Perfect for the Beach (25 page)

Her eyes did a quick sweep of the place, yet avoiding the one spot she knew she’d find Trey. An energetic calypso beat pulsed through the bar. The place was crowded, filled nearly to capacity with lively tourists. For a Tuesday evening, this was amazing. Things had certainly picked up in the two years she had been gone. Trey must be pleased.

Trey.
Even thinking his name made her body quiver. Anticipation mixed with the anxiety she was already feeling. She would be lying if she said she didn’t fear looking his way because she was afraid of how she’d react. The first time she had seen him, her body short-circuited from sensual overload. There was no reason to expect that seeing him now would be any different.

He was that kind of man. Sinfully sexy, impossible to regard and not feel even a twinge of lust. It didn’t matter that they didn’t have a future. Her body would react to him in a purely carnal way.

But she couldn’t ignore looking his way forever. So, swallowing a deep breath, and knowing exactly where she would find him, her gaze went to the bar.

Though she expected him there, her heart rammed in her chest at the first mouthwatering sight of him. The black shirt he wore was unbuttoned as far as the eye could see, giving her a delicious view of his smooth, hard chest. His well-muscled arms looked amazingly strong. She could only see a shadow of dark hair over his head; he must have shaved it. The low-cropped look worked very well for him.

No doubt about it, the man was an Adonis. From his perfectly sculpted biceps to his flawless, golden brown skin, he looked good enough to sink her teeth into.

Jenna was certain that the woman with the long black hair and hourglass figure thought so, too. She seemed mesmerized as she watched Trey pour liquor into a glass with pizzazz.

And for a moment, Jenna was mesmerized, too. Mesmerized by Trey’s smooth and utterly sexy movements. But the magic fizzled when she saw the stunning woman at the bar give Trey an over-the-shoulder look that screamed
I want you in my bed.

That Trey glanced at a slip of paper a moment later only served to reinforce the point of why Jenna was here: to cut ties with her hottie heartbreaker and move on with her life. Clearly, the woman had given Trey her information. How many others had done so in the two years she’d been gone? And how many had he bedded, the way he had her? Flirty tourists were a dime a dozen here. Surely many of them had solicited sex from her husband in her absence.

Her husband.
Was he ever truly hers? Considering how little she really knew about him, she doubted it. Regret lodged in her throat at what could have been but never was. So much hope; so much disappointment.

“Are we heading to the bar?” Ruby asked.

Ruby’s voice rescued Jenna from her trip down Miserable Memory Lane. “Not yet,” she replied. “Let’s find a table.”

Gripping her small clutch purse, Jenna took tentative steps toward a rear table that was surprisingly free. Once, this bar had felt like home. Now, she felt entirely out of place.

“I like this music. Don’t you like this music?”

Jenna scowled lightly. As if they were here for entertainment! But leave it to Ruby to have a good time, despite the circumstance. Of course, Ruby was always on the hunt for her Mr. Right, and according to her the best way to find him was to put out positive energy. Short shorts and a cut-off T-shirt didn’t hurt, either—which was what the dark-skinned diva had decided to change into at the hotel. Left alone, Ruby would be getting laid by Mr. Wrong by the end of the night.

Jenna eased her body onto one of the high stools, saying, “I think I need a drink.”

Ruby gave her forearm a gentle squeeze. “You don’t need booze to get through this. You just have to tell him what you want.”

Easy for you to say,
Jenna almost blurted, but somehow managed not to. Ruby had been with her two and a half years ago when she’d met and fallen for Trey. In fact, Ruby had met him first, then dragged Jenna to the bar to introduce them. She’d had some “psychic vibe” that Jenna and Trey were soul mates in search of each other, and at the time Jenna had been so smitten she’d believed that bullshit. And even though time had proven that concept clearly untrue, Ruby, ever the romantic, still thought Jenna and Trey were right for each other.

She had given Jenna an earful of the “your soul mate comes along once in a lifetime” speech on the plane, which had surprised Jenna, considering that Ruby had offered to accompany her on this trip for moral support. Jenna would have gotten more support from her father—although he would have given her an entirely different type of speech.

“I know I don’t
need
booze,” Jenna said in response to Ruby’s comment, “but I could use a drink nonetheless.”

“You’re right. It’s been a long day. I’ll take a rum and Coke while you’re at it.”

Jenna gaped at Ruby.
“I’m
not going up there.”

“Right, of course. You’re not ready.” She hopped off her chair. “I’ll go. What can I get for you?”

“A piña colada. No, wait. Make that a scotch on the rocks.”

“Uh-oh.”

“I need it, Ruby.”

Ruby’s shoulders rose and fell in a nonchalant shrug. She dug money out of her wallet, then she weaved her way through the crowd. As Jenna watched her friend, she wrung her fingers together. Her anxiety was in stark contrast to Ruby’s bubbly mood, evidenced by Ruby’s flirtatious smiles as she moved toward the bar.

It was amazing how two years could change things. Jenna had been flirtatious and fun her first time here, not uptight and on edge. Of course, she’d been on a
real
vacation, her first one in ages—one that had become that much more exciting after she’d met and instantly fallen for Trey.

“You can deny it all you want, but that man’s your soul mate,” Ruby had told her on the plane.

Soul mate, her butt. Ruby was too romantic for her own good.

Trey was no more her soul mate than he was her husband in any real sense of the word. Marrying him at the end of her month-long vacation had been the dumbest thing she had ever done, and by the end of this trip, she would be well on her way to rectifying that mistake.

Chapter Two

“Ruby.” Trey greeted her in a cheery voice, as if her sudden appearance in his bar wasn’t a surprise. “Long time no see.”

She grinned as she rested her elbows on the counter. “So, you remember me.”

“Remember you? How could I forget you?” Trey popped the lid off a beer and passed it to a customer, then scooped up the coins the man had left for him.

“You’re looking good, Trey.”

“Hey, I try.” Trey’s gaze wandered over Ruby’s dark, round face. Her eyes held a hint of mischief. “And you’re looking … quite happy.”

“You expect a frown?”

“No, I guess not. I always figured you the type to smile when bringing bad news.”

“Bad news?” Ruby tsked, shaking her head. “Now why would you say that?”

“If you’ve got an envelope behind your back, you can toss it in the trash.”

Ruby lifted both hands. “No envelope. Only cash.”

“Good.” Not that Ruby’s answer meant she and Jenna had come here for a sun-filled vacation. Trey knew better. He had received the couriered package from her lawyer containing the proposed separation agreement. She didn’t want any of his assets and assumed he didn’t want any of hers. All he had to do was sign the document before a notary and send it back to her lawyer.

Simple.

But there was nothing simple about this situation. First and foremost, he loved his wife. Even though they hadn’t been in touch in two years, the last thing he wanted was a divorce. The separation papers had been a big wake-up call that he had to make a move or lose her forever. And the best way to win her back was to get her down here so that he could deal with her in person. So instead of signing the agreement she wanted him to, he had written a note on it:
If you want out of this marriage, you’ll have to come here and tell me to my face.

“I tried to talk her out of it, by the way,” Ruby said. “I know she still loves you.”

“You think so?”

“Oh, she denies it, but I know she does. She talks this crap about how she has to move on with her life, but she’s never once said that she stopped loving you. And I swear, she’s been wound up and tense ever since she returned to Buffalo. Barely cracks a smile anymore.” Ruby scowled as she shook her head. “When she was here with you, she was happy. Carefree. A person doesn’t need a degree to figure out that she still wants you.”

“She wants a divorce.”

Ruby waved a hand dismissively. “It’s a cry for help. Even if she doesn’t know it. And as for you, I’m sure you just needed a nudge, right?”

The registered package containing the separation agreement had been a huge nudge. “True, dat.”

“I’m never wrong when I know two people should be together. And I knew right from the start that you and Jenna were meant to be. I can’t say I’m happy that you’ve sat on your ass for two years instead of trying to win her back.” Ruby paused as she gave him a pointed look. “But since you didn’t want to sign the separation papers, I have to assume you still want this marriage.”

“I do.”

She smiled. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”

“Good. Then you won’t mind helping me out.”

“That’s why I came on this trip with Jenna, although she thinks otherwise.”

“What is she planning?”

“Not to drug you and force you to sign the separation agreement.” Ruby smiled sweetly. “But she does want you to do it. Figures you’ll do it here and not make a fuss about it.”

Trey shook his head. “I need to get her alone.”

“I agree. You two need to talk. And … whatever else suits your fancy.”

Not to drug you and force you to sign the separation agreement.
As Trey replayed Ruby’s words, an idea took shape in his mind. “Are you getting my wife a drink?”

Ruby nodded. “She wants scotch on the rocks.”

Trey shook his head. “Naw, I’ve got something else for her.” He reached for a bottle of gin, chuckling softly as he did. “Tell her it’s the special of the day.”

“Oh, wait. Trey, what are you up to?” Ruby fought to control her smirk. “Gin?” When Trey nodded, Ruby said, “You know her allergy to gin knocks her out like a felled tree.”

“That’s what I’m counting on.” Jenna was allergic to the juniper berries gin was made from. Trey knew the gin wouldn’t hurt her, but it would knock her out and buy him time to get her to his place. “Will you help me?”

“She’ll have my ass on a platter—”

“Not if you hightail it out of town.”

“Ooh, shit.”

“After
you help me get her to my place.”

Ruby moaned. “You want me to head back to Buffalo? Do you know how miserable it is there right now?”

“I don’t care if you head to Orlando. As long as you’re not anywhere Jenna can find you.”

“And here I was, hoping you had some gorgeous friend to set me up with.” Ruby frowned. “Unfortunately, I’m only a good matchmaker when it comes to other people.”

“No offense, Ruby, but I’ll be too busy trying to mend things with my wife to set you up with anyone. Maybe next time.” Trey filled the blender with ice and fruit. “Will you help me?”

“You may as well plan my funeral now.”

Trey chuckled as the blender whirred. There was enough strawberry and lime to mask the taste of gin. But even if Jenna did detect a hint of gin, given the look of distress on her face, it would probably be after she’d chugged a good portion of the drink—at which point it would be too late.

Moments later, he poured the thick, alcoholic smoothie into a tall glass, garnishing it with a morsel of lime spiked with a miniature umbrella. Then he poured one for Ruby.

“They’re on me,” he said, passing Ruby the drinks.

Ruby sipped the drink through the straw. “Mmm. This is delicious. You might have to make me a few more of these before I leave Florida.”

“No offense, Ruby, but after tonight I hope I don’t see you again.”