White Sand, Blue Sea

by Anita Hughes

  “You want Sebastian to stay at the duplex?” Hadley raised her eyebrow.

  “He is an excellent guest, the sauvignon blanc was superb,” Felix said. “And he is an interesting conversationalist. It’s invigorating to get another view of the world.”

  “I thought you played tennis to be invigorated,” Hadley murmured.

  “We don’t have to decide now.” Felix placed the dish towel on the counter. “I just hate to think of Sebastian leaving on Friday and Olivia missing him. Isn’t it worth making up the pull-out couch in the den, so Olivia can get to know her father?”

  “The fall is so busy with Fashion Week and new exhibits at the gallery.” Hadley turned the faucet all the way so the water was scalding. “Olivia might not get to spend time with him at all.”

  “Just think about it.” Felix kissed Hadley on the cheek. “I’m going upstairs to bed. Esther’s meringue was so rich, it always makes me sleepy.”

  * * *

  Hadley walked down the hallway and entered the library. The French doors were open and she inhaled the scent of bougainvillea.

  She couldn’t blame Felix for wanting Sebastian to stay with them in New York. Everyone fell under Sebastian’s spell. He appeared carrying a fine bottle of wine and a precious souvenir like a Boy Scout earning his merit badge.

  But could she really stand to have him in her house again, and how dare he say Olivia had been too sheltered. It would be better for everyone if they didn’t see him again until the wedding.

  The portrait of the Miller girls hung on the wall and she looked up. Had she ever been so young? Her blond hair was glossy and her shoulders were brown and even the way she held her head seemed different.

  Footsteps crossed the upstairs hallway and she heard Felix humming “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole. She caught her breath and wondered if he was going to come downstairs. But the master bedroom door closed and soft jazz began to play on the bedroom’s stereo.

  She slipped off her sandals and lay down on the leather sofa. Why did she feel like there was a growing distance between her and Felix? And when could they talk without Sebastian asking to refill his scotch or Esther needing help in the kitchen?

  There was a sharp pain in her chest and she felt a sudden longing. She pulled the cashmere blanket over her shoulders and thought it had to be soon, or she didn’t know what she would do.

  Chapter Five

  OLIVIA OPENED THE FRENCH DOORS of her bedroom and thought mornings in St. Barts were glorious: the red-tile roofs gleamed and the lawn was wet from the sprinklers and the swimming pool was a dazzling turquoise. She stepped onto the balcony and wondered why anyone would want to travel anywhere else. You could spend hours hiking in the lush hills and at night the air was filled with the sound of laughter and music.

  New York in April was like the seesaw she played on as a child. One day she woke up to blue skies and puffy white clouds and slipped on a linen dress and strappy sandals. The next morning the weather report predicted light snow and she returned to her winter uniform of a wool coat and leather boots.

  But in St. Barts she could slip on a cotton caftan without checking the temperature. Every day there was a warm breeze and the sun was as shiny as the copper pans in the kitchen. And the ocean! She watched speedboats leave a small wake like ripples of fresh cream and thought how much she loved scuba diving and snorkeling. There was a whole world under the sea: pink coral and neon fish and pastel sponges.

  Last night’s dinner was delicious with Esther’s salade NiÇoise and tender lobster and fruit tarts for dessert. The moon had been a glittering Fabergé egg and the stars were a sheet of diamonds.

  She had been nervous about Sebastian and Felix and Finn sitting around the same dining room table. Sebastian was charming and worldly and his laugh was as smooth as warm brandy. But would Felix resent him eating his chilled prawns when he never even sent a note thanking him for raising Olivia?

  But Sebastian and Felix got along like two old fraternity brothers. Felix said Sebastian must see the leaves change in the Hudson Valley and Sebastian recounted trekking through the jungle in Honduras. They agreed Andrew Wyeth was the greatest landscape artist of his generation and they both admired Jackson Pollock.

  And Sebastian was so thoughtful! After they’d finished their dinner last night, Sebastian took Olivia and Finn to the Pipiri Palace for a nightcap. Olivia entered the leafy garden with its tall birds of paradise and thought Sebastian could have suggested one of the livelier clubs: Nikki Beach with its white canvas couches and parquet dance floor. But Finn didn’t like loud music and the Pipiri Palace was so intimate.

  Sebastian insisted they share an apple tatin and bought a round of rhum vanille. It was only when Finn reached into his pocket for the tip and a velvet jewelry box fell out that Olivia’s heart turned over. Had Finn been planning on proposing and now the evening was ruined? But Finn mumbled something about a birthday present and stuffed the box in his pocket.

  There was a knock at the door and Olivia answered it.

  “I wanted to wait until you came downstairs, but I’d like to talk to you in private.” Felix stood at the door. He wore white shorts and a knit shirt. “Do you mind if I come in?”

  “Of course.” Olivia ushered him inside. “I was just coming down to the kitchen.”

  “The villa is busier than a bed-and-breakfast.” Felix walked onto the balcony. “It’s hard to find a corner to be alone.”

  “I’m sorry I asked Sebastian to stay. I should have consulted you first,” Olivia said quickly. “He had nowhere to go and I couldn’t turn him away. But if you’re not comfortable…”

  Felix shook his head. “That’s not why I’m here. I’m a grown man, I can handle a few days with Sebastian. I’m worried about you.”

  “I’m terribly happy! All the people I love are in the same place.”

  “I watched you at dinner last night and you were like an umpire observing a tennis match,” he continued. “You were afraid someone was going to smash the ball over the net and everyone would get angry.”

  “I was worried about Sebastian and Finn getting along,” Olivia conceded. “And I thought you might be angry that I asked Sebastian to stay.”

  “Do you remember when you were seven years old? Sebastian wrote you a letter and you wanted to send him a reply. Hadley had the flu, so you asked me to go with you to the post office.

  “But there was a postal strike on the island, and no letters went out for days. I discovered you sitting in the garden and crying,” Felix continued. “You were worried if you didn’t reply to Sebastian, he’d never write again.”

  Olivia remembered clutching the tear-stained letter and Felix appearing on the porch.

  “You said you knew exactly how to send him a letter, islanders had been doing it for years,” she picked up the story. “We should put the letter in a bottle and send it over the ocean.” She looked at Felix and smiled. “But first we had to use up all the milk. We went into the kitchen and had milk and Esther’s fresh-baked cookies. Then we stuffed the letter in the bottle and drove to Colombier Beach. I tossed the bottle into the waves and you said Sebastian would be sure to receive it.

  “I was worried that you would be upset that I missed Sebastian, when you were always there for me,” Olivia continued. “But you said sending the letter was the most fun you had in weeks and we should do it again. When else would we have an excuse to drink a whole bottle of milk and finish off Esther’s desserts?”

  “You were seven years old. You needed your father,” Felix said. “We want to be loved by the people who made us, it’s the most basic instinct. You don’t have to wonder if Finn and Sebastian are getting along or if I’m bothered that Sebastian is wearing my swim trunks. Sebastian is here to see you and you should enjoy it.”

  Olivia reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

  “I’d suggest we go down and have milk and cookies but that wouldn’t be a healthy breakfast,” Felix said and looked at his watch. “And I have to
run an errand before I go to the club.”

  “Thank you,” Olivia said as he walked to the door.

  Felix turned and smiled. “I only want you to be happy.”

  * * *

  Olivia ran down the circular staircase and entered the kitchen. The tile counter was set with a platter of sliced melon and pineapple wedges. There was a plate of croissants and pots of strawberry jam and honey.

  She poured a cup of dark coffee and heard footsteps behind her. Finn wore a white shirt and shorts and carried a tennis racquet. His blond hair was freshly washed and his cheeks were tan.

  “I’m surprised you are awake,” Finn said and kissed her. “I thought after the rhum vanille, you’d lie in bed with the sun streaming through the French doors.”

  “You should have knocked on my door and found out,” Olivia laughed, perching on a wicker stool.

  “We agreed we wouldn’t sneak around like teenagers in your parents’ villa,” he reminded her, buttering a slice of whole wheat toast. “Though three weeks is a long time to steal kisses in the pantry.”

  “I’m sure Felix and Hadley would understand. After all we’re practically…” She bit her lip.

  Finn was determined to surprise her. She couldn’t admit she knew he was going to propose, that would ruin everything.

  “I still wouldn’t feel comfortable.” He shrugged. “I’ll just have to hit the tennis balls harder on the court.”

  “You can’t play tennis today. Sebastian is taking us scuba diving.”

  “Felix and I are playing doubles.” Finn glanced at his watch. “We’re seeded number four and I couldn’t disappoint him.”

  “But Sebastian asked us to go scuba diving last night and we accepted,” Olivia replied.

  “I don’t remember Sebastian saying anything.” He frowned. “I would have explained I had a prior commitment.”

  Olivia tried to remember when they started talking about scuba diving. Could it have been while Finn was figuring out the check with the maître d’? They were overcharged for the apple tatin and Finn insisted on fixing it.

  “You have to come,” Olivia insisted. “We are going to pack a picnic and stay on the boat all day.”

  “Ask Sebastian to reschedule,” he suggested, dusting crumbs from his shirt. “He can join us at the club and we’ll have lunch after the match. You promised you’d watch our match. I play much better when you’re around, and Felix and I are trying to win the tournament.”

  Olivia fiddled with her coffee cup and took a deep breath. Wasn’t being with her father more important than clapping for Finn and Felix? Finn spent every free moment at the club, why shouldn’t she do something for herself? And she loved scuba diving! Ever since she put on snorkeling fins as a girl, her mother laughed that she was a fish. The minute she jumped off the boat nothing existed except baby sharks and slow-moving turtles.

  “I must have forgotten, but I have to go with Sebastian. Anyway, it will be good for us to be alone together. I think he feels like a prized bull under inspection.” Olivia hesitated. “If it’s just the two of us, he’ll be more relaxed.”

  “He seemed quite at home,” Finn insisted. “He had no problem offering me one of Felix’s cigars.”

  “He’s never really belonged to anything, it can’t be easy walking into a family.” Olivia jumped off the stool. “This will be perfect, we have so much to catch up on.”

  “You’re hardly going to recount stories about how you loved finger painting when you have an oxygen tank strapped to your back,” Finn said angrily.

  “But we’ll have shared something. You know what it’s like under the ocean. There are long tunnels and mysterious caves and bright sponges. It’s like discovering a magical kingdom.” She stopped and looked at Finn. “You do want me to get to know my father?”

  “Of course I do but we’ve spent quite a bit of time with him.” Finn’s jaw was tight. “He spent all afternoon with us yesterday and insisted on joining us for drinks last night.”

  “He was going to go upstairs to bed.” She reminded him, “You said we were having a nightcap in Gustavia.”

  “I was being polite,” he snapped. “I had to invite him.”

  “He is my father, of course he wanted to be together. But if you don’t enjoy his company, it’s better we go alone.” She put her coffee cup in the sink and grabbed her hat. “I’ll send your regrets. I’m sure we’ll be back for dinner.”

  “Olivia, wait.” Finn followed her to the foyer. His forehead was creased and she could see the tension in his neck. “I don’t know Sebastian well enough to have an opinion about him, but you can’t just change your plans. You promised you’d watch our match, we can’t win without you.”

  “Of course you can. Anyway, you’re not Roger Federer and this isn’t Wimbledon.” She turned away.

  “It’s the principle,” Finn insisted. “You said you’d come and support us and now you’re going back on your word.”

  “He’s my father, and he’s only here for three days,” Olivia shot back. “I would have thought that meant something to you. Is all you care about winning another trophy?”

  “Olivia, of course I care about you,” Finn relented. He rubbed his chin and sighed. “Go with Sebastian if it’s so important to you. I suppose Felix and I will manage. Why don’t we have dinner alone tonight?”

  Olivia gazed at his wide shoulders and the cleft on his chin and felt suddenly lighter. They could never argue with each other for long. And Finn had to play tennis if he already promised Felix. But Sebastian was only here for three more days; they might not get another chance.

  “I’ll make reservations at Le Toiny Beach Club,” she suggested. “We’ll eat freshly caught conch fritters on the sand.”

  “We could rent a private cabana.” Finn pulled her close and kissed her. “I think they have quite good soundproofing.”

  Olivia inhaled his citrus aftershave and a tingle ran down her spine. Finn was warm and handsome and they were madly in love.

  She kissed him back and whispered, “We’ll have to find out.”

  * * *

  Olivia watched Finn’s car back down the driveway and wondered if she’d made a mistake. It was important she spend time with Sebastian, but she and Finn would be married soon and they should be part of a team.

  When Olivia was growing up, Hadley never signed a new artist without showing Felix his work. Felix always asked Hadley’s opinion before he bought tickets to a Broadway show or made reservations at a new restaurant. Olivia wanted the same closeness for her and Finn. And wouldn’t she be disappointed if Finn went scuba diving without her?

  A car stopped in front of the villa and Sebastian hopped out. He wore Felix’s board shorts and a patterned shirt and carried a paper sack.

  “I’m sorry I’m late,” he said as he approached her. “I went to see Gerome first thing this morning. Apparently he was dancing at La Plage until two a.m. and forgot our appointment. I sat in the dive shop for two hours sipping day-old coffee,” Sebastian took off his hat. “I can’t blame him; when you’re young and carefree you forget people count on you.

  “But it’s all set now. We have a forty-eight-foot catamaran and Gerome is going to escort us himself. He mentioned Pain du Sucre has the best scuba diving on the island.”

  “He has the biggest boat in St. Barts,” Olivia protested. “You couldn’t possibly afford it.”

  “I almost fainted at the prices. Every tourist in St. Barts must carry blocks of gold bouillon,” he agreed. “But I believe in the barter system. Everyone has their price, you just have to figure out what it is.”

  “You bartered for use of his boat?” She raised her eyebrow.

  “How do you think commerce works in most countries? If you live in a village in Japan you’ll never wear suede loafers, but a pair of sturdy boots allows you to farm in adverse conditions. Next year you grow more rice than your neighbor and exchange them for a chicken coop.” He paused. “Your wife sells the eggs at the market and the next
thing you know you’re opening your own grocery store.”

  “But what did Gerome want?” Olivia asked.

  “I sat next to a couple of Sports Illustrated models on the plane.” Sebastian took her arm. “They were here to do a photo session and one of them gave me her card. I told him I’d suggest they take scuba diving lessons.”

  How could she ask Sebastian to change his plans when he went to so much trouble? And it was a gorgeous day. The sky was pale blue and the clouds looked as if they had been painted with watercolors.

  “Is there a problem?” he asked, noticing her expression.

  “Finn didn’t know you invited us,” she said. “He’s playing in a tennis tournament with Felix. I forgot that I promised to watch the match.”

  “I could have sworn he was at the table when I suggested it, but we can’t go without him. I’ll call Gerome and reschedule. I did stop in Gustavia for French bread and liver pâté and papaya.” He glanced in the paper sack. “But the pâté will keep and the bread will be fresh tomorrow.”

  Olivia felt the hot sun on her cheeks and longed to be under the ocean. And really, Felix and Finn were perfectly capable of playing without her cheering them on. She couldn’t plan her day around everyone’s schedule.

  “Of course we’ll go today.” She smiled. “Let me get my swimsuit.”

  “That’s wonderful.” Sebastian put on his hat. “Pâté never tastes the same when it’s been in the fridge.”

  * * *

  Gerome greeted them at the boat and Olivia knew she’d made the right decision. The deck had dark wood planks and creamy leather seats and jazz playing on the stereo. She stood next to Sebastian and her heart swelled. She was about to do the thing she loved most with her father!

  “I haven’t scuba dived since I was in Micronesia,” Sebastian said when they reached Pain du Sucre. “The boat was nothing fancy and my tank was slightly rusted, but once you hit the bottom there’s nothing like it. Shoals of neon fish and blue ribbon eels and baby sharks. I almost forgot to come up.”