have other jobs?”
Marek flashed a smile and nodded, “Playing reggae don’t pay the bills, Carm. Don’t you worry about Landon, he’s the best pilot in the Caribbean. Before he came down here he was a chopper pilot in the U.S. Coast Guard. I trust him with my life.”
Landon leaned around in his seat and grinned, “Just don’t trust me with the ladies, ain’t that right Bro?”
Marek laughed. Landon was a smooth talker with the ladies all right. “Get us in the air, mon and stop embarrassing Carm.”
Marek watched Carm shift uncomfortably as Landon turned his dimples on her and wiggled his eyebrows. The man was a menace.
Landon turned back in his seat and said into the headphones, “Fasten your seatbelts, ladies and gentlemen. It’s time for takeoff.”
Marek watched Carm closely as the helicopter lifted into the air. Her eyes were wide as saucers and she’d reached over and gripped his hand, hers trembling lightly. He could tell she was unnerved by the shifts and dips the chopper took as it leveled into the air. Hoping to turn her attention Marek yelled, “It’s a beautiful flight, Carm.”
She jumped and let go of his hand. Looking at him Carm frowned and tapped her headpiece. “You don’t have to yell, Marek. I hear you just fine.”
Marek feigned a look of sheepishness, as if he hadn’t done it one purpose. “Sorry about that, cheri . I thought you’d like a little tour guide.”
Carm shook her head. “What I want is for you to tell me what we’re doing and when we’re going to fix our little personal problem as well.”
“We’ll go see Big Bubba when we get back tomorrow. See what he knows and find out if his ceremony was actually even legal. He got ordained through the internet a year or so back so that he could make a few more bucks by luring drunken tourists into tying the knot. At least he said he was ordained. We’ll find out tomorrow if he’s legit or scamming everyone.” Landon laughed into the headphones reminding Marek he could hear everything. He knew Landon was enjoying himself on Marek’s behalf. He couldn’t really blame him because he knew if the tables were turned he’d be laughing his ass off right now.
He’d get even with him later though, but right now he had Carm’s full attention and he noticed some color had seeped back into her face. Marek wanted to keep her mind occupied so she wouldn’t freak out. When he saw her eyes drift out the window and her hand tightly gripped his again, Marek rushed to turn her attention back on him.
“You wanted to know why we’re going to St. Kitts. It’s simple really. My father owned acres of unused land high up the mountain down there. There’s some huge tax breaks given to companies that do business there, so I’ve taken advantage of that and the high elevation to start a new breed of organic shade coffee there.”
Carm looked at him in confusion, “Don’t you grow coffee on Tortola?”
“I do, that’s the coffee your sister buys. This new coffee, however, will be very unique and exclusive. The higher the elevation is that the coffee is grown in, the better the quality. High elevation produces a better environment for the coffee and shade grown is better than sun grown, although some will argue that fact. I’m combining all the best elements with these new plants and will produce one of the most exclusive, high end coffees available on the market.”
Understanding dawned on her and Carm nodded, “So you want to cut Kate in on this deal? Give her some of this coffee?”
Marek affirmed his intent with a nod. Carm gave his hand that she was holding a squeeze and remained silent. He didn’t miss the moisture in her eyes, however.
Giving her hand a responding squeeze, Marek turned his head and gazed out at the clear aqua water below them. That odd, aching clutch in his chest began again at the sight of Carmen’s unshed tears.
It was
Marek flashed a smile and nodded, “Playing reggae don’t pay the bills, Carm. Don’t you worry about Landon, he’s the best pilot in the Caribbean. Before he came down here he was a chopper pilot in the U.S. Coast Guard. I trust him with my life.”
Landon leaned around in his seat and grinned, “Just don’t trust me with the ladies, ain’t that right Bro?”
Marek laughed. Landon was a smooth talker with the ladies all right. “Get us in the air, mon and stop embarrassing Carm.”
Marek watched Carm shift uncomfortably as Landon turned his dimples on her and wiggled his eyebrows. The man was a menace.
Landon turned back in his seat and said into the headphones, “Fasten your seatbelts, ladies and gentlemen. It’s time for takeoff.”
Marek watched Carm closely as the helicopter lifted into the air. Her eyes were wide as saucers and she’d reached over and gripped his hand, hers trembling lightly. He could tell she was unnerved by the shifts and dips the chopper took as it leveled into the air. Hoping to turn her attention Marek yelled, “It’s a beautiful flight, Carm.”
She jumped and let go of his hand. Looking at him Carm frowned and tapped her headpiece. “You don’t have to yell, Marek. I hear you just fine.”
Marek feigned a look of sheepishness, as if he hadn’t done it one purpose. “Sorry about that, cheri . I thought you’d like a little tour guide.”
Carm shook her head. “What I want is for you to tell me what we’re doing and when we’re going to fix our little personal problem as well.”
“We’ll go see Big Bubba when we get back tomorrow. See what he knows and find out if his ceremony was actually even legal. He got ordained through the internet a year or so back so that he could make a few more bucks by luring drunken tourists into tying the knot. At least he said he was ordained. We’ll find out tomorrow if he’s legit or scamming everyone.” Landon laughed into the headphones reminding Marek he could hear everything. He knew Landon was enjoying himself on Marek’s behalf. He couldn’t really blame him because he knew if the tables were turned he’d be laughing his ass off right now.
He’d get even with him later though, but right now he had Carm’s full attention and he noticed some color had seeped back into her face. Marek wanted to keep her mind occupied so she wouldn’t freak out. When he saw her eyes drift out the window and her hand tightly gripped his again, Marek rushed to turn her attention back on him.
“You wanted to know why we’re going to St. Kitts. It’s simple really. My father owned acres of unused land high up the mountain down there. There’s some huge tax breaks given to companies that do business there, so I’ve taken advantage of that and the high elevation to start a new breed of organic shade coffee there.”
Carm looked at him in confusion, “Don’t you grow coffee on Tortola?”
“I do, that’s the coffee your sister buys. This new coffee, however, will be very unique and exclusive. The higher the elevation is that the coffee is grown in, the better the quality. High elevation produces a better environment for the coffee and shade grown is better than sun grown, although some will argue that fact. I’m combining all the best elements with these new plants and will produce one of the most exclusive, high end coffees available on the market.”
Understanding dawned on her and Carm nodded, “So you want to cut Kate in on this deal? Give her some of this coffee?”
Marek affirmed his intent with a nod. Carm gave his hand that she was holding a squeeze and remained silent. He didn’t miss the moisture in her eyes, however.
Giving her hand a responding squeeze, Marek turned his head and gazed out at the clear aqua water below them. That odd, aching clutch in his chest began again at the sight of Carmen’s unshed tears.
It was
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