Bound By Her Ring (11 page)

“I would’ve thought you’d have the market already cornered.”

“No it’s only something I’ve been contemplating since taking over the hotel chain.”

As they settled themselves in the car Jasmine opened the glove compartment and found what she was looking for—a local guide book.

She flicked to the index and searched the listings.

“There are quite a few pearl farms listed, did you have any in mind?”

“Surprise me.”

His ambiguous answer surprised Jasmine, but she went through the book and picked out which ones she thought would suit Lukas’s needs. As they travelled from pearl farm to pearl farm, Jasmine was surprised at how well they worked together. She knew she had impressed Lukas, not only with the questions she’d asked the owners, but the way she’d taken notes on all the organisations once they’d left and were en-route to the next one.

“Shall we have some lunch?” Lukas asked as they departed the last farm.

She glanced at her watch and was surprised to see how much time had passed. Her stomach grumbled in protest as if it had just realised breakfast was a long time ago.

“Sounds like a great idea. Why don’t we go back to the second farm, they had a restaurant there. Also there are some other things I’d like to look at again.”

“Okay back to Fierro’s it is.” He started the car and maneuvered his way out of the car park. “What is it about Fierro’s that makes you want to check them out again? I thought they ran a tight organisation.”

Jasmine flicked through her notes until she came across the relevant ones pertaining to Fierro’s. Out of all the farms they’d seen, this one seemed the most suited to Lukas’s needs.

“They were very professional and well presented. Their staff was extremely knowledgeable about the area and how the owners farmed the oysters.” She looked down her list. “Plus they also had a first class restaurant and gift shop. I think they’d fit your mould of a business you’d want to be associated with.”

Luciano kept his focus on the road not wanting Jasmine to see just how her insight was affecting him. At each business they’d visited she’d asked intelligent, leading questions which enabled them to glean more information from the staff than the average person would’ve obtained. She also managed to ask them in a way that the staff took her as a tourist not a businesswoman checking out the organisation and their work practices.

He, too, had been impressed with Fierro’s and thought that that particular farm could be the one to supply his hotels.

“We didn’t get a chance to look at the gift store. The tour of the farm took longer than I thought it would.” He flicked his gaze in the mirror and indicated to his right. “But out of all the farms we visited they were the only ones that had an agreement with the big diamond companies.”

“Yes, that’s another reason I’d like to visit them again. I only gave the jewellery a cursory glance as we passed, but what I glimpsed was enough to make me want to break out the credit card. I think an agreement with Fierro’s would be a good move for the hotels.”

“I agree.”

He concentrated on the road and recalled the last time they had been in such total harmony. Since he’d turned up in her life again he’d been avoiding thinking about the last time they’d been together. But he could avoid it no longer.

Finally, after weeks of secretly seeing each other, he had persuaded Jasmine to accompany him on a business trip. He hadn’t had to resort to blackmail back then, she’d been willing to go anywhere with him.

Luciano tried to stop himself from thinking anymore. He didn’t want to remember their whirlwind island wedding, but he’d brushed it aside for so long that maybe it would be cathartic to remember and then let it go.

For a brief time Luciano had thought he’d found happiness. He should’ve known it was too good to be true. From the moment he first saw Jasmine he knew she would be dangerous to his emotions. He tried to fight them, tried to ignore them but her lure had been too strong. When he’d slid the specially designed engagement and wedding rings on her finger he’d thought for once his instincts had been wrong, and he’d found his soul mate.

He clenched his fingers tighter on the steering wheel as the next memory washed over him, the vividness of the scene unfolding in his mind.

It was as they were lying entwined in each other’s arms, after making love for the first time as husband and wife, that Jasmine had announced she was expecting their child. Love washed over him, well what he thought was love, and he’d kissed her soundly and then proceeded to show her how much her news meant to him.

He never knew just how quickly she could change. How she could go from being so ecstatic to so cold and unfeeling in the space of a few days. He’d then wished he hadn’t been so impulsive in suggesting marriage. The bubble of love had been shattered by her callousness and now, whenever he saw baby furniture or baby clothes, his heart twisted in pain at the thought of what he’d lost and what he’d never had the chance to know.

A hand on his thigh jolted him out of his painful thoughts. The warmth of the touch radiated through his soul, soothing the hurts and he had to tamp down the fierce desire that was so at odds with his tumultuous thoughts.

“What’s wrong?”

He resisted the temptation to entwine his fingers with her. He gave the small, delicate hand a squeeze before removing it from his thigh and placing it back in Jasmine’s lap.

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m running through the logistics and possibilities of a partnership between us and Fierro’s.”

“You expect me to believe that? That you were thinking about a business deal?” she scoffed at him. “Lukas, from the look on your face, business was the last thing you were thinking about.”

He pulled the car into a car bay and switched it off. “Look it doesn’t matter what I was thinking, we’re here let’s enjoy lunch.”

He heard her groan of annoyance and chose to ignore it. He had to remember all she’d done to him, but with each passing hour spent in her company it was becoming more difficult to remember. His body wanted him to forget the past, believe her and move forward. But his head was warning him that she couldn’t be trusted. He’d followed his heart once. It was now time to follow his head.

The staff clearly remembered them from before and whether it was the air of wealth that surrounded Lukas or they were just very good at their jobs, the service they received was impeccable. The food delivered to the table was delicious and cooked to the way they’d requested. The restaurant was bursting at the seams, but the staff was cool and controlled.

As she glanced around, Jasmine took in the ambience of the room. The interior designer had taken all the facets of a pearl and its origins into account. The bottom three quarters of the walls was painted in washed out black, signifying the outside of an oyster shell. The top section was brushed in the softest, luminescent cream that seemed to glow with the same luster as a pearl.

Through the windows the blue water sparkled and shimmered under the sunlight. The rows and rows and rows of wire showing above the water hid the real riches of the oysters lovingly nurturing their secret treasures underneath. The whole concept of how a pearl was cultivated amazed her. That a parasite entering the oyster could turn into a gorgeous gemstone.

“It really is a beautiful sight isn’t it?”

She dragged her gaze from the window back to the man who’d asked the question. They had somehow managed to recreate a semblance of their previous relaxed atmosphere, but she could still feel some tension, the conversation in the car was never far from Jasmine’s mind.

“Yes, peaceful on top and a buzz of activity not far beneath the surface.”

“So what’s your impression of the operation now?” he asked.

“The way they’ve handled the lunch crowd only reinforces my initial impression. They’ve trained their staff well and are very organised.”

“I tend to agree, but it’s easy to become complacent.” He smiled up at the waitress as she set down the folder containing their bill. “So are you ready to have a look at the jewellery?”

“Sounds good, I don’t think we’ll be too disappointed with how they run the store. It’s the main reason people come to this place.” She stood and collected her purse.

As they were making their way out of the restaurant a small toddler barrelled into Jasmine’s legs, almost causing her to fall. She regained her balance and squatted down until she was eye to eye with the child.

Her breath caught and her heart stopped beating, as a dark haired boy, with mischievous brown eyes, smiled up at her.

Is this what her and Lukas’s child would look like?

The unbidden thought darted in her mind and just as quickly darted out.

“Oh I’m so sorry. He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

The words penetrated the stupor Jasmine had fallen into making her aware of her surroundings and the interest she and the child were attracting from passers-by.

Jasmine straightened up and smiled. “No he’s fine, didn’t hurt me at all.” She placed her hand gently on his head, the soft fine hair tickling the underside of her hand, causing gooseflesh to break out over her arms. “He’s gorgeous, you’re very lucky.”

The other lady smiled indulgently and hugged her son close. “He sure is and he knows it too. He’s a handful but I wouldn’t trade him for the world.”

With those words she and her son wandered off and Jasmine stood there watching as they drifted into the restaurant.

She sighed and rubbed her arms briskly, confused at her reaction. She looked up and connected directly with Lukas, his gaze dark and serious and foreboding and for a moment, painful.

Had they argued about having children? Could that have been the reason she’d left him?

“You don’t like children?” she asked.

“I like children fine,” came his clipped reply. “Shall we make our way to the gift shop?”

And with a few quick words the tenuous rebuilding of their relationship took another two steps back. Each time when she thought they were making headway, an obstacle bounded onto the path to block their way.

Disappointment filled her like a torrential downpour fills a drain. Lukas hadn’t wanted children. That must have been the reason why they’d been apart at the time of her accident. But how could she ask him that? Did she even want to ask him the question burning on the tip of her tongue? Could she push aside her dream of having a big family and spend the rest of her life childless?

“Jasmine, are you coming or are you just going to block everyone’s path?”

Lukas’s impatient tones forced her feet into action.

“Yes I’m coming,” she said as she reached his side.

Together they made their way to the shop, her hand itching to reach out and entwine her fingers with Lukas’s, but holding back for fear of him rejecting her touch.

The confusing thoughts left her the moment she walked into the confines of the shop. Her feet were engulfed by plush carpet, the type that made you long to take your shoes off after a hard day and curl your toes into the pile. The cleverly placed down-lights glinted on the treasures in the crystal clear glass cases.

She glanced around not knowing which tempting treasure to look at first.

She let her feet guide her, and was drawn immediately to a diamond and pearl necklace. The pebble sized pearl was surrounded by alternating deep pink and brilliant white diamonds. Each diamond cut in a way that no matter which angle you looked at it, every facet glowed and enticed you closer.

It should’ve looked gaudy with the amount of diamonds surrounding the pearl but it looked delicate and fragile and precious.

“Exquisite isn’t it?”

She had to stop herself from pressing her hand on the glass to try and touch it. “Absolutely, it’s something you’d find in a high class jewellery store and not in a small tourist town.”

“The designer is local and will only display his designs here. It’s his way of supporting the local community.” He moved onto a cleverly designed broach. The body of the broach was a crocodile, encrusted with tiny round pearls. “His reputation is worldwide and people travel from far and wide to be able to say they own a piece of Jeffery Courteux jewellery.”

“I’ve heard so much about him and have spent ages pouring over some of his spectacular pieces in magazines.” She gazed back at the necklace. “I’d have to say I’d be amongst those people saying they’d give anything to own one of his pieces. I like that he supports the locals, but surely he mustn’t sell that much here. Everything would be out of an everyday mom and dad’s budget.”

“No, not really. He does make some modest priced pieces, but don’t forget a lot of the people visiting this region are quite wealthy.”

“I see,” she murmured as she continued making her way around the shop, observing the way the retail staff handled the clientele. “It seems you know quite a bit about the designer.”

He paused before answering. “I do my research. I told you I was looking for some high end jewellery for my hotels.”

“Is he your only option or do you have others in mind?” she asked, something teasing the recesses of her mind. “Because you don’t like having just one option. You prefer at least five, even I know that.”

“Really and how did you come to that conclusion?”

“It’s the way you
always
work, Lukas. You’ve told me that many times. But I don’t know why you need options. You know exactly what you want and how to get it even before you enter preliminary negotiations.”

He reached out a hand and ran it softly down her face. Her skin warmed to his tender caress and how she stopped herself from leaning into his touch she didn’t know.

“Do you realise what you’re saying?” he asked softly.

The skin that was once warm chilled, and it wasn’t from the air-conditioning, it was from the realisation that another memory had been unlocked.

“It’s happening again isn’t it? I’m remembering something about our past life together.”

“So it would seem, and it appears you are right, I am the catalyst for your memory returning, Jasmine.”

He voiced the thought that had been churning through her mind since the night of the opening. Lukas was her key.