Jack Harper sat at the bar, his fingers drumming against the polished surface to the rhythm of the steel drum music. Lounging under the warm gaze of the tropical sun and the gentle sway of the palm-front canopy was a far cry from the rude, crude accounting room in Wall Street, and he knew it. He was here on business, not to enjoy or relax in the beach nook of the Sunset Cove Resort. Jack Harper. Except, who was he? His reputation may propose otherwise with people swearing by him as a quandary of virtue, an epitome of integrity, an asset that they would wish for themselves. But reputation was as fair as chameleons changing their uniqueness. Was he an honest man? Or hypocrite? Wasn’t he the wholesome partner in a vampire preying firm at Wall Street? Yes, he was. Wasn’t he technically the one orchestrating and manipulating other businesses with this person as a puppet? Yes. Regardless of what he did, the company, and his business partner – Marcus, called for him and would punish if he doesn’t perspect. His fingers kept hammering the bar desk, stubbornly trying to loosen the grip of that knotted envelope from his heartspace. It was 6:30 pm. And in Manhattan, he’d be lecturing his irascible team members in the formidable nondescript conference room on the 22nd floor of ISTIL Group’s mysterious twin-skyscraper towers; but not- Jack lifted his head, bashfully meeting the gazes of two pair of eyes that peered into him with curiosity. They belong to two young, casual-attired travelers coming to drink and enjoy the sunset view. At least that’s what he thought their intention was. “Another scotch. Neat.” He said, ordering another shot from the bartender. Sandy, smirking, leaned forward with her floral-dress weighing her voluptuous assets under the neon ambient lighting of the barroom, and replied with amusement that put the tropical sunset to shame. “Rough day at the beach?” Her smile tightened and tugged with the corners of her well plumped lips. During NYC’s hours, he’d be at the office trying to keep up with his chaotic work schedule; far away from her outfit and questioning: Sandals, ripped khakis, floral sleeveless blouse and beachwear sunglasses. His shoulders, usually tight with pressure of pending deals, didn’t know what to do in this relaxed, warm setting, trying to degrade itself by autobiograph streetside art. “Why?” Jack participarised a sudden swelling in his chest. “Well, some people might say your face looks absolutely impatient.” “Your visit here and you can’t tell?” Jack retorted. “I don’t see how anyone gets any work done at this place.” He said grimly. Jack favored her with an ugly, defensive glance. He didn’t hold her to a high regard for her smart-aleck habits. Sandy wasn’t him, and most of all, she wasn’t his, didn’t he have to agree with his partner? ounters, of course, weren't responsible to his biases for this business trip to the coast or that human, Sandy. He understood when the bartender he'd initially barked the order at sparked to amusement. He'd rarely been in social settings, let alone shared half a smile with a bartender. There Jim was back, lurking in the background of his thoughts. Jack glanced at his watch once more before getting up and taking his newfound company with him toward the beach horizon. “Beach means not to work,” She sarcastically uttered. His voice stayed cold and crisp. “Some of you are okay with not establishing empires.” “I have a durably successful lifestyle. The success of enjoying life.” Sandy's eyes preached conviction to him, sending unofficial lessons of mental relaxation he was once incapable of. “I'll introduce you to my friends after school when this parenting thing is done for the day. You should know that I'll never be at home late at all. My kids are to be educated by a bank of knowledge, and if I don't make the picture perfect dad formula, I'm still doing better in that measure for them than you currently are for your kids.” “If we went by percentage, 40% of you would be your personality. You can't do any better than that. You have to die a better father than this one." Sandy was still chastising him about his parenting. “Alright, what the hell's that supposed to mean?” Jack would say something mean and pay for it later. “What's your idea of being a dad like if we're talking about this?” She asked. “I think if you're gonna be a dad, you've got to play nice with your kids. You can't be a tough bastard.” “Say that again,” he replied, not being ignored despite his warning. “I'll get them in therapy,” he said. “I'll get someone to change their lives.” “If that's your idea of parenting, maybe you should take those kids and leave them with a sitter.” “Why did you come back?” “I know this is weird. I don't even want you rubbing your nose anywhere in conjunction with your other hand. It's creepy.” “You're the one who wanted to hang out with me. Now I'm here with this.” “Let’s get something out of the way. Now, let’s get to the reason I'm here first. We met at a party. I know you used to be a huge fame whore.” “So what?” “Whatcha mean 'so what?' I'm hanging around with a guy who has gotten famous just because he's slept with a bunch of celebrities,” Sandy wounded him. “You’re no better. You date a lot too,” she scoffed. “I do not know what's going on with guys. I've never slept with a bunch of celebrities.” “Yeah, you have.” “Why would I even care?” “How about your street history, Mr. Harper? How much did you have at that party?” He explored her on his own following the ancient controversy. Sandy had nothing nice to say anymore. “I get the paparazzi pictures from the same people you do.” “I'm sorry you do not think that is nice. That picture isn't nice.” “I have nothing to say to these people. You think they're going to write a nice article if they take a picture?” How can you respond to something like that? “I don't mess with anybody's immune system. I don't cheat or mess with them. They're entitled to a that chance to write that article if they want to." “Give me an example of how you did that. All I see is you and a celebrity at a party.” It was impossible to deny it. “I liked this girl back then. I didn't know that until she introduced me to her parents.” “That's not what you were doing.” He was snubbed. “Very funny. To make you feel bad for her tears I told her that story. We were just dating,” “Yeah.” Yes, that girl told Sandy afterwards that the vacation had been amazing. “But where did the feelings come from?” Everything between Jack and Sandy was different. They had never spent time together before, and here she was romancing more than he could manage. “Everyone's different,” "You're different than most people. Remember that. There is an exceptional unit in you." She raised her eyebrows for one quick second and kissed him. "Thank you for this." Jack loved this woman with all his heart. He didn't know how long he could keep it up, but he could easily do it for years. There was some tragedy in the way Jack and Sandy were living their lives, but it wasn't that their relationship would end. They, Both Jack and Sandy, had to take charge of their own fate. They did not intend to take their five kids out of the Sand, and they had to come to terms with that. I thought the romance was partnered with high profile status and riches but the eyes of Jack Harper cleaned up the sleeve of his heart. "You are out of town more than you are at home, and these shoes will eventually lead to me and you being off schedule with rotting bones." She didn't want to overshadow the children and step in their direction, or ignore the five kids to go out with the preeminent one. "You influence your body positively. That'll look much better dressed up in the mirror." "I like your walk," she smiled. "You are so charming, Jack." "I can't believe I can watch you, and you are smiling every day, Jack." "But don't feel like you have to compete with everyone else," she continued. "Just try to be as good as you can be with the child on that day. And if you figured out how to cut through loads of anxiety, do it and give it back. " Sunset Cove would be in high demand for years, and she offered to Paradise to him. It was never a place to escape and do nothing; but now it was the place that Jack Harper actually needed to be.