With an exasperated sigh, she stared at the figures on the tablet screen. She’d have to transfer money from her depleted savings account to cover these checks. She’d work her fanny off next week and hope the Anderson family paid her when she presented them with the bill.
Frugal was not in Mariah’s vocabulary. She had good intentions to save money, but then something in a store window would catch her eye, or she’d find a bargain on eBay. She’d depleted the money she’d gotten from her parents’ estate, not that there’d been much as the bulk had gone to charity.
The taxes on all this waterfront acreage were killing her, along with the upkeep on the horse farm. She feared her days of high credit ratings were numbered. She needed to find some new clients and sell a few horses. That would hold the wolves at bay for a while longer.
To make things worse, her aunt had left the farm in a precarious financial state. Dear Aunt Rose never paid a bill unless the creditors bit at her heels. She couldn’t be bothered with such insignificant drivel. Now Mariah was left to deal with the fallout.
Thinking about money depressed her.
She picked up an old copy of People magazine someone had left on the table. Flipping through it, she paused at an article titled, “Where are they now?” A picture of Rico Sanchez caught her eye.
Her heart caught in her throat. Her lungs forgot to take in air. Those eyes. Those expressive brown eyes.
She shook her head and stared again.
It couldn’t be.
She squeezed her eyes shut and attempted to calm her churning stomach. Getting hold of herself, she opened her eyes.
She looked at the picture again. Her talent for denial shifted into overdrive.
Rodrigo looked like Rico Sanchez. So what? Lots of people looked like celebrities. It didn’t mean anything. If he was someone other than he pretended to be, she didn’t want to know. It was too late now, and it wasn’t going to change how she felt about him. She’d ride this ride wherever it took her and to heck with the rest of the world.
She tossed the magazine in a nearby wastebasket, mustered up her Scarlett mind-set, and promised herself she wouldn’t cross that bridge again.
In fact, she wouldn’t even think about it tomorrow.
* * *
“When do you expect Mariah back?” Eva worked on the knots in Rico’s shoulders, as he lay naked on his stomach. A tiny white towel covered his butt.
“This afternoon. She missed the morning ferry.” He turned his head sideways on the pillow to watch Eva out of the corner of his eye. Eva’s professional demeanor surprised him, as did her great hands, and he’d been worked on by the best. She could have held her own with any one of them. Her small hands were strong and competent. Unfortunately, his tight muscles resisted her attempts to relax them. He’d been like this for too long. He shut his eyes and let her do her job. Every once in a while, she’d hit a particularly tender spot, and he’d groan.
“She was shopping.”
“I’ll bet she was.” A slow smile spread across Rico’s face as he imagined her loaded down with shopping bags. “We’re boating to Roche Harbor tomorrow for an early dinner. I’m borrowing Max’s yacht. She doesn’t know it yet. It’s a surprise.”
“Good. You must watch for the orca whales.”
Rico recognized that tone. Eva was about to share some psychic revelation. “Really? Why?”
“They’re the guardians of your soul.”
She couldn’t see him roll his eyes. “I don’t think I need an animal to protect my soul.”
“You’ll see. They hold special meaning to you.” She pinched a nerve and he stiffened. “They can help you find what you’ve lost.”
“I didn’t lose anything.”
She didn’t respond, which suited him just fine. The woman was as loony as they came.
“How are the riding lessons going? Mariah says you’ve caught on quickly.”
“I think I have. I’m lucky that I’m coordinated, but the credit really goes to Mariah. She’s great at explaining things. Very patient.”
“Mariah says horses are the best teachers.”
“Yeah, Sueño’s been great, too. He puts up with all of it. I think he actually likes me.”
“Sueño appreciates genuine people. He senses there’s something good between the two of you, and he approves of it.”
“You’ve had a conversation with Sueño?” He wondered why he was surprised.
“Of course. Several, really,” Eva said with that tolerant voice she adopted whenever she talked to neophytes. “He’s very devoted to Mariah. He would do anything for her.”
“You read animals’ minds?” Rico struggled to keep the skepticism out of his voice.
Eva ignored his cynicism and continued patiently. “Yes, to a point. Horses don’t send thoughts or words. They send images, pictures of what they want to communicate to me. To be open to their images, I clear my mind then I decipher their mental pictures. Obviously, my messages to them have to be in images also. As humans, we have too much interference going on in our minds. Animals find that disturbing and distracting. When I first communicate with them they are often reluctant to let me in until they trust my images. Do you have animals?”
“Dogs. My sister takes care of them when I’m gone.” Of course, his dogs barely recognized him anymore, another drawback of his workaholic lifestyle.
“I can communicate with them sometime if you want.”
“Thanks for the offer. Next time I want to find out what kind of dog food to buy, I’ll give you a call.”
“You’re mocking me.”
Rico pressed his face into the pillow and said nothing.
“Mariah has the gift, too, you know. She just doesn’t trust it yet. That’s why she rides as if she’s a part of the horse. She’s perceptive, very intuitive.”
Rico didn’t have a reply for that, so he continued to keep his mouth shut.
“You’re missing something. You threw it away.”
“Huh?” What the hell was this wacko woman talking about now? Surely not the Gibson guitar? The saltwater had ruined it long ago, wherever it was.
“It’ll come back to you if you make the right decisions.”
“Uh, okay. Great. I’ll look forward to it.” This whole conversation creeped him out.
“You’re holding your tension in your shoulders.” Eva noted as she worked on his shoulders and back. Rico winced as she kneaded a particularly deep knot. “You work out.”
“Sí, I try to every day.”
“It’s obvious.”
“Thanks, I think.”
“A portion of your tension is sexual. The remainder caused by frustration with your life. We both know who frustrates you sexually. Beyond that, what else causes you such intense frustration?”
“You, for one.”
“You haven’t consummated your relationship with Mariah?”
“You tell me, you’re the psychic.”
“You’re close.” Eva was unperturbed by his annoyance.
“What makes you think I’m close?”
“Because of the way you two are together.”
“There’s something wrong. I just don’t know what. Every time we get to a certain point, she freezes up and stops me. It’s so abrupt, it’s weird. Like she’s really turned on then she just turns off, like a light switch.” He couldn’t believe he was telling this woman intimate details about his love life.
“Have you talked to her about it?”
“She says she needs time. She’s afraid, but sometimes I think she’s afraid of herself. She’s a beautiful woman, yet she doesn’t know it.”
“She’s only had one lover. It was not a good experience.”
“I figured it was something like that. Did he hurt her?” Rico’s hands tightened into fists.
“Relax, Rodrigo. Breathe. Let go.” Eva sighed.
“What about this guy?”
“Warren, her ex-fiancé, was not a sympathetic lover. As far as the details, she
needs to tell you that in her own time. You’re a classic Leo.” Eva smoothly changed the subject as she worked on the backs of his calves.
“I don't believe in that stuff.”
“You should. You would gain great insights into yourself and others. You have that Leo stubborn pride and an overwhelming need to control your life, be the king of your own jungle.”
“Whatever.” He shut his eyes and shut her out, now if she’d only shut up.
Rico enjoyed ten minutes of blissful silence. He was drifting off when her next words jerked him back to reality. “I know your true identity.”
“Clark Kent?”
“You are being evasive.”
Rico let out a long breath. “I know you know. I could tell by the way you looked at me the first time we met. How did you know?”
“It was the eyes. I was a fan. Actually, I’m surprised Mariah hasn’t figured it out.”
“Are you going to tell her?”
“No, I’m not. I’ll leave that up to you. Your deception could end your relationship before it starts.”
“Are you sure?” His stomach sank to the floor. He didn’t want to hear this.
“Absolutely. You’ve been lying to her. That’s the worst thing you could do. She’s been there before with a man. When she finds out, she may refuse to see you. Mariah has mastered self-protection. It’s become a defense against getting hurt too deeply. She doesn’t let people in easily. You slipped past her guard.”
“I’m stubborn and persistent.” Rico frowned as thoughts swirled around in his head. “I never meant to lie to her. It’s just that people treat me differently when they know who I am. I wanted to be liked or disliked for me, for the person inside.”
“Really? And who is that person?”
Rico ignored her. Even if he knew the answer, he wouldn’t have told her.
“Why didn’t you defend yourself? Why did you let the press drag you through the mud?”
“How can you stop them? Once they get wind of a juicy story, they go after it like rabid dogs. I did it to myself.”
“How are you handling it now?”
“Me? I’m doing okay. I’m clean. No drugs. I don’t party or stay out late. I’m actually quite boring. I hated that life. I hated the fishbowl. I didn’t want to be gone so much, hated living in hotels all the time. What I really wanted was to devote my time to writing songs, not singing or performing, but everyone depended on me. I couldn’t let them down.”
“Everyone?”
“My family, father, aunts, uncles, cousins. I take care of them. No relative of mine will ever live in poverty if I can prevent it.”
“That’s a noble, but difficult promise to make.”
“I do okay.”
She didn’t believe him. “You are not responsible for them. You’ve done enough.”
“That’s my business.”
“You haven’t been able to write any songs.”
How did she figure that out? He must’ve given her some subtle clue. “Not yet, but I will.”
“You have to find inner peace in order to set your creative side free.”
“Are you almost done?” He’d heard enough.
“Yes, almost. What do you want from Mariah?”
“Entertainment and companionship. Nothing more.” Irritation ran through him, irritation with this prying woman and irritation with himself for answering her questions.
“Hmmm.”
“Aren’t you worried that I’m going to hurt her?” he accused, hoping to push her buttons.
“You are going to hurt her,” Eva predicted in her superior, all-knowing voice. “You’ve convinced yourself that you aren’t looking for a lasting relationship. You intend to love her and leave her.”
Rico snorted at this woman’s presumptuous attitude. No wonder she irritated Mariah at times. “And that doesn’t bother you? You are her friend.”
“Mariah plays it too safe, Rico. Even though I don’t want to see her hurt, sometimes it’s the painful things in life that force us to grow, to become better people, to reach our potential. She’s strong, and she’s a survivor.”
“What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger?” Cynicism crept into his voice.
“Something like that. Your paths were meant to cross. It is her fate and yours. You need this experience with her, Rico. The most important things in life come with a very high price—your heart. How much are you willing to risk? How much are you willing to compromise? What do you really want? Right now, you’re frustrated because you’re not doing what you want to do. A Leo, first and foremost, needs to be in control. You’re at a crossroad. The decisions you make affect the rest of your life. Some may be reversible, some may not.”
“I don’t want a serious relationship. Women want more than I am willing to give. Besides, my business consumes my life. After my job, I don’t have anything left for a woman.”
“Rico, right now, you don’t have anything left in you for you.”
Rico met her revelations with stone-cold silence.
“She isn’t the love of your life. You’re deluding yourself about her.”
“Huh?” He started to roll over in order to confront her. With surprising strength, Eva pushed him back down on the table. “What are you talking about?” His temper hovered between irritation and all-out fury.
“Carmen.”
“Oh, God. Why did you have to bring her into this conversation?” He buried his face in the pillow, praying this woman would shut up.
“It’s necessary to help you on your road to self-exploration.”
“Look, Eva. I’ll explore my life at my own pace. I don’t need you to help me. As for my relationship with Carmen, it’s over. We’re just friends. I’ve come to terms with my place in her life. And my career, everything is fine. It couldn’t be better. I love what I do.” Rico’s words sounded hollow, even to him. He wasn’t fooling Eva either.
“You don’t have to convince me. I’m not the one who lives your life.”
* * *
“Rigo, we’re in five feet of water,” Mariah consulted the GPS and nautical chart. “You’re out of the channel and too close to that sandbar. Are you sure you’ve done this before?”
She held her breath as Rodrigo piloted the small yacht through the narrow passage. She suspected it wasn’t skill but dumb luck that kept him from hitting a rock or running them aground.
“Of course, I do. I crewed on yachts three times bigger than this when I was a teenager. How long is this? Fifty feet?”
“It’s a 48-foot Tollycraft.”
Rodrigo stared at her, “How do you know that?”
“I grew up with boats. My dad boated for relaxation. Our last one was a Tolly. They were some of the best boats made in the Northwest. I boated all over these waters and Puget Sound in one bigger than this.”
“Great, you’ll make a good first mate.”
“Admiral,” Mariah corrected. “You’re sure Max doesn’t mind you taking his boat out?”
“Rye, quit worrying. He doesn’t care. He’s offered it to me on several occasions. Besides, this is just a day trip to Roche Harbor. What is it, about an hour away?”
“If you pilot a boat like you drive that SUV, it’ll be about fifteen minutes if we don’t hit something and sink.”
Taking no offense, Rodrigo laughed. “Hey, we’ll have an early dinner and be back before dark.”
An hour later, they pulled into Roche Harbor on San Juan Island.
Mariah stood on the bow, ready to hand their dock lines to a smiling dock boy standing on the end of the finger pier. A stiff gust of wind blew across the water and caught the large boat. Rodrigo seemed oblivious and didn’t compensate for it. They were coming in too fast. Mariah held her breath and gripped the side railing on the boat’s bow. In an attempt to escape the fiberglass monstrosity bearing down on him, the dock boy started backing up. The poor kid fell backwards into the frigid water on the opposite side of the dock. The boat shuddered as Rodrigo rammed
all 42,000 pounds into the dock.
Looking down, Mariah expected to see the dock splintered into a million pieces. Dented and a little lopsided, it still floated. Obviously, the dock was stronger than her stomach. The no-longer friendly dock boy sputtered and cursed as he heaved himself out of the water. Without a word, he grabbed the line she handed him.
“It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?” She bestowed her most radiant smile on him. It didn’t work.
The dock boy grumbled something unintelligible. His sodden clothes weighed him down. Salt water ran off his body and puddled in a pool at his feet. Rodrigo leaped down the stairs from the flying bridge onto the dock.
“Hey, man, I’m sorry. I’m not used to this boat. You okay?” He reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Mariah couldn’t see what kind of bill he handed the dock boy, but it improved the kid’s attitude 100 percent.
Her sexy Latin finished tying off the boat as she stepped onto the dock. Surreptitiously, she double-checked his tie job.
“I am as experienced at piloting boats as I am at making love.”
“If you think that statement impresses me, it’s not working. You rammed into that dock at full speed. What does that say about your lovemaking ability?”
Unaffected, Rodrigo moved to stand beside her. He pulled her close to him and whispered in her ear. “If that’s the way you like it, amor, I can accommodate.” He hooked a finger on the waistband of her shorts and stroked her bare skin.
Mariah sobered. “I don’t know how I like it.” Or even if I like it.
Rodrigo placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. “You’d like it with me. I’d make sure of that.” His dark eyes bored into hers, full of erotic promises and fantasies.
“You don’t understand.”
“Try me.” He slid the rest of his fingers under the waistband of her low-riding shorts and stroked the skin between her hip and belly button.
Mariah attempted to pull away, but he fastened her to his side with one strong arm.
“You know I’m going to have you. It’s only a matter of time.” His voice dipped to a husky rasp that made her heart thump and other parts of her body react in inappropriate ways.
Save the Last Dance Page 11
