Chapter 12

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“Are you expecting a call?” Emery's fingers stilled on the phone she had been twiddling for the last couple of minutes at Miles' question.

“Not really.” She mumbled and pushed the phone back inside her purse.

Miles thanked the waitress when she brought their order and turned back to her. “How's your brother?” He asked.

Emery lowered her shake when the question was thrown at her. The operation was successful according to Doctor Hanna but her brother had not woken up yet.

“Stable.” She said simply.

“He will be fine.” Miles assured her.

Emery nodded. The last thing she wanted was to talk about her non-existing family who would still be there with her if she had not pestered them to rush to her graduation. That was Emery's berating anthem whenever the memories hit home.

“Hey.” Miles reached for her hand on the table as if he knew her train of thought. Surprisingly, she didn't pull away. “There are some places I'd like us check out.”

“I would love that.” She returned his smile.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. His hold on her hand seemed to have shut the voices out for the moment. Emery smiled. She pulled her hand back with the same gentleness and turned her attention to her breakfast. Although her appetite was non-existence at the moment, she still took a sip of her shake.

The rest of their breakfast was spent in small talk. Miles made the payment when they were done. Much to Emery's dismay.

“Where do you have in mind?” Emery asked when he led her out of the diner.

“A lot of exciting places but draw my attention if you see anything you like.” Miles's voice rose an octave due to the cacophony of noise from the other pleasure-seekers and street hawkers.

“Come on then.” Emery took his hand and dragged him down the bustling street.

Surprised by her initiative touch, Miles followed behind in a daze like a lost puppy.

“Don't get us lost, young lady.” Miles cautioned when she turned an unfamiliar street but from the amused look she gave him, it was obvious she knew her surroundings.

“I heard they have some of the best handicrafts. Mind if we look around?” She motioned to a line of craft shops.

Miles had barely replied when she led him into a craft store which was crowded with tourists. She seemed enthused about petty things and that did surprise him a bit.

He had toured the Bahamas with his fair share of ladies and most of their favorite places had been the jewelry stores, expensive restaurants and other lavish places in the Caribbean. And since most of them were from affluent homes, he already knew what he was up for so that was never a big deal to him.

Yet still, here was a girl so down to earth. A girl who did not object to having breakfast at a crowded Bahamian restaurant. A girl who dragged him to a craft shop for handicrafts.

To Miles, her simplicity was adorable and beyond any doubt, he deemed himself a lucky man to be spending the next few months with Emery Delado.

“What do you think?” Her voice brought him out of his daydream. “They are beautiful, ain't they?” She showed him two black plaited bracelets.

“It's beautiful.” Miles complimented not the piece of artifact but the girl holding it.

Emery, on the other hand, did not catch onto the indirect meaning of the man's soft-spoken words. She gave him a thumbs up and went back to fanning over the bracelet.

“Come on, Miles, choose something. I will pay.” Emery said eagerly. She pointed to a bunch of colorful bracelets and necklaces and waited for him to make his pick.

Miles couldn't help but chuckle at her offer. She was so adorable. And very funny to even think he would let her pay for her own souvenir much more, his.

“What's funny?” Emery asked. “Oh wait, you think I'm too broke to pay for two pieces of bracelets?” She fixed him with a mock glare.

Miles smiled down at her. “Not exactly. You thinking I'll allow you to pay for the items is what got me laughing.”

Emery rolled her eyes. “I'm paying Dekker and that's final. But hey...” She gave him a cheeky grin and added, “You can always pay when it's something expensive.”

They both chuckled at her response. Emery dragged him further into the shop and engaged him in her great discoveries.

The young couple received stares from someone onlookers but having been at the receiving end of such publicity lately, they turned a blind eye and continued with their shopping.

Miles at a point got tired of Emery's indecisiveness and dragged her out of the shop after she had paid for the items.

“I could have paid for that.” He pressed on.

“Like I said, pay when it's something expensive,” Emery threw over her shoulder and led the way. Though she had no idea where she was going.

“Why are you heading to the harbor?” She burst into laughter when he asked that. “At least know the right way, Delado.” He said playfully and steered her by the shoulders to her right.

“FYI, I did geography in high school.” Emery defended as they resumed their walk down the street.

“Good gracious, who would have thought?” The witty comeback earned Miles a light smack on the arm. He chuckled.

“I'll have you know that I was one of the best students in my batch.” Emery sassed and took the lead again, this time going in the right direction.

Miles wasn't surprised by that declaration. He stared at her retreating back for a second before hurrying after her. The two explored other local stores. They bought more petty yet sentimental objects and continued to bicker over who pays what.

Emery for once felt the joy of being free from the confines of sorrow. As for Miles, let's just say that he enjoyed every second he spent with his fiancée.

At that moment, he was not the young millionaire or notorious Playboy of Manhattan, but just Miles. A young man who was enjoying the gifts of nature in the Caribbean with a free-spirited girl.

After their little look around, Miles arranged for a pickup and took Emery to the Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and conservative center at New Providence Island.

Emery couldn't hold back her excitement when they arrived at the conservative center. The place was breathtaking! With its acres of lush tropical gardens and serene atmosphere, it was like a little paradise.

Unquestionably, she was nature's pet and to say she was happy to see those rescued animals would have been a pedigree.

She could kiss Dekker for bringing her there! Wait, did she just... no way. Emery paused that endearing thought for a moment.

The animals were freaking cute and amazing. Watching in fondness as the flamingos entertain them by marching in formation to commands, Emery's heartbeat a foreign drum.

Miles couldn't wipe off his smile as he stared at her all the while. He had succeeded in lightening her mood.

To finalize their trip for the day, Miles took her to Cable Beach on the north shore of New Providence Island. The sun was still high when they arrived at the bustling beach.

Emery almost stomped her feet for not bringing a swimsuit as she watched some of the indigenous people and tourists bask in the creamy sand while others cool themselves in the sea.

“Why don't you take a seat, I'll go grab us some drinks.” Miles pointed to an empty sunshade behind her. ”Any particular drink?”

Emery shrugged. “You choose.” He nodded and strode away.

Emery made her way to the lounge. She took the alone time to scroll through the numerous pictures she had taken since their tour began.

One picture taken at the conservative center made her heart skip a beat. It was a photo of her and Miles beside a metal birdcage after they had fed the lovely Lorikeets. The lovely older lady who took this picture for her captured the moment perfectly. Miles had reached out to pick pollen off her cheek and the coy smile on her was just priceless.

She may have captured that moment by accident but the picture turned out to be the most beautiful. Emery let out a soft sigh as she browsed through more evidence of a great time spent together.

Maybe this trip will not be as bad as I thought.

“Quite a gentle heart he has. It's a shame you're going to break it.”

Emery spun around in her seat when an unfamiliar voice broke the magic of the moment. A brunette, dressed in a long purple shirt and white embroidered shirt, stared back at her with a measured smile.

For a moment, Emery thought she had been mistaken for someone else but the woman's direct gaze cleared that doubt.

“Excuse me?”

The woman only motioned between Emery and Miles who stood at the crowded bar.

“You have a beautiful soul. Don't let a dying love destroy that.” She had a thick creole accent which added more mystery to her parable.

Emery stared at the retreating back of the stranger as she ambled away. Her long purple skirt twirled around her dusted feet, the jingle of her ankle bracelets chiming with every step she took.

“Here you go.” Miles's words drew her gaze away from the stranger.

“Thanks...” Her voice trailed off. What was that about?

“I saw you talking to one of those psychics. If you can call them that. Pay no heed to her, they can be a handful at times,” Miles said.

Emery nodded. She stared into her cocktail glass and asked, hesitantly, “What do we call this?”

“Switcha. Lemonade in other words.”

In hesitancy, Emery took a sip of the cold sweetened drink. Okay. “Hmm... not bad.”

Miles smiled. “Glad you like it.” He took his seat beside her. “By the way, I called Lewis. He will be here to pick us up in a few minutes.”

“That's fine with me. My muscles ache anyway.” She stirred the ice in her glass with the straw and took another sip of her drink.

“So...” Miles seemed to consider what he was about to say before he went for it. “The Marina cinema is open tomorrow and they take movie requests. What's your favorite movie?”

Emery who was already staring at him almost choked on her lemonade when he asked that. Was he asking her out on a date? Her heart began to thump rapidly as she thought over the question.

However, before Emery could provide an answer, another voice interrupted them.

“I bet it's beauty and the beast if she accepted your proposal.”

Miles almost spat out his goombay smash when a very familiar yet unwelcome voice replied from right behind him.

What the hell was he doing in Nassau of all places?

Miles's fingers tightened around his tumbler when the figure clad in a maroon tailored suit, took the seat on Emery's left.

Among all the available chairs, the conniving man decided to take the one right next to his woman.

With a deep frown, Emery looked from the stranger to her fuming fiance and stamped the troublemaker label on the handsome blond immediately.

“Aren't you going to introduce your best friend to the goddess here?” Dean Clifford asked, his vibrant emerald eyes boring into Miles's sharp blue ones.

“I would have if you mattered.” Miles spewed. He rose from his seat and turned to Emery. “Come on, Em.”

Emery stared wide-eyed at her fiance. She had never seen this side of Miles since they met and his outburst scared her a little.

Seeing the murderous look Miles was still giving the stranger, she scurried to her feet just as Dean also stood up, thus blocking her path.

“I'm Dean Clifford. Nice to meet you. Emery Delado right?” Dean asked.

Dean's not so inquiring tone gave away the fact that he already knew who Emery was. This realization bothered Miles gravely and angered him at the same time.

He knew the extent his ex childhood friend would go to get back at him.

Emery glanced between both men, her apprehension written all over her face. What the hell was going on here?

“Nice to meet you too Mr Clifford.” She did not complete the formality of taking Dean's outstretched hand.

“Em?” Miles called again. She nodded and followed her fiance out of their lounge.

“See you around, Em.” Dean waved at him.

Miles's steps faltered. He looked back in time to see Dean sit in the seat Emery once occupied. The meaning behind that gesture was not lost to him. The guy had got his vengeful eyes set on his fiancée.

Emery grabbed Miles by the arm gently. “He is just trying to get a rise out of you. Let it go.”

Fuck him. Miles heard Emery's exasperated sigh as he stormed back to where Dean sat. He knew Dean. The guy was just as shameless as him. It would take more than a threat to get Dean off his back but that didn't stop Miles.

“You stay the fuck away from her, Clifford or I swear to God-”

“What, Dekker?” Dean scoffed.

“What the fuck do you want now?”

“What do I want?” Dean looked over Miles' shoulder at where Emery stood. “Poor thing doesn't know. Does she?” He chuckled.

Miles' nose flared. “Leave her out of this.”

“You wish, you fucking traitor,” Dean seethed.

“See you around then, Clifford.” Miles strolled back to where his anxious-looking fiancée stood without a second glance at Dean Clifford.

“I can't wait to see your face when I burn your precious little foundation to the ground along with everything you ever cared about.” Dean called after him.

Miles was really glad the jazz and loud chatter of the other patrons drowned out their conversation. Damn Dean Clifford to the pits of hell.

“Come on.” Miles guided Emery out of the beach.

Once they were out of the stranger's sight, Emery asked, “Who was that?”

“An asshole you shouldn't worry about.” Miles curt-said.

“Well that asshole knew who I was, Miles so it's only fair I know who the hell he is,” Emery pressed.

Miles huffed a breath. His phone vibrated in his pants pocket and he fished it out. “Lewis is here.” He motioned to where a familiar car had pulled up. “Let's talk about this when we get back.”

Emery gave a hesitant nod.

The ride back to the hotel was awkwardly silent.


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