"That's right," Natasha said solemnly. "He was doing this to discredit you at the school, and with Alric, to please his daughter. Probably thought he would never get caught. The videos will be destroyed after the court case so that they will never haunt you again."
"Thank God," Arnella said, with feeling.
"Can you give me an alternate number for Vanley. He is going to be officiating in the wedding next week Sunday. I want to do a rehearsal on Saturday night."
"Sure," Arnella rolled off a number from the top of her head. "Thanks, Natasha," she said softly.
"You are more than welcome. You got your invite right? I am guessing your plus one is Alric."
"Yes. Definitely. Could be nobody else." Arnella hung up the phone and went back to the group, smiling. She hugged Alric around his neck and whispered. "I love you."
Alric looked at her warmly. "I love you too, Nella, every bit of you."
The End
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A Younger Man
"If anyone knows of any reason these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace."
The place was silent, except for the rustling of the wind on the red and white streamers that were pinned to each chair and a seagull squawking in the distance. Vanley Bancroft grinned with the bride and groom in front of him, who were not concerned about the possibility of any objection coming from the audience. They only had eyes for each other.
"Taj Jackson and Natasha Rowe, I now declare you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride, sir."
Taj lowered his head to Natasha and kissed her thoroughly, a kiss which went on an on, and had their one hundred and twenty guests laughing and clapping.
Vanley breathed a sigh of relief. It was over: his first wedding as an officiating minister. He had not made a blunder, and he was happy. He had made a terrible blunder at his first funeral. Even now, he shuddered to think of it. He kept on calling the deceased Anita Parkinson when the name was Agnes Bertrand.
One lady had taken him aside after the funeral and asked curiously if Anita Parkinson wasn't the VP of Academic Affairs at Mount Faith. Vanley had been shocked to his core. His obsession with Anita had gotten so bad that he had been calling her name in a funeral service, of all things!
Today, he had taken extra precautions. He had tried not to think about Anita, which was hard because she was a guest at the wedding, sitting at the back in a flirty blue dress and a blue hat that she was constantly holding down because of the breeze. He had registered all these details and knew every time she raised one of her hands to keep the hat down. Her nails were painted a pretty coral blue. He even knew every time she swallowed in the last half hour. When Taj and Natasha walked to the end of the gazebo with a saxophone rendition of John Legend's song "Stay With You" playing in the background, Vanley gave Pastor Peterson a parting handshake and stepped down from the gazebo. He zeroed in on Anita, but she was engaged in animated conversation with his cousin, Kylie, and her husband, Gareth.
He walked to the side of the lawn instead and gazed toward the sea. It was a beautiful spot for a wedding; Taj and Natasha had chosen well. The venue was called Lovers Leap and had a legend attached to it. Two slave lovers from the 18th century fled to the edge of the large steep cliff while being chased by the plantation owner. Rather than face being caught and separated, the pair chose to end their lives by jumping together. In previous years, when Vanley had heard the story, he had scoffed at their drastic action, but today, with the cool December breeze swirling around and the romantic ambience of the wedding, and his unshakeable obsession with Anita, he could see how a couple would rather die than be separated.
"You did well today."
Vanley swiveled around and saw that it was her. She had taken off the hat, and her hair, which she kept in a sleek bob, was swinging toward her face. She had a heart shaped face and the biggest, sultriest brown eyes this side of Jamaica.
"Thank you," he smiled.
He always smiled when she was around. Usually, he felt like a bumbling idiot and would blurt out something totally inappropriate.
Last time it was, "Marry me, Anita." Today, he straightened his spine and kept his mouth shut.
Her response last time was to laugh at him. "You are too young for me, Vanley."
He was tired of her keeping him at arms length. Fifteen years was not that big a deal...
OTHER BOOKS BY BRENDA BARRETT
Mount Faith Series
Saving Face (Mount Faith Series- Book 1) - Mount Faith University drama begins with a dead president and several suspects including the president in waiting Ryan Bancroft.
Tattered Tiara (Mount Faith Series-Book 2)- Micah Bancroft is targeted by femme fatale Deidra Durkheim. There are also several rape cases to be solved.
Private Dancer (Mount Faith Series- Book 3)- Adrian Bancroft was gutted when he returned to Jamaica and found out that his first and only love Cathy Taylor was a stripper and was literally owned by the menacing drug lord, Nanjo Jones.
Goodbye Lonely (Mount Faith Series- Book 4) - Kylie Bancroft was shy and had to resort to going to confidence classes. How could she win the love of Gareth Beecher, her faculty adviser, a man with a jealous ex-wife in his past and a current mystery surrounding a hand found in his garden?
Practice Run (Mount Faith Series- Book 5)- Marcus Bancroft had many reasons to avoid Mount Faith but Deidra Durkheim was not one of them. Unfortunately, on one of his visits he was the victim of a deliberate hit and run.
Sense of Rumor (Mount Faith Series- Book 6)- Arnella Bancroft was the wild, passionate Bancroft, the creative loner who didn't mind living dangerously; but when a terrible thing happened to her at her friend Tracy's party, it changed her. She found that courting rumors can be devastating and that only the truth could set her free.
The Three Rivers Series
Private Sins (Three Rivers Series-Book 1)- Kelly, the first lady at Three Rivers Church was pregnant for the first elder of her church. Could she keep the secret from her husband and pretend that all was well?
Loving Mr. Wright (Three Rivers Series- Book 2)- Erica saw one last opportunity to ditch her single life when Caleb Wright appeared in her town. He was perfect for her, but what was he hiding?
Unholy Matrimony (Three Rivers Series- Book 3) - Phoebe had a problem, she was poor and unhappy. Her solution to marry a rich man was derailed along the way with her feelings for Charles Black, the poor guy next door.
If It Ain't Broke (Three Rivers Series- Book 4)- Chris Donahue wanted a place in his child's life. Pinky Black just wanted his love. She also wanted him to forget his obsession with Kelly and love her. That shouldn't be so hard? Should it?
Contemporary Romance/Drama
Homely Girl- April and Taj were opposites in so many ways. He was the cute, athletic boy that everybody wanted to be friends with. She was the overweight, shy, and withdrawn girl. Do April and Taj have a love that can last a lifetime? Or will time and separate paths rip them apart?
The Preacher And The Prostitute - Prostitution and the clergy don't mix. Tell that to ex-prostitute, Maribel, who finds herself in love with the Pastor at her church. Can an ex-prostitute and a pastor have a future together?
Love Triangle: Three Sides To The Story- George-the husband, Marie-the wife and Karen-the mistress. They all get to tell their side of the story.
New Beginnings - Inner city girl Geneva was offered an opportunity of a lifetime when she found out that her 'real' father was a very wealthy man. Her decision to live up-town meant that she had to leave Froggie, her ‘ghetto don,’ behind. She also found herself battling with her stepmother and battling her emotions for Justin, a suave up-towner.
Full Circle- After graduating from university, Diana wanted to return to Jamaica to find her siblings. What she didn’t fo
resee was that she would meet Robert Cassidy and that both their pasts would be intertwined, and that disturbing questions would pop up about their parentage, just when they were getting close.
Historical Fiction/Romance
The Empty Hammock- Workaholic, Ana Mendez, fell asleep in a hammock and woke up in the year 1494. It was the time of the Tainos, a time when life seemed simpler, but Ana knew that all of that was about to change.
The Pull Of Freedom- Even in bondage the people, freshly arrived from Africa, considered themselves free. Led by Nanny and Cudjoe the slaves escaped the Simmonds’ plantation and went in different directions to forge their destiny in the new country called Jamaica.
Jamaican Comedy (Material contains Jamaican dialect)
Di Taxi Ride And Other Stories- Di Taxi Ride and Other Stories is a collection of twelve witty and fast paced short stories. Each story tells of a unique slice of Jamaican life.
Sense of Rumor (Mount Faith Series: Book 6) Page 15