I turned my body and held my phone camera up to take a selfie with the waterfall behind me. I snapped the picture and then texted it back to Amelia.
A few moments later, she texted back.Put James in the photo too.
I typed back.James isn't with me.
I waited for a text response, but when one didn't come back immediately, I figured she’d gotten busy with something else. Or perhaps she was calling James.
As I moved to put my phone in my pocket, it rang. My caller ID saidAmelia.
I poked the answer button.
"What do you mean James isn’t with you? Where is he?"
I sighed. I hated that the elements of our fake marriage were intruding on this precious moment I was having in nature. "He's working."
"Working? Well, send me something from yesterday. What did you guys do yesterday?"
"He worked yesterday. I went to the beach and went shopping. We went to dinner at a lovely restaurant. I have a picture of the view but not of us." I watched as a couple of children put their feet in the pool of water at the base of the waterfall. When I finished the call, I’d walk to the water and put my feet in too.
"What the hell? We need pictures of the two of you enjoying your honeymoon."
"I'll see what I can do. He's determined to use this time to plot and plan everything he needs to do to secure his leadership in the company."
"And by doing that, he's going to totally ruin this whole marriage deal. The proof of the marital bliss is in the pictures, Reyna."
I wasn't sure what she expected me to do. "I will pass along your message and do what I can. But I'm not his mother. I can't make him do something he doesn’t want to do."
She was quiet for a moment. "Is he being a jerk?"
I pushed a wisp of hair out of my face, trying to decide how truthful I wanted to be. "He's being James. He has tunnel vision, a singular focus, and everything else has to step aside."
She swore under her breath. "Okay. If you get a chance to get some pictures, send them. And have fun, Reyna. Someone should."
I was relieved that she understood. "That's my intention."
After putting my feet in the cool, clear water, I headed back down the path. I called for another car and had the driver drop me off near a restaurant close to our hotel. I ordered sushi and took it across the street to the beach to have my lunch. When I finished, I went back to the restaurant and picked up food for James and returned to our suite.
He wasn't at the table, and I wondered if he went to work out. But his laptop was gone. Movement outside captured my attention. Apparently, he’s gone out to the terrace to work. I suppose it was a small step toward taking advantage of this beautiful place we were in.
I went out to the terrace to give him lunch and let him know I was back.
He checked his watch. "It's lunch already?"
"Yep. I've already eaten, so I’m going inside to change for the beach."
His jaw tightened, and I imagined he was thinking of the bikini I'd been in yesterday.
"I bought a new suit, so don't have a stroke." I turned to go back in, but his hand wrapped around my wrist, sending unwelcome tingles through my arm.
"Are you angry?"
I sighed and turned to look at him. "I'm not angry. I suppose I'm annoyed, but I need to get over that. In fact, I am over that. I'm in this spectacular place, and I'm going to soak up every moment of it."
He studied me for a moment and then nodded. "Good." He released my hand and turned back to his computer.
As I reached the door, I remembered Amelia's call. "By the way, Amelia called me. She wants us to take some pictures of us looking like we're having fun on our honeymoon."
He didn’t turn to me, but I imagined he was rolling his eyes. "What did you tell her?"