Chapter 4

Pippa all but skipped down the beach. She had a job! Now she could spend her last dollars without having to worry about tomorrow. While she probably wouldn’t get paid until the end of the week, she’d soon have chinking tips in her pockets.

River’s physique and his knockout smile hadn’t failed to impress her. But the last thing she needed in her life right now was a man. She knew his type and wouldn’t touch someone like him with a ten-foot pole.

Pippa had fallen for and married a sexy, funny, charming playboy just like River four years ago. Daniel had charmed his way into her panties – and those of countless other women. When she’d finally called a halt to their painful marriage, Daniel had shown his true colors during their very own War of the Roses. Their divorce had been an ugly affair full of dirty laundry, exposing her most intimate details to the world, and leaving her heart and ego battered and bruised.

But gone was gone. Now she would concentrate on her future, and that had just taken a turn for the better.

Pippa returned to the room she’d been renting since arriving on the island of Aruba a couple of months ago. She rounded the corner to see the lovely blue house with a white fence and window frames. It gave a beautiful contrast to the red tiles on the roof and the wooden red-brown door.

Pippa stopped cold, her body going rigid. Clothing littered the usually immaculate paved pathway leading up to the detached house. Pippa frowned, and then she gasped as her landlady tossed another armful of things out of Pippa’s window onto the pavement.

“Hey! What are you doing? Those are my belongings,” Pippa hollered, running up to the house.

“You are out of here!” the landlady spat at her.

“I gave you a rent check…” Pippa shook her head.

“… and it bounced higher than one of those bouncy balls my grandkids like to play with.”

Pippa’s pulse throbbed and accelerated. Of course, the check bounced. Daniel, her dog of an ex, had threatened to freeze all of her accounts. Deep within her heart, she’d feared it would happen, although a part of her had hoped it was only an empty threat. She should have taken steps to protect herself, like her lawyer had suggested.

A rain of clothing had blackened her good mood. She picked up her belongings, stuffing everything in the backpack that had also landed on the pavement.

The landlady ranted and cursed in her loud, exuberant Caribbean manner and soon most of the neighbors joined her, watching Pippa’s walk of shame and giving snide comments.

Thanks Daniel, for ruining my life once again. Pippa stood tall and strengthened her resolve, determined to return one day and pay the rent she owed, despite the offensive treatment she’d just received from the livid woman.

Guess I just joined the ranks of the jobless and homeless. Oh wait, I have a job.

Tomorrow she would start working as a barmaid at Crazy Drinks. She was determined to thank River for giving her this chance by over-delivering with stellar performance. She’d be the best barmaid Aruba had ever seen.

River… Pippa had made it a game to guess people’s occupations and she’d become rather good at it. Her new boss surely didn’t look like someone who owned a bar. His strong muscles and broad shoulders implied he did a lot of sports. And his bronze tan indicated that he spent his time outside…on the water, in the waves. A surfing instructor. Or someone who took the tourists on a day tour with a sailing boat. He definitely had the boyish charms of a surfer boy and years ago, she might have fallen for him.

But that was a long time ago, when she still liked being in the water. Pippa shook her head to dispel the frightening thoughts of open water. She had to focus on the present, not dwell on the fears locked deep down in her soul. She couldn’t deal with the trauma of her memories on top of everything else going on in her life.

Her first priority was to find a safe place to stay the night. She hefted the backpack up, slipped her arms through the straps and began a slow walk down the street.

The island was full of tourists who stayed for a week or two, some locals who didn’t mingle much with foreigners and a small crowd of expats working at several temp jobs. She’d try her luck with a girl she’d met a few weeks back.

At the end of the block, she turned right and headed toward a small apartment complex a few blocks away from the beach. Pippa quickened her step as she neared the apartment, her heart hammering against her ribs.

As luck would have it, she spotted her friend riding a bike right toward her. Pippa gave a wave. “Hello, Rosie.”

“Hi! How did it go at the temp agency?” Rosie had been the one to direct her to the employment agency in the first place.

“I’m starting as a barmaid on the beach tomorrow.”

“Wow. Good.” Rosie eyed Pippa’s backpack and then took a guess. “Did you lose your lodging?”

“Unfortunately, yes. It was rather unexpected.”

“Wow. That old scarecrow kicked you out. Do you have someplace to crash tonight?”

“Not really. I can’t afford one of the hotels in town…I thought, if you might…it would be just for tonight,” Pippa stammered, the embarrassment making her ears burn. She had been born into one of the richest families in the States; her father was friends with the President and most everyone in the top ten thousand. And yet, here she was, begging a girl she’d meet two weeks ago to crash on her couch.

“Sure. No problem. Come one in.” Rosie locked her bike and together they walked toward the entrance to the apartment complex.

“Are you sure it won’t be too much trouble?” Pippa asked.

“Nah. Come on up. I’ve never slept on my couch, so I can’t attest to how comfortable it is.”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Pippa said, following Rosie up the stairs and promised herself that she wouldn’t impose on Rosie for more than one night. Hopefully, she’d make enough tips at the beach bar to afford a room at one of the cheap hostels downtown.