The Sea of Aaron

by Kymberly Hunt

  Aaron released her hands and slid his arms around her waist. “Are you through?”

  “Gotcha, didn’t I?” she said. “Seems I have more rules than you do.”

  “Why am I not surprised?” He tilted his head downward and met her lips with his own. “Will you?”

  She savored his kiss—warm and enticing like the early sunlight filtering down on them.

  “Yes,” she said. “Yes.”

  ***

  The marriage in the town hall of Belize City was private and involved no traditional celebration. Aaron and Valerie exchanged vows before a justice of the peace and did it all in the presence of two witnesses who were little more than friendly strangers—a Belizean couple and an employee from Avian International who Aaron knew casually.

  When they drove away from the town hall, he wearing a dark business suit, and she in what amounted to a fancy cocktail dress. She felt as though nothing had changed and that they were both still single.

  However, on their first night together in an expensive hotel suite in ritzier Ambergris Caye, Aaron quickly vanquished that notion and left her with no doubt what the newest phase in their relationship was about. They didn’t leave their hotel room for the rest of the day, because their intimate moments soared well above and beyond Valerie’s most vivid imagination.

  His style of intimacy was confident, unruffled, and cool—completely devoid of self-consciousness and in stark contrast to the flaming passion he ignited in her. She loved everything about being with him, including waking up in the morning entwined in such a way that even their breathing seemed to be in unison. She was fire and he was ice. Together they sizzled.

  Chapter 13

  On Saturday Valerie flew out of Belize alone because Aaron had some business to finalize. He’d be joining her back in the United States in another week. The brief separation was good, since there were a lot of things that she needed to do alone, the least of which involved deciding what to do with the two million dollars, which now seemed to belong to her even less.

  First she had to tell her family and friends that she was a married woman, and, yes, as she stepped off the plane at JFK, she truly did feel married. A fond glance at the flawless diamond on her finger confirmed it. At least Aaron hadn’t dared depart from tradition in that regard.

  Once she was in the airport lobby, waiting to be picked up by a limousine, she took out her cell phone and called Jasmine. “Hey, Jas, just thought I’d give you a head’s up. Are you still in Dallas?”

  “Yes. I’m in a hotel room, but I’ll be leaving in the morning. I hope you’re calling to tell me that you’re back home.”

  Valerie smiled. “I’m in the lobby at JFK waiting for a limo to pick me up.”

  “Great! We’ve got to go out for dinner when I get back. So tell me, how was Aaron doing when you left him?”

  “Are we talking about my Aaron?” Valerie smiled again. “He’s absolutely gorgeous and terrific.”

  “What?”

  “You heard correctly. I said Aaron is absolutely gorgeous and terrific.”

  Jasmine chuckled uncertainly. “Still not over him, I see.”

  “Nope. I’m afraid not. In fact I’m so not over him that we are now officially married.”

  “Married?” Jasmine laughed outright. “Valerie, stop messing with me.”

  “I’m not messing with you. Aaron and I got married in Belize.”

  Valerie heard Jasmine’s cell phone drop to the floor and she laughed out loud, ignoring a crabby woman who glared at her as if she’d coughed without covering her mouth. She slid her own phone back into her purse, knowing that Jasmine would call later when she’d had time to recover. She looked at her watch and noted that it was almost five o’clock in the evening.

  When Jasmine called again, Valerie was in the backseat of a limo, heading for her modest little apartment in Englewood.

  “Val, I’m like so shocked, I don’t know what to say.”

  “Well, it’s customary to start with congratulations.”

  “Gosh, yes. I’m sorry for being such a jerk. Congratulations. Is…is Aaron with you right now?”

  “No. I left him in Belize. He’ll be coming home later. Look, I understand that you’re shocked. Let’s face it, so am I. When I went down there, I never dreamed I’d come back married. But you know this really isn’t crazy at all. I’ve known Aaron…sort of…for two years. I knew he was the one from the start.”

  “You always did say that. But why did you have to do it that way? Couldn’t you have waited and got married in…in church? You’re my best friend, and Aaron is Noah’s. We’d love to have celebrated with you.”

  Valerie sighed. “I would have preferred it that way, but forget about church or a synagogue. Aaron may be half Jewish, but he’s not the least bit religious.”

  “Didn’t you think about those differences before agreeing to—”

  “Yes,” Valerie interrupted. “Let’s not go there, okay? When it comes to that subject, Aaron and I have agreed to disagree. We’ll manage.”

  “I’m sure you will,” Jasmine said, resigned. “You know, the more I think about it, this is starting to sound good. Just imagine how we’ll be able to take vacations together, without worrying about spouses who don’t get along.”

  “Yes,” Valerie agreed enthusiastically.

  “And don’t get the impression that I don’t like Aaron because that’s far from true. He’s almost as gorgeous as Noah, and he’s definitely got my respect. He…”

  “Okay. Okay. You don’t have to say anything more. I’ve always known that you respect him. You just have a hard time seeing him as my husband.”

  Jasmine laughed. “Not as your husband, but as anyone’s husband. So tell me. Where are you going to live? At his place in Manhattan?”

  “Maybe for a short while.” Valerie hadn’t seriously considered that yet, but she knew that she did not want to make a home of Aaron’s loft above Avian’s corporate headquarters, no matter how elegant it might be. She definitely wanted a house, and she would have to discuss that with him.

  “If you decide on building something new, I’d love to design a home for you two. How does a shipyard or an airport hangar sound?”

  “Shut up. That’s so not funny.”

  “Sorry. Just can’t control myself. Truth is, I’m getting really excited now, and I sure hope you can convince the love of your life to have a reception of some sort. We absolutely must celebrate.”

  Valerie didn’t want Jasmine to think that her opinion had that much significance, but in reality it did. She was relieved that her friend was now seeing her marriage positively and was expressing happiness for them. Aside from her Aunt Marilyn, there was no one else who mattered. Her mother would typically have no reaction to the news, and whatever her brother’s opinion, it would be irrelevant.

  She ended the phone call on a cheerful note, tipped the driver for carrying her bags, and stepped out of the limo in front of her familiar two-story garden apartment complex. She collected the mail from her box and moved quickly down the hallway. She unlocked her door, went inside, and looked around. The living room was as neat as the day she had left it.

  But the longer she stood in the room, the more out of place she felt, and her thoughts drifted to Mr. Allard and his final days. What was it, three months ago? Four? She was a vastly different person than that woman totally dedicated to her job, but bored, cynical, and unfocused when it came to personal fulfillment.

  Carolyn Allard, the wayward granddaughter who’d had every advantage in the world and chose to squander all her opportunities, was now locked up in the county jail, awaiting trial with no one who cared enough to bail her out. Despite everything she’d done, Valerie felt sorry for her and, weirdly enough, wished she could talk to her in order to find out for herself just where this woman’s head really was.

  But there was no time for dwelling on someone else’s misery. The first thing she had to do was go visit her mother before visiting hours ended. A
fter all, she hadn’t seen her in three weeks. It didn’t even matter to her that she’d get the usual blank Ruth Ann expression. She was too happy thinking about her new husband to have Alzheimer’s rain on her parade.

  ***

  “Hi, Mom. Did you miss me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Who am I? What’s my name?”

  Ruth Ann Redmond, a petite figure seated in her wheelchair, even though she could walk, looked vacuously up at her daughter and continued with her methodical knitting. If she wasn’t knitting she could usually be found thumbing through the Bible and quoting scriptures out of context. What was she knitting this time? Valerie wondered. Her mother had already created countless blankets and mufflers since she’d been at Friedland Manor—ever since the staff had determined that her knitting needles were no harm to herself or others.

  “What’s my name?” Valerie asked again.

  “Valree,” Ruth Ann said in her Southern accent.

  Well, that’s a surprise, Valerie thought. Her mother had actually gotten her name right. Now if only she’d maintain eye contact.

  Despite her state of mind, Ruth Ann was still an attractive woman who appeared to be in much better shape than most of the residents in the home. Her long silver hair was combed neatly back in a chignon and her fair, almost Caucasian-toned skin was as smooth as that of a woman two decades younger.

  Because of her affinity for isolation, Ruth Ann had no roommate. If she wanted to be with the other patients, she would wheel herself out into the solarium to watch her insipid soap operas on the big-screen TV and then return to her room without ever having said one word to anyone.

  Valerie had tried to make the room cheerful. Ruth had her own small TV set. There were bouquets of artificial flowers on the night table and cards and gifts from the grandchildren on every piece of furniture in the room. Greg and his family were very well represented in pictures, and there was also a prominent wedding photo of Ruth and Joel Redmond.

  On the mantle facing the window there was a new picture of Greg’s twin sons Kyle and Kameron, identical sixteen-year-olds, in hooded parkas, posing with their well-coifed girlfriends on the steps of what appeared to be a ski lodge. As she picked up the snapshot for closer inspection, Valerie remembered that she still hadn’t called her brother.

  “I see Greg and Lisa sent you a new one of the boys,” she said.

  Ruth Ann nodded, still focused on the knitting. Valerie pulled up a chair and sank into it. “In case you wondered where I’ve been, I just came back from Central America, a country called Belize. I got married, Mom. My name is Valerie Weiss now.”

  There was just a slight hitch in the knitting pattern and her mother’s lip quivered. “You can’t get married.”

  “Why not?”

  “You’re too young.”

  Valerie laughed. “I’m far from young, I’m older than you were when you married Dad.”

  “Don’t be silly, Valree. Only mature people should get married. You need to talk to your father about this.” She began to hum tunelessly as she resumed her knitting.

  Valerie flinched. She wanted to shake the bland look off her mother’s face and scream that her father had been dead for a long time, but there was no point, so she rose wearily from the chair and picked up her purse. “Well, I’m glad you’re doing okay, Mom. I have to leave now because visiting hours are about up. You’ll be meeting Aaron very soon.”

  The tuneless humming continued, as did the knitting. Valerie said goodbye and left the room, stopping briefly for a bit of conversation at the nurse’s station. Afterwards she went out to the parking lot and dialed Greg on her cell. She was surprised that she got him directly and was pleased to hear that he and his family were doing fine. Of course Greg expressed shock when she told him that she was married, and even more surprised that she’d married a wealthy entrepreneur. Valerie successfully deflected his unspoken questions regarding her sanity. As their conversation wound down, he asked, somewhat guiltily, about their mother, and promised that he would be coming up to visit soon.

  The minute they said goodbye, Valerie’s thoughts went to Aaron, and a blissful smile covered her face. She wondered what he was doing at this very moment in the place that seemed half a world away. She wanted to call him, but already she’d learned that he was difficult to reach.

  Chapter 14

  What a senseless waste of life, Aaron thought as he erased the recorded phone message. He had accepted that the Allard inheritance investigation was over, but a law enforcement contact had just told him that there was a new development in the case. He was certain this development had no dire ramifications for Valerie, but nonetheless he planned to catch an earlier flight back to New York to make sure.

  He was back in his old Caye Caulker hotel room, the one Valerie had vacated. The bed was cluttered with business papers and a few essential belongings that he was transferring to a suitcase so they’d be ready when he flew out of Caye Caulker in the morning. He had just about everything packed when he was interrupted by a knock on the door, followed by a familiar voice.

  “Hey, Aaron. You there?”

  Only marginally surprised, he opened the door, permitting his business partner Noah to enter, and then resumed what he was doing.

  “Checking out?” Noah asked.

  Aaron nodded. “Soon. What brings you here?”

  Noah smiled. “Charming as ever, I see. Anything wrong with my showing a little concern for a good friend?”

  “Am I a good friend?” Aaron closed the suitcase and locked it.

  “I suppose that’s what you’ve been for the last…what is it? Twenty or so years.” Noah inspected him. “I’m glad to see that you look amazingly well.”

  “What did you expect to find? Dead man walking?”

  “Actually, yes.”

  Aaron ignored the remark. “So where did you come from?”

  “Cielo Vista.” Noah strolled to the kitchenette, opened the mini-refrigerator, and helped himself to the last can of beer. “Thought I’d stop off in Belize to see how you were doing and then head back home.”

  “How’s Simon?”

  Noah popped the tab on the beer, picked up a tattered boating magazine, and sat on the edge of the bed. “He’s all right. Same old problem with the refugees.”

  “He’s going to have to close the border and put a stop to it,” Aaron said dryly. “One small country can’t solve the problems of an entire continent.”

  Simon Baraka was the African country’s first democratically elected president, thanks to the aid of Aaron and Noah. By all accounts, he was doing quite well. Still, there were a lot of problems, mostly caused by outsiders who were trying to escape war-torn neighboring countries.

  “Forget Simon for now,” Noah said. “Tell me about you.”

  Quick as a cobra, Aaron swiped the beer from Noah and walked to the desk in the corner to check the e-mail on his laptop. “There’s nothing to tell. I’ve done enough time recuperating here, and I’ll be heading back home tomorrow.”

  Noah scowled. “Really? And what have you done with Valerie? Is she still alive and reasonably sane?”

  At the mention of her name, Aaron could not conceal the smile that briefly crossed his face, and of course Noah did not miss it.

  “Whoa! What was that? Was that a smile, man? Uh-oh. Now I’m really worried.”

  “Valerie left this morning and she is fine, a lot finer than you’re going to be,” Aaron said.

  Noah laughed. “Not sure I like where this is going. What have I done to incur your wrath?”

  “It was your idea that she look out for me. What the hell made you think I needed a nursemaid?”

  “Was either that or a coroner. Get over it, Weiss. A sabra you may well be, but you’re only human. Everyone needs help sometime.”

  “Your help has cost me big time.”

  Noah’s brow rose. “How so?”

  “Because I now have a wife.” Aaron assessed Noah’s surprised expression. “That’s rig
ht. Valerie and I are married.”

  Noah stood up. He had been aware of the obvious chemistry between his friend and Valerie, but in all the years he had known Aaron, the man had never expressed sentimentality, minced words or acted impulsively. Chemistry not withstanding, never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that the loner, the quintessential bachelor, would end up married. He controlled his shock.

  “I’m aware that Valerie is an attractive woman, but were you delirious, in pain, drunk?”

  “No.”

  “In that case,” Noah spoke slowly, “since you’re not irrational like the rest of us, you married her because that’s what you intended to do, and she’s obviously the one you wanted.”

  “I did want her…and knowing that she’s not the kind of woman one can just have a long term affair with, I made it legal.”

  Noah grinned. “I hear you. Val’s an amazing woman. Gotta be in order to love the likes of you.”

  “My only regret is the timing,” Aaron said.

  “Things like love and passion can’t be timed. Congratulations, compadre.” He gave Aaron a bear-like embrace and then stepped back. “So why isn’t she still here? Did she realize her mistake and dump you already?”

  Aaron smirked. “Not yet. We agreed that she leave ahead of me, seeing that I have a lot of things to do here.”

  “Is Saniyah II among those things?”

  “Yes. I hired someone to check up on her. Plus, Andrew has a vacation soon. He’s coming down with some friends, and they plan to take her to Aruba.”

  “Does Drew know his old man’s married?”