I stepped close and whispered, “James, I hope you didn’t…”
“Good morning, Robin. I didn’t know you were coming by. Is everything okay?” Zoey asked. She looked from me to James and said, “I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.”
In unison, we replied quickly, “No.”
Zoey smiled, “Would you like to come in, or are we going to stand in the hallway?”
“I’d like to come in and talk, if you’re not busy,” I said.
“Not at all. We have hot coffee and fresh fruit if you’re hungry,” Zoey said as I walked inside, she asked, “James, there’s no reason you need to run off now, is there?”
James looked past Zoey, and when our eyes met, he read my expression perfectly. “I have things I need to attend to. But thank you for the offer,” he said, then entered the elevator.
Zoey closed the door and said, “Hmm.”
Hmm? What the heck does that mean? Was she trying to figure out what was going on between me and James? It was simple. Just the most amazing sex anyone could ever dream of. But there wouldn’t be a repeat performance. James was back on duty and I’m…missing him.
Trying not to engage on the subject of James Burke, I went straight to the reason for my visit. “I’m sure you’re wondering what brings me here so early.”
“Looking for James?” she teased.
I closed my eyes and shook my head. When I opened them, I said firmly, “Please tell me you’re not still trying to play matchmaker.”
“Nope. Nature seems to be taking its course,” she replied.
“Speaking of nature, that’s why I’m here. Yesterday while I was out for a walk…”
“With James?” she asked.
I didn’t answer. “I was admiring the huge trees here.”
“Trees? That’s what you were looking at? Oh, Robin, you so need my help,” she sighed.
“Actually, I think you need mine. For the past few days I’ve listened to you and Ziva talk about Tabiq and the struggles they have faced–one of them being how to make Tabiq stable financially.”
“My brothers are working on that. The concern is that bringing the wrong company here could make the Tabiqian people vulnerable to exploitation,” Zoey stated.
“I might have just what you’ve been looking for.”
Zoey sat on the couch. “You have my full attention.”
Finally.
I dropped onto the couch and spoke quickly, afraid to lose my moment. “I’m sure you know about teakwood.”
“Yes. It’s gorgeous. Why?” she asked.
“Because the island is full of it. All those huge trees are money,” I stated.
Zoey got up and walked out onto her balcony. Her view of the ocean was perfect, but from this distance the trees were obscured by buildings and somewhat unimpressive. When she returned she said, “The trees are a resource, but the last thing Tabiq needs is some company coming here and siphoning off all its natural resources.”
“I agree! That’s why I’m proposing something different. Don’t bring in a company. Instead, bring in tradesmen–master carpenters, furniture craftsmen, you know? Teach them how to harvest the overgrowth, replant for the future, and mill it into lumber. Then they can turn the wood into gorgeous, high-value exports. It could put Tabiq on the map.”
“I’m not sure the economy is ready for that step, but your idea has potential.”
“Thanks. I know it isn’t the answer for all of Tabiq’s economic issues, but I thought it might fit nicely in conjunction with the other things you and your family are already working on,” I said. The last thing I wanted was to belittle all the wonderful things the Hendersons have already done here. “Since you don’t seem to be…otherwise occupied, how do you feel about drawing up a business plan to submit to my brothers?”
I laughed. “I’m on vacation, you know. And besides, I’ve got a mind for the law, not for business.”
“Don’t need either. You’re the perfect person to pull it together,” she said.
“Why is that?” I asked.
“Simple. Whether you want to admit it or not, you’re invested in Tabiq, and not just as a tourist. You see what we see. Hope for a people who once didn’t have any.”
At least this was one thing she was reading correctly. “Zoey, I’m not sure if I can be of any help but…”
“Robin, you already have been! Think of what you did for Lily. And now you’re thinking of all Tabiqians. This might not be the vacation you planned, but for the people here, you’re a blessing, even if they don’t know it,” Zoey stated.
I sighed. “I don’t know about that. But thank you for saying it.”
“You didn’t come here just because of the trees,” Zoey said softly. “Something is bothering you. Did you and James have a fight?”
“There is no me and James,” I stated firmly. Her concern was sweet, but misplaced.
“But you want there to be, right?” she prodded.
Really, Zoey? “I’m not here to meet someone.”
“You weren’t here to save a country either, but that didn’t seem to stop you,” she teased. “Now, we could spend the next hour pretending you don’t like him, but you’d be wasting our time. So, you decide. Want me to keep pushing or will you just admit it?” Zoey asked, arms crossed.
“Fine. I like him,” I blurted forcefully.
“Like who?” Bennett said, entering the room.
Shit! I had forgotten that James said he’d been meeting with Bennett. Since I hadn’t seen him leave, I should’ve realized he was lingering around there somewhere.
“No one, Bennett. Now go to work and leave us women alone,” Zoey ordered.
Bennett shook his head, kissed Zoey, and said, “If you’re talking about men, I’m more than happy to leave.”
Once he was gone, we both burst out laughing. “That was close!” Zoey said. “The last thing I want is Bennett telling me to stop interfering.”
“Ha. If I thought you’d listen to him, I’d tell him that…”
“You’re crazy about James?” she teased.
Crazy? Huh. That might actually be the correct word for it. Nothing about how I felt made any sense. He was arrogant, and I usually hated that in a man, but not so much in him. I kept searching for something about him that irritated me. Being so damn good-looking bothered me, but in a good way. The fact he could get me wet with just a look, well, that drove me wild. Never mind when he kissed me deeply. I wasn’t even sure I knew my own name then. He definitely drives me crazy.
“I find James…interesting. He’s not what I thought he’d be,” I said.
“In bed?” she chuckled.
I huffed. “The conversation we have. For some reason I found myself talking when I didn’t want to. Told him things I’ve never admitted or shared with anyone else.”
“Anything you want to tell me?” she asked.
I shook my head. “I’m not even sure why I told him.” I was going to need to take time and dissect what I had said. It wasn’t the first time I questioned being an attorney, but it was the first time I’d ever voiced it. But was it true? Did I really want to leave the family practice? I was the last generation. My uncle didn’t have any children to pass it onto. There was just me. It all falls to me and I’m not even sure I want it.
“Robin, we all need someone we can share our most private thoughts with. For me, it’s Bennett. He knows me better than even my family. Do you know that I had cancer?” I shook my head. “It was several years ago. Bennett was the first person who knew I was ill and the one I who helped me search for the answers even before I talked to my family.”
I saw the way Bennett looked at Zoey. He loved his wife and there was no doubt she was his world. It was funny too, because when Bennett wasn’t with Zoey, he was just as arrogant as James. Guess love does change a man.
“You’re a lucky woman,” I said.
“I didn’t think so at first. He drove me crazy. Bennett thought he knew everything, and I foug
ht every step of the way. I hid my feelings as long as I could, and I think he did, too.”
“What changed?” I asked.
“Bennett uncovered the secrets of Tabiq. Our connection to this place. And instead of using it to bring the Henderson family down, he stood by us, protected me and my brothers. And now he fights for the Tabiqian people. I fell in love with the man no one else saw. Maybe not even himself,” she said.
“Sounds like your love story would make a great book.”
“The trials of being married to a Henderson. Oh, that would be an intrigue for sure,” she said. “Robin, when I stopped looking for Mr. Perfect, do you know what I found?” I shook my head. “Mr. Right.”
This was beautiful to hear, but it still had nothing to do with me and James. “I’m not looking for anyone. I’m happy just the way things are.”
Zoey grinned. “I was, too. Or at least I thought I was. And if I’m right, you’re going to come to the same conclusion I did.”
“That all I need is someone who loves me?” I asked.
She shook her head. “That there is no better feeling than loving someone else.”
Great. I’ll add that to the list of things for me to think about.
Did I really need to travel halfway around the world to…find myself? And how was I going to do that when I couldn’t even think straight? James was haunting my thoughts and clouding my judgment.
I got up and said, “I guess I should head to my room and work on that proposal you want.”
“Or maybe take another one of those long walks in the woods. You seem to have done some great…thinking yesterday.”
I shot her a warning look before heading to the door. Even as I entered the elevator, I could hear Zoey laughing.
The last person who’d be able to help me was James. If I saw him, nothing would get accomplished–definitely not some business proposal.
Damn it. This vacation was becoming anything but relaxing.
Chapter 13
James
“There’s been a change of plans. You’re not flying out today. I decided it might be more beneficial for you to remain in Tabiq,” Bennett stated.
Fuck. I knew he was only saying that because he thought Robin and I were a thing. Well, he’d be wrong. We were just enjoying each other’s company. Maybe too much, but that’s all. I don’t do…relationships, attachments. And after last night, I knew she would be nothing but a complication, a distraction. Might as well just fire myself if I continued seeing her. Hell, seeing is just one issue. I can’t stop thinking of her, either.
“You’re fucking joking, right?” I snapped.
Bennett raised a brow and said in a firm tone, “I’m going to chalk that comment up to your being new to the team. But let’s get one thing clear, right now, all decisions I make are final.”
“Are questions allowed?” I asked, half sarcastically. Bennett knew I was an asshole. Hell, even in the Corps, I would hear it from my commanding officer. I had no problem taking orders. There were just some I questioned more than others.
“What is it you want to know?” Bennett asked.
“Does this…change of plans have anything to do with Robin?” I couldn’t even believe I was asking the question. A few days ago, something like that wouldn’t have even crossed my mind.
Bennett said, “I don’t know what is going on between you and Robin, and for the record, I don’t want to. I care about one thing: you doing your job. Any decision I make is based on necessity, and not you getting it on.”
What the fuck was wrong me? I knew Bennett never mixed business and pleasure. Not in his life and sure as fuck not with anyone who worked for him. I owed him an apology. Saying it, well, ‘sorry’ just wasn’t in my vocabulary. It would only show weakness to Bennett. He’s probably already wishing he didn’t hire me.
“Any news from the police regarding Vecca?” I asked.
“They have him under surveillance. From what they have learned, there are not the six or eight men which Lily had first suspected. They have counted closer to fifteen individuals so far.”
“And they can handle that type of group? From what Lily said, they were armed,” I reminded him.
“And that is why I need you here. If something goes wrong, I can count on you, right?”
I nodded. “Got your six. What would you like me to do in the meantime?” I asked.
“Your time is your own. But keep your cell phone on and your Glock loaded. If they need backup, we’ll need to be able to roll at a moment’s notice,” Bennett said.
“That’s it? Just sit and wait?” Seemed like a waste of my time, but my time was his to waste.
“You’d think you were used to that from all those years in the Corps.”
I laughed. “Yeah. Hated it then, too.”
“I can see if the kitchen needs an extra dishwasher,” Bennett joked.
“I think I’ll pass.” I got up to leave Bennett’s office and asked, “What is your gut telling you?” I might not like some of the decisions Bennett made, but he usually called it right.
“A year ago, I’d say we’d end up taking the lead. But Tabiq has come a long way. The police force has been trained by me and my team. They should be all set, but one thing I have learned about this country is to always expect the unexpected,” he replied.
Which meant Bennett had no clue. “I’ll be ready if you need me.”
“I know I don’t need to tell you this, but don’t share this with Robin. She already knows a hell of a lot more than I want her to,” Bennett ordered.
“You can trust her, Bennett.”
“And you know this how?” he asked.
I hadn’t done any background check or interrogated her. The fact she was a lawyer normally would’ve been a red flag for me, but that didn’t raise my hackles with Robin. She was different. I looked Bennett square in the eye. “Because I trust her.”
“That’s good enough for me,” he said simply.
I headed up to my room and dropped off my duffle bag. Unpacking wasn’t an issue. Bennett made it clear that I should remain ready. As far as I was concerned, that included flying out at a moment’s notice.
There was a positive side to Bennett’s change of assignment. I hadn’t even informed Robin that I’d be leaving. Not saying goodbye after how we’d spent the day, and that incredible night, would’ve been completely fucked up. She deserved a hell of a lot better than that. A lot better than me.
I knew myself. I was a damn good Marine, a great brother, and an okay son. What I suck at is being a boyfriend. I’d make a promise, then get a call and have to fly out and never be able to say where I was going or when I’d be back. I might not be in the Corps any longer, but I didn’t think things would be much different working for Bennett. It’s what I’m used to. It’s what I want.
So why the hell was I even giving this a second thought? We were two consenting adults who satisfied each other sexually, several times over the course of a single day. Nothing more.
Satisfied? More like fucking blew my mind. She’s the type of woman a man fought for, was willing to lay his life down for. A woman a man could love.
There was so much more to her than I had first thought. Robin presented herself as happy and content. But when she opened up to me about her internal battle regarding her career, I was shocked. I’d been there when I realized the Marine Corps was no longer a viable option for me, at least not as it had been before. Trying to figure out what to do going forward wasn’t…isn’t…easy. Working for Bennett was just a way to bide time until I figured it out.
It’s funny, because I easily could’ve told Robin she wasn’t alone in what she was facing. But I’m not one who shares my personal shit. Never have. Guess that’s another reason I make a horrible boyfriend. Women like to know the man they are dating.
My cell phone rang, and I hoped it was Bennett. I was already bored sitting here. Instead, it was my sister Cindy.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Of course, it is. I’m only calling because Mom made me. She said you haven’t checked in like she told you to,” Cindy said. “I told her you’ve been calling me every day.”
“Why would you do that?” I asked, because it was a lie.
“To drive her crazy. Since you left, it’s horrible. She keeps asking me where I’m going, who I’ll be with, when I’ll be back. God, you’d think I was a teenager or something.”
“Or someone who is still recovering from a car accident,” I reminded her.
“Really, James? I would think you’d be more understanding. You’ve been able to live your own life. Don’t you think I’ve earned the right to do the same? I mean, it’s my birthday, after all.”
Shit. I can’t believe I fucking forgot. Cindy turned twenty-one today. I looked at the clock and said, “Good try, but your birthday isn’t until tomorrow.”
“Maybe here in Boston, but where you are, it’s today,” she explained.
“Well, you’re going to have to wait until tomorrow for your gift.” That also meant I’d better come up with something fucking fantastic or she’d be calling me out on forgetting.
“Fine. Just remember, that I am of legal age now,” she said.
“I’m not buying you alcohol,” I said firmly. “And I’d better not find out you’ve been partying, either.”
“What are you going to do? Come home and kick my butt?” she teased.
“Don’t tempt me, Cindy. I’m serious. You know what the doctor said about keeping yourself as healthy as you can. You don’t want your body to reject your new kidney.” I can’t give you another one.
Cindy huffed. “You’re starting to sound like Mom.”
“Good. Maybe you’ll actually listen to one of us,” I said.
“If Joe was here, he would stick up for me,” Cindy grumbled.
“But he’s not. He’s in jail,” I blurted, my words filled with anger.
“Maybe if you were around more, he wouldn’t be,” Cindy snapped back.
It was something I told myself all the time. Truth was, Joe had made his own choices. Unfortunately, they were bad ones. “Cindy, I can’t tell you what to do. I just hope that you’re smart enough not to follow in Joe’s footsteps.”
Eleven Days in Paradise (Barrington Billionaires Book 11) Page 11
