Unstoppable: A Sweet Romance (Jersey Girls Book 2)

by Lisa-Marie Cabrelli

  “Wait,” Claire said, interrupting Maureen’s description of how dreamy Stephen was, “whose house are you staying at?”

  “The yacht’s owner, Lauren Belle. I haven’t met her, but Stephen said she wouldn’t mind—I guess the crew has worked for her for a while. Maybe she doesn’t even know I’m here. Anyway, Stephen says she won’t care. It’s amazing, Claire. You’ve never seen anything like it. This morning, I even got gourmet grocery delivery! They’ve stocked my fridge with a bunch of stuff I don’t even know how to eat.”

  “You’re on your own there? I don’t like that idea.”

  “Well, Stephen has stayed here with me the last three nights,” Maureen blushed.

  “What?” Claire squeaked. “You mean my Mousy Maureen is getting swept away by the boat guy? Are you going to sail off into the sunset with this guy? Do you need me to let Satish know he doesn’t have to hold your job, anymore, because you have decided to become a deckhand?”

  “Ha ha, Claire.” Maureen was smiling, though. “This isn’t Stephen’s real job. He’s doing it as a favor for a friend of his who was short on staff. He’s an IT guy and has his own company, but from what I can gather, he doesn’t enjoy it and the company’s not doing too well. I’m trying to persuade him to quit and move to New York. There are plenty of IT jobs there, right?”

  “I can’t believe this, Maureen. This is amazing! You were brave enough to go on an adventure and look what happened!”

  “I’m still Mousy Maureen, Claire. I didn’t become Magnificent Mo, and Sally’s going to be pissed off that I fell for the boat guy.”

  Claire chuckled. “I can’t believe you would listen to Sally in the first place. You know she’s half-kidding most of the time. Plus, who takes relationship advice from a girl who had to be practically kidnapped to accept the best thing that ever happened to her? No, you be the Maureen we know and love—I never wanted you to be anyone else. You will always be magnificent to me. So, where is Stephen right now?”

  “He had to get back to some work on the yacht. Some new guests are arriving, and I think he said he had a meeting with the owner. I was only half-listening, to be honest, because he was telling me he wouldn’t be coming tonight and I was upset.” Maureen stood and wandered toward the edge of the pool. She sat on the top step and swirled her feet in the warm water. “Speaking of upset, Claire, what’s going on with you? You sound a bit stressed.”

  “Oh, Maureen,” Claire sighed deeply and she felt an edge of panic, “something bad has happened.”

  “What?” Maureen pulled her towel around her shoulders, feeling a shiver of alarm. “Is everyone okay?”

  “Yes, everyone's fine—at least, we think so. It’s just that Nandita has run off.”

  “Run off? Like, for good? What, back to India? Why did we not start the conversation with this, Claire?”

  “It gets worse: it might be my fault. Remember how I told you how dead-set against the dorms Satish was, and how Nandita had started to act out and rebel?” Maureen heard a kettle filling on the other end of the line. Claire thought tea solved everything. “Well, I told Nandita I would help her persuade Satish to give her a little more freedom. She asked if she could spend this long weekend at Misty’s house.” Maureen groaned. “Yeah, well, I know we don’t like Misty, but my theory was to let Nandita discover for herself what kind of girl she is, and the only way she was going to do that was by spending more time with her. So, I convinced Satish to let Nandita go.”

  “And?” Maureen had a sudden and terrifying thought, but kept it at bay until she got the whole story from Claire. She didn’t want to jump to conclusions.

  “And… I got a phone call from Sachin this morning.”

  “Sachin? Nandita’s boyfriend in India?”

  “Yeah. He was upset because he got a strange email from Nandita. He said they had been struggling to maintain the relationship since Nandita left, but he was worried because this email didn’t even sound like her.”

  Maureen gripped the phone a little tighter. Her premonition was breathing hot air down the back of her neck. “What did the email say?”

  “He wouldn’t read the whole thing to me—he was too upset—but it said something about her going on a trip with her best friend and how they were going to meet some guys who would show them how real men treated their women. It said she wouldn’t be speaking to him again and that she may not even come back.” Claire sounded on the edge of tears now. “Oh, Maureen, Satish is furious with me. He left work in the middle of the day for, like, the first time ever and he's on his way home now. I've been calling the number Misty gave me for her mom all morning, but there’s no answer, and both of the girls' cell phones go to voicemail.”

  They wouldn't get service in the Bahamas.

  Maureen stood and the towel dropped into the shallow water of the top steps. She pulled it out, but it was already soaked and dripping. She felt its weight as water poured onto the patio. “I know where they are!”

  Claire was silent for a few seconds, but then she sniffled and said, “What?”

  “I know where Nandita and Misty are. I know it’s crazy, but Stephen told me there would be two new guests arriving on the boat today. I think he even said they were young girls. I'll bet Brad's invited them. Do you think it’s them?”

  "I don't know, Maureen. How could Nandita be in touch with Brad—and why?"

  "Claire, Brad is a scumbag. Besides, do you think I'm blind? You saw the way he was fawning over Nandita at the dinner party. I know the initial invitation was meant for her and not for me; I was just caught up in the excitement of becoming someone else. Now that I know who I am, everything is so much clearer. It's them."

  “Can you find out? Can you call Stephen and find out if it’s them? Oh my God, Nandita, what have you done? Is she safe there?”

  "He's a scumbag, but I don't believe he's dangerous, unless she falls hopelessly in love with him. She's young, so who knows? I'll call Stephen, though—don’t worry—and I'll call you back as soon as I find anything out."

  51

  Lauren Belle

  Stephen’s stomach was in knots, but he focused on Maureen to give him strength. All he had to do was get through the next few hours and he could drive back to Water's Edge and surprise her. He would bring sushi, this time—she had mentioned yesterday that sushi was her favorite. He turned into the driveway of the One&Only Ocean Club and stopped at the guardhouse.

  “Hey, Melissa," he called.

  The guard peered through the window of her little hut before running out to the van to get a closer look. She pressed her hand against her heavy bosom when she registered Stephen’s face. “Well, my lord! Where have you been? It’s been what, two years?” She reached through the window and gripped his hand tightly. “We sure do miss you, Mr. Caldwell, and I was so sorry to hear what happened. We all were.”

  “Thanks, Melissa. I'm paying a visit to a guest. Is it okay if I park in the visitor’s lot? I'd like to avoid the valet with this van.”

  “Of course, of course, you go on ahead—and don’t you dare be a stranger!” Melissa blew him a kiss and disappeared back inside the guard hut. He knew her well enough to know that a “People” magazine and a strong, black coffee would be waiting for her.

  As he pulled down the long, winding driveway in the shade of well-tended flora, his stomach started to gurgle again. How he had found himself in this position, he didn’t know, but here he was, and he couldn’t let Don down. Plus, he needed closure on a few things if his future was to go as planned.

  Instead of walking back along the road to the huge, circular driveway and front entrance of the resort, he decided to walk along the back path. Lauren Belle had agreed to meet him for a drink at The Dune restaurant. Once upon a time, that bar had been his favorite place on the island.

  It perched above the white sands of Cabbage Beach with views straight down to Atlantis. The windows had been replaced with plantation shutters, which could be fully opened to capture the warm ocean bre
ezes. Stephen had often relaxed at the ivory bar nursing a martini and watching the sun flame out in a wild show of glorious colors over the water and departing cruise ships.

  He took the right fork in the path, and there was the bar in front of him. He inhaled the scent of jasmine and the freshly mown lawn that sloped down to the beachfront pool. He missed this place.

  Lauren Belle was sitting at a table against the wall nearest the ocean. She noticed him right away and her mouth curled into a slow smile. “Stephen,” she nodded as he sat across from her. He motioned for the bartender. He was going to need a drink for this. “Lulu,” he said.

  “Now, this is a huge surprise. I had no idea you were down here.” She pursed her lips on the tiny straw in her drink, Hendrick’s gin martini, dirty, with a citrus twist—he would bet on it.

  “Don't be coy, Lulu. If Marshall didn't tell you I was here, then your new friend, Myron, did. Nice company you keep, by the way. I'm only here because I offered a favor to Don.”

  The waiter leaned over the bar and grinned. “Stephen, my man, it’s good to see you. You want a martini, too?”

  “Yes, please, Andrew. I’ll have what she’s having.”

  “Stephen, don't be so mean. You know that I wasn’t into this agreement with the yacht from the beginning, and I would’ve been even more hesitant had I known you were involved. Paul told me you were on vacation.” She reached over and traced a highly-polished red fingernail around the Lauren Belle logo on his chest. “Some vacation.”

  “Your agreement wasn’t needed, Lulu, and you know it. We just needed you to sign a non-disclosure. I hope your presence here doesn’t mean you would be stupid enough to break that non-disclosure.”

  She pouted. “Why are we fighting when we haven’t even seen each other in two years, Stevie? I’m sure there’s no reason for us to be angry at each other. Why don’t we take our drinks back to my room and chat? I got one of the pool villas that you love so much.”

  A month ago, he may not have recognized that suggestion for the pointed manipulation it was, but he did now, and he shook his head. “I only came here to tell you to stay away from the Lauren Belle, Lulu. Don has a crucial, confidential job to do here, and you will not screw it up for him—not just because I'm asking you not to, but also because it’s illegal.” The waiter cleared his throat and set Stephen’s martini on the table. He picked it up and looked up at Lulu. Back in the day, her pout used to send him scrambling to figure out what he could do to wipe it away. Today, however, it just made him irritated.

  “I’m bored at home, Stevie. Paul’s always working. He won’t go on adventures like you used to.”

  “I don’t think it’s appropriate to be discussing Paul with me, Lulu, do you? Besides, the guy is working himself to death, because once he married you, he realized what it takes to keep up with your lifestyle. Unlike me, he's willing to sell his soul to keep your ‘respect.’ He’s driving the company forward, Lulu, but the entire staff is miserable. It will collapse if he keeps pushing it.”

  “Oh, boo,” she said, still pouting, “who wants to talk about business when we’re at one of our favorite old haunts, Stevie? Remember how much you loved staying here?”

  Stephen had relished staying at the Ocean Club. Over the years, he had found that having money wasn't that important to him. Beyond necessities, the luxuries money had provided were wonderful, but he could live happily without them. Lulu couldn't.

  Staying at the Ocean Club was so expensive that the bills had sometimes made him a bit dizzy. It was, however, luxury like no other. Everything in this hotel, from the food to the service, was impeccable. Deep down, if he was honest, the Ocean Club made him feel like he had made it; it was the one thing he could put in front of his parents to prove he was worthy.

  Stephen hadn’t been back in two years from fear of running into Lulu and Paul. The place was ruined for him, now, and Lulu didn’t believe divorcing him meant she couldn’t continue with her usual habits and playthings, including the boat.

  “We have to talk about the Lauren Belle.” He took a sip of his drink.

  “I won’t stop by the yacht,” Lulu said. “I was only trying to make Marshall feel better. Honestly, that man is a bore, and he wants more money. Did you know that? To be honest, I can’t be bothered, anyway. I have everything I need here.”

  “That’s not what I mean and you know it.”

  Lulu blanched under her tan and she reached forward for his hands, which he purposefully and conspicuously moved out of her reach. “You can’t be serious, Stevie. I love that yacht! It has my name on it!”

  “Well, you’re lucky I haven’t fired Marshall over the past few weeks. Since I don’t pay his paycheck, I didn’t think it was my place, but I don’t think you’re going to have much use for him if you don’t have a boat.”

  Lulu stood and put her hands on her hips, a classic five-year-old pose that Stephen used to find endearing. “It’s my yacht, Stevie. You haven’t set foot on it in two years.”

  Stephen winced at the contact, but he grabbed Lulu’s arm and dragged her back into her seat. She turned her head toward the window and refused to look him in the eye. He gripped her arm tighter, and she tried to keep a neutral face. “It’s not yours, Lulu, and the only reason I haven’t made an issue out of this before is because I couldn’t stand the thought of being on that yacht myself. I couldn’t stand the thought of being anywhere near the cabin in which I found you sleeping with my best friend. Remember that, Lulu?

  “I didn't think you would have the audacity to come back to the yacht—the settlement clearly states it’s mine. You did come back, though, Lulu, and you brought Paul with you and pretended was yours.

  “The worst part is that I didn’t do anything about it. Not only did I let you walk all over me during our marriage, but I also let you walk all over me after our divorce. I thought that somehow I had failed you—that I hadn’t been enough. I have spent the past two years struggling to get past this and I am finally getting there. I am not going to let you ruin it.”

  Lulu pulled her arm away from him and leaned back in her chair. She looked sad. Stephen thought, At last, I’m getting through. She really hears me this time.

  “So, you’re taking back the yacht?”

  Stephen was stunned. Really? Well, there were her true colors shining through again. His phone vibrated on the table and they both jumped. He looked down; it was Maureen.

  I need you to call me now, please.

  He stood and shook his head at Lulu. “Drink your martini. I’ll be right back.”

  52

  Drastic Times Call For…

  Maureen waited anxiously for Stephen to call her. She didn't want to call him, in case he was busy, but she knew he would call her as quickly as he could. The tiles were slippery underneath her frantic pacing, and she needed to dry her feet, or she would fall and break her neck. Just then, the phone rang in her hand.

  “What’s wrong?” Stephen asked. He sounded stressed and slightly frantic. “Is everything okay?”

  “That girl, Stephen, the girl on the boat—is she Indian?” She rubbed at her feet with the wet towels and then went outside to hang them over the patio chairs. Stephen didn't respond. Why wasn't he answering? “Well, is she?” She knew she was jumping down his throat, but she was so worried.

  “Wait, Maureen, slow down. What girl? Who are you talking about?”

  “You said Brad invited two girls to come stay and that they were arriving today. Was one of those girls Indian?” She went back inside the house and started pacing again.

  “I have no idea, Maureen—I didn’t see them. Why? Why are you so upset?”

  She took a calming breath, knowing it wasn't fair to yell at Stephen. “I just got a call from my friend, Claire, and Satish’s sister has run away. I think she might be with Brad, and I am terrified for her.”

  Stephen’s voice went soft, and she could hear the smile in his response. “I think that's a bit of a coincidence, don’t you? Why o
n Earth would she be with Brad? Does she know him?”

  Maureen tried to keep calm. “She does know him. She met him the same night I met him, and he was very interested in her—a lot more interested in her than me.” She took another deep breath—getting upset wouldn’t help. “I think she might be on the boat, Stephen. Can’t you just go see what the new guest looks like and tell me?” She waited for him to answer. What was taking so long? It wasn't a difficult request: all he had to do was walk down the hallway.

  She then heard another voice in the background. “Stevie, who are you talking to?”

  Maureen stopped pacing. Was that a woman’s voice calling him Stevie?

  “Who’s that?” she asked.

  “Hold on, Maureen,” Stephen’s voice was muffled, but she could still hear every word. “I have to take this, okay? It’s important. I’ll be right back.” He came back on the line. “I’m not on the boat right now, Maureen.”

  “Not on the boat?” She was surprised by a sudden lump in her throat. “You said you had to go do some work for Don, though. Are you… with someone?”

  Stephen sighed, and she thought she heard him mutter, “Damn you, Lulu.” Was he with Lulu? “I am working, Maureen. It’s hard to explain, and I promise I’ll explain it to you, but I have to go right now. I'll finish up here and check out Brad’s new guests, okay? I promise. I'll call you back in an hour.”

  The phone went dead in her hand.

  What was going on? What kind of work would involve a woman who called him Stevie? Why had he said Lulu's name? Did he accidentally call her Lulu, or was it possible that he had duped her into a fun, commitment-free three days? Was Stephen the man she thought he was, or was she being played for a fool again?