Rum Punch Regrets (23 page)

Acceptance.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The lobby of the Royal Palms was bustling with activity. It was filled with tourists checking in and out, casino-goers, locals and some students sneaking in to go to the pool to study. And Abby.

Abby spotted her morning meeting sitting at the bar, shoulders slumped as if beaten, and wearing an old T-shirt (which was not his style). She got up and made her way over.

Abby took the barstool next to the handsome man. “I’ve always wanted to say, ‘Fancy meeting you here,’” she said. “But since you texted me that you made it without any issues . . . ”

Daryl turned to Abby, his face lighting up, grabbing her in a big hug. “Abby!”

“How are you?” She laughed in his ear as she hugged her brother-in-law.

His face was sheepish. “I guess we’ll see. How are you doing with everything?”

Abby shot him a look. “Which part? The part about my hidden brother or the part where my family owns an inn?”

Daryl smiled, just a tiny bit. “A little hard to swallow, huh?”

Abby just shrugged. “If I got mad at her every time she left out important information, I would be mad a lot. Like ninety percent of the time. I think I just gave up or just decided to finally play by my rules.”

“You didn’t tell her I was coming, right?”

Abby shook her head. “No. This just needs to happen.”

Daryl stared at his beer. “Do you think she’s ready for me?”

“Of course she’s ready for you. The question is, are
you
ready for
her
?” Abby stood up, motioning to Daryl to follow her. “Come on, let’s go.”

Daryl looked at Abby, who was oozing a confidence and purpose like she had never shown before. “Okay, but only because this whole ‘Zen-like Abby’ is kind of freaking me out right now.”

Abby winked at him, then made her way through the lobby to the concierge. Before they knew it, they were cruising over the island roads at lightning speed to La Cantina.

Abby was the first to walk through the kitchen door, finding Leigh at the table, working silently at her computer. She looked up as Abby entered the room.

“You were up early this morning. Where’d you go?”

“Errands. Nothing exciting.” Abby watched as he sister tapped away on her keyboard.

Leigh was also watching Abby out of the corner of her eye. She stopped typing and blew out an irritated huff of air when she noticed a figure outside the screen door behind Abby. “You bring home a stray?”

Instead of answering, Abby opened the door so that Daryl could walk in. Leigh’s face froze, sending a plethora of mixed emotions screaming across it. She stood up, silently walked up to her husband and stood before him.

“I can’t apologize . . . ” she began.

“I don’t want any more apologies, Leigh. I want you.” Leigh threw herself into Daryl’s arms. As they were holding on tightly to each other, Abby slowly backed out of the kitchen and headed to the pool house.

Andrew was in a heated conversation on his mobile when she entered. He did find a moment to give her a look that asked how things went. She gave him a thumbs-up and headed up to Ben’s room to see if he was there.

To her surprise, he and Tracey were both there. Ben was packing his things, and Tracey was quizzing him for the midterms. Abby went and curled up on the bed next to Tracey, watching Ben sort through items that might be worth keeping and set aside the ones he really wanted. She waited until they came to a break in the quizzing before she filled him in on her conversation with Leigh from the day before, regarding her wanting to keep the inn.

When she was all done, Ben paced the room. “It’s brilliant, Abs. Like you were meant to stay here. I think you should run the inn.”

“I know, right?” She grinned at her brother, pleased, but then her expression returned to somber once more. “Don’t you find it odd that all of those pictures of your parents -- of my dad -- seem to have been taken here? On St. Kitts?”

Ben stared into the box in front of him, mulling over Abby’s question. “I mean, I never really thought about it. But yeah, it does seem a little weird.”

Abby’s wheels were turning. “I know I’m supposed to go to Carla, Ben, and I will. I promise you. My gut tells me that there is so much more to this: to our parents, to La Cantina, to those photos you have.” She shook her head as she stared into space. “I can’t put my finger on it, but something is still off.”

Ben smiled and leaned over to lovingly slug his sister in her arm. “Take a break and relax for a second. Hell, you’re about to become a business owner.”

Abby was absentmindedly playing with a string that was loose on her T-shirt. “At least I have your vote of confidence. I’m hoping I get Leigh’s as well.”

“Well, we are the two-thirds majority vote,” Ben reminded her.

Abby nodded in agreement. “True, but I need to do this with all of us on the same page. It’s the only way.”

“She’s got a point,” Tracey chimed in. “Best to be all for one and one for all right now.”

“And if she doesn’t say yes?” Ben asked.

Abby stared at the wall. “I can’t think about that. All I know is that the first step for all of us is to be in agreement.”

“And the second step?” Ben wondered.

Abby shrugged her shoulders. “As soon as I figure that out, I’ll let you know.”

“Make it quick, okay?” Ben was tossing a pillow in his hands.

“Or what? You’ll bully me with your down pillow?” Abby’s reply was dry, as was the smile that played on her lips. Ben threw the pillow at her as Andrew was walking into the room.

“Picking on a girl?” he shot at Ben, as he grabbed Abby and pulled her onto his lap.

“Better than starting a fight with her stupid boyfriend,” Ben retorted.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Abby quickly interjected.

The room was quiet. Abby looked from face to face. “What?”

Andrew was staring at the floor as Ben and Tracey made up an excuse to go downstairs. As the door closed behind them, Andrew stood up, causing Abby to fall backward off his lap and onto the bed.

“What just happened?”

Andrew’s eyes flashed with irritation as he turned to her. “Abby, I just spent the last half-hour trying to rearrange my trip so I could stay a few extra days. Why? So I could be with you. But don’t worry. I couldn’t make it happen. I’m on a flight out tonight to go home to London.” He shook his head. “You don’t think I’m serious, do you?”

Abby sat up, playing with the rings on her hands. She had lain in bed the night before, holding him and fighting back her own tears. Abby couldn’t figure out why the gods had smiled on her in such a screwed-up way. She had always thought that this type of thing only happened in the movies. Could she really fall this hard for someone in just a few days? At what point is the risk truly for passion and love, not just for the adrenaline rush?

“Andrew, I don’t want to move forward on any of this if my heart’s not in it.” She stared at the floor. “In a short amount of time, my whole world has flipped upside down. Losing my job, coming here, Ben, you? Can you see why I need a moment to breathe?” She looked up at him, meeting his gaze. “Do I feel something for you? God, yes! Every part of me has tingled since the day I met you. I never thought that having these feelings could be so instantaneous. And freeing. I honestly had kind of given up. Then you show up.” Standing, she walked over to position herself in front of him. “You sweep in here, with your smile and humor, making everyone happy. And your kisses. Those sweet, soft lips that I love pressing mine against.” She leaned into him, kissing his lips slowly, letting hers linger on top of his for a moment.

“Then stop pushing me away.” He was breathing heavily into her ear.

Abby couldn’t argue with that. “I need you to understand where I am right now, at this point.” Taking a step back, she let out some air. “When I commit to anything, Andrew, it’s one-hundred-and-ten percent. Which is why I’m so hesitant. I know how determined I get and how I can give up myself a lot of times, when I should have something in reserve.” She let out a small sigh. “For the first time ever, I’m one-hundred-and-fifty percent for myself. It’s someplace I don’t think I’ve been before. And one thing I’ve learned about myself is that if I’m not happy with me, I’m not going to be good to anyone.”

Andrew nodded curtly. “Abby, fine. You go and take some deep breaths or whatever it is you think needs to happen. I’m leaving on the 7 p.m. flight out. Tonight. Maybe by then you’ll have an idea of what you want.” He turned on his heels and quickly exited the room, leaving her alone.

Right where she feared she’d always be.

#

Abby must have dozed off for a few minutes. She hadn’t heard Ben come in. She opened her eyes to find him staring down at her.

“Andrew’s outside,” he said as he sat down next to her.

Abby closed her eyes to shut the world out again. “Shhhh.”

“He’s crazy about you.”

Abby moaned. “I know.”

Ben looked at his sister, lying half on the bed, with her feet still firmly planted on the floor. “Why do I feel like your position on the bed says a lot about how you approach life and men?”

Abby’s eyes flew open. “What do you mean?”

“Well, half in and half out. It’s like you didn’t firmly commit to the bed, the way you’re lying there.”

“You can’t say that just because of how I’m lying here,” she snapped.

“Bollocks. I’m just simply trying to point out that maybe you aren’t being completely honest with yourself right now.” Ben poked her in her ribs. “What’s the harm of just trying?”

Abby sat up, poking him back. “Well, you put time into something and maybe it goes nowhere. Or he might meet someone else. Maybe I do. I just think it’s a big decision to have to make in the middle of everything else I have going on right now.”

“Relax.” There was a smile playing on Ben’s lips. “Look at Tracey and me. Three years of being friends and suddenly we’re more. Do we know what’s going to happen?” He shook his head.

“Oh, stop making sense.” Abby smiled at Ben. “You give good brotherly advice.”

“I’m trying.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes longer, Abby listening to the sounds of movement coming from downstairs, the signs of Tracey still being in the house. Ben was up and packing a few more boxes.

“Daryl’s here. He and Leigh are inside talking.”

Ben’s eyes lit up. “He’s here? How?”

Abby shot him a sly smile. “I called him and told him to get his ass down here. Those two are married and they are incredible together. He needed to be here, too. For Leigh, if nothing else.”

Ben was nodding his approval. “Impressive.”

“Yeah,” she giggled. “Now you get to meet more family.”

Ben stopped what he was doing and faced Abby. “Cool. The ones I know now are pretty awesome.”

“Yeah,” Abby said, flashing a big grin Ben’s way. “We are pretty awesome, huh? Now your sisters just need to figure out their love lives.”

“Abs, you can’t just have a Hollywood ending.”

She groaned again, staring at her feet. “I know, Ben, what girl wouldn’t want that?” Abby smiled at her brother. “Let’s go inside.”

Andrew was nowhere to be seen as they headed to the main house. Tracey thought she had seen him walking down the driveway and Ben guessed he wanted to cool off a little so he probably went for a walk.

Abby had no time to process any thoughts at all. Once they entered the main house, Leigh’s laugh and Daryl’s voice took over her train of thought. They were standing in the dining room hugging and laughing.

“Well, I see things are better in here,” she said to the duo.

Leigh was beaming, her face lit up and glowing. “I picked the right man, Abby. Lucky for me he’s not only forgiving, but understanding as well.”

“And lucky for both of us you have a sister that wanted to see you happy,” Daryl added as he kissed the top of his wife’s head.

Ben and Tracey walked through the door right behind her. It was Daryl who held his hand out and approached the pair. “Ben? I’m Daryl.”

They shook hands, which made Leigh and Abby both fight tears, seeing the two worlds beginning to merge. With all of the madness that the last few weeks had been, Abby was ready for them all to be in a good place again as one family unit.

“Well, I think we may need to celebrate a little tonight,” Leigh said, winking at Daryl.

“Andrew has to be at the airport by six for his flight,” Ben said.

Leigh shot a look at her sister. “He’s leaving tonight?” she asked in her “I’m judging you” voice.

Abby shrugged sadly. “Work calls.”

“Ben and I are studying and packing his things, so we’ll be here if you need any help,” Tracey offered.

Daryl took Leigh’s hand, beaming at his wife. “I’ll do whatever my wife needs. I just can’t believe the burden you held for so long.”

Abby rolled her eyes. “Christ, Daryl. Don’t let her think it’s okay for her to be a martyr. You’ll have a raging lunatic on your hands in no time.”

The group let out another burst of shared laughter. As the ruckus died down, Ben asked Daryl if he’d like to see the pool house he had rented for so long, and they disappeared outside with Tracey to take a quick tour of the grounds. This left Leigh and Abby alone in the dining room.

Leigh sat down at the head of the dining room table, quietly surveying the room around her. “I picked all of this out. Piece by piece. Brought Maria and Ziggy in to work here. Kept an eye on everything, just like Dad asked.” She sounded sad, but her face read of relief.

Abby took a deep breath and sat next to her sister. She was prepared to go for it with one last speech. “Leigh, it’s okay. If you need to sell the inn . . . ”

Leigh was smiling wickedly now. “I’m not going to sell it, Abby.”

Abby’s jaw dropped with a tiny grin of disbelief beginning to play at the corners of her mouth. “Are you serious?”

“I am. You’re right. You are a third of this inn and I think you will do a marvelous job at keeping it going.” Leigh patted the dining room table, smiling at her sister. “Maria and I both agree Ziggy should be kept away from the roof. And don’t let him ever try to resurface this table.”