Singapore Fling

by Alexia Adams

  “Cheers, mate.” Wesley seemed relieved to be leaving. He put one arm around Julia and the other around his fiancée. The three disappeared around the corner.

  Jeremy sat in the plastic chairs. He pulled out The Economist and tried to read. His mind kept shifting to Lalita and her command performances, both here in the hospital and on the phone in the car. One thing was for sure, Evans International wouldn’t flounder without her father in control. He couldn’t wait to see her chair her first Board meeting.

  But now she was his boss. The situation had come sooner than expected. At this moment, she needed his support, to know he was in her corner and he had her back. Once the situation had stabilized, however, he’d have to move on.

  He only hoped that seeing her father so ill wouldn’t bring on more feelings of guilt. If Lalita had to choose between him and her father, he wasn’t sure which way she’d go. All he could do was help and love her. And try to win over the rest of her family.

  Twenty minutes later, Lalita returned with Robert. Her steps were slower, her head cocked to one side as Robert explained something to her. She nodded and asked another question. Jeremy searched her face. Did she still want him there or was she regretting that he’d come between her and her parent?

  As if sensing his stare, she glanced up. Her face creased into a luminous smile and for a second Jeremy thought she might actually run into his arms.

  “The doctor has assured us that Daddy is sedated and won’t wake until morning. There’s no point waiting around.”

  Jeremy put his arms around her. He gazed over her head at Robert, who was still smiling broadly.

  “Do you have a ride home?” Jeremy flashed Wesley’s keys.

  “I can grab a taxi. I assume you’ll be at the Evans house?” Robert checked his watch. He probably had his own shift at the hospital soon. Was he checking to see if it was even worthwhile going home?

  “I’ll take Lalita to her parents’ place, so she can be with her mother and sister. I’ll head home to Southgate later tonight,” Jeremy said. Lalita’s head shot up, ready to argue. “I’m not making love to you in your father’s house without his blessing. And if we’re under the same roof, I won’t be able to stop you climbing into my bed and ravishing me in the middle of the night.”

  Robert laughed. “You two are great for each other. I foresee many arguments and lots of passionate make-ups in your future.”

  Lalita’s laugh was slightly embarrassed. “A doctor and a psychic. I always wondered why Jane fell for you.” She kissed Robert on the cheek before returning to Jeremy’s arms. Robert thumped him on the back then sauntered toward the door. His friend’s laughter echoed in the narrow hallway.

  Lalita waited until Robert disappeared from view before glancing up at Jeremy. “Take me home, please. I’m shattered.”

  “I sent your mother, Jessica, and Wesley home in the Bentley. We’ve got Wesley’s car.”

  That elicited a small chuckle from her. “I can’t wait to see you try to get behind the wheel.” Wesley was almost a foot shorter than him. He’d have to remember to try to adjust the seat before he climbed in.

  “Even worse, there’s no backseat—no hope for a repeat of our first time together.”

  “You could always change your mind and stay over.” Lalita batted her eyelashes at him.

  “No. I’ve made my decision.” It’d been almost three weeks since he’d held her naked against him. His statement was as much for his body as for Lalita.

  She reached up and pulled his head down for a smouldering kiss.

  “Nice try.” He groaned. “Come on. Let’s get you home before I end up in the bed next to your father.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with your heart. I can feel it beating away here against my hand.”

  “It won’t be for long if you keep teasing me like this.”

  “I’m the tease? I’m not the one going back to a tiny cottage to sleep alone.”

  “I am beginning to have serious doubts about the viability of this relationship.”

  “Take me home, Jeremy. I’ve been up for over twenty-four hours and have to chair a meeting with some nervous board members tomorrow. I would love to spend the night in your arms. But as you correctly surmise, I won’t be able to resist you. So take me to my parents’ house, have some dinner, and kiss me goodnight. Then lay awake all night knowing I’m in the same city and not in your bed.”

  “You are definitely going to be the death of me.”

  Chapter 14

  “Lalita, I thought once you returned to England we’d see more of you,” Julia chided.

  She stood in the kitchen, wrapped in an old dressing gown she’d found in the wardrobe in her bedroom. She clutched a mug of coffee as though it was a life raft in a storm-tossed sea.

  “Jeremy just said the same thing to me,” she confessed.

  “What are you doing today?” Julia poured herself a coffee, then moved over to the overstuffed sofa and beckoned for her daughter to join her.

  “I’m going to have a long soak in the bath. Jeremy is coming around at noon and we’re going for lunch. Then we’re going to drop by the hospital later on and see Daddy, if you think he’d welcome Jeremy. Then we’re having dinner with Jane, Robert, Jessica, and Wesley at Jane’s house. I am finally going to hold my nephew.”

  “Sounds like a nice relaxing day. You need one, honey. I think this health scare with your father has been hardest on you.”

  “I didn’t expect some of the other directors to attempt a coup to take over the company. I had to hustle and campaign all the board members and voting shareholders to keep the company in Evans control. Without Daddy’s forty percent share, it was hard to get enough votes. First thing I’m going to do is amend the bylaws. Then if Daddy can’t vote, you can do so on his behalf.”

  “Whatever you want, Lalita. But now that your father is recovering, hopefully we won’t have to face that situation again.” The haggard lines and grey complexion showed the toll that worry over her husband had taken on Julie.

  “Is he really going to be home tomorrow?”

  “Yes, the doctors feel he’s well enough. Of course, then my real work begins in trying to keep him at home and out of your hair.”

  “I don’t envy you that job.” Lalita took a deep breath. “Mummy, while we’re alone there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

  “Yes, darling?”

  There was no delicate way to broach the subject. “I met Aisha when I was in Mumbai.”

  Julia didn’t seem fazed in the least. “Ah, how is Aisha doing? I haven’t spoken to her in a couple of years.”

  Well, that went better than expected, if not a little oddly. “She’s great. I met her whole family, my whole family I guess, except the oldest daughter.”

  Julia put a hand over Lalita’s where it rested on the sofa. “I’m sorry, Laly. I should have told you years ago. I never knew how to start the conversation, though. How did you come to find her?”

  “I did some snooping around. What I wanted to ask you, though, is how you could stand to look at me every day knowing I was the product of Daddy’s infidelity? Wasn’t I a constant reminder of his unfaithfulness?”

  Julia was shaking her head before Lalita even finished the question. “I never once thought of you that way. The only reminder you provided was how easy it is to lose everything that is important to me. I was too selfish to go to India with your father when he begged me. I wanted to stay in my comfortable house, be near my family and friends. I didn’t want to put myself out and go live in some foreign country for months on end where I didn’t know anyone.

  “When your father flew home and told me what happened, I was devastated. Then his phone call saying that Aisha was pregnant … that was incredibly painful. But I also knew I couldn’t turn my back on you. And from the moment I held you in my arms, I loved you like you were my own. You don’t think I treated you any differently from your sisters?”

  “No, you’ve been a wonderful
mother. I love you so much. It’s just that if I was in your position, if Jeremy cheated on me, I think I’d be more inclined to kill them both than raise their child.”

  “Bloodshed did cross my mind, I must admit. But I love your father so deeply I was able to forgive him. I don’t say it was easy. Compared to living the rest of my life without him, it was the only choice to make. I made damn sure, however, he was never in that position again.”

  “Thank you for telling me. I’ll leave it to you to tell Daddy that I know.”

  Julia wrapped her in a tight hug. “I like your Jeremy. Learn from my mistake, sweetheart. Don’t get so caught up in your own affairs, especially now that you’re running the company, that you forget to love your man and be there for him when he needs you.”

  “I won’t. Thanks, Mummy.” She hugged her mother again. “I’d better get a move on if I want to have a bath before Jeremy gets here. I’ll see you later at the hospital?”

  “Yes, see you then. And bring Jeremy. I think you’ll be surprised at what your father has to say.”

  She searched her mother’s face, but Julia gave no clue as to the reason for her statement.

  “Go have your bath, dear. And wear a bright lipstick, you look pale.”

  ***

  “Are you ready to meet with my father?” Lalita gave Jeremy’s hand a squeeze as they stood outside the hospital room.

  “I don’t want to jeopardize his recovery. But the sooner he comes to accept that we’re together and intend to stay that way, the better.”

  “I agree.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “Remember, I love you.”

  Lalita pushed open the door to her father’s private room. She’d worked fourteen-to- sixteen-hour days for the past fortnight and had hardly been to see him. However, they had spoken on the phone each day.

  “Daddy!” Lalita rushed to her father’s side. She was happy to see he was sitting up, his cheeks full of colour. He folded up Friday’s Financial Times and tucked it under his pillow. She hugged her father and kissed him on both cheeks before sitting on the bed next to his legs.

  “Where’s Mummy?” She’d expected her mother to be there.

  “She’s gone to get a cup of decent tea. Stuff they make in here is undrinkable. I had to get a copy of the FT smuggled in. When she’s out of the room is the only time I get to read it. Stock is up two percent. Well done, Lalita.”

  “We’re not supposed to talk about the company,” she reminded him.

  “It’s a hell of a lot more interesting than talking about my health,” John grumbled. “I see you’ve brought him with you.” He glared at Jeremy.

  Lalita stood, turned and reached for Jeremy’s hand, pulling him to her side.

  “You’re going to have to get over it, Daddy. I love Jeremy and he loves me.”

  John’s eyes searched first Lalita’s face, then the tall man standing next to her. To her immense surprise, a huge grin spread over her father’s face.

  “Then welcome to the family, Jeremy. I’m going to wish you the best of luck dealing with Lalita. Come to me if you need any advice, not that I’ve always been very successful.”

  Jeremy seemed as stunned as she was. He shook John’s extended hand.

  “Daddy?” Maybe her father was still heavily medicated.

  “Sit down again, honey. Jeremy, pull up that chair there,” John ordered, having lost none of his CEO-ness while in hospital.

  She sat again on the bed and Jeremy brought the requested chair and put it next to her legs. Because she couldn’t not touch him, she rested her arm on his shoulders and toyed with a lock of hair behind his ear.

  “Your mother told me you’d met Aisha,” John said.

  “Yes.” She exchanged a glance with Jeremy. He reached over and held her other hand, always sensing when she needed his support.

  John cleared his throat as though something had got caught in it. “I have never been able to reconcile the worst mistake I made in my life with one of the best things to ever happen to me.”

  “I don’t understand,” she said.

  “I gave in to a physical weakness and nearly destroyed my marriage. However, in doing so, I created you, one of my greatest triumphs. I love your sisters—they are kind, sweet girls. But you, Lalita, are determined, courageous and ambitious. You remind me of myself thirty years ago. When you were a little girl, you would ask your mother why you were different from your sisters. Julia would come to me and say we should tell you the truth. For me, however, you were different only because you were more like me than they were. Jane and Jessica take after Julia, while you, Lalita share much of my personality, good and bad. Of course, you have your birth mother’s hair and eyes and some of her skin colour, and I’m pleased to say, her spirit of generosity as well.”

  “We only spent a few hours together, but she seems a wonderful person,” she added.

  “She is. Back to you, however. I had such dreams for you growing up, and you never once disappointed me.”

  Until now, she mentally added. She squeezed Jeremy’s hand for silent support.

  Julia walked into the room holding two large paper cups with white plastic lids. Her eyes darted between the three other occupants of the room and seemed to take special note of the way Lalita was holding onto Jeremy.

  “Have you told them yet?” Julia quizzed John as she gave him one of the cups.

  “I’m in the middle,” John replied.

  Julia sat on the other side of John’s legs, her back to her husband, her eyes on Lalita’s face.

  “At Jane’s engagement party, I saw the instant you and Jeremy locked eyes. And as hard as it is for me to say this as your father, I saw the passion ignite,” John continued.

  “If someone had been standing between you, they would have been electrocuted to death. I swear I have never seen two people react as strongly as you both did to each other,” Julia added.

  Blood rushed to Lalita’s face, warming her cheeks. She peeked out of the corner of her eye, as a huge grin covered Jeremy’s visage.

  “I worried that it was too soon for you, Lalita. You had too much potential to throw it all away on some man. If you’d have put your career on hold or abandoned your ambition, then I thought you’d one day resent Jeremy and wonder what would have happened if you’d have met him later in life.”

  She thought about what her father was saying. She knew herself too well to deny his supposition.

  “And Jeremy,” John paused until Jeremy took his eyes off Lalita and turned to her father. “I needed to make sure that you were genuinely interested in Lalita as a person, and not just because she is beautiful and rich.”

  “I can assure you that her wealth didn’t for a minute cross my mind. I don’t think anything crossed my mind except the need to get to know her.”

  John nodded. “Anyway, I sent Lalita away to Asia. With you working at the company, Jeremy, I thought I could keep an eye on you. Decide what type of man you were. Then when the time was right, I’d bring Lalita back and let you get on with it. You threw a wrench in my plans when you quit, son.”

  “I wanted to get to know Lalita. I didn’t think working for her father was the best way to go about it. Of course, it was the day after I handed in my resignation that I was told you’d sent her off to Asia.” A shadow crossed his eyes. “Does this mean that when you re-hired me this year it was only to get Lalita and I together again?”

  “No, not at all,” John quickly clarified. Jeremy’s muscles relaxed.

  “Lalita hadn’t mentioned you and I assumed the incident at Jane’s party had been only a temporary aberration on her part. It has been the one thing her mother and I fought about over the past five years. I re-hired you because you are the best there is at what you do.”

  “Then why did you threaten me with termination if I slept with Lalita when we went to Asia?”

  “And why did you get upset when I told you that Jeremy and I were together?”

  “Because of you, Lalita.”
<
br />   “What?” This was making no sense.

  “Julia and I fell instantly in love. We married within six months of meeting and had a wonderful, easy marriage—until I made that huge mistake with Aisha.”

  Julia picked up John’s hand that she’d been holding and pressed a gentle kiss to his knuckles.

  “It was only when I was on the airplane flying back to London to tell her what I’d done that I realized what losing her would feel like. I have never experienced such terror in my life and I hope never to feel that way again. I thought that if I made it difficult for you two, made you fight for your relationship from the beginning, that you wouldn’t take it for granted. Then you’d appreciate how precious it is to start with and not make the mistakes I did.”

  “It worked,” Jeremy whispered.

  Lalita opened her mouth to berate her father for his actions but saw the exhaustion that even this little discussion had brought on. A hospital room wasn’t the best place to hash out the other arguments she had with her dad over his interference in her love life and lying to her about Aisha. That was the past, it wasn’t going anywhere. But she needed to be absolutely clear about her future. “So, you really don’t mind that Jeremy and I are together?”

  “Not if you make each other happy. But I still stand by what I said, Jeremy. If you break her heart, you will regret it.”

  “Understood.”

  “Now I’m sure you both have something better to do than sit around some old man’s hospital bed. If you don’t mind, though, I want a private word with Lalita before you go.”

  Jeremy stood and returned the chair to its original location. He shook John’s hand and kissed Julia on the cheek. “I’ll be in the waiting room, take your time,” he told Lalita.

  Heart full of love, she waited for Jeremy to leave the room before turning to her father. What else could he want to tell her?

  “He’s what you want?”

  “Absolutely,” she didn’t hesitate to answer.

  “Then fire him.”

  “What?”

  “Jeremy Lakewood is a real man. He wants to support his woman. He doesn’t want to answer to her professionally. If he stays working for you, it will slowly eat away at him, bringing a tension to your relationship that you don’t need. You’re going to have enough pressure running Evans.”