His Island Bride (2 page)

She wanted to see her mother happy, she really did. But she didn’t want to be guilt-led into an arranged marriage of all things. She didn’t want to end up miserable in a mismatched relationship.
Again.

“It’s just that I feel as though you think I’m not capable of finding my own…spouse. I mean you and dad have tried to hook me up before, remember?”

It was Jessica’s turn to feel deflated now. The last thing she needed was to feel inadequate. Okay, so her ex-fiancé broke off with her and married her best friend instead. And the other guy she dated lived a double life. But she was okay with playing solo for a while. The world was not going to end if she didn’t marry by her thirtieth birthday.

“It’s just that since we found out about our ancestry...”

“I know, I know. Thanks to the wonderful Ancestry.com. I just think that arranged marriages are a little barbaric!”

“No they’re not, dear! The mistake people make is they think arranged marriages are
forced
marriages and that they are only exclusive to some cultures. Not so, my love. The British have been doing it for centuries. It certainly takes the stress off finding your husband.”

“But not the stress off living with a total stranger who may be the
worse
thing that happened to you if the match isn’t what you think it is. Besides, we’re in Canada, not England. And I’m only part British.”

“Jess!
There’s nothing wrong with families who hold a position in society through wealth or inherited title who wish to marry into another family like them.
Nothing at all.
Statistics show that the divorce
rate for arranged marriages are
much
lower than marriages of personal choice.”

Jessica sighed and listened.

“Some arranged marriages are about couples getting married based on compatibility or similar backgrounds who may not have otherwise met. It’s more of an introduction to a potential spouse. It doesn’t have to be, ‘you walk down the aisle or else.’”

“I know, Mom… I’ve also heard that
parents on both sides ask the boy and girl respectively whether it is acceptable to them. They ask if they have any objection. That is what most arranged marriages are. There must be a clear acceptance and on my end and I’m afraid there isn’t.”

Jessica thought for a moment. What was she afraid of?
Another rejection?
What if it didn’t work out? Then for sure she’d be branded a total failure. In some cultures when in any family a girl approaches the age of about twenty to twenty-four years the father of the girl started making enquiries about suitable bride grooms nearby. In Jessica’s household the father was her mother and the age was thirty not twenty or twenty-four
.

“Will you agree to meet with him? He’ll be here from England in a couple of weeks.”

“Mother, what does he look like? How come I can’t see a photo beforehand?”

“The photo would be the last stage. It’s
what’s
inside that counts and the compatible background, dear.”

“Oh, God!
He’s hideous!”

Jessica was stumped. She didn’t know which felt worse: having a terrible track record in her love life resulting in her so-called spinsterhood, or being pitied and thus set up because she wasn’t capable of finding love on her own. She’d been single for over two years now without a prospect in sight. Yes, she’d thought by thirty she would have found her soul mate and married and had children of her own but it just hadn’t worked out that way.

       Every man she’d met told her it wasn’t her it was him—which meant, it was her. Her family didn’t know what to think of her luck with men and even suggested “if you could just lose a little weight then maybe…” Yes, maybe, maybe…if she were more attractive meaning skinny in their eyes! Her last relationship with John had been rudely interrupted by a 110 pound, five foot, three inch secret with silky, long hair.
His mistress.
Aargh
! How could she trust another man, right now?

She’d been hooked up before on disastrous blind dates and the last thing she wanted was an arranged marriage—to someone she’d never met. Okay, she wasn’t perfect. She snorted when she laughed. She dressed as if she
were
colour blind and she was a little heavy but she was who she was.
       Oh, and she loved watching
Columbo
DVD’s. She craved the series and wanted to watch it nonstop and figure out little details in how the crime was committed and how
Columbo
figured out all the little missing parts to the mystery—and oh, she loved his quirky humour. Maybe she could relate to him being dissed by high society and underestimated because of his simple nature when his brilliance and genius attention to detail was what got the criminals every time. Okay, she was no sleuth but she wasn’t exactly accepted in all social circles. She wasn’t perfect, but she was who she was. She just couldn’t take
another heartbreak
. Maybe she was destined to be alone stuffing her face with seafood, cream puffs and watching
Columbo
DVDs throughout the night and reading on her Kindle when she wasn’t watching TV.

“I really want you to do something with your life, dear.”

“Something with my life?
I have a good job and I volunteer at the Kids’ Club.”

“Yes, dear but you know, people will talk. I mean you’re still single at your age, no children…” Her mother was always about keeping up appearances. God forbid she should become a spinster. What will her girlfriends at the bridge club think?

 “Okay, Mom. I will. I will meet my potential future husband.” Jessica reached over and kissed her mother’s cheeks then she stood up and stretched. “I’d better finish packing. Can you imagine?
Two whole weeks in Montego Bay.
I hear the
Grandim
Resort is the best.”

“Yes. And at least when you come back you’ll be more relaxed…and tanned.” Her mother grinned. “Darling, you have no idea how much this means to me…and your father. We both love you very much. We want the best for you. We couldn’t give you everything growing up when things were rough but now you have a chance.
Finally.”

Her mother’s teary eyes caused a stir of emotion inside her. This was both frightening and intriguing for Jessica. An arranged marriage! She drew in a deep breath as she thought about Earl, her potential future husband. Like Scarlet O’Hara, she would think more about the situation—tomorrow! After all, tomorrow was another day and she’d be in sunny Jamaica.
The perfect place to think and relax.

2

The next day, James Carrington couldn’t wait to open the door to his suite as he slid the key card through the door lock. He was finally able to get away from the politics of the family and work. His life had too many back stabbers and opportunists in the way. He’d come to Jamaica for R&R and to get away from it all.
By the sea.
The sunlight beamed into his hotel suite as the drapes opened up to the ocean view.

“Perfect.”

He was finally getting time to himself and to think about the most important decision of his life. He was on the verge of success with the software company that he co-founded with his cousin on his mother’s side, Dane Romano. However, a sudden crisis in his father’s side of the family meant he might have
to  take
a long break from interest in the company and hand over the reins, something he was reluctant to do. He wouldn’t be able to spend as much time in his company as he had thought. The decision needed to be made fast. He hated to be under pressure—but for the first time in his workaholic life, he was taking a real break. Thankfully, he’d be alone. Solitude was necessary.

 He gave a generous tip to the porter who dropped his case in the hotel room. What a breathtaking view of the Caribbean Sea with its blueness and soothing whooshing sounds of the water’s waves.
Serene.
Calm.
 He could hear the steel drums playing in the background, the sound of laughter in the distance and reggae music playing. The open window blew in the gentle sea breeze caressing the
Grandim
Resort and Spa.

God, he loved Jamaica. The island oozed sunshine and passion. No matter what struggles its people went through everything was “
irie
.” You could only see happiness on many of their faces. Montego Bay, Jamaica was brimming with the richness of resorts lining the coastline and overlooking the green sparkling sea with its sandy white beaches.
       “Thank you, sir,” the porter said. “And the manager will look about the availability of the room upstairs so that you can get a better view. It’s also quieter for you as you requested.”

“Thank you. I won’t get too comfortable yet. I promise not to touch anything in the room.”

He shoved his suitcase in the closet and took a sip of bottled water as he leaned on the balcony rail of his room gazing at the beauty of the sandy white beach below and the awesome blueness of the water.
Breathtaking.
This was the break he needed. He just hoped he could hide away here for a while.
For a good while.
No opportunist women, no cut throat enemies, no family politics.
Just himself and nature and the beautiful red sunsets of the island.
Anonymous.
Content.
He could live there forever. Maybe he should consider it.

Just then his Blackberry rang. “Hello.”

“Hey,
cuz
!
What’s up?”

“Dane, I was just thinking about you.”

“Yeah, that can’t be good.” His cousin teased. “How’s the trip going so far? Met any
hotties
in string bikinis.”

“Do you really think that’s what I’m here for?”

“Well, if you’re not, I’d be happy to take your trip for you. Let’s switch places.”

“Dane, that’s not going to
happen
.”  He loved his cousin’s business savvy but there was no doubt Dane also had a wild side. James could barely keep up with him.

“Anyway, you let me know what’s up so that we can let the staff know about the changes in positions in the company, okay.”

“Yeah.”

“And Jimmy, boy.”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t be all work and no play, now. Or I’m
gonna
have to come down there and teach you how to have a good time. You can’t be in Jamaica and not soak up all the fun.”