Jamaica Dreaming (Caribbean Heat) (8 page)

“How did your meetings go today?” she asked in an obvious effort to deflect attention from herself.

“Very well. Did I tell you who I was meeting with?”

“I think you said they had something to do with your coffee business. I’m not sure I really caught who they were.”

Julissa had just changed the conversation, steering it away from dangerous ground where she might reveal more of herself than she was ready to. Sebastian could understand that. Although he had a slew of friends, he considered himself a very private man. Julissa had known him for less than a week and had no reason to open herself to him. She might vaguely remember having met him but, to her, he’d been just another fan. To him, she’d been much more.

“You’ve heard about Blue Mountain Coffee, right?”

“Yes, it’s my mother’s favorite.”

Sebastian made a mental note to have a case shipped to Mrs. Morgan. “Well, Jamaica used to produce seven million pounds of coffee annually, but production is now down to almost one third of that. Not just Blue Mountain, all the varieties. The meetings were organized by the Coffee Industry Board and the Jamaica Coffee Growers Association to discuss plans to increase production.”

“There are other types of Jamaican coffee beside Blue Mountain?”

“Oh, yes.” He explained that only coffee grown in areas of the Blue Mountains between an altitude of three thousand and five thousand five hundred feet, like his own plantation, Flax Hall, could earn the brand Blue Mountain Coffee. Coffee grown at lower elevations might be Jamaica High Mountain or Jamaica Supreme, depending on the location of the estate.

“If people like Jamaican coffee so much, why did production drop?”

It was a good question and they were almost at their destination by the time he finished explaining about leaf rust disease, hurricanes, and some of the other major challenges faced by growers.

“Will you take me to see your coffee farm?” she asked, as he maneuvered the G550 into the only remaining parking space in the lot adjacent to the restaurant.

The question was music to Sebastian’s ears and, as he came around to open her door, he promised he would to take her up. He had a manager looking after Flax Hall for him but the estate was past due for a visit. He would definitely take her to see it.

Julissa’s gasp of surprise was audible when they entered the dining room at Redbones Café. Sebastian glowed inwardly. Redbones Blues Cafe on Argyle Road was one of Kingston’s happening places for a blend of music styles, including world music. Sebastian knew it was probably the décor that had startled Julissa. Painted in shades of peach, the walls were hung with vinyl records, saxophones, guitars and other instruments. Beyond, at the bar, posters of Bob Marley, Dizzy Gillespie, and Thelonius Monk shared wall space.

Julissa’s eyes shone with delight as she turned to him.

“Now
this
is a wonderful surprise.”

He grinned. “I thought you’d like it.”

The tall maitre’d approached, his expression slightly puzzled as he stared at Julissa.

“Good evening, Mr. Chung. Good to see you.” They fist bumped. “You’re just in time.” The man’s gaze slid back to Julissa as if he was wondering who she was. “I reserved the table you requested,” he said, and escorted them out the patio.

“Thanks, Ray. This is Julissa Morgan, by the way. She’s here to sing for the Ananda Alert benefit concerts.”

Ray’s eyes widened and a broad smile split his face.

“I thought I knew you from somewhere. Welcome to Jamaica, Miss.
High Moon
and
I’m Stepping
are great songs.”

Julissa beamed. “You were at the Devon House concert?”

“No, my wife and I couldn’t afford the tickets, but when I read you were coming I looked you up on You Tube. Your voice reminds me of Ella Fitzgerald’s.”

“Oh.” Julissa clapped her hands like a little girl. “That’s the best compliment I’ve ever gotten. Thank you.”

Immediately, Sebastian wished he’d been the one to say it.

“You’re very welcome,” Ray said, his smile even wider. “It’s the truth. Jamaica’s missing children need the help and attention, Miss, so I’m glad you’re here. Welcome again.” He handed them their menus and told them he’d pass back later to make sure they were enjoying themselves.

“Wow, he knew my songs.”

“Everyone who works here loves music. I’m not surprised he looked you up.”

“It would be nice if he and his wife could come to the next Kingston concert. Perhaps I can buy a pair of tickets for them?”

“No need. You’re entitled to some complimentary tickets. They should have been included in your packet.”

“They weren’t.”

“Okay, I’ll have a couple sent to him.”

A young waiter came to take their order. Julissa decided to have a glass of red wine and to try the spicy ackee on bammies for her appetizer. Sebastian explained bammies were little cakes made from a type of tuber like a potato, but different. She ordered the guava–glazed lamb chops as her main course. Sebastian also picked red wine but chose the lobster ravioli to start, followed by the tamarind glazed salmon.

Just as they’d finished their first course, a man with short dreadlocks grabbed the mike to announce the imminent arrival of Adriana Gil, the visiting Brazilian singer Redbones was featuring for that week’s World Night event. A buxom woman in a tight red dress which displayed all her assets to advantage sauntered on stage in four–inch stiletto heels. Julissa was amused to see several of the men, even those with dates, sitting up and taking notice, feasting their eyes on the beauty on stage as she segued into the first lines of a soulful song. Only Sebastian seemed unmoved, digging into his salmon with relish.

“You know, I’m really enjoying everything about my stay here,” Julissa said, leaning forward over the table so she didn’t have to raise her voice.

“I’m enjoying having you here.” Just the sight of her sitting across from him was something of a minor miracle.

“Even though I’m engaged?” She didn’t know why it mattered, but she waited apprehensively for his answer.

Sebastian reached for his wineglass. “I’m glad you’re here, Julissa,” he said, his voice low. “I’d rather you weren’t engaged, I’m not going to pretend about that, but you’re here and that thrills me more than you can possibly know.”

Satisfaction and guilt warred on her face but it was worry that won. Her eyes clouded with regret as they searched his face.

Sebastian’s heart lurched at her expression. Was this the part where she told him she planned to keep her distance from him?

She rearranged the cutlery on the table and cleared her throat. “We’ve been engaged for a while. His name is Earle and, actually, he wants to come down to Jamaica. He thinks he can get away on Friday and stay for the weekend.”

“You’ll be in Ocho Rios,” he pointed out, unable to help his anger though he knew it was unjustified. The man had a right to want to be with his woman.

“Yes, I know.”

“Huh.” Sebastian felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach. He didn’t know what to say.

“It’s okay. I’ll tell him I’m staying at your place and I can’t really ask you to put him up, too.”

“It’s fine. Of course he can stay at Sun View with you.” Sebastian hated the very idea, but how could he refuse? He’d known going in that she had a fiancé but he’d still chosen to pursue her. It was his fault.

“You don’t––. I don’t think you understand. I don’t want him to come.”

“You don’t?”

“Remember my accident?”

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak and glad when the waiter arrived to refill their wine glasses. He took a long swallow.

“I was in the hospital for weeks and, after that, I had months of physical therapy. Anyway, everybody around me has been very, I guess you could say, protective. You know, treating me with kid gloves.”

He nodded again. He completely understood why her relatives and friends would feel she needed protecting. “Lori told me you didn’t want to drive. Is it because of what happened?”

“Yes. The thought of getting behind a wheel…” She shivered and didn’t finish the sentence. “Maybe someday, but not right now. Anyway, Earle opposed this trip from the start. He thought I should take my time and ease back into the scene in Chicago before doing something like this.”

“He thought it might be too much, too soon.”

“Exactly.”

They paused as the waiter set their desserts before them.

“Umm, this is delicious,” Julissa said, taking a bite of her chocolate cheesecake. “My parents and my sister didn’t think I should come, either,” she went on, swallowing. “They thought if anything happened they’d be far away.”

“Anything like what? The odds of your having another accident are pretty slim, I’m sure.”

“Yes, well.” Again, her eyes dropped away and she looked uncomfortable. Sebastian wondered what she wasn’t telling him. “I told them I wanted to come. That it was just what I needed, to get away and relax and think about things. Mom and Dad agreed it was my decision to make, but Earle wouldn’t let it go. Even at the airport, he still tried to get me to change my mind.”

It occurred to Sebastian that he didn’t like Earle. “And, now, he wants to come and check up on you.”

“Yes, something like that, I think. I told him I’m fine, everything’s fine. Better than fine, really.” She smiled at him. “Anyway, I thought I needed to tell you. Maybe I should have told you before.” She gave him an anxious look.

Sebastian shrugged. “It’s almost a given that a woman as beautiful as you would have a man who wants to keep you close.” He scooped up the last bite of his apple bread pudding. Now it was his turn to offer a revelation. “I have something to tell you, too.”

“You’re married?”

“No.” He laughed, shocked. “Why would you think that?”

“Like what you said. You’re a great catch. Why wouldn’t you have a woman in your background?”

“I
was
married. I’m divorced. What I was going to say was that I have two children, teenagers.” He watched her carefully, but saw only surprised interest. “A boy and a girl.”

“Do they live with you?”

“No, with their mother, here in Kingston.”

“Am I going to meet them?”

He felt a warm rush of gratitude. “Yes, I’d like that.” He explained about Tracy and her love of hoses. “So, if you’d like to go with us to the races at Caymanas Park on Saturday, you can meet her and Sean there.”

“I’d love that.” He saw a second thought flash behind her eyes. “Is their mother coming, too?” Her voice was carefully neutral.

“No, she’s not. Yvonne isn’t a big horseracing fan. Neither am I really, but Tracy hates to miss a race and I think Sean spends too much time on his video games so…”

“I’m looking forward to it already. I’ll get to see another side of you.”

“Do you like the sides you’ve seen so far?” The question was out of his mouth before he even realized he was going to ask it. He felt embarrassed but, at the same time, he really wanted to know her answer.

She gave him a shy, nervous look. “Yes,” she said, her voice so low he almost couldn’t hear her. “Too much.”

Sebastian grabbed the hand lying on the table. “Good. That makes two of us.” He wanted to say more, so much more. Wordless sparks flew in the air between them before he released her hand again.

He felt the urge to ask her ‘what about Earle’ but he bit the question back. Earle wasn’t the one there with her right now. And yet, Sebastian couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else. Something she wasn’t saying.

Later, after they’d eaten he took her to Sinspiration, one of the island’s hottest nightclubs. It was early yet, at eleven, so the place wasn’t packed which suited Sebastian fine. After another glass of red wine, Julissa was ready to try out a couple moves on the dance floor. Sebastian found she was a quick learner and light on her feet. She caught on to the rhythm of dancehall quickly, swinging her hips almost like a born and bred Kingston girl, but it was when DJ played the slower love songs came on that Sebastian got to pull her to him.

At first, he kept a couple inches of air between them but, to his surprise, when Gregory Isaacs’s
Night Nurse
came on, she pressed herself against him and turned her face into his chest so that her forehead was just below his chin. The scent of her filled his nostrils and the feel of her body against his inflamed his senses.

Buju Banton’s
One to One
followed the Isaacs tune. Sebastian inclined his head slightly so he could look into her face. Her eyes were closed. Before Sebastian realized what he was about to do he’d dipped his head and pressed his mouth against hers. Her lips were as soft as he’d imagined. He sighed deep in his throat as his desire for her flared. And then, wonder of wonders, her mouth opened under his and she kissed him back hungrily, her mouth warm and moist. He cupped her head with one hand as, with his other arm, he kept her pressed against him. There was nothing Sebastian would have liked more right at that minute than to have a one to one with the woman in his arms. His arousal hardened. He wanted to take her right there. Instead, he tore himself away from her, his breathing ragged. She looked up at him, her lips puffy, her eyes bright with desire. Around them, dancers continued to groove to the music.