Page 51 of What Happens in Paradise

‘It’s been a long day. I need to get some sleep.’

I literally sprinted out of the kitchen and out into the cool air, walking back to my room in a daze.

Alejandro had said that if I was with him, he’d worship me and give me the world.

His facial expression was serious. He looked like he meant every word and if I was being honest, I believed him.

Which only made me like him more.

I was in big trouble.

And I didn’t know how the hell I was going to get myself out of it.

17

ALEJANDRO

I took the cake out of the oven and ground my jaw.

This whole situation was so frustrating. Before, I had my doubts, but now I was certain that Jasmine liked me. I could tell from the way that she looked at me and the things she said when she let her guard down.

Jasmine felt the sparks between us, but still she insisted that she felt nothing at all.

I understood her concerns about what Hazel could say and how it could affect her career. It was important that I was careful too. I did not take this lightly. It was not just my future at stake.

Evita already spent too many hours working part-time. She needed to focus on her studies and the money I sent allowed her to do that.

Lola could not afford to help out. She already struggled to pay her bills.

My sisters relied on me. I could not let them down.

After pouring the fresh pineapple juice over the cake, I sat down, turned off the music, then called Lola. She would help me to make sense of this difficult situation.

The phone rang out. I was about to hang up when she answered.

‘Hello? What’s wrong?’ Lola croaked like she’d just woken up.

‘Mierda!’ I winced. ‘Sorry. I forgot about the time difference. Everything is fine. I will let you go back to bed.’

‘You’ve woken me up now, so talk!’

‘What time is it there?’

‘Five in the morning.’

‘Sorry.’

‘How’s Jamaica?’

‘Beautiful,’ I said.

‘Looks like it! The photos you sent made me well jel.’

‘Jel?’ I frowned.

‘It’s slang for jealous over here. And you lookedverycosy with Jasmine in that Dunn’s River Falls picture. Has she finally given in to your charms?’

‘Not exactly. But now I do believe that she likes me.’

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