under control until Rebecca decided to barge onto the stage when she wasn’t supposed to be there. Luckily, you were there to save her.”

  Aaron couldn’t talk. He could barely look at her. At that moment, all he could think of was how scared Rebecca had been and how he’d felt her body tremble, as she tried to pretend that she wasn’t frightened.

  “Rebecca has a right to know about this. We nearly arrested her assistant, H.C. was put in jail, her sister was worried sick.”

  “And you got to spend time with her.”

  “And it was all based on a lie.”

  “But what you two feel is real.”

  Aaron folded his arms. “Rebecca deserves better than this.”

  “Why do you think I put Trident in her villa? You were so determined to stay away from the show, and I had to find a way to get you to see her.”

  “So you turned me into her fake hero.”

  “No, you really did save her. I told you the snake—”

  “Was still all smoke and mirrors. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you. You just like to cause trouble.”

  “Don’t pretend that you didn’t like some of it. You were in your element protecting her. I was only trying to help.”

  “You mean like the last time you tried to help me ten years ago? Didn’t I warn you about playing with people’s lives?”