by Sue Seabury
He shook his head. “I’m cursed.”
“Don’t say that. You’re much too young to be bitter.” She stopped just short of asking,Just how old are you, anyway?
“Are you okay with sharing your room?” His voice was monotone.
“Of course.”
He picked up the pamphlet mess and threw a big pile into the trash. He pulled the elastic out of his hair and placed it on the desk next to her.
“Hugo? Can I talk to you for a minute?” The new girl’s big eyes looked even bigger behind her black-framed glasses. “Oh, excuse me.”
Kat had just finished retying her bikini top. She snatched up her elastic and tried to pretend her hands were at her neck because she was fixing her hair.
“Coraly.” Hugo’s back went ramrod straight. “What is it?”
“Oh, um. Nothing. We can discuss it later, when you‘re free.”
When the girl had delivered the iron, she looked about fourteen years old. No longer. Her eyes burned with jealousy.
Why did he hire her? Oh, right. The favor for a friend. Hugo was opposed to dating staff, so this arrangement seemed doomed to failure. Which meant the position would be open again.
“Thank you for the brochures, Mr. Diaz.” Kat collected a few random ones. “I’ll let you know what I decide.”
“Certainly, ma’am.”
Kat exited the office, but wasn’t quite ready to face Josie yet. It wasn’t her fault Coraly started talking when she was barely out the door.
“Well, I came to tell you I saw one of the guests touching Esmeralda, after you said you didn’t condone it.”
“Thank you for telling me—”
“What was that woman doing back here? Should I be talking to Uncle Pablo about this instead?”
Coraly may have worn glasses, but her eyes were sharp as an eagle’s when her head popped around the corner. Kat pretended to be deeply absorbed in the Bacardi Rum Factory tour brochure.
“Hi.” Kat lifted her eyes. “Just, reading here. Very interesting.”
“The pamphlet is upside down.”
“So it is. Ha! Didn’t even notice. I used to volunteer at the library and I had to hold out the picture books so the kids could see, so I learned this little trick.”
Coraly’s lips twitched in imitation of a smile. Time to go. Kat waved. Coraly did not.
26
Kat only made it as far as the wrought iron pillars at the edge of the reception area.
Coraly probably had no shot with Hugo, but neither did she. It was a waste of time to get involved. Their little roll-in-the pamphlets counted as her rebound and now she could move on to more practical considerations. She was still reasonably attractive, and more important, she knew how to please. Pete seemed like a good man, and someone who would appreciate a little TLC. She could do that. She tossed the brochures on a side table and headed for the bar.
She was almost at the dining area when she remembered her hair. Ducking into the ladies’ before anyone saw her, she pulled it into a ponytail, then started to bind it with the elastic. One of Hugo’s long, kinky hairs was caught in it. Her chest contracted; she yanked it out and tossed it aside, missing the trash can. Oh, well. It was someone else’s job to clean up. She was a guest.
Heart and mind still back in Hugo’s office, the best she could do was plaster on a look of surprise as she headed across the sand-colored tiles. Josie was leaning on the bar, coconut in hand, chatting with Ramsey. The Cigarbellies minus Pete lolled on loungers not far away, looking as walrusy as ever. Pete, Queenie and the PTAs were nowhere to be seen.
“Josie? You’re really here!” Kat wrapped her arms around her friend.
“Yes!”
“I thought Hugo was playing a game with me.” A shadow moved at the back of the bar. Kat caught the outline of wild, kinky hair. “He does that sometimes.”
Josie pulled out of the hug and sucked on her straw. It sounded empty. “Another one of these!” she said to Ramsey. To Kat, she said, “You want one? They’re delish!”
“What time is it?” Kat said.
“Five o’clock somewhere!”
Maybe, but here in Puerto Rico, it couldn’t have been much past two. A little early to start drinking.
Hugo’s haunted face came into view again. On second thought, now was the perfect time for a drink. “Make mine a double, Ramsey.”
“Oh, me too!” Josie squealed and dragged Kat to a table. “Holy crap, you weren’t kidding!” Josie whisper-yelled, wiggling in her seat. “This place is amazing!”
Kat’s view was of the rotund Cigarbellies. “I do have to pinch myself now and again.”
“That one at the bar, my God, he’s unbelievable.”
Kat turned. Hugo was in earnest discussion with Ramsey whose fidgety nail chewing said he was clearly not interested in listening. “There’s two at the bar.”
“Oh, yeah. The big one too. I’d do either of them.”
Kat turned to her friend. “They’re kinda young.”
“So what?” Josie sucked on her empty straw again, tilting the coconut in a search for liquid. “Yolo, baby!”
Ramsey delivered their drinks.
“Cheers!” Josie said.
They tapped coconuts and sipped.
“Hey,” Josie said. “How come they’re different?”
“Hugo made this one for Miss Kat.” Ramsey pulled his head toward the bar. Kat couldn’t see Hugo. “She likes it better than Pirate’s Punch.”
Josie seized Kat’s drink and sipped. “Delish! But I taste whiskey. Since when do you like that?”
Kat shrugged. “Hugo has a knack of making everything good.” Her mouth went dry. She took a lengthy sip.
Josie turned to Ramsey. “I feel cheated.”
“Aw, don’t fret, Miss Josie. I’m not sure what’s in it, but I’ll ask Hugo to make you one right away.” Ramsey turned and knit his eyebrows. “He was right there.”
“We can share mine,” Kat said. “I don’t need this huge thing. I don’t know why I said a double.”
When Ramsey left, Josie pulled her chair closer. “So, the big one knows what drinks you like, huh?”
Kat stabbed at her coconut with the straw. “One day, we experimented.”
“Ooh, is that part of the experience? This place is so perfect!”
Kat sat back in her chair. “It is. Kudos to you for finding it.”
“I know, right?” Josie held up her coconut again in toast.
“Yolo!” they said in unison.
Their laughter drew attention from the Cigarbellies.
“Gawd,” Josie muttered.
“Yeah, the location is perfect, the people not so much,” Kat said under her breath.
Josie sucked her teeth. “So you’re saying you blame me for some fugly fatsos?”
“What? No.”
“Hola!” Queenie yelled.
“Oh, good.” Kat waved her over, exhaling with relief. “Queenie, my friend made it!”
“Oh, and here I’d thought Kat had made up an imaginary friend.” Queenie’s grin was sinister.
Kat almost fell off her barstool, and she wasn’t even lightly buzzed.
“Nope,” Josie said. “She said we’ve got a lot in common.” Petite, blonde Josie and gargantuan mixed-race Queenie sized each other up. “Guess she meant on the inside.” Then Josie asked Queenie, “Are we on the same page about those beached whales?”
“Rollin’ in it,” Queenie said. “Easy to beat at poker.”
“Hmm,” Josie took a second look at the Cigarbellies while she sipped. “Okay, but do we agree we won’t even consider the blubber when there’sthat?” Josie pointed at Ramsey who was juggling oranges behind the bar.
“He’s handy, for some things. If you let him.” Queenie arched an evil eyebrow Kat’s way again. “But the money’s overthere. That’s where I’m placing my bets.”
Queenie pointed a daggery nail at the Cigarbellies, and didn’t bother to keep her voice down. She was acting so strange. Drunk already
. . . or maybe high?
Kat’s stomach twisted with guilt about ratting her out to Hugo about the pot, but he wouldn’t have said anything to her, would he?
Queenie strode off like a model on a cat walk and perched on the arm of Stan’s lounger where she proceeded to give a loud resume about Josie to the men.
“That’s my cosmic twin?” Josie slurped at the bottom of her second coconut.
Probably not the best time to point out the similarity between their drinking habits. “She’s acting weird. I swear she was more fun when we first met.”
“I thought you said she was annoying then.”
“Well, a little, but then she grew on me.”
“Like mold?”
“Josie.” Kat put her hand on her friend’s arm. “Let’s not squabble, okay?”
“‘Kay.“ Josie sank back in her chair and rubbed the side of her head. “My ear hurts a little.”
“Oh, no! It’s not better? But Harv said it was okay?”
Josie scoffed. “Harv can go to hell.”
Kat raised her eyebrows.
“Yeah, turns out Harv was stickin’ his instruments in every female ear, nose, and throat in the tri-state area. To think I actually fell for his ‘I’ve never seen such shapely lobes before’ line.”
Kat sipped to not groan, or laugh.
Josie rubbed her ear. “It’s good enough. I just won’t go swimming.”
“That’s no big deal. There’s plenty of other things to do.” Kat kept her tone upbeat. Anything to move on to happier topics. “You won’t miss it. Although, you probably want to at least watch a surf lesson given by. . .” She tilted her head to indicate Ramsey.
Josie stuck her straw in Kat’s coconut. “Iwas thinking about taking a break from men, but with that kind of temptation—”
“Take a break! I mean, let’s take a break together.” Kat tightened her ponytail.
Josie squinted at it.
Had she noticed that Hugo had been wearing the same one before?
“They sell these here,” Kat said, nervously patting her hair.
Josie banged Kat’s coconut down. “So, what should we do first?”
“Um, do you want to see our room?”
“For a minute, I guess. I need a b-room.”
Kat’s coconut only had about four sips left in it. She did not sayYou probably need a nap, too. Instead, she finished off the drink. “This way.”
Josie wasn’t especially complimentary about the room or at the service of having her bags already delivered. She couldn’t care less about the fresh bouquet of tiny white flowers.
Kat inhaled deeply. “You have to smell this. They’re divine. Jasmine, I think.” She held them out.
Josie waved them away with a tired arm. “Why is there only one bed?”
“You never used to complain at our sleepovers and your bed was only full size,” Kat said. “This one’s queen.”
“Umphf. Gotta pee.” Josie shut the bathroom door.
Must be travel fatigue and the ear ache that was putting her in a bad mood.
Josie stayed in the bathroom for quite some time. While Kat waited, she made room in the closet and hung up some of Josie’s clothes, then cleared out a drawer in the dresser for the rest. Josie sure brought a lot of stuff for five days.
“Everything okay in there?” Kat called.
The door burst open. “Fantastic! Now, where’s the best view?”
“There’s this gorgeous cliff you have to see—”
“Overlooking the surfing?”
“Oh, no. But—”
“When I said ‘view’, I meant of male flesh.” Josie licked her lips and ran her hands down her torso. She looked drunker than before.
“Well, Ramsey’s working, although I’m not sure where. But I can ask Hugo if we can have drinks up on the cliff tonight. That would guarantee his presence.”
“Which one? Oh, I don’t care. Yes I do. I want both.”
Josie made more obscene gestures. How had she and Queenie missed their resemblance?
“Careful.” Josie pointed at the camisole Kat held. “You’re getting it all wrinkly.”
Kat looked down. Her hands were wringing the silk like a sponge. Josie took it away and clucked.
“Sorry.”
Josie looked at her bags, the open drawer, and the closet. “Why didn’t you hang it up?”
Kat took a step back. Nothank you? “It kept slipping off the hanger.”
“Never mind. So. What are we doing?”
“A hike?”
“Too hot.”
“Lie on the beach?”
“I’ll be too depressed if I can’t go in.”
Kat chewed her lip. “Horseback ride on the beach?”
“Maybe.” Josie flung herself on the bed like a bored princess.
“Why don’t you lie down for a few minutes while I go ask,” Kat said.
“Umph.” Josie’s eyes were already shut.
Again, no thanks. And here she was, back to being an unappreciated tour director. It took some will power not to slam the door.
She would have gladly talked to Ramsey about horse tours. In fact, she would have preferred to avoid Hugo for the rest of the day, maybe even the rest of her vacation. But Ramsey was like a ghost while Hugo was everywhere at all times.
He was carrying a sheet of corrugated metal near the dining area, the sweat on his skin highlighting his bulging muscles. Her heart ached thinking how recently those biceps had been wrapped around her, how unlikely it was to ever happen again.
“Um,” she said, her breath suddenly short.
Even though it was more of an exhale than anything else, he turned. “Yes?”
“I can see you’re busy and don’t want to bother you. . .”
He set the metal sheet down. “You are never a bother to me.”
Her chest pinched tighter. “Still, it looks like you’re doing something important. Is Ramsey around? Because I can ask him.”
“Please just ask me. If it is something better suited for Ramsey, I will call him.” His tone said very few things were suitable for Ramsey to handle.
“My friend wants to go horseback riding, today, if possible. And I wanted to find out where, when, how much, that kind of thing.”
Hugo leaned the metal against the wall. “There are two outfitters nearby. I am happy to call for you.”
“I could call. Is it on one of those brochures . . .” She could still feel the shiny paper sticking to her back, the cool tile beneath, his strong arms folded around her, his warm lips . . . She leaned on the nearest chair.
“It is no problem,” Hugo said. “I need more nails anyway.”
“Thank you.”
He had already walked away.
He was gone long enough for Kat to calm down, and serve herself some water from behind the bar.
“I am sorry to have taken so long,” Hugo said when he returned. “Some of the other ladies were interested as well. I hope you don’t mind.”
Kat sipped her water. “Who exactly?”
“Well, all of them. Miss Paige, Miss Kiki, Miss Sloane and Miss Blaire.”
So Kiki was the last one.
“I hope you called Queenie and asked her too,” she said. “She’ll be hopping mad if she gets left out.”
“Yes, I did.” Hugo licked his lips. His lovely, luscious, lickable lips. “I hope you don’t mind,” he repeated.
Kat shook her head and sucked on her water bottle, as if she breathed water instead of air. “Hope you don’t mind, self-service.”
“I never mind anything you do,” he said softly.
Breathing became harder still. She took another swig. “I’d better go tell Josie the good news.” She rose and forced her feet forward. Then she stopped. “Oh, wait. When? Where? How much?”
“Does a half-hour work? All you have to do is walk down to the beach. Juan will meet you there.”
“And how much again?” She hated sounding cheap, but having no idea about
the cost made her nervous.
“You get a group rate. I’ll work it out and put it on your room bill.”
Kat waited. Why couldn’t he just answer the question?
Hugo seemed to catch on. “Not much. Maybe thirty.”
Kat exhaled. “Thank you. I can relax and enjoy myself much better when I know what’s coming.”
“Can’t we all.”
Kat didn’t stick around to respond. Even though the logistics talk had calmed her somewhat, she still needed to get away from him. Exercise was just the thing. And novelty. She’d never ridden a horse before. A gentle ride through some beautiful natural scenery sounded like just the thing to clear her head.
27
Josie was snoring.
Kat rested a hand on her forearm. “Josie.”
She snorted and bolted upright, bleary eyes stared blindly.
Kat stifled the laugh. “Wakey-wakey.”
Josie flopped back down. “Urgh. Why?”
“Horseback riding!”
“Ugh.” She covered her face with a pillow.
Kat sat down on the edge of the bed. “I thought you wanted to do stuff, not just sleep.”
“Umphf.” She rolled onto her stomach.
“There’ll be hot guys riding bareback,” Kat promised wildly.
Josie flung the pillow aside. “Why didn’t you say so?”
Kat crossed her fingers that Juan would turn out to be at least moderately attractive.
The PTAs were already gathered down at the beach. They were polite enough during the introductions, but the conversation quickly turned to horses they had ridden on various exotic beaches all over the world, and preferred attributes of polo ponies. Kat nudged Josie and they wandered off to sit on one of the horizontal palm trees.
“I keep meaning to ask why so many of these grow sideways. I don’t know what’s wrong with my brain.” Kat chewed her lip.
“Maybethat inane chatter drowns out all rational thought?” Josie flicked her eyes at the PTAs.
Kat laughed and grabbed Josie’s hand. “I’m so glad you’re here. And you have to give Queenie a chance. She’s really fun, nothing like—” Kat looked everywhere except toward the gaggle.
“Yodel-a-hee-hoooo!” Queenie arrived in style, sharing a horse with the guide. He was attractive, in a rugged, almost feral sort of way.
