Page 7

“Nooo, Daddy, wait!”

“Linnel, wait!”

Colin tossed the rest of the comforter around Coco as he jumped into the legs of the loose pair of jogging pants and donned the t-shirt he brought with him when he returned to watch over Coco as she slept.

He saw from the corner of his eyes as her imposing father came around the corner of the sofa bed at a rate of speed only an enraged overprotective father could do.

Colin put up his hands. “Sir, let us exp—”

Colin was a tall and broad man but Linnel, Coco’s father, grabbed him by the front of his t-shirt and lifted him onto his toes, not breaking a sweat.

He saw Mrs. Hunt round the bed followed by Jackie, and Coco stood on top of the sofa bed, making her way over to his side.

“What do you think you are doing with my daughter?” Her father then tried to shake off his wife, who was pulling on one of his arms.

“Linnel. What do you think you are doing? You are going to put out your back!” Mrs. Hunt shouted.

Jackie took hold of his other arm. “Mr. Hunt, please—”

“Nothing happened, sir. I just stayed the night to make sure my fiancée was going to be okay and wanted for nothing while the medication helped with her migraine.”

“Colin! Gezuz Christ, man.” Coco snapped out.

Her father loosened his grip in surprise.

Everyone else froze in place before he felt a sting on his shoulder.

Wincing, he glanced up to see a furious Coco.

She looked like an angry Greek goddess standing over him with the sheet wrapped around her.

Her braids were loose from the ponytail she’d worn yesterday.

Linnel turned to his daughter, a look of disbelief and confusion gracing his brown features.

“Coco what is this man going on about?”

“I’m sorry. Dad, Mom, I, we—”

“Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, how about we discuss this in Coco’s boardroom. Coco and I can finish dressing. Jackie, can you take them and order us coffee—”

Coco’s father head whipped back around to give him an ice-cold stare. “We are not going anywhere until my daughter answers my question.”

“Coco is this true?” Colin looked toward the concerned Mrs. Hunt. Her dark brown eyes swept between him, Coco, and her husband.

“Yes, Mom and Dad, I agreed to marry him.” Coco said into the tense silence. Colin saw her begin to rub her temples again.

Colin tried again. “Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, let us take this discussion into Coco’s boardroom and talk about this.”

“I cannot believe—” Her father started.

“Linnel, let’s go to the boardroom and cool down. We can get our answers once they have finished getting ready.” Mrs. Hunt’s voice was subdued; she did not look at Colin.

“I—” Linnel opened his mouth a look of stubbornness reflected on his face, a reminder of where Coco got it from.

“Coco’s rubbing her temples, love.” Mrs. Hunt gaze was on her daughter, a look of concern on her face.

Everyone’s eyes now turned to Coco, and she gave them a weak smile.

Linnel took a deep breath; his burly chest expanded, and he nodded.

“This way.” Jackie, who had been quiet during the whole exchange, finally spoke.

Both Hunts turned to follow, but then Mrs. Hunt walked back to Coco, who leaned down and embraced her mom, giving her a kiss. “Hi Mom.”

“Hi sweetheart,” she said warmly, but also sounding tired to Colin’s ears.

Then her eyes met his; she looked at him assessingly before returning to her husband and taking his hand. They followed Jackie’s lead, and passed her at the door.

Once her parents exited, he felt the cold fury of Coco’s best friend and once his eyes met hers, she threatened, “I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but Coco, you know I have your back and will help you bury a bitch if I have to.”

“Noted.” He said with a chuckle.

She made a face of disgust and rolled her eyes.

“You are going to have to go out and get coffee, Colin, and green tea for Mrs. Hunt. Cafeteria is closed as it is a Saturday.” Her grip on the door handle tightened.

“I will leave you a list on my desk on what to get for the Hunts, myself and Coco. You can grab it off the reception desk when you are finished getting dressed.”

Colin’s eyebrows rose at Jackie’s bossy nature, but he wasn’t surprised; she was like this in school too, always giving orders during assignments to her class partners.

Jackie finally left them alone to guide the Hunts down a corridor. Before they left his sight, he turned back in time to catch Coco in his arms. She’d tripped on the sheet trying to move off the bed.

They both uttered a small grunt when she hit his chest. Colin’s arms wrapped around her, holding her warmth against him.

He could feel his body reacting again to the feminine curves against his muscles.

And when she wiggled to get free, he lowered his mouth to hers and gave her a gentle kiss, pulling back to see her eyes widened in surprise.

“What was that for?” She asked, her voice now raspy.

“For saying yes. You will not regret this.”

She scowled at his reminder.” Well, we will see when we tell my parents.”

He nodded grimly and released her. “Go take a shower and I will get breakfast and coffee and maybe something stronger to drink for me and your parents.” The last part he kept under his breath.

He was going to use this time to think of something that would allow her father to agree to all this. How hard could it be?

He got his answer after coming back to Coco’s office and sitting across from her and her parents.

For the second time that day, Coco’s dad came at him like an angry bull.

“Linnel!”

“Dad!”

Coco turned her angry expression on him as she rose to get in between the two of them.

Okay, maybe trying to bribe him wasn’t the way to go because not only did he piss off Mr. Hunt but also Coco; he could see from her expression that she was ready to tell him no again and back out from the obvious anger from her parents.

“I am sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Hunt. I should not have said that, and I know better.” Colin adjusted his approach, keeping his tone contrite.

“From what I know of you both, you are an accomplished and admired family in Barbados and that Mr. Hunt is recognized for his past playing cricket professionally.”

Colin admired that Mr. Hunt had set up a boy’s junior cricket team for the youth there and raised money every year to keep the club open. He continued, “I just thought donating money would help to continue to grow your charity work and the club.”

“Except it is not a donation but a damn bribe. Not at the cost of my daughter’s freedom!” Linnel countered, standing back at the behest of his loved ones. Colin raised his hands in a peace gesture.

Mr. Hunt then turned to his daughter. “You said you would only go through with this as long as I agree to this.”

Colin felt a knot in his stomach and in his head, his thoughts shouted, No I’m so close to getting what I want .

“Linnel, wait, let’s go outside for a second. I need to talk to you.”

“What? You want to talk now about what, Vye?” Linnel stared at his wife, hard.

“Watch your tone with me, Linnel, or you will be on the couch in the hotel room tonight.” Mrs. Hunt narrowed her eyes at her husband.

Colin sensed something passed between them without Mrs. Hunt saying a word.

It seems his sense was correct, as Mr. Hunt nodded, glared unhappily at Colin, then followed his wife.

He turned to look at Coco in surprise.

“What just happened?”

“You are witnessing a couple that have been together for thirty years and truly love each other that they can communicate with just a look.” She smiled and continued.

“I hope to have that one day with my husband.” Her eyes shining, then dimming when she took in his expression, remembering that she’d just agreed to marry him without being in love with him.

“Coco—”

Her watch beeped and she glanced down.

“Oh good, Jackie has my mother’s suitcase from the airport and is on her way back.”

“Oh goody.” He said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

He’d been glad when he came back from getting breakfast, coffee, and tea for Mrs. Hunt and found out the reason that they’d come to the office early looking for Coco before checking into their hotel was because one of Mrs. Hunts suitcases had not come off the conveyer belt.

Jackie brought them here to see Coco while she returned to go and find out what happened to it, but all was forgotten when they came upon Colin and Coco in her office.

“What is your beef with Jackie?” Coco bristled in defence of her best friend.

“Nothing. You need to ask her what her beef with me and Abbott is.”

Coco raised her eyebrows. “What happened when I left high school to go be with my grandmother?”

“Nothing as far as I know; she had a couple of choice words for me, and I didn’t deny it. She tried to make my life a living hell but then stopped abruptly and then she would just glare at me instead until we graduated.”

“Hmmm, surprised she didn’t dig a hole for you to fall into.” Coco grinned, then tilted her head in question. “What do you mean by beef with Abbott?”

He shrugged. “I happened upon them one day in the hallway, with her in the process of pushing him away. She glanced up and saw me, then walked away in a hurry with her books. Abbott stepped to follow her, and I called him to see what was going on. I asked about it and he said it was nothing. He claimed he was trying to find out how you were doing and your grandmother.”

Colin moved toward her. “How is your grandmother doing now?”

Coco’s face softened at the mention of her grandmother.

“She is doing well now; the scare we had was that she wasn’t taking care of herself and her insulin and almost lost her foot and sight.

It finally made her realize that her diabetes was serious.

She has changed her diet and now runs the sunup walking club for seniors and they keep each other accountable and check in on each other every day that way. ”