The Promise of Love Read online

  The path broke open onto the building site, which was overflowing with people. There was movement and action all around me, and it excited me even more. Everyone was clearly very busy, and a moment was never wasted. The energy in the place was inspiring. There were local villagers around, sitting and watching the volunteers building. It looked as if they were checking out the new people coming and going. The local villagers looked happy, as if they loved the new visitors coming in to change things and hopefully make them better.

  I stood on the edge of everything, watching as volunteers unpacked and sorted through the supplies I had sent. I was impressed to see they already had the school’s frame well underway. It was already starting to look like something. I felt pride for the camp and what they had accomplished in such a short amount of time, and now I would be part of it. I was going to be able to make a difference, and that was all that mattered to me. As far as I was concerned, the media could kiss my ass. There was no way anyone could believe that I was involved in poisoning the ocean—it truly was ludicrous.

  “Mr. Donovan, welcome to the site! We are so happy to have you.”

  I was startled by a voice beside me and I turned to find a rather pale-looking man. Considering we were in Africa, I was shocked that anyone could remain pale skinned, but sure enough, the man had the pallor of a vampire. His cheeks, however, were flushed, which gave the indication that maybe he just didn’t do that well in the heat and hot temperatures. It was a mystery, however, as to why his skin just didn’t tan or at least burn. Instead it looked like it lacked almost all color. I put on a warm smile and shook the sweaty palm of the man in front of me.

  “Hello, are you the man in charge? I just got here and thought I would take a look around.”

  “Yes I am, as a matter of fact. The name is Paul, and it is quite a pleasure to meet you. Everyone is so excited that you have decided to join us in our ventures. We couldn’t be more grateful for the supplies you sent us. It was very generous of you. As you can see, we are well on our way to having a school, thanks to you.”

  “The pleasure is all mine, and yes, I did notice that. It looks great and I’m glad to have helped. And please, call me Ben. There is no need to be formal.”

  “Indeed you are right about that. I am head of the project here, and if there is anything that you require, please come and see me. We have many projects going, all of which are running smoothly. I’ve been in Africa for over a year now running various projects all over the continent through the very company that you contacted in order to join us here. Were you able to get settled in the cabin?”

  “Yes, it’s great, thank you. I’m looking forward to getting involved here. I don’t think I’ll be able to stay as long as you have, but I’ll do my best for as long as I’m here,” I said with a chuckle.

  “Great, that’s all good news. Again, we are grateful that you have come to help. There is certainly much to do.”

  “I wasn’t sure if you needed me to start up today or if I would begin in the morning. It’s been a taxing day of travel.”

  “That’s totally up to you. Now, what kind of work are you interested in?”

  I took a look around. Since my arrival to the site, I felt invigorated and decided to get going right away; there was no need to wait until the morning. Besides, I would only be putting a few hours in before the site shut down for the day and people went off to dinner.

  “I’m at your disposal, and I think I’d like to do some work today after all. I’m okay with getting dirty as well—you don’t need to give me any special treatment.”

  Paul laughed. “Good man. That’s what I like to hear. How are you with using a hammer?”

  “Great. Just show me what you need.”

  Just then there was a tugging on my leg, and I looked down to see a little girl with chocolate-brown eyes. She was tugging on my pant leg trying to get my attention. She was very skinny, though she didn’t appear to be malnourished in any way. I smiled down at her and said, “Hi there, how are you?” The girl smiled back up at me, and I wasn’t sure if she understood me at all.

  “This is one of our most frequent visitors. Plenty of the children from the nearby villages wander over from time to time. Everyone is very excited that the school is being built, for obvious reasons.”

  “Do they not have a school?”

  “They do and you will see more children filter through during their breaks, but the school is rundown. If there is ever a hard rain, the school floods, and it’s not nearly big enough for the number of children in it. They need an upgrade, and this school will mean the ability to learn without worrying about the school falling apart around them. So yes, I believe this little one should be in school, but they get so excited that some venture over whether they are allowed to or not.”

  I chuckled. “That’s fine by me. I’m looking forward to visiting the villages and meeting everyone.”

  “I’m sure that they would love that. Come with me.”

  I followed Paul over to a group of people that he introduced me to. It was obvious by the looks they were giving me that they all knew that I was the billionaire funding the project. Not that it bothered me; I would win them over eventually. I just needed to have faith in the situation. I was used to that treatment wherever I went even in the Upper East Side. People treat you differently when you’re rich. I was considered one of the elite, and usually everyone wanted a piece of me in more ways than one. But in New York, I was treated with respect automatically. In places like Africa on a job site, I needed to earn the respect first.

  It was no big deal though. I was confident that in a few days they would see me as I really was and warm up to me. I was no snob, and they would see that soon enough.

  “Now that you’ve met everyone, Ben, how about we put you to work?”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  The people were smiling around me, but I knew they were anxious to see if I could actually do hard labor. What they didn’t know was that my grandfather used to be a farmer, and I often helped him out on the weekends when I didn’t have school. I hadn’t always had a privileged life; I had worked hard to get where I am. I followed Paul to where all the tools were being stored. I was handed a hammer and a few boxes of nails.

  “You can start over there and work with that group. They’ll show you exactly what to do. I’ll check on you in a bit, okay?”

  “Great, and thanks a lot.” I headed to the group, who showed me how they were framing the school. I got to work immediately, hammering nails into the structure, creating a frame as we went along.

  There was no doubt about it, the work was truly soul-cleansing, and I knew that going there had been a great idea indeed. The hard work was exactly what I needed to exorcise my demons. I took out all my pent-up aggression on those boards, nailing them in deeper and deeper. I knew I was where I was supposed to be, and when the work was done, I would have a clear head and know exactly what was to be done about my company and the people in it. All the pain and anger from the past week were going into the boards, and I started to feel a weight being lifted off me. By the time Paul came back to retrieve me, we had completely finished the framing of the school, and it looked amazing.

  I stood up and joined the people staring at the hard work from the day. I was sweating buckets, but I felt alive for the first time in a long time.

  “Great job, everyone. This looks great,” I said.

  There were lots of high fives and slaps on the back to go around for everyone. They were all pretty proud of the performance that day, and I couldn’t blame them. It was amazing what you could do when you had people working together as a team to get a job done. That was a perfect example right there.

  As I looked around, I had a great idea. Why not end off my first day there with a bang, something that would make everyone feel wonderful for all the work that was put in that day.

  “Excuse me, everyone. It would be my honor if you would all join me at my cabin for dinner tonight. Arrangements have
been made for a great spread to be there tonight, and I would love it if you would all join me in having a celebration feast for a job well done. You deserve it, and I hope to see you all there. If the food isn’t enough to get you there, I also have alcohol.”

  There was collective laughter all around, and the sound of it pleased me greatly. They all started to cheer, which made me laugh. “Okay, let’s meet at my cabin in an hour. I need to wash off all this sweat.”

  The crowd started to part, and I made my way back toward the pathway when I was stopped by a kid who couldn’t have been more than nineteen. I had been introduced to him before; his name might have been Jeff.

  “Hi, Ben. I was just wondering, since you invited us all to dinner and all…”

  “Yes?”

  “Well, there is another site, the one where they are putting up the hospital. We all usually get together for dinner at the end of the day. Would it be okay if I invited them as well?”

  “Of course. We’re all in this together after all. I say the more, the merrier.”

  The kid smiled brightly. “Thanks, man. You are one pretty cool guy.”

  “Yeah, thanks,” I said with a laugh.

  3

  Chapter Three

  Ben

  There were plenty of tables set outside the cabin, and most of them were filled with food from the nearest town. Everything was hot and smelled fantastic. No one was late, probably because you could smell the food for miles and everyone was famished after a hard day’s work. I walked around and personally introduced myself to everyone. I wanted them to feel at home with me and not feel like it was a formal affair.

  As I was making my rounds, my eyes caught sight of a beautiful woman, her skin lightly tanned. She was easily the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, and her beauty appeared to be natural. She had long, curly red hair tied up in a messy bun that looked sexier than if she had it curled for a gala event. Even from a distance, I could tell she had startling green eyes that seemed to draw in people all around her. She had pouty, sensual lips that looked like they were just begging to be kissed. She looked exotic, though I knew her to be an American as well. She was breathtaking, and it took all my effort to not just stand there and stare at her.

  I couldn’t tell her age, not that it really mattered to me. All I was able to focus on was how her smile seemed to light up the whole area. Who was that beautiful creature? She must have been from the hospital site because I knew I would have remembered her from my own site. I probably would have followed her around all day. She was with a few friends, chatting amiably and looking around at the feast in amazement.

  She was tall and had the build of a professional dancer. I knew I had to try to focus on something else because I was having a hard time taking my eyes off her. She was a stunner, and yet all she wore was cargo pants and a tank top. Even in her plain clothes she could knock the socks off any high-society girl from New York. She was eyeing up the food with her friends, and I was suddenly more pleased than ever that I had arranged the whole thing. The volunteers probably hadn’t eaten that well in a while, and I may not have had the chance to meet the girl had I not arranged such a dinner. Whether or not the groups collided in their work, I didn’t know, but this event allowed me to make my own introductions to her. I wasn’t about to waste any time getting to know her; I didn’t want anyone else swooping in before I had the chance to speak with her.

  I moved toward her immediately, almost knocking down a few volunteers in the process.

  “So sorry,” I muttered as I made my way through the crowd.

  The closer I got to her, the more beautiful she became—if that were possible. I slowly approached the group she was in as they were gathering up food on their plates. I was close enough to touch her, and I could smell her perfume. It was like sandalwood, and the smell made me want to pull her close to me.

  “Hi there. Would you guys care for something to drink?”

  She turned to me and smiled, and that was the best gift I could have been given that day. Her eyes sparkled when she smiled, and it took all my willpower not to pull her in for a kiss. Those lips—I wanted to claim them. I had never reacted in such a way around a woman. I was usually very cool about talking to women, but this one made me think only of my bedroom and what I could do to her there.

  “Hi. Ben, is it? We’ve heard a lot about you. Thank you for inviting us to this party. Everything looks delicious. I’m Katie and I work with the AIDS education initiative. We help people in the villages all around here.”

  So she wasn’t from the other building site. Well, the more, the merrier was what I liked to say. I welcomed all the volunteers to come.

  “Katie, that’s a pretty name. I’m glad that you could come, all of you.”

  She blushed and I liked the way her cheeks reddened. It made her even more beautiful.

  “I’m famished. I was so thrilled to find out we had a place to go where there was already food ready. I don’t even know where to begin.”

  “Oh, you are very welcome. Food has also been sent to the villages. They should enjoy the festivities as well.”

  She smiled widely. “Well, that’s very sweet of you. I’m sure a hearty meal will do everyone good.” She was looking at me with interest, and I wondered if anyone would notice if I snatched her away. I wanted to bring her into the cabin and touch every inch of her.

  “Oh, it was nothing. I’m happy to do it.”

  We stared at each other for a moment, and I wondered if she was feeling the same way that I was. There was a current of electricity charging through my body with her being in such close proximity. It was like we were the only two people there. I didn’t even care to talk to anyone else but her. She captivated me, and I wanted to put my mouth on her, badly. She was staring back at me unwaveringly, and I had to wonder if she was having some dirty thoughts herself.

  “Well, it was really nice to meet you, Katie.”

  I held out my hand, and she took it. I shook her hand for an inappropriately long time. We were still staring at each other when I heard her friends giggling. The spell broken, I dropped her hand. Katie was smiling as I tried to compose myself.

  “How about that drink?”

  She nodded and I proceeded to pour a glass for both her and her friends. I excused myself immediately, not wanting to overstay my welcome. I had no idea what was going through her head, but I knew I needed to clear mine. I went about getting myself a plateful of food and went to find Paul.

  Paul was sitting at a table with a few others, and I decided to join them. While I sat there eating, I realized I didn’t have much to say. Paul was certainly making up for it as he chatted with everyone, telling all kinds of stories. I was grateful for it because I didn’t feel like I could hold my own in a conversation at that point.

  The food was fantastic, of course. There were various types of meat, from chicken to ribs to sausages, and a mixture of vegetables and potatoes. There were also various salads and fresh fruit for the taking. It was quite a feast indeed, and everything was fresh. As I ate, however, I had a hard time focusing on anything but my conversation with Katie. We hadn’t talked much; it was more about the feeling she gave me when we talked. I kept glancing in her general direction to see what she was doing. She was a bundle of light no matter what she did. She was talking animatedly with her friends, and she seemed like the type of person who really loved life, and that was refreshing to see. I knew I had to have her no matter what. I had never felt such an instant connection to any other woman, and I was determined to make her mine.

  As the night wore on, I kept my eye on her and thought of what I could do to win her over. I had caught her eye a few times, and I suspected she had been looking around for me as well. The very thought made me a little hard when I considered that she might want me as badly as I wanted her. All I could think about was undressing her and spreading her legs before me. I needed to find out more about her, see if anyone knew her personally.

  I glanced at Pau
l, who was sipping on some whiskey. “Hey, how well do you know the volunteers that work with AIDS?”

  “Oh, very well. I make it a point to know everyone around here. At some point, we end up becoming one big family.”

  “That’s good, especially for those that stay on for long periods of time. What’s the story with Katie?”

  Paul chuckled. “Are you interested in the girl? You certainly wouldn’t be the first man to try to catch her eye. She’s gorgeous, which is why there seems to be so much interest in her, of course. Despite that fact, she hasn’t shown any interest in anyone else since she’s been here. She keeps to herself a lot. I think she’s pretty private about her life.”

  I nodded, taking it all in. “She’s not actually a girl, is she?”

  Paul couldn’t help but laugh out loud, drawing attention to our table. Katie glanced my way, and our eyes locked. I held her gaze for a beat, feeling aroused all over again. What was with this woman and the power she had over me?

  “No, of course not. Though we do get some volunteers who are young, I think she’s around twenty-eight and quite a bright girl. As far as I know, she’s taking a break from her life to find herself a bit before going back to the real world. But I guess that’s what we’re all doing here, isn’t it, Ben?”

  I met his gaze and knew that he had heard all about the scandal going on back home at my company. I wondered who told him and whether others at the site knew about it as well. I supposed it was bound to happen no matter what, but I had hoped for a little time off from discussing it. I could only hope that Paul, and whoever else knew, didn’t think badly of me. I would at least like the benefit of the doubt in the situation. I had, after all, done nothing wrong. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to believe the rumors about me. It was a horrible situation, and I didn’t like the idea that I could come to a place like Africa for a break only to have it all follow me there.