by J. L. Drake
“Try this.” I held up a taco so she could take a bite.
“Oh, my God, this is so good.” She licked her lips, and I shook off the effect she had on me. I never thought I would get over Lizzy as easily as I had, and it was friggin’ nice.
I pulled my phone out to see a text message from Mark.
Mark: North Rock is moving into position.
“Who’s that?” she asked around her straw. She must have caught my sudden change of mood.
“Mark.”
“Everything okay?” I knew she was just asking, but it did slap a dose of reality down on me that I was flirting with a line that could never be crossed. Maybe she should be vetted. I chased that thought away, hating the idea, but it lingered in the background like an annoying tick.
“Yeah,” I looked away, “work stuff.”
“Are you leaving anytime soon?” Her tone softened.
“I could leave in five minutes.” I shrugged.
“Mark, Keith, and Cole all have someone, right?” I nodded and tossed my wrapper in the trash. “How did that happen? I mean, if we can’t know all the details, how do they make it work? Where do they live?”
I swallowed hard and tried to say the right thing to end the conversation.
“Luck,” I lied. I felt bad saying that about Savannah, but I needed to shut down the conversation.
“Luck, huh?” She finished off her last taco. “Well, damn, we’re screwed, then.”
I knew she was joking, but it still bothered me. I waited for her to finish before I walked her back to my truck.
“Mike?” she whispered from the passenger seat. It was dark, so I couldn’t read her body language. “Can I ask you something at the risk of upsetting you?”
Sweat broke out along the back of my neck. Here it was, the dreaded conversation that always hovered on the sideline of my life. I slid my hands over the steering wheel and took a deep breath, waiting for it. “Okay.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this.” She turned in her seat to see me better. “I’m not trying to be dramatic, here. I’m trying to be realistic. There are things that could get in the way. Are you really ready to dive into a relationship, knowing we have things we can’t talk about?”
I reached for her hand and kissed her fingers and placed her hand on my leg. Words weren’t coming to my head. Why couldn’t I be that guy who knew what to say? I just couldn’t find any words that I knew wouldn’t mess things up. I could tell my silence made her uneasy, but she didn’t say anything else as we drove. We arrived at her place while I still wrestled with what to say. I got out and opened her door for her.
“Thank you for the fun today. It was the best date yet.” She squeezed my arm as she started to walk away, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her backward, and in one swift motion I took her by the hips and sat her on the hood of my truck.
“I need this.” Both hands moved into her hair, and I held her still while I dove down and caught her lips. Her arms wrapped around my neck, and her tongue danced with mine. As I expected, she tasted amazing, and her lips were soft as silk. Her spine softened and formed into my body, sending a flicker of excitement to my chest while heat licked everywhere else. A tiny huff of pleasure brushed through her lips when my fingers crept up her thigh and pulled her tighter around me.
I hoped we weren’t giving any neighbors a good show because I wasn’t about to disconnect from this moment. Her legs flexed, and the heel of her boot drove into my hip. It was obvious she wasn’t worried about our public display of affection, and I loved that it didn’t bother her right now either.
Although we should go inside.
She started to massage the base of my neck and kissed deeper, destroying any rational thoughts that tried to surface.
Between her taste and her perfume, all sense left my head. I wanted to bottle and indulge in it whenever I pleased. I was a junkie addicted to the right kind of drug, still dangerous but worth the heartache.
I forced myself to pull myself together. It took every ounce effort I had, and I pulled away. I rested my forehead against hers, giving myself a second for my brain to kick in, but all that came out was the bare truth.
“It’s hard to be a gentleman around you, Cat.”
“If that’s how a gentleman kisses, I’ve been dating the wrong kind of men.” She smirked playfully. “Okay.” Her hands landed on my chest and gently pushed me backward so she could hop down. I took her arm to make sure she didn’t hurt herself. “I wouldn’t want to be a bad influence on all that hard work Mrs. Irons has done.”
She leaned up and gave me a long, gentle kiss on the lips. “Thank you, Mike, for today. It was really fun and much needed.”
“Happy to hear it. So, we’re okay, then?”
She licked her lips then pressed them into a hard line like she was thinking. “Just…” She paused and bit down on the side of her lip. “Just think about what I said, and I will too. We both have parts of our lives that could be upsetting to the other.”
She alluded to a lot but always stopped herself like she was trying to share but couldn’t or wouldn’t. I saw the red flag but ignored it because I wanted—no, needed this. I had this amazing woman in front of me, and I wanted it all.
I crossed my arms and asked her anyway. “Like?”
“What did Mark’s text say?”
I made an annoyed face. I couldn’t be honest with her.
“Exactly.” She leaned up and kissed my cheek and rested her hand on my arm for a second. “Goodnight, Mike.”
“Goodnight, Catalina.”
My truck roared to life, and I pulled out onto the quiet street, not ready to be alone yet. My head spun at the red light. I hated that we both had secrets, but I was shocked at the depth of my feelings for her. This wasn’t what I’d felt for Lizzy, not even close. I realized this might be the real thing. Catalina might actually be the one. Shit. I couldn’t mess this up.
I needed some sleep.
***
I woke to my phone ringing beside my head. I immediately glanced at it and didn’t answer. When it stopped and started to ring again, I knew she wouldn’t give up.
“Morning.” I coughed to clear my throat.
“Morning would imply it’s early. It’s one in the afternoon, and you’re late for our lunch date.”
I rubbed my eyes and tried to recall last night’s events, and she wasn’t in them. We both knew I had an epic memory, but classic Charlotte liked to trip me up.
“Bullshit.”
“Meh, get out of bed and meet me. I want to talk to you about Cat.”
I sat up and tossed the blankets aside.
“Ha,” she chuckled smugly. “That got your attention, didn’t it?”
“Where and when?”
“Brew, twenty minutes.”
“I’ll be there in thirty.”
“And that’s why I said twenty.” She laughed harder before she ended the call.
I tossed my phone on the bed and hurried to the shower. It wasn’t long before I was out the door.
My grin made her roll her eyes when I arrived at the Brew in under twenty. I hated to be late and took pride that I often wasn’t. The Brew was busy with its lunch rush, and I glanced around to see if Catalina was working.
“She’s out back changing.” Charlotte pushed out a seat with her foot, and I sat. “The soda gun decided to spring a leak and drenched the girl. I didn’t know curse words could sound so good in Spanish.” She grinned, amused, at the breakroom door. “She pulls out her Latina edge when she gets pissed off. No wonder she does so well here. Takes zero shit from anyone.”
“Okay.” I plucked the menu from her and started to decide what I wanted. “Why am I here?”
“We’ve always been extremely open with one another, right?”
“Um-hm. Do I want a burger or a chicken sandwich? I’m hungry but not starving. We have…”
“I think I’m in love with John.”
My head shot up, and my face twisted
into a scowl.
“Pardon?”
“Have you decided what you want?” She folded her arms. “You ignore me when food is involved. Christ, you’re just like Mark!”
“First, don’t swear. Second, John is too old for you, and third, yes, we’ve been open, so spit out what you need to say so we can order.”
She rolled her eyes. She hated that I could do two things at once but let it go. “Fine, whatever.” She sipped her Sprite slowly before she went on. “How much do you like Cat?”
“On a scale of one to ten?” I raised an eyebrow skeptically.
“Look, Mike, I’ve known her for eight months, and I’ve spent a good deal of time with her outside of work. Kyle would most likely know her better because…”
“Stay on topic, Char.” I yawned. I loved my sister to no end, but her storytelling left something to be desired.
“Blah!” She swung her arms in the air, frustrated with me and herself. “I’m just saying every time I ask about her personal life or ask anything about her past, she shuts down.”
“So, she has a shitty past. Look at Mark.” Mark had been welcomed into our family like a second son, next to Keith. Since he met Mia, he’d been pretty vocal about his past and how he was trying to overcome it.
“No.” She slammed her hand down on mine. “Mark has PTSD from child abuse caused by his now dead, thank God, mother. Catalina has something that is affecting her right now. I have a bad feeling, Mike. She has some real hell going on.”
I leaned back while a waitress I didn’t recognize set a water in front of me. I smiled my thanks at her.
“Thanks, Judy. This is my brother, Mike. Judy is new.”
She looked mildly terrified and nearly dropped the cutlery she carried.
I smiled to show her I wouldn’t eat her, in spite of my size, and ordered before she scurried off. I was used to that.
I turned back into my sister. “And how do you know this if she doesn’t open up to you?”
“Because I watch and listen and maybe even snoop a little.”
“Char!” I pretended to be mad, but she held up her hand.
“It’s not as bad as it seems, big brother.” She lowered her voice. “I heard her on the phone speaking to someone. She spoke half English and half Spanish, something about some guy named Javier and how much she despises her father.”
“Hi!” Catalina eyed both of us before she tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear. I was sure she could feel the mood in the room. “Sorry for interrupting, but I’m finally dry and de-stickied,” she laughed as she looked at me, “and I wanted Char to know I finished the mark-ups for the first meeting on Friday.” She turned to Charlotte. “I was wondering if I could use your eyes to see if everything looks right.”
“Cat,” Charlotte laughed lightly, “you were given the assignment notes yesterday. When did you possibly have time to finish that?”
“My guess,” Kyle slipped into the chair next to my sister, “she didn’t go home last night.”
“Kyle.” Cat shook her head. I could tell it wasn’t anything that involved our date last night.
“Cat,” Charlotte reached out for her hand, “you can’t let him scare you into not going home. You know I’ve overhead enough to—”
“Who?” I interrupted. I wanted to know who would scare someone as sweet as Catalina.
“No one.” She tried to shut us all up with a glare.
“Just have Mike walk you home one night, and all your problems will be solved.” Kyle shrugged. “I apparently do nothing.”
“Maybe that’s because she knows you attract men rather than repel them.” Charlotte bumped his shoulder.
“It’s my shirt, isn’t it?” he joked. “Or is it my long lashes that makes them insecure?”
“Bit from column A and a bit from column B.” Charlotte wrapped her arm around his shoulders in an attempt to soothe him before she looked over at Catalina. “Of course, I’ll look it over, but you know the meeting isn’t until August first, right? That’s three weeks away.”
“I know, but I have a lot of work to prep for first.” She touched Char’s shoulder warmly. “Thanks.” She jumped when her phone went off in her back pocket. She turned and answered quickly. “Hello? Javier?” Charlotte shot me look as if to make her point just as the food arrived.
She switched to Spanish, and I tried to listen over the noise in the place but couldn’t catch that much, only, “Please say something if that’s you. Just anything to show you’re okay.”
Her hand flew to her forehead before she lowered the phone and straightened her shoulders.
“Everything okay, Cat?” Charlotte dove into her burger, but I knew it was to look nonchalant.
“Yeah,” she shook her head as if to clear it, “just waiting on a call.”
“A guy?” She wiggled her eyebrows. Catalina’s gaze shot to me, and I saw concern race across her face. She seemed as if she was stuck.
“Kind of. My brother, he’s been missing for a while.”
Char glanced over at me, and a piece of burger fell from her mouth.
“You should have told me,” I blurted, completely forgetting our company.
“It’s not a big deal. I’m just worried, that’s all.” She forced another smile. “It’s happened before. I’m sure he’ll call.”
“If you need any help, I can make a few calls,” I reassured her.
“No,” she cut me off quickly, “I wouldn’t want to bother you with it.”
“Catalina?” a customer called and pointed at his empty beer glass. “May I have another?”
“Sure.” She rushed over to help, with Kyle right behind her asking about a beer.
“Wow.” Char chased down her burger with a swig of water, and her greasy fingers shone in the light. “She has never opened up like that before.”
Mark: Come back. Cole needs us.
Mike: On the way.
“Sorry, Char, I have to go.” I stood and tossed a couple of twenties on the table as I grinned down at my baby sister. “Seriously?” I pointed at the food droppings around her. “And you wonder why you’re single.”
“Who said I’m single?” She winked, and I remembered and wanted to kill someone.
“I’m callin’ Mom.” I pointed a finger at her. I leaned in and kissed her head, the one place that was food-free. Just before I turned to leave, I swung around and said, “He’s too old, but I love you, girl.”
“How could you not?” Charlotte called after me. “Thanks for the burger.”
I waved over my shoulder and caught Catalina’s eye. She stood over by the bar. She gave me a little wave, and I shot her one of my charming smiles. It was all I could offer at the moment, but by the way her chest lifted a little, I knew it worked. Mom always said I oozed charm, but I’d never used it purposefully, until now. I held up my phone then lifted a shoulder toward my ear as I looked at her with a little grimace. She nodded and gave me a weak smile.
With that, I left.
I pulled up to the house, and I could feel the vibe was off. Crawford met me at the door and gave me that same look he did every time Cole called us in this way.
“What’s up?”
“You’ve been called out.”
CHAPTER SIX
Catalina
My fingers skimmed the table as I bent and eyed up the wine glasses to make sure they were sitting perfectly in place. The company only had one spot open in advertising for women’s fashions and make-up. That was it. So, it came down to Brent, Tina, and me, and this pitch meant everything. Linda would take the lead, and I would assist her, but this entire pitch was my creation.
“Ready?” Linda shut the door behind her and smiled at my white pinstriped dress with its matte black belt. “This,” she pointed, “is gorgeous.”
“Thanks.” I popped the cork on a bottle of wine.
“Should I ask?” She gestured to the line of wine bottles.
“You could,” I leaned my head to the side to see past her
, “but we have company.”
Linda cooed as Nicole Miller fell into step with her company’s head of marketing.
“She’s something else, isn’t she?” She said it quietly, hardly moving her lips.
“Sure is,” I breathed, and I too fell into the love spell that was Nicole Miller.
“Okay,” she smiled at me, “here we go.”
The Miller team of eleven came in and actually gushed over the display I had created. It had taken me all morning and was based on what I had gleaned were Mrs. Miller’s personal likes.
“Ms. Mendez, could you hold on a moment?” The head of marketing caught my attention. It was right after I had pitched my idea for their new commercial and billboard ads. Everyone in the room went quiet, and I placed my papers down and gave her a friendly smile. “You certainly did your research on Nicole.” She waved a graceful hand toward her boss. “I welcome you to share with us what you discovered.”
I paused to gather my thoughts, and I felt all eyes on me. “I would be happy to.”
I moved closer and took a seat at the head of the table. It was a bold and daring move, but my purpose was to show I was comfortable in this world.
“Mrs. Miller,” I addressed her politely, “Time Magazine quoted last year that you wanted to move away from the mainstream to more street chic. That you wanted things much edgier and forward.” Nicole Miller smiled at me and nodded for me to continue. “I also learned that your favorite chocolate comes from a small shop in New York City.” I gently opened the box to show her the little drops of heaven. Her eyes lit up as she reached for one and popped it in her mouth. “And,” I reached forward and turned the label around so she could read it, “your favorite wine is a 2011 St. Michelle Merlot, your favorite because it was the bottle you had when your husband proposed.”
Her eyes sparkled as I carefully tipped the bottle and poured a small amount into the glass. Linda gave me a nod and a grin to show she was impressed.
Her marketing director began to speak, but Nicole held up a hand to stop her.
