The Playboy Pastor (eBook)

Part 3: A Desperate Romance

Andrea Furlow (Autor)

Opal Fox (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
190 Seiten
Publishdrive (Verlag)
979-8-9910529-3-1 (ISBN)

Infos

James, a former professional baseball player turned pastor, navigates the complexities of his personal and professional life. He's grappling with the aftermath of his divorce from Alice, Lily's engagement to Eric, and the uncontrolled nature of his spiraling church. After seeking solace in a vacation to Cuba, he reconnects with an old college friend, Nina. Their relationship evolves from friendship to a romantic connection, though both are cautious due to their past traumas.

In an attempt to regain some respect for the church, James organizes a community field day to raise funds, enlisting the help of his former mischievous teammates. The event is a success, bringing the community together and helping James regain some control over his church life. However, his personal life remains tumultuous as he balances his feelings for Nina with the lingering temptations he faces.

The story explores themes of betrayal, redemption, and the search for peace. James' journey is marked by moments of introspection, emotional turmoil, and the struggle to find stability in a life filled with unexpected challenges. Through his interactions with Nina, his sons, and his friends, James learns to navigate the complexities of love, friendship, and forgiveness, ultimately seeking a path to healing and personal growth.

Textauszug

James? It’s Lily. I said yes. The sound of Lily’s voicemail echoed in James’ mind over and over again these past four months. Each moment of solitude led him back to the exact moment he heard those words, causing him to relive the shock that she was moving away for good. He spent the night before professing his love and then proceeded to entangle himself within the walls of Lily’s sweet essence. They were as close as any two people could get, yet the very next day, Lily was engaged to Eric. For James, that was the beginning of some of the most trying times of his life.

When James learned his closest ally, Saul, was the man causing him so much pain, something in him broke. His trust in others all but disappeared. He questioned and second guessed every decision that wasn’t his, and required all the people around him to pledge their undying loyalties. Meaning, anyone caught talking to Saul would be just as dead to James as Saul was. It was petty and immature, but the brokenness James was feeling warranted reassurance. Even if it was over the top, James couldn’t take any more surprises. He needed to feel a sense of control greater than he’d ever needed in his life. If this was going to be the moment he rebuilt his entire world, then he was going to have a say in every piece of it.

Saul hadn’t relented on his apology tour. He sent daily text messages and voice memos apologizing. James blocked his number after the first message, but every once in a while, James would look at the thread in his blocked folder. Saul knew his messages were going unread, and yet he never wavered in his conviction. It may have been therapeutic for him, the same way James’ increased calls to Dr. Michaels helped him clear some of his intrusive thoughts. Either way, James wasn’t ready to make amends for Saul’s betrayal.

Alice, on the other hand, was glowing and happier than ever. The ink wasn’t even dry on the divorce decree before she told the boys about Saul and how they were moving to Milwaukee together. Saul was going to keep his apartment in Charlotte, and the boys could stay the night with them when they were in town. Alice continuously used the word we, and that irritated the life out of James. We’ll be back next week. We can’t wait to see the boys. We have a surprise for the kids. We, we, we. As if she had lost her identity as the children’s mother and they were officially parent and stepparent. James didn’t want to see Alice feel the pain that he did, but he also didn’t want her to flaunt her newfound joy so openly.

The people in town and the church community were already buzzing after the news of their divorce being final and Alice leaving town with Saul. James couldn’t stand the unnecessary attention, especially the prying eyes of the media that began to follow him. That was another hurdle James had to jump. The scandalous way his divorce went down was leaked to a gossip newspaper. Soon after, it was national gossip. As if he hadn’t suffered enough, he would then have to face public scrutiny.

When Alice told him she wanted to take their sons on a Caribbean cruise during their summer vacation and Saul was going to be there too, James knew he had to get away. Sure, his children were all teenagers and could try to process their feelings individually, James just didn’t have the strength or the heart to watch them all leave like one big happy family. So, he booked himself a vacation to Cuba. It was a small, quiet island with vibrant culture, good food and drinks, and best of all, a low American tourist population. He was still a recognizable face from his baseball days, but no one bothered him on his previous trips to Cuba, so that was his destination of choice when he had to flee his tortured life.

James arrived to Santa Clara, Cuba via Mexico City. He didn’t want people to know where he was going, so he had his secretary book a roundtrip flight to Mexico and purchased his fare to Cuba in cash at the airport. Even after the turbulent flight to Santa Clara, James still had an additional four hour car ride to his favorite destination - the exclusive Playa Pilar. It was well worth the motion sickness medication he was eating like candy. But, once he began to cross the Pedraplén de Cayo Coco, the causeway between the mainland of Cuba and the beachlined islands, he felt the weight of all his burdens begin to lift. He loved the blues and greens of the Caribbean water. Being out of town erased the sad realities he was facing, and he could be who he wanted to be there. He wasn’t a pastor, divorced man, or a two time loser. He was simply James.

The check-in process at the resort was easy. Since he was paying in cash, he was upgraded to a private villa overlooking the ocean. This had its own private beach and seaside cabana. James, if he so chose, wouldn’t have to see another human being who wasn’t resort staff for the entire week, which was the appeal of this destination in the first place. As he rode the golf cart to his villa, James watched the pristine scenery whiz by. Flashes of clear blue pools, vibrant restaurants, busy bars, and all sorts of activities came and went from his sightline. The resort was surely a wonder, but James didn’t plan to partake in any of it. His plan was to go from the bed to the beach everyday of this 5-day stay and only order room service meals to his villa. Minimizing human interaction was the first goal, and the second was to enjoy therapeutic silence. The noise back home was unbearable. The sound of cameras clicking every time he left home or church. Or reporters shouting how do you feel about Alice and her new man? It was all contributing to James being surrounded by unnecessary noise. James welcomed the solitude. It was the first time, in a long time, James felt the ease of the breath in his lungs and the beat of his heart slow down from its previously stressed out pace.

The concierge greeted him at the villa door while the bellman retrieved his bag. “Welcome sir. We are honored to have you here with us this week. Please use this phone to contact me directly should you require meals or my services.” The concierge pointed to a landline phone on a table near the front door. “Otherwise, I’ll let you get settled in.” James shook the man’s hand and tipped the bellman $10. He wanted to tour the villa, change clothes, and head to the cabana on the beach. He started in the dining area. There was a glass, circular table with silver accents. It was adorned with a charcuterie board full of fresh, local meats, cheeses, and fruit. There was also a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bin next to two flutes. The sign in front said Welcome, which certainly did make James feel well received. He grabbed a piece of cubed cheese and popped it in his mouth. He would come back for the champagne when he was ready to head to the beach, but for that moment, James savored a few slices of cured meat and a chunk of mango. James let the flavors mix in his mouth as he continued his tour. There was a living room area with a lovely indigenous rug. There wasn’t a TV, which he noticed right away. The pleasant absence of a noise maker was appealing to him. He took a spin around this area one last time and noticed the room was purposely decorated in white. The white walls reflected off the white marble floors. It lended to the brightness of the room reducing the need to turn on any lights in the daytime. Even the wall paintings and decor were white. Other than the touches of culture in the area rug and the food on the glass table, everything was white.

James walked through a white archway to get to the bedroom area. He immediately paused in his tracks at the stunning view from his bedroom. The oversized king bed faced the sliding glass door that led to the remarkable ocean before him. He marveled at God’s wonder. This part of Cuba was unique in the sense that it was where the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, and Caribbean Sea all converged into one miraculous and divine design. James said a quick thank you to the only one who could have created such a splendid thing, and walked towards the glass door to peer out at his villa’s outdoor amenities. He could see his personal beach cabana off in the distance across a personal walkway to the beach. Closer to the door was a covered patio with two dark wicker outdoor lounge chairs with soft, baby blue cushions. There was a matching wicker table between the chairs large enough for a solo meal and drinks. It was perfect for James to have variation in his private dining locations around the villa.

James located and closed the curtains in the room to see how dark it could get. Since he was on no man’s itinerary, he wanted the option to sleep in or day nap if he so chose. With there being no barrier to the outside, James wanted to see if it were possible to tuck himself away in that space. To his surprise, the curtains were high quality and almost a total blackout once closed. There was a sliver of light that peeked through, but that wasn’t something a chip clip or women’s ponytail clip couldn’t fix. He was sure he could get the concierge to locate one for him once he was ready to settle in for the night.

The last area for James to see was his bathroom. He wanted to see the amenities there, but it wasn’t going to be a place he spent quality time in since it was usually his favorite space to share with a partner. There was something about a hotel room that made him feel naughty. Like he had to christen every part of the room. But lately, he hadn’t felt like his usual sexual self. Not even the bathroom that was clearly built with a romantic couple in mind, or the rainfall shower head, or the large, separate soaker tub could arouse him. Not even the picturesque window that allowed...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 7.9.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• ISBN-13: 979-8-9910529-3-1 / 9798991052931