by Lola Gabriel
“I can’t. I have plans with Sarah.”
Andrew smiled. “No, you don’t. She helped me set this up.”
He ran his thumb over her lips and cupped the side of her face in his palm.
Tanya inhaled the scent of him and pressed a soft kiss to his palm. When she opened her eyes, a teardrop sat on the tip of an eyelash.
“I can’t afford to be hurt again,” Tanya whispered.
Andrew stood, pulling her with him. “I promise, I won’t.” His lips rained sweet kisses around her face, landing the final one on the tip of her nose. “Just one chance.”
Tanya couldn’t help herself. She softly kissed the corners of his lips. “Just one, Andrew, that’s all you get.”
“I’m not going to disappoint you, but I’m going to ask you to trust me. We’re going to a place that’s important to me.” He grabbed her hand.
“Where?”
“It’s a surprise.”
Andrew led Tanya through the lobby and out the front doors, where the driver was waiting. Tanya climbed into the black Range Rover with Andrew taking a seat next to her. Tanya didn’t ask questions until they arrived at the airport.
“Andrew, where are we going?”
With a smirk, Andrew said, “Don’t worry. Your sister packed your suitcase. Everything is set.”
“How in the world did you talk Sarah into helping you with this?”
“Honestly? I begged. She finally gave in when she realized I was being sincere.”
“Well, I’ll go if you promise to keep your hands to yourself.”
“That’s going to be tough, but it’s a deal.”
The private jet landed on the airstrip as the beautiful sun began to set on the island. It was breathtaking, and Tanya couldn’t help but marvel as she strained against her seatbelt to get the best view.
“Don’t worry. Tomorrow evening you’ll be able to see the island in all of its glory,” Andrew said, grabbing her hand in his.
He rubbed tiny circles in her palm with his thumb, causing chills to run up and down her spine.
“Where are we, Andrew?”
“It’s Coeur Island.”
“I’ve never heard of it before.”
“It’s my Caribbean private island, where my family resides. It means heart in French. It’s the heartbeat of my family, and what keeps us strong, protected, and close. It’s home.”
She stared at him as the pilot advised they could remove their seat belts.
“Your private island?” she asked, not certain she understood his statement.
He nodded. “My brother is picking us up,” he said, pointing to a black Mercedes as they looked out the window.
Once they descended from the jet, Andrew took Tanya’s hand and led her to the car, where his brother waited.
The two men slapped each other on the back in greeting, before hugging. Tanya noticed that Andrew’s brother looked distinctively different with darker skin and jet black hair. I wonder if his brother is adopted, thought Tanya.
“Tanya, this is Marco, my brother,” Andrew introduced. Turning with a twinkle in his eye, he said, “Marco, this is Tanya, a very special lady in my life.”
“Tanya, it’s a great pleasure to welcome you to Coeur Island. It is an even greater pleasure to know you are special to Andrew.” He hugged her tightly in his large arms. “Mom can’t wait to see you,” Marco said, opening the car door and assisting Tanya into the car.
She watched as the two men continued to converse outside the car, as the attendants loaded the luggage into the trunk. Did he just say something about their mom? I’m meeting his mom?
She melted into the soft, black seats, as she admired the stitching on the overhead roof. Andrew opened the door and sat inside, grabbing her hand. He looked at her and smiled lovingly.
“This place is so beautiful. Is this where you grew up?” asked Tanya.
“Just sit back, enjoy the ride, and trust me.”
They arrived at a beautiful, two-storied U-shaped stucco mansion. Azaleas, Cherokee roses, and hibiscus grew all around the estate in abundant variety and colors. The wind blowing through the window tickled Tanya’s nose with fragrant perfumes.
“Andrew!”
“Mama! Papa!” he shouted joyously, jogging up the concrete steps and throwing his arms around an elderly man and woman.
He turned to Tanya.
“Mama, Papa, this is Tanya, the woman I told you about.”
“Tanya, meet Antonia and Javier. They’re my parents.”
The elderly couple who appeared to be Hispanic, smiled warmly and opened their arms to greet her.
“Welcome to Casa de Amor,” Antonia greeted, giving Tanya a kiss on the cheek. Javier did the same, as they ushered her into the house.
Gathered in the great room was a large group of family members. She learned they were more of Andrew’s siblings, and their children. They all greeted Andrew and Tanya, as they enjoyed conversation over a great meal Antonia had prepared. Tired after all the excitement of the evening, she was glad when they retired after a late dinner in the east wing.
They sat on a balcony in her room, looking at the gardens below. They made small talk before she approached the subject on her mind.
“I didn’t know you were adopted, Andrew.”
His face took on a serious expression before he sighed deeply. It appeared as if he was contemplating something.
“It’s okay if you’re not ready to talk about it,” she soothed, rubbing her palm against the side of his face.
He smiled warmly at her.
“I never have before. I’ve kept my personal life as private as possible for a reason, Tanya. I love my parents with all of my heart. Papa was good friends with my biological father. My parents were very wealthy and Javier and Antonia worked for my parents on this island. This was my biological parents’ vacation home. Although, they also owned everything else on the island. My biological parents were killed when I was two in a horrible plane crash. I don’t remember anything about them, but I am told they were kind, generous people. There was a provision in their will that if anything should happen to them, it would be Javier and Antonia who would gain custody of me, and I grew to know them as Mama and Papa.”
Tanya was shocked. “Did you have other family?”
“Yes, but my father’s parents respected their wishes because they were busy traveling the world at the time. My parents left everything to me to inherit when I turned eighteen but provided greatly for Mama and Papa when they passed. They decided to raise me here, along with their other children. Eventually, I had the pleasure of getting to know my biological father’s parents while growing up. They were amazing. I took their deaths really hard. I was in my late teens when my grandparents passed. They were wealthier than my parents and left everything to me in their will to inherit at twenty-five. My father was an only child.”
“What about your mother’s family? Did they contest your custody?”
“No. My mother was not close to her family. She didn’t know her father at all, and her mother was an alcoholic who had kicked her out of the house at an early age.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Tanya murmured, thinking about the pain he had endured.
“Don’t be. Yes, I’ve had much heartache in my life. But this family has given me more love than most people know in a lifetime.”
“Then why did you decide to live life the way you did?”
“I grew up on this island, and I suppose I just wanted to experience a life that I thought I wanted. So, I changed my name to keep my anonymity and moved to New York to start a business. Life here was so slow that I wanted something a little more fast-paced. Also, I was always scared of losing this family, the way I lost my parents and grandparents. But, I could protect my heart from further damage by not allowing anyone else to get close. I felt that most people only want to use you for what they can get out of you. They only love you for what you can do for them. The people who matter most to me live on this
island. And then I found you,” he said, drawing her from her chaise lounge and down onto his lap.
“I’m happy for you and sad all at once.”
“Why are you sad?”
“Because you’ve had to live your life in a glass bubble. Everyone can see you, but you have to be so careful, or it will burst.”
“Tanya, none of that matters anymore. The only thing that matters is that you’re getting to know the real Andrew Greene. I want you to know what drives me, what’s important to me, and what inspires me. And I want to know all of those things about you. I brought you here to this island that no one else knows about because I wanted you to meet my family. I want you to know you can trust me, and I trust you. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have brought you here. I want you to know you mean the world to me, and despite what I said that day at the restaurant, I lied. I do care about what people think about me. The people whom I care about and love…their opinion matters to me. That’s why you need to know my story, so you can know the real me.”
“Doesn’t your entire family live on this island?”
“No. But we all come back here often. My parents travel a lot, but this is their home. They love it here. As you know, I have three brothers and one sister. Two of my brothers live in Chicago and only visit the island, like I do. My other brother and sister lived other places, but moved back to the island when they started families of their own. This place is peaceful and safe.”
“But why are you telling me? How do you know you can trust me any more than anyone else?”
“Because I love you. You’re the only woman I have ever loved, Tanya.”
“You…you love me?”
“Yes, I love you,” he said.
“You barely know me, Andrew,” Tanya sighed, looking at her hands clasped in her lap.
“I know you make me want to change my life. And I know you have strong moral values. You’re not ashamed to be who you are, regardless of what the world believes. You make me want to be a better man. Every time I was with a woman, I’d feel empty afterwards. But you…you make me feel whole and complete. The nights we spent working together, I’d see a different side of you. It was like you opened up to me completely, and the small chats we’d have, you’d share your world with me and your past. Now I want to share my word with you.”
Tanya shook her head and stood up, walking to the balcony’s wall. She looked down at the garden below and composed her thoughts before speaking.
“This is difficult. It won’t be easy, Andrew. So many people have warned me to stay away from you, and to protect my heart, including you. How do I know you won’t break it?”
She turned to look at him with tears shimmering in her eyes.
He stood up and walked to her. Holding her face in both hands, he stared into her eyes. “Because I’ve never introduced any woman to my family before. I’ve invited you into something so personal and sacred, I never want you to leave. Why are you crying?”
“I’ve been hurt before, Andrew. I can’t take another heartbreak.”
“I swear to you, I’ll never intentionally hurt you. I cannot promise that I won’t do things to disappoint you or upset you. I’m not perfect. But I can promise you whatever I can do to ease your pain when you’re hurting, I’ll be there. Whatever you need, I’ll give it to you if I can. I will love you until time ends and starts all over again.”
The tears fell from her eyes, and Andrew wrapped his arms tightly around her.
When she calmed down she looked up at him. “What if the tabloids attack us again? What will they say at your office?”
“I’m the CEO. I don’t care what people at the office think. Let them talk! And, what will the tabloids say? That I’ve fallen in love with a kind, smart, and beautiful woman. And we are extremely happy. They sound like pretty boring headlines to me.” He kissed her softly and then more passionately. “And, if you want to leave New York and go to a place where nobody knows who we are, I would do that for you.”
“Andrew, let’s get to know each other before we run off into the sunset. But in all seriousness, what if it doesn’t work out between us?”
“Some risks are worth taking. I don’t have any doubt that I will be with you forever. You’ll never have to worry about me being faithful to you. But, in the meantime, I’m leaving you for the night. If I don’t break away soon, I’ll break my first promise.”
“What’s that?”
“Keeping my hands to myself,” he growled.
“Well, what if I can’t keep my hands to myself?”
“I didn’t ask you to promise anything.”
Tanya stood on her tippy toes and wrapped her hands in his hair, drawing his face towards her. Their night of passionate lovemaking didn’t end until the sun peaked over the horizon.
The next morning breakfast was served on the lanai overlooking the ocean.
“It’s so perfect here. It’s like a photograph that’s been retouched,” she sighed.
“It’s no wonder my parents rarely leave their home,” Andrew said, admiring the landscape. “We’ll go boating this afternoon, and then maybe we can go for a swim.”
The weekend passed in a blur of activity. Tanya was amazed at all that Andrew had planned for her over the weekend. They hiked on Saturday afternoon and enjoyed cocktails as the sun set. On Sunday, Tanya learned how to jet ski and surf. He took her out on an ATV, where she was able to view the rest of the island and its residents, all of whom were family, close friends of the family, or worked for the family. In total about seventy-five people lived on the island.
The time she enjoyed best was her time alone with Andrew. His attention focused solely on her caused her to open up to him in ways she never had with a single soul. He wasn’t the arrogant man that she had originally thought. He was a family man, who was very loyal and giving.
On Sunday night, their last night on the island, a great feast was prepared and the whole island was invited. Andrew and Tanya snuck off to watch the sunset one last time.
“Your family’s going to miss us. We’ve been gone for over an hour now,” she said as she nuzzled up close to Andrew.
“It’s okay. They knew you wanted to see the sunset. We’ll go back soon.”
“I did want to see it, and I’m glad you’re making sure it happens. There’s been so much activity since we arrived.”
Andrew hugged her closer. “I’ve never experienced anything in my life like what you’ve made me feel these last few months. So many highs and lows.”
“You know, I told my sister a long time ago that you were different. I knew the Andrew the world saw wasn’t the real Andrew. It was a façade that you wanted the world to see, self-preservation I think. My instincts were right. It just took some twists and turns for you to confirm what I thought was true.”
“That’s why I pushed you away, because I knew that your heart saw the real me.”
“My heart loved you, Andrew, before my head even knew it, my heart did.”
“I know you did. You wear your heart on your sleeve. Look,” he said, pointing ahead of them. A pod of dolphins swam across the horizon.
Tanya gasped at the scene. “It’s the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen.”
“Hopefully, we’ll share many more together,” he replied, kissing her softly on the neck.
8
Returning home, Tanya decided to go back to work for Andrew. Veronica and Rebecca no longer worked there and had no contact with Andrew or Tanya. Andrew hired Tanya back as a training and development director as she had once told him that was the position she wanted. They immersed themselves in work, but found time to sneak away for lunches and coffee breaks. Although their social calendar was always full, the new couple spent many evenings alone at home, watching movies, cooking dinner, and making love.
Tanya spent nearly every night at Andrew’s house, except for the nights she hung out with her sister. After three months, Andrew asked her to move in. It wasn’t a big change for either for them, but wh
en she changed the address on her driver’s license, her feelings changed. She was in a committed relationship, and she was truly happy. Changing her address made her relationship feel more permanent.
Office gossip was rampant at first, and Thad had many questions, which Tanya never answered. When weeks, and then months, passed, the Greener Communications team just accepted the relationship and lost interest in talking about it. The tabloid headlines died out as well, as there was nothing to report. Tanya was at Andrew’s side at every social event, and his bad boy ways were a thing of the past. Committed couples in relationships didn’t generate any public interest, so the paparazzi left them alone.
One summer afternoon, Andrew popped his head into Tanya’s office.
“Hey, babe, I just got two tickets to the game tonight. Courtside,” Andrew announced, waving the tickets back and forth.
“Knicks?” she exclaimed.
“Yep.” He knew she loved basketball and had not attended a game since moving to New York.
“But that’s in a couple of hours!” she complained, looking at her computer.
“I know. Shut it down and let’s go,” Andrew replied, walking away.
“I can’t. I have to finish this,” she mumbled, stopping him in his tracks.
“That can wait. Besides, I got an extra pair of tickets and your sister and her new boyfriend are coming, too. She’ll be upset if we’re late.”
When Tanya hesitated, Andrew said, “Shut it down. That’s a direct order from your boss.”
He knew she hated when he pulled the boss card.
Grumbling, Tanya did as he asked, but she couldn’t hide her excitement.
The Knicks were playing the Cavaliers, and the Knicks were up by fourteen points going into the half. Suddenly the arena went dark, and the music poured out loudly through the speakers. Lights spun wildly around the Garden.
The announcer boomed in a thunderous voice on the microphone, “Are you ready? Let’s make some noise!”
The crowd became boisterous as the announcer’s words flashed on the jumbotron. The electricity in the air was contagious. People anxiously waited in their seats to see what came next, as their voices joined in one accord.