Scarlett Secret

by Brenda Barrett

  He had repeated it and she hadn't even denied it and in true Terri style laughed herself out of the car.

  So did she have feelings for him or didn't she?

  Why had she looked so solemn when he said it, as if...he didn't dare think it.

  Was it against the law to be so attracted to your own cousin? These past few days he had been asking himself that question quite frequently.

  He couldn't even fathom why he felt that way. She might have changed her hair to a different style and her eyes looked a bit different but...

  He still couldn't fathom how it was that suddenly she was so appealing to him. He remembered reading an article in the papers that said you are less likely to be attracted to family members, especially when they looked like family.

  Most of the Scarletts had red hair and hazel eyes. Was it because she changed her eyes that he suddenly found that there was chemistry between them?

  Not just ordinary run of the mill chemistry either. He could feel it sizzling in the air between them. It had descended on them out of nowhere.

  She turned around to him and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "I know it’s here somewhere."

  Reuben nodded. "Maybe it is in the dining room. Want me to help you look?"

  "No." She shook her head.

  "Want me to call it?" he offered again.

  She paused. "No. It's okay."

  "It would be simple if I called it. You'd hear it ring."

  "That phone is in Treasure Beach," she said sheepishly. "Well, the number that you have. I have a different phone here."

  "Oh." Reuben quirked a brow. "A secret phone?"

  "No. Just a different one." She headed to the dining room and then shouted, "Found it!"

  "Good," he murmured, knowing she couldn’t hear him feeling twisted up and crazy inside.

  "Night." Her voice sounded nearer and he looked up. She was at the door smiling at him in that adorable way of hers. Had he ever noticed before now that her lips were bow-shaped and had that dark red shade?

  Hadn't they always been ordinary pink? Nice lips but nothing to remark about?

  "I am fourteen years older than you," he blurted out. He didn't know where that came from.

  She grinned. "That's not much, is it? I think it would be noteworthy if you were like thirty-two years older like that prince is to Lola. Now that would give me pause."

  Reuben smiled. "What about the whole cousin thing? Would that give you pause?"

  "Night Reuben." She ignored the fishing question and that deflated him. He had been looking forward to her response.

  "No hammocks for me tonight," she said with a yawn. "I am tired enough to sleep like the dead."

  *****

  But she wasn't as tired as she thought, Lola realized when she ran through her missed calls and realized that her mother had called and that she had gotten a text from Terri. I am fine. Delay in plans. Don't worry.

  She sat up in bed and grabbed her bag, rummaging for a piece of paper and a pen that she could write the number that the text was sent from.

  She needed to find out what delay in plans meant. She couldn't just sit back and wait. She was anxious for a resolution. She really needed to know what was going on. Remorse hit her again. She was a coward through and through.

  But what could she do short of running and hiding from Hamad? Eventually he'd find her. If Terri failed in her mission, she would eventually be captured and have to do what Hamad said anyway.

  The only good thing that came out of this mess was meeting Reuben. She wouldn't exchange that for the world. It was good to know that men like him still existed. But his mother was a little too astute for her own good.

  Yes, she had it bad for her son. Real bad. This sort of chemistry couldn't be manufactured. No way.

  She dialed the number and Terri answered. Lola could hear the caution in her voice.

  "Hello. It's me."

  "No names," Terri said cryptically. "I sent you a text."

  Lola breathed out in relief. "I know but it was so sparse I had more questions than before."

  "Sorry." Terri sighed. "It had to be. There are ears everywhere. You know I left my phone? I was given a new one. The security could be listening."

  Lola grunted. "So where are you now?"

  "At the hotel." Terri laughed, "He is gone for three days and I mentioned that I wanted to stay at the hotel. And he agreed."

  "Oh," Lola's expectations deflated, "so he is not around?"

  "Nope," Terri said chirpily, "and I am having a ball. Yesterday I went to the spa and I won five days and five nights at the hotel from a Karaoke Bar competition."

  Lola chuckled. "And Hamad is not keeping an eye on you via security?"

  "No." Terri paused. "I don't think so. Not physically."

  "Be careful," Lola whispered. "Be very careful. He would not allow you to stay at the hotel unchaperoned."

  "I have a chaperone," Terri said airily, "two if you count Mona. They treat me like a dim child who will get lost if I wander on my own. I am frustrated on your behalf. Let me tell you, I could not do it…"

  "Tell me about it." Lola lowered her voice, she heard footsteps on the stairs. Maybe Reuben was turning in.

  "Guess who I met here?" Terri had gone into her dreamy voice again. "Zack!"

  "Zack!" Lola squealed, forgetting that she should be whispering. "Very, very handsome Zack?"

  "Yes!" Terri chuckled.

  "And he knows who you are?" Lola asked fearfully.

  "No, silly," Terri muttered, "I wear a hijab everyday. I am covered up to my chin. He only sees my eyes and nose and lips and I think he likes me anyway."

  "Awesome." Lola laughed and then she sobered up. "Do you still think you can have Hamad renege on the contract?"

  "Yes," Terri muttered. "No… I don't know. I met the guy. He wants to tame me. I don't think your strategy of shocking him would work; he would just see it as a challenge. And don't bother think of pleading your case; he beats you down. He has selective hearing."

  Lola exhaled shakily. "We need a new plan."

  "I can't think of how to get through to him." Terri sighed. "Maybe I should tie him up and get him to listen?"

  "Is that possible?" Lola heard the hope in her own voice.

  "No. Besides, he is always surrounded with a retinue of security guys. He is older but he still looks sprightly to me. I am sure there is some strength underneath those robes."

  "Ah, Terri."

  Terri groaned, "No names, no names."

  "Sorry," Lola gasped. "If it doesn't work out, you tell me. I will go into hiding again. Admit to Hamad that you were impersonating me, okay? And come back home."

  "Are you sure?" Terri asked hesitantly.

  "Oh yes," Lola muttered, "you have to; in Akdhir you can be severely beaten for this. We shouldn't have done this—it was a mad plan anyway."

  "I haven't failed yet," Terri said determinedly, "just hang in there. How is it going in TB?"

  "I am not in Treasure Beach," Lola mumbled.

  "You just had to say the word out loud, didn’t you?” Terri groaned. "What do you mean not in Treasure Beach? I told you to stay put."

  "But you told Reuben that you would stay with him for a while. He came for you!"

  "Good Lord," Terri whispered. "He figured out the plan, didn't he?"

  "No." Lola sighed. "Not yet. I was thinking of telling him."

  "Are you crazy?" Terri yelped. "Ru would tell my brothers. They would probably find a way to extract me from the island. Is that what you want?"

  "No," Lola muttered. "No. I was just thinking about it and then I changed my mind."

  "Good, just don't do anything strange and don't flirt with him."

  "I, er..." Lola bit her lip.

  "Do not feel anything for Reuben Scarlett; he is close family. I know he is handsome and sweet and a good listener and a good cook and caring and understanding and tender,” Terri ran through Reuben's virtues effortlessly, "but he is off limits
to you while you are pretending to be Terri Scarlett. Got it?"

  "Got it," Lola said brightly. But in her head she was thinking, Too late, Terri.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Terri woke up suddenly when she heard the front door slam. The clock in the hallway chimed five times. Five o'clock in the morning. She turned on the side light, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the bright glow.

  Who could be in the suite?

  She was just about to get out of bed and investigate when her door was thrust open. Her heart somersaulted against her rib cage in fear.

  Maybe Hamad was right and she did need protection.

  A tall woman dressed in an all-black robe and hijab stepped into her line of sight and then stopped, her eyes round with fear.

  "What are you doing in here?"

  "What are you doing in here," Terri threw the question back at her, "and who are you?"

  Terri blinked. It was hard to tell how old she was, maybe in her late thirties or early forties. She was petite and very fair.

  "There must be some misunderstanding with your booking."

  "No misunderstanding," the lady muttered as she looked over Terri critically. "This is the Al Jerza family suite. My suite. I told Hamad I was coming! Now who are you?"

  Terri raised an eyebrow. "I was here first. Who are you?"

  "If you are a mistress, so help me, I will kill him further than he is dying already."

  "Who is dying?" Terri asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "My name is Paravina Al Jerza. Now who are you?"

  Paravina the second wife. Terri pushed her hair off her brow. "I am supposed to be Lola."

  "And you are the one he thought to make me jealous with?" Paravina snapped her fingers. "I can't believe this; you are a young thing. Just a girl."

  She threw her head back and laughed. Terri watched her as she doubled over in obvious mirth.

  "Kalamaria is the wife of duty. I am the wife of beauty and you...you are the wife of insanity!"

  Terri started to chuckle too. That sounded just about right.

  Which made Paravina stop mid-laugh. "It was an insult!"

  "But it is true." Terri pulled her legs up to chin and looked at Paravina. "I heard that you stayed here sometimes."

  Paravina eyed her and came farther into the room, sitting in one of the comfortable chairs. "I always stay here when I come by this island. I think a whole house with staff and not much entertainment is beyond boring. At the hotel there are so many things to do. My first stop is usually the spa."

  She looked at Terri, her tumble of red-brown hair and creamy honey skin.

  "You are rather pretty."

  Terri smiled. She had a husky voice, like a jazz singer and she rolled her r's like Hamad did. "Thank you."

  Paravina huffed. "When we got married he promised no more wives but here you are. You look to be the same age as our oldest son."

  "You said he is sick?" Terri asked, clearing her throat. "He never said."

  "He has brain cancer and he is not functioning as well as he projects," Paravina snarled. "And he refuses to let me help him. Instead, he entered into this crazy contract with you. Arab men are so stubborn."

  "I think men in general are stubborn, at least when it comes to their health," Terri commiserated.

  She was sensing an ally in Paravina, a woman who probably wanted her out of her husband's life just as badly as she and Lola did.

  Paravina got up and paced, touching the backs of the chairs and the large postmodern sculpture in the corner.

  She stopped at a picture of a sunrise over a mountain.

  "I took this picture in Akdhir," she murmured. "This is the view from my palace."

  She looked over at Terri. "Hamad needs me. You are just a distraction to prove to himself that he is still able to be a man. If you ask me he is probably not doing too well behind closed doors and he is hiding it from all of us. You are his smokescreen.

  “His recklessness over the past few months has cost him in business and his personal life. If he continues like this he is going to..." she inhaled shakily. "Pushing me away is not going to work. He is my husband. My loved one.

  "Kalamaria is too busy with her brood of children to care about him. He and our four sons are all I have. I love him and I want him to be well and I am not going to let his stiff-neckedness come between us."

  She blinked back tears and Terri contemplated her while she got herself together. Imagine that, Lola would do anything to get away from Hamad, while this woman loved him with everything she had.

  What a state of affairs.

  "Do you have any idea how I can get out of this contracted marriage?"

  Paravina looked at her sharply. "You want to get out?"

  "Of course." Terri exhaled. "Please, I never wanted this. If you have a plan I am all ears."

  Paravina stopped pacing. "It won't be easy. As I said, he is stubborn and sick and has an ego the size of Mount Thakar."

  Terri stifled a yawn. "Mount Thakar?"

  "A very tall mountain in our homeland. You don't even know anything about Akdhir," Paravina accused.

  "Nothing," Terri murmured. "I am highly unsuitable to join your family. For all our sakes, please get me out of the contract."

  Paravina looked thoughtful. "I will seek Allah's guidance on the matter. Ask him to soften his heart."

  Terri felt a twinge of shame that she had not thought to do the same, and she considered herself a Christian. She could have prayed on Lola's behalf.

  "Well, good morning," Paravina said, wheeling out her suitcase. "I guess we will speak further in the day, after I have a long overdue nap."

  "I am going to Emerald Island with Tamara," Terri said. "Maybe in the evening we can have a pow-wow."

  "A pow-wow—is that a new young people slang?"

  "No," Terri murmured, "I think it is an old people slang."

  Paravina chuckled. "Well, see you later in the day."

  ****

  Terri held on to the rail of the yacht and held her head up to the breeze. It was slightly overcast and she was alone; Tamara had woken up with cramps. Her malady was the perfect opportunity for Terri to ditch her company.

  Now she had a chance to be alone. Though she was not that enthused with coming to the Emerald Island, she would have grasped any excuse not to be in the suite with Paravina. Two wives in a suite, even if she was just a fake stand-in, did not rest well with her.

  She waited for the yacht to be boarded, keeping her back to the entrance. She felt so conspicuous in her white clothes and white head covering. She felt like a nun. Today should have been her last day on the island.

  Day three should have been mission accomplished. It was time to look at the situation objectively. She had accomplished nothing for Lola. For herself, though, that was another matter; she kissed Zachary Lee Chang in a room full of people. Dark, shadowy people but she had been brazen and it had been a fantasy come to life.

  She had pretty much had Zachary on her mind since she first saw him. She had even asked Yuri about him when she heard that they had gotten to be friends. Yuri had reported that he was with someone—a long-term relationship with another lawyer.

  Terri wondered if they were still on? Did he make a habit of kissing strange women at hotels?

  She tapped her hand on the rail and frowned at the water, barely registering the tour guide's voice.

  Ladies and gentlemen, our destination, the Emerald Island, is owned by the Al Jerza family. It has over 500 species of birds and one of the purest water sources in the world...

  Terri stopped listening; she had read the brochure. She turned around to see who her fellow exploration buddies were going to be and immediately her eyes clashed with Zack.

  He was dressed like everybody else in casual shorts and a button-down shirt with a couple of buttons opened to his chest. It took her several seconds to raise her eyes from his chest. He raised his glass to her and smiled when she looked up.

  Terri swung back around. Her
pulses were having a party, jumping around in nervous anticipation because she knew he was going to come and talk to her. He was here because of her.

  The music on the yacht started, upbeat music, Wake Me Up by Avicii. She wanted to look around at him again to see if he was coming over but he didn't. The yacht made its way steadily toward the island and she held herself stiffly, waiting for Zack, but he didn't show.

  She finally relaxed her grip on the rail and spun around. There was an encore for the song.

  "Play it again!" Some guys were dancing around with their friends.

  She searched for Zack in the crowd but he was surrounded by three bikini-clad women. One was talking in his ear above the music.

  She shouldn't have come here, especially not dressed like this. She stood out like a sore thumb and Zack wasn't interested in her anymore. Obviously, he had semi-clothed pretty women, who were far more interesting than she was in her nun habit, hanging off his every word.

  She found several empty lounge chairs in the shade; she sank down in one beside an old man whose head was buried in a large book with birds on it.

  "Hello." He smiled at her pleasantly and then went back to his reading; he was obviously all about the birds.

  "Hello." Terri could barely get her voice to sound civilized. She was still reeling from Zack's rejection. He was so shallow. And she was so stupid for dressing like a trussed-up chicken on an island expedition.

  She closed her eyes tightly. Next time she came to Jannah with her five day and night complimentary stay she would be Terri Scarlett, not Lola Montega, third wife of a man who dictated what his wives wore in public. There was modesty and then there was extreme modesty and she felt isolated in this crowd, in this setting.

  She fumed. It was not even just about the dress either. She was jealous. She thought she and Zack had the beginnings of a major thing.

  If he was single, that is. The thought that she didn't even know was rubbing her too.

  "Hey." He sat beside her on the other lounge. "Why are you hiding out back here?"