Whoa! I didn’t realize how long it’s been since I last posted. I’ve been so busy the time has slipped away. I have, however, decided which book I’m going to publish online next.
The book I’m working on is entitled Danger in Paradise, and it centers on Jessie Nelson, an intelligence specialist for Wheeler Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii. Nick Ramsdale, her former boyfriend comes back into her life. While researching a spy novel he’s writing, Nick comes across suspicious information on Jessie’s fiance, Todd Hardy. Determined to reunite with Jessie, while keeping his suspicions to himself, Nick does his best to win Jessie’s heart.
Chapter 1 of Danger in Paradise starts here.
ONE
Following the hostess to her table, Jessica Nelson glanced around the dimly lit restaurant to see if her fiancé had arrived yet. But she didn’t see him anywhere. The hostess, wearing a long, brightly flowered muumuu, stopped at an empty table for two and placed a menu on the napkin. Thanking her politely, Jessie pulled out her own chair.
Another waitress arrived almost the second Jessie sank onto the chair and asked, “Could I get you a drink, ma’am?”
Jessie gazed up at the blonde who wore a short wrap-around, flowered skirt and matching halter. With a tired smile, she answered, “I’ll just have a diet cola, thank you.”
As the waitress left, Jessie leaned wearily against the chair. What a week! Two hours of overtime that day and three the other four days—with no end in sight. She would have to put in weekends and long days until she solved the problem. And there was no telling when that would be.
At least, her appetite hadn’t diminished with the increased workload, as it often did. She was famished! If Todd weren’t late again, she could order and quiet her growling stomach. Todd was always late—to nearly every appointment they had—because he liked to make an entrance. Despite her own compulsion to be early, she bore his tardiness silently. It was part of Todd Hardy’s state senatorial game plan to be fashionably late.
But that night she was in no mood for his delaying tactics. She’d had a busy day, and she was exhausted. All she wanted to do was eat and go home to bed. She needed to if she wanted enough energy for the long, busy weekend.
A man startled her from her thoughts and explained that Todd had to cancel their date. He had even notified her late! Although furious, she was glad that she could order her meal.
***
“Did you see the paper today, Nick?” the bartender asked.
Nicholas Ramsdale absently toyed with the straw in his whiskey and water. Besides being the bartender, Steve was his brother—and definitely looked it with the dark brown hair and bright green eyes. Sighing, Nick ran his fingers through his own thick hair. The past few years had streaked his own dark hair gray at the temples.
“Which paper?” he asked to pacify his brother.
Steve dropped the society section on the bar. “Probably any Hawaiian paper.”
Glancing at the heading, Nick released a disgruntled groan then took a sip of his drink. “Great. I’ve been in a fifteen-month slump, and you’re showing me the engagements. That’s just what I need.”
“Senator Todd Hardy’s getting married.”
“I heard something about that in my research, but I didn’t think it was important enough to follow up on. If this news was supposed to cheer me up, it didn’t work. Or do you think I’ll get the information I need from his fiancée? If you do, I doubt he told her anything.”
“Just read the article.”
Moving the newspaper to a better light, Nick ran his hand through the mass of curls on his head and scanned the story.
At a news conference today, controversial state senator Todd Hardy announced his engagement to Jessica Nelson, the widow of the late shipping tycoon, Joseph Nelson.
Nick stared at his brother. His heart thumped in excitement. “Jessie’s back!”
“I thought that would get your attention,” Steve said with a grin.
“Attention, hell. It gets my blood flowing again. I wonder why she hasn’t called me.”
“Maybe she’s been busy taking care of Joe’s business.”
“Naw, she sold out about a year after he died, remember? She took off for the mainland at the same time—couldn’t stand the memories.”
“Sounds like she’s over them now.”
“Yeah,” Nick agreed.
Steve studied his brother. “Why are you so down? You two got along great. You had all kinds of fun together. I never had so much fun as I did when you guys took me places.”
“That was eleven years and three huge mistakes ago.”
“They can’t be that big.”
Nick glared at his brother. He always hated saying these things, but he had to explain if he wanted Steve to shut up. “I introduced her to my best friend, didn’t I? And the next thing I knew I was best man at their wedding. That’s not a huge mistake?”
“You stayed friends.”
“Until I made my next mistake and got married. Cathy hated Jess, you know. We didn’t get to see each other much after that, until Joe got sick.”
“You were the best friend they had, Nick,” Steve reminded him. “You stood by Jessie at the end, and you stayed by her even though Cathy was furious about it. You supported Jessie when she needed you most.”
“And that led to the last big mistake. I’ll never get over that one—even if Jessie did tell me that she understood and didn’t hold it against me. Of course, one good thing came out of that mistake. I finally got up the courage to ditch Cathy.”
“So, what was your last mistake?”
“Let’s just say that the last time we were together, we didn’t exactly get along. I tried to talk her out of selling her business, but she wouldn’t listen. She said she just didn’t want it. She wanted to tie the proceeds up in bonds and live a simple life on whatever she could make on her job.”
“Hey, Steve,” a woman said as she walked to the bar beside Nick. “Got a couple orders for you. A carafe of Bordeaux, two glasses, and a Diet Coke.”
When Steve turned to fill the orders, the waitress leaned against the bar rail. Turning her gaze to Nick, she asked, “How’s the new book coming?”
“Slowly.” Finishing his drink, Nick set down his glass and stood up. “I’d better go. I have some notes to go through. See you later, Steve—Peggy.”
Picking up the newspaper, Nick strode away from the bar. In his car, he pulled out his smart phone and googled Jessica R. Nelson and the ZIP Code. There she was. First on the list. It gave her previous addresses and phone numbers. Taking the pen he kept in the console of his vehicle, he wrote her number on his hand. Then he punched in the numbers. Three rings later the phone stopped ringing. It was the first time he’d heard her voice in six years.
“Hello, this is Jessie. We aren’t free at the moment. If you’ll leave your name and number at the sound of the tone, one of us will call you as soon as possible.”
Nick released a sad chuckle and hung up. It was just like Jessie to cover up the fact that she lived alone. When he’d dated Jessie Porter, she’d been an eighteen-year-old virgin who wanted to stay that way until her wedding night. He’d been so sure they would eventually marry that he’d only broached the subject of sex once during the year they’d dated. Then he’d taken her to Joe’s birthday party at the mansion and had lost her within two months.
Maybe it was a good thing that she wasn’t home. Why go through rejection and pain a second time? He could just pretend he that hadn’t phoned her. In his heart, though, he knew he had to contact her sooner or later. And the sooner he did it, the better off she would be.
Jessie needed to know the truth about Todd Hardy, or what he suspected was the truth. He owed it to her—and to Joe, because he’d promised his friend to take care of Jessie. And she needed that now more than ever.
***
For the fifth time that evening, Jessie picked up her cell phone and stared at Nick’s number. She’d followed his Facebook author’s page ever since she’d left town, but she’d never friended him. She’d needed a clean break from him back then, and had insisted that they not communicate. But she hadn’t been able to erase him from her mind. That was why she’d found him on the social website, just so she could see his face every day. And she’d kept his home phone number on her cell in case of an emergency.
Now, though, she needed to get in touch with him. So, why was it that every time she tried to call Nick, she couldn’t? They’d been such good friends—until Cathy came along. She didn’t like Nick’s wife any better than Cathy liked her. Still, she missed the closeness she’d shared with him. As badly as she wanted to talk to him, she couldn’t. She dreaded the possibility of Cathy answering.
Jessie wandered to the balcony terrace of her condominium. After seeing that day’s paper, she really needed to talk to Nick. He’d always believed in standing behind promises, and he would be furious with her for breaking hers to let him know if she returned to Hawaii. Now she would have to explain why she hadn’t contacted him during the fifteen months she’d been in town. Maybe she should call Steve. He would know if Nick had seen the article.
Returning to the living room, she opened her telephone directory and thumbed through it as she sank onto the chair. After locating Steve’s name, she picked up the handset and punched the proper number. The phone had only rung four times when there was a knock on her door. Stunned, she hung up slowly and went to answer it. Who could be visiting at 10:30 p.m.?
Releasing the bolt, she pulled the door open and found a tall, brown-haired man with his back to the door. As he turned toward her, she stared up at him, her mouth gaping in shock. “Nick!”
His jaw dropped, and he studied her silently for several seconds. Jessie knew she’d changed a lot since she’d last seen him, and she knew just as well that he couldn’t believe the difference. Then she remembered what she was wearing—nothing more than a long, royal blue negligee with black lace trim and spaghetti straps, which clung to her alluringly.
“You’ve aged beautifully, Jessie,” he breathed.
“And you haven’t changed a bit,” she said with a mischievous grin, “except for a few gray hairs among the brown.”
“I see you’re ready for bed. Maybe I should come back another time.”
“Don’t be silly.” Grabbing his wrist, she pulled him into her condo then closed the door and locked it. “I’ve been thinking about you all night. In fact, I was calling Steve when you knocked. Apparently, he was out.”
“He works nights.”
Suddenly nervous, Jessie wandered to her fireplace. Nick had seen the article. It was the only way he could have known that she was in Hawaii.
“I really don’t know what to say, Nick,” she began.
“Neither do I, but I do know what to do.” She started when he tenderly grasped her shoulders, turned her toward him, and gazed into her eyes. Then he said, “If I don’t get this out of my system, I won’t be able to concentrate on the conversation.”
Before she could protest, he slid his fingers into her curly auburn hair and drew her closer. When his lips captured hers tenderly, all thought of protest vanished from her mind. She felt like the past years hadn’t even existed. They had, though, and she and Nick had some very important topics to discuss. Unfortunately, she couldn’t break the kiss. Her body wouldn’t allow it.
Without warning, he released her and broke away, saying, “Man, Jess, I’m sorry. I didn’t even think. Is he here?”
“Is who here?”
“The future Mr. Nelson.”
“Todd’s in Maui—probably visiting his parents, although he didn’t say so. He doesn’t live here, anyway.” Again, she grinned impishly. “You know me. I don’t believe in premarital sex.” Sitting down on the couch with her feet drawn up beside her, Jessie patted the cushion next to hers. “I never really understood something, but I was afraid to ask. Why did you stay around so long when you knew that I wouldn’t give in?”
“I had lots of hope,” he returned as he plopped down beside her.
“Well, I really appreciated it. You were a kind man—and the best friend I’ve ever had.”
“I was a damned fool,” he corrected irritably. “Besides, if I was your best friend, why did you marry Joe when you’d only known him for four months?”
“Because I was blinded by …”
“Five carats of shine,” he interrupted, his bitterness obvious in his tone.
Jessie bowed her head in shame. As much as it hurt, he was right. She’d admitted it to herself years before, but she’d never told Nick, although she knew she would have to someday. Her shame at having been so mercenary was the only reason she’d sold Joe’s business and moved out of Honolulu.
This conversation was a terrible way to conduct a reunion, but it was better than holding it in and postponing the inevitable. Doing it now would put it in the past tomorrow, then they could get on with their friendship.
“I’m sorry, Jess,” he said, gently stroking her hair. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No, you should have. I was going to tell you I was blinded by infatuation, but you were right.” Returning her gaze to him, she straightened her shoulders as though she would gather courage in the action. “I was blinded by the money at first—or the infatuation of having it. After a while, though, I really came to love Joe. I just didn’t realize it until he was dying. And I’m still not sure that it wasn’t more of a sisterly love.”
“Like you felt for me,” he inserted.
“That is what I said back then, but now I know I was wrong. I don’t think I know what marital love should feel like.”
“What about Hardy? If you’re planning to marry him, you must feel that kind of love.”
“I care about him very much, Nick. He’s kind and sensitive and very intelligent. He doesn’t have nearly as much money as Joe did. And he’s so romantic. He does the sweetest things for me.”
“You’re still using the same phrases you used about me.”
Jessie chuckled to disguise her nervousness. “I’m not the author, Nick. You are. But why do you care? You’re married to Cathy. That’s why I couldn’t get up the courage to call you.”
With a wide grin, Nick said, “I divorced her about six months after you left.”
Jessie stared at him in stunned disbelief. About six months after she’d left? That was about the same time … No, she couldn’t think about that right now. It was too painful.
“After you sold the businesses here and in Lahaina then moved, I told her the truth. I thought she’d head straight to a lawyer, but she forgave me.”
“For what? Staying up with me all night? Trying to talk me out of selling?”
Shaking his head, Nick sighed loudly. “Don’t delude yourself, Jess. You know more than talking went on. At seven in the morning, I unplugged the house phone and turned off my cell so she wouldn’t bother us again. At seven-thirty, …”
“For Pete’s sake, Nick!” she exclaimed, scrambling from the couch. “What did you do? Keep a log of that night?”
“I didn’t have to. It’s the only one I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Thank God, you forgave me.”
“Yes. I forgave you,” she said, recalling how she’d always considered that such a stupid thing to do. After all, how do you forgive someone for giving you something you wanted deep in your heart? “Then I forgot.”
“Did it really mean that little to you?”
Why was she letting him bring up painful memories? If she didn’t change the subject, she would divulge information that would hurt them both much worse than avoidance. “I don’t want to remember this, Nick. I’m engaged now, so let’s find something else to discuss.”
“Don’t you think we should air this?”
“Nope,” she said lightly to keep him from seeing her emotional pain. “I think you should autograph my copy of your first published novel. Come on.”
Absently rising, Nick followed Jessie from the living room. Jessie had always lived in denial. She’d denied his feelings when he’d tried to explain them the day she broke off their relationship, so she could date Joe. Less than a year later, she’d denied the same thing when he’d tried to convince her that they could still be friends after he married Cathy. After a two-year separation, he’d raced to her side when Joe got sick. Again, he’d tried to explain his feelings, and again he’d received her denial in return. Yet he’d stayed with her, helping her run her inherited business for a full year before she’d decided to sell it and move. Even when he’d offered to take over completely so she would stay, she’d denied his feelings.
That had probably been the longest night of his life. Instead of being home sleeping with his wife, he’d spent the entire night trying to talk Jessie into staying. But she had denied him, claiming that he wouldn’t have time to write if he took over for her. Worse than that, she had denied his need to have her around. What hurt worst to that very minute, however, was that she denied the most glorious hour and a half of his life.
Jessie stopped and turned toward Nick. How often had she seen that distant expression he got whenever he was deep in thought? As always, she knew what was on his mind—their relationship, more specifically, her denial of it. If only she could ease his mind on that point. But she couldn’t.
Nick had always known her better than she knew herself, and he’d never hidden his love for her. To still her sudden distress, she opened her closet before facing him again. “Would you please get the darker strong box out for me? I have trouble moving it.”
Nick dragged the strong box from the closet while Jessie went to her purse on the dresser. Dropping to her knees before the small safe, she searched through her keys until she found the right one. As she slid it into the lock, Nick stood behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that he was looking into the safe at the packet of envelopes, several paperback books, and numerous miscellaneous items, all of which he obviously recognized.
Sinking down beside her, he bent one leg in front of him, planting the other foot on the floor to drape his arm over his knee. “I can’t believe this, Jessie. These things either I gave you or they pertain to me. I knew you were sentimental, but I didn’t expect you to save all of this stuff.”
“That’s what sentimental people do,” she returned with a grin. Withdrawing a tattered copy of his first novel from the box, she held it toward him. “I’ll get a pen.”
Chuckling, he took one from his shirt pocket then accepted the book. “A writer always has a pen. Anything special you want me to write?”
“How about To Jess, with loving memories?”
Nick dropped the book to his lap and opened it to the third page. “Not many people read the dedication page, Jess. I’m surprised you did.”
“Sentimental people do things like that all the time.”
After scribbling in her book, he returned it to her with a broad smile, but it disappeared when she closed the book. “Aren’t you going to read it?”
“Oh! I just assumed you wrote what I suggested.” Opening the book again, she read his inscription:
This time I won’t give up until he slides a wedding band on the same beautiful finger his diamond adorns.
Forever your best friend, Nick.
Jessie closed the book with a heavy sigh. “Nick, …”
“I know,” he interrupted, laying two fingers over her lips. “You don’t like it. Well, I don’t care anymore. I refuse to stand back and let you make another mistake. I promised Joe that I’d take care of you. If that means protecting you from yourself, that’s exactly what I’ll do. How did you meet Hardy, anyway?”
“Believe it or not, he rear-ended my car at a stop light. I was so shaken that he felt sorry for me and took me to dinner. We’ve been together ever since.”
“And how long is that?”
“Three months.”
“Damn it, Jess,” he said in exasperation. “Won’t you ever learn? First, it was Joe and his five-carat diamond. Now it’s Hardy and his—what?—three carats?”
Jessie’s ire rose, and she responded irritably. “Are you calling me a fortune-hunter? If so, you’re wrong, because Todd’s not rich.”
“That’s not what I’m saying, but you are easily blinded by glitz. You even admitted it tonight.”
Grasping his hand tenderly, she smiled to change the mood the conversation had taken. “This is our first meeting in six years, Nick. Let’s not argue. Let’s go through this box and remember all the fun things we’ve done together.”
“You’re right,” he agreed as he began rummaging in the box. “Let’s see what else you’ve kept in here besides books.”
Within minutes they were so involved in their memories that Jessie lost track of time. Seemingly one minute it was nearly eleven and the next it was three-fifteen. She stared at her bedside radio-alarm in amazement when Nick went into the bathroom. She had to get up at six-thirty. That was just a little over three hours away, and she wasn’t even relaxed enough to fall asleep.
“Do you know what time it is?” she asked when he came back.
He glanced at his watch then returned his gaze to Jessie, questioning her with a wide, mischievous grin. “Way past your bedtime?”
“Absolutely,” she admitted. “I have to work tomorrow.”
“What do you do?”
“I’m an intel spec for the Air Force.”
“You’re a what?” he asked.
Nick’s expression gave away his horror at her admission, but she didn’t want to end the evening with what she knew could be a drawn-out argument. To still his obvious distress, she smiled brightly and said, “An intelligence specialist, Nick. I thought a spy novelist would know governmentese.”
“I do. I just didn’t think that you, of all people, would be involved with top secret information.”
Jessie giggled. “Surprise, surprise. I’m glad that I finally did something you wouldn’t expect of me.”
But Nick’s reply was far from the cheerful retort she expected. “I don’t like it. Does Hardy know what you do?”
Jessie stared up at him. Come to think of it, Todd had never asked her what she did for a living. She never discussed her work with anybody. In fact, Nick was the only person she’d ever told so much as her job title. She just told anybody else who asked that she was a civil servant at Wheeler Air Force Base.
“He’s never even asked,” she admitted quietly. “Now I really do have to go to bed. Why don’t you use the guest room tonight? The bed’s already made up with clean sheets.”
When she started toward the bathroom, he grabbed her wrist and spun her into his arms. Embracing her tightly, he pressed his lips against hers. Although initially stunned, Jessie enjoyed this kiss more than any of his others. For the first time, she hadn’t expected it. And she was thrilled that he wasn’t always predictable.
The moment his tongue slipped into her mouth to reunite with hers, a jolt shot through her unlike any she’d ever experienced. This was the first time she felt as though nothing else mattered except the man in her arms. No, that wasn’t true. She had felt that before, but only once.
Breaking the kiss, he held her tightly against his long, hard body.
“I didn’t expect you to do that,” she admitted softly.
“I didn’t expect to do it,” he returned, “but I had to do something.”
“Why?”
“I’m not going to sit back and watch you make another mistake. That’s what it would be if you marry Hardy. I was a wimp when I let you marry Joe, but I’ve changed. I’m going to fight for you this time, Jess, and I’m going to win. Since you seem to like whirlwind romances so much, I’ll show you a whirlwind like you’ve never seen before.”
“How?”
Nick shook his head slowly. “If I told you that, it would take all the fun out of it. Now get to bed. I can’t have my favorite lady too tired to even think about work.”
Stunned by his proclamation, she stared at the door he closed behind him. Was this really the same man she’d left six years ago? Nick looked the same and talked the same, but his mind had changed drastically. He’d always been open and cheerful. Now he was secretive and serious—more serious than he used to be, anyway. They had laughed a lot, as they always did when they were together. But when the conversation was about their relationship, he stopped joking with her.
***
Nick sighed in relief. From the look on Jessie’s face, she believed what he’d proclaimed about a whirlwind romance. All he had to do now was figure out how to give her one. Even though he wanted Jessie for himself, the main purpose for his declaration was to protect her from Todd Hardy.
If Jessie hadn’t told him what her job was, he wouldn’t have been nearly as concerned. And the fact that Hardy had never asked her was very suspicious. It led Nick to only one conclusion: Hardy already knew what Jessie did for a living. He also believed the car accident involving Jessie and Hardy had been deliberate—even if he didn’t have proof. Until he collected the evidence on those two theories, he had to spend as much time as possible with Jessie so he could protect her. Without proof, she would never believe anyone was as calculating and deceptive as Hardy had been.
At least, she was safe from the senator that night. But how could he convince her to let him sleep over consistently without arousing her suspicions? More importantly, how would he convince her to give Hardy’s ring back? Romance, whirlwind or otherwise, had never been his style.