arms. I won't take the chance of you running from me again."
Jen didn't know what to say so she said nothing. She just waited as he wrapped her in his strong arms.
"I'm sorry, Jen. What I said was cruel and the words should never have left my lips. I shouldn't have even thought them. Will you forgive me? Please?" he asked contritely.
That time she didn't hesitate to answer him.
"I forgive you," she said softly. "You had every right to be angry with me. I left the house knowing that I shouldn't have. And it not only led to my getting hurt but it worried you half to death."
"I understand who you are, Jen. I do. And I know I have to be more patient as you grow and evolve," he sighed.
"You speak as though I'm emerging from a cocoon," she frowned.
"In many ways you are. We all mature and hopefully grow wiser. I am no exception," he said quietly. "And you've been through a lot. I have a good idea of what your life has been like, even more so after our argument. And, as a result, you are changing. Emotionally, mentally and spiritually. You may not realize it but you are. I have to be cognizant of your growth and allow it to happen at its own pace, not at the pace I'd like it to. I lost it because I was so afraid for you. But I shouldn't have spoken as I did. And for that I am very sorry."
Jennifer thought about what he had said. He was right. She was changing. The animosity she held toward her sisters, primarily Beth, was fading as she accepted her own faults. If she took a hard look at herself, she would see a woman who was spoiled, selfish, conceited and arrogant. The rich lifestyle that she'd led had turned her into a person whom people of character wanted nothing to do with. She had accused Beth of being self-righteous when, in reality, it was she who was haughty and pretentious.
She'd been too jealous to be happy for Beth and Tracy because of her own sense of entitlement. She'd been atrocious with them at every turn, refusing to accept the branch that they'd repeatedly extended. But she was beginning to recognize the mistakes she'd made and she wanted to start over. In life and with her sisters. She just hoped they'd want to start over as well.
"I'm sorry too," she whispered. "It was wrong of me to leave the house. You made your wishes very clear and I had agreed to them. It was selfish of me to disregard them and do what I wanted."
"Well, we all make mistakes; even me sometimes," he teased, anxious to return to their typical lighthearted banter.
She frowned at his joke and punched his arm. He laughed and squeezed her gently.
They looked out at the moonbeams reflecting on the ocean. It was so peaceful and serene. And as the soft breeze continued to rock them gently, they drifted off to sleep under the stars.
*****
"Maybe they are coming after me to get you to back off on the project," Jennifer said.
She and London sat on her terrace eating the dinner they'd had delivered. When they'd woken up together that morning, still holding each other in the confined space of the hammock, London had restricted Jennifer to a day of rest. They spent the day lounging around her bungalow, ordering room service and talking about everything from their past lives to London's agricultural project. They were getting to know each other and, in the process, growing closer.
By the time late afternoon had arrived, Jennifer was feeling fine and she and London decided to call room service once again and enjoy another evening looking out at the beautiful Tahitian beach. It was amazing how different a day could feel when you were with someone you cared about. The day before she had been bored to tears after just a few hours on her own. With London there, she couldn't think of anything else she'd rather do.
But as they sat down to eat, she'd noticed London's misgivings from across the table. She
Jen didn't know what to say so she said nothing. She just waited as he wrapped her in his strong arms.
"I'm sorry, Jen. What I said was cruel and the words should never have left my lips. I shouldn't have even thought them. Will you forgive me? Please?" he asked contritely.
That time she didn't hesitate to answer him.
"I forgive you," she said softly. "You had every right to be angry with me. I left the house knowing that I shouldn't have. And it not only led to my getting hurt but it worried you half to death."
"I understand who you are, Jen. I do. And I know I have to be more patient as you grow and evolve," he sighed.
"You speak as though I'm emerging from a cocoon," she frowned.
"In many ways you are. We all mature and hopefully grow wiser. I am no exception," he said quietly. "And you've been through a lot. I have a good idea of what your life has been like, even more so after our argument. And, as a result, you are changing. Emotionally, mentally and spiritually. You may not realize it but you are. I have to be cognizant of your growth and allow it to happen at its own pace, not at the pace I'd like it to. I lost it because I was so afraid for you. But I shouldn't have spoken as I did. And for that I am very sorry."
Jennifer thought about what he had said. He was right. She was changing. The animosity she held toward her sisters, primarily Beth, was fading as she accepted her own faults. If she took a hard look at herself, she would see a woman who was spoiled, selfish, conceited and arrogant. The rich lifestyle that she'd led had turned her into a person whom people of character wanted nothing to do with. She had accused Beth of being self-righteous when, in reality, it was she who was haughty and pretentious.
She'd been too jealous to be happy for Beth and Tracy because of her own sense of entitlement. She'd been atrocious with them at every turn, refusing to accept the branch that they'd repeatedly extended. But she was beginning to recognize the mistakes she'd made and she wanted to start over. In life and with her sisters. She just hoped they'd want to start over as well.
"I'm sorry too," she whispered. "It was wrong of me to leave the house. You made your wishes very clear and I had agreed to them. It was selfish of me to disregard them and do what I wanted."
"Well, we all make mistakes; even me sometimes," he teased, anxious to return to their typical lighthearted banter.
She frowned at his joke and punched his arm. He laughed and squeezed her gently.
They looked out at the moonbeams reflecting on the ocean. It was so peaceful and serene. And as the soft breeze continued to rock them gently, they drifted off to sleep under the stars.
*****
"Maybe they are coming after me to get you to back off on the project," Jennifer said.
She and London sat on her terrace eating the dinner they'd had delivered. When they'd woken up together that morning, still holding each other in the confined space of the hammock, London had restricted Jennifer to a day of rest. They spent the day lounging around her bungalow, ordering room service and talking about everything from their past lives to London's agricultural project. They were getting to know each other and, in the process, growing closer.
By the time late afternoon had arrived, Jennifer was feeling fine and she and London decided to call room service once again and enjoy another evening looking out at the beautiful Tahitian beach. It was amazing how different a day could feel when you were with someone you cared about. The day before she had been bored to tears after just a few hours on her own. With London there, she couldn't think of anything else she'd rather do.
But as they sat down to eat, she'd noticed London's misgivings from across the table. She
Similar Books
