The heat hit me from the moment we landed at Grantley Adams International Airport. Fortunately, a car was waiting to take us to our hotel in Bridgetown, and so it was a hop from one air-conditioned environment to another. Acclimatisation could follow. Charles’s family links to Barbados had brought us to the island. It was a problematic part of the family’s history, given a considerable element of their fortune had come fr...

"Wayne," Dr. Brownlee spoke my name, grabbing my attention amidst the group of academics attending the department's drinks party. "Here's someone I want you to meet." Standing beside the imposingly attractive older woman was a tall, lanky African-American man with a medium complexion and startling eyes: one brown, the other blue. "This is Dr. Kenneth Starke. Ken, meet my protégé, Dr. Wayne Wanley." I was flattered that Ad...

Edward disembarked from his private plane into Tulum, Mexico. This was his third and most important visit. It was the one that would define his future. He was getting goosebumps thinking about it. He pulled out his cell phone and sent a text to his wife letting her know he landed safely. He waited patiently in the walkway for her response. As soon as she acknowledged his message with a “Great Baby! Good Luck with your mee...

Part III: Labor Day It's been six months since I last heard from Paolo or Gio. Life has been… well, life. Everyday routines set in, and I have more free time than I've had without the car wash. Still, I struggle to forget what happened and those anxious and exhilarating few weeks. Something Paolo said has stuck in my brain, "Gio is at his day job, shall we say." Funny way of putting it. Like his job is unusual. Much like...

It's been three weeks since the night at the car wash. I am confident Kevin was not the person viewing the security camera; he's been blissfully unaware. But I am anything but blissful. The memory of that night races through my head and the paranoia of precisely who was watching. I need to know. I pull up Gio's number and text, "Hey Gio, hope everything is going well at the car wash. I want to talk. The security camera ha...

Part 1: Breach of Contract It’s Friday at 4:45 pm and I’m finally done with my last meeting of the week. I look at my phone to see six missed calls and two voicemails. I know the number, it’s the woman I sold the car wash to just two weeks ago. My long-term boyfriend Kevin and I owned a successful car wash for seven years as an investment. I’ve been successful in my fitness equipment sales career, but now nearing fifty, I...

It’s your birthday today and I promised to take you downtown where we would search the stores for the perfect gift for you. The weather was warm as we pop into shop after shop. You try on jewelry, scarves – even hats, but nothing really jumps out at you. We continue walking down a side street when we came across a “sex toy store.” And not one of those gross, seedy places you see in the darker corners of town. This was a r...