AllFreeNovel
Share Us
PROLOGUE
Maxwell stood in the bow of the boat, enjoying the feeling of the wind in his hair, the spray of salty water on his skin, and took a deep breath of the humid air, the feeling that he was coming home washing over him. As the island came into view, the sensation only grew until he was filled with the kind of contentment and satisfaction that he rarely felt anywhere else on Earth. Knowing deep down that he’d made the right decision, even if all his friends and family thought he’d lost his mind, he looked at the resort he’d spent the last year building, a pleased smile spreading across his face.
When Mateo stepped up next to him, he tried to ignore the other man’s presence, not wanting anything to spoil the moment, but the weight of the man’s eyes eventually forced him to turn away from the view he’d come to love. A pair of piercing dark eyes regarded him for a moment more before Mateo turned to look at the beach where the new dock gleamed brightly in the tropical sunlight, only one of the improvements he’d made to the coast of the small island.
“I know what you’re thinking. Let’s not have this discussionagain,” he finally said. “I’ve heard it all before and it hasn’t changed my mind, and it certainly won’t now. I’ve done my best to assure you that the island will still be the paradise that it’s always been. I don’t know what else I can do to convince you that I’ll treat this place with the respect that it deserves.”
Mateo shrugged. “I don’t think there’s anything that would make me truly happy except for you to leave. This island isn’t a vacation paradise. It’s a sacred and special place to the people of Barbados,” he said. “You don’t belong here, and your rich friends don’t belong here, but the government has decided the money you offered them was more important than the people of this country.”
“If it hadn’t been me, it would have been someone else, and they might not have cared as much as I do about protecting the environment,” he said. “This island is important to me, Mateo, I don’t want to see it ruined either. There’s something special about it, something that draws me to it.”
Mateo looked over at him, his eyes searching his face, his dark skin glistening with perspiration in the heat. “You’re under its spell,” Mateo said, shaking his head. “I warned you when you started all this that the island is a strange and wondrous place. No man should try to tame it, there’s no telling what might happen.”
“Enough of your doom and gloom. The island is a beautiful place and nothing more,” he said. “I don’t believe in superstition or legends. This is nothing but a piece of land. It doesn’t live and breathe; it doesn’t have a will of its own or the power to influence people. I appreciate the warning, but you’re wasting your time. Heart of the Ocean belongs to me, at least for the next fifty years. I’m going to open my resort, and nothing you can say will scare me away.”
CHAPTER 1
***THEO***
Theo stepped off the boat onto the dock, still trying to comprehend what he was seeing, his expectations much different than the reality of what lay before him in the sparkling bay of the island. When Max told him that he’d finally gone through with his crazy plan to buy an island in the Caribbean and turn it into a vacation paradise, he’d been sure that his friend had lost his mind. Now, standing on the shore and looking at what Max had accomplished, he began to wonder if he’d been wrong and if his friend’s crazy plan might not be so crazy after all.
Barely aware of his luggage being unloaded behind him, he looked up at the hillside dotted with simple cabins perched up in the trees, the black solar panels on the roofs a contrast to the green of the trees around them. Behind them, a towering mountain stretched into the clouds, a testament to the area's volcanic history, but what really drew his eye was the bustling area just past the beach. Huts made of local material were arranged in a big open circle facing the water, and even from so far away, he caught the mouthwatering aroma of something wonderful, and his stomach began to growl.
“If you’re ready to go, I’ve got your luggage unloaded, Mr. Mayhew,” Pierce, the young man who’d met him in Barbados, said. “I’m sure Mr. St. Clair will be along any minute, but you might be more comfortable waiting up in the village for him.”
“If that’s where that wonderful smell is coming from, I’m all for it,” he said, grabbing a couple of bags. “Lead the way.”
“I can do that, sir,” Pierce said. “Just leave the bags for me.”
“I think I can manage to carry my own luggage,” he said, smiling at Pierce. “But thanks for the offer.”
They climbed the short distance up to the little village in silence, his mind still reeling from what he was seeing, but he found himself looking forward to the next two weeks for the first time since Max had invited him. He’d expected a sleek resort with swimming pools, fancy restaurants, trendy bars, and opulent guest rooms, but that wasn’t what he was seeing, leaving him feeling pleasantly surprised.
“Well, what do you think?” Max asked, interrupting his thoughts as he walked up. “I can see by the look on your face that this wasn’t what you were expecting. Are you up to roughing it for a few weeks?”
“As long as I get to eat whatever that is I smell cooking, I think I can manage,” he said, then gave his friend a big hug. “Why didn’t you tell me? This is nothing like I imagined it would be, it’s……well……I don’t know, better.”
Max laughed, “There are a million fancy island resorts around the world. I wanted to do something different,” he said, spreading his arms wide. “I wanted to give my guests a true island experience, but that means giving up a few comforts, so it’s not for everyone.”
“I can’t wait for you to show me around, but right now, I’m starving, and the smell of that food is driving me crazy,”he said. “I don’t suppose I could talk you into buying me some lunch?”
“You got it, food first, tour second,” Max said, grinning at him. “You’re in for a real treat. I managed to hire one of the best chefs in the islands to oversee all of the food. We feature local food, but if you’re in the mood for some good old American cooking, we’ve got that covered, too.”
“Surprise me,” he said, looking eagerly toward the huts and the fragrant smoke rising into the air. “I don’t care what we eat as long as you feed me.”
By the time they’d finished the meal, the magic of the island was already working on him, and he felt more relaxed than he had in a long time. “I’ve got to hand it to you, this is much better than any fancy beachside restaurant,” he said. “You might have something special here after all.”
“You doubted me,” Max said, looking offended. “Haven’t you learned by now that once I make up my mind about something, it’s going to happen? I can’t take all the credit though; the island is doing most of the work. It’s a little difficult not to relax when you’re surrounded by this kind of beauty.”
“Speaking of beauty,” he said, nodding at the dock. “There’s a boat coming in right now with a pretty blonde sitting in the bow.”
“Oh, that must be my next guest,” Max said, jumping to his feet. “That’s strange. I thought there were supposed to be two of them, but either way, I need to get down to the dock and do my thing. Will you be okay here on your own for a few minutes?”
“Tell you what, if my bags will be okay here, I’ll go down there with you,” he said, glancing at the boat again. “I need to walk off all that food.”
“Theo, you don’t fool me for a second,” Max said,shaking his head. “I know what’s going through that head of yours. You might want at least get unpacked before you start scouting out your next conquest.”
“I’m hurt that’s what you think of me, I’ll have you know I’ve grown up since college,” he said. “I don’t chase women anymore. I let them chase me, and it’s a lot more fun. I just wanted to go for a little walk on the beach while you’re busy.”
