by Stark, Cindy
He shook his head, trying to remind his brain to regain control as he tugged Elena out the door. His reaction to her kiss had been caused by an intense sexual attraction, nothing more. An attraction that begged to be appeased.
"We'd better leave while we can," he said. "There's something I want to show you, and one more kiss like that will seriously jeopardize my plans."
She laughed as she allowed him to lead her away, the sound of her laughter causing another tremor inside him. Christ, maybe he was having a heart attack. That answer seemed more logical.
* * *
They hadn't made it past the hotel's front entrance when Elena's phone rang. She pulled her cell from her bag, glancing at the name on the screen. "Sorry. It's Cassie. I need to take it."
"No problem."
"Hi honey. What's up?"
"Oh, Mom. It's good you answered."
The frantic note in her daughter's voice pinged her with fear. "What's wrong?" She turned away from Joe as his brows drew together.
"None of the flowers came in today. The shipment just didn't show. Carmen's freaking out because we were supposed to get all those different yellow and orange flowers for the Winchester Hotel's re-opening."
A sick pressure expanded in her chest as a little voice reminded her how much her business needed her. "Did you call the vendor?" She'd made a special order with a new vendor who'd promised her quality along with better prices. She should have known better than to order all the flowers for a special occasion from only one vendor.
"Yeah. That's the freaky thing. They said we cancelled our order. That so did not happen. You know I wouldn't do that."
"I know that, Cassie. I trust you, and I know you understand how important that order was."
"What should I do?" Uncertainty clung to her daughter's words, and Elena wished she could transport herself back home instantly.
"Okay, deep breath." She could handle this even if she was hundreds of miles away. "This is going to be okay, Cassie. It's not that big of a deal. I'll call a couple of places. Someone will be able to overnight the flowers, but you and Carmen will have to hustle to get them together tomorrow before the event. Carmen may have to call in our backup designer. Also, call Mercedes in the morning. She'll be home by then, and she can help out, too." In fact, that might be a good distraction for her friend.
"Mercedes? Mom, Mercedes is there with you."
"No, she went home today. There were some things she had to deal with." Things Elena didn't want to explain to her daughter. "On second thought, maybe I should come home, too, and handle this myself."
"No, Mom. We're fine. If you'll call the vendor, I'll make sure everything else is taken care of. I promise. I can do this. I want to do this, okay?"
Her daughter had grown into a smart capable young woman. It was hard to believe Elena had been only a year older when she'd become a mother. "Okay, but if you run into more problems, call me."
"Are you going to be okay there by yourself?"
Her eyes flicked to Joe. "Of course I will. You know me. I'll be fine."
It took Elena a good fifteen minutes and several stressful phone calls before she had everything ironed out.
"Everything good now?" Joe asked as she pocketed her phone.
"I hope so." Things were back under control, but the incident left her with a feeling of unease. It had been past time for her to crawl out of her unsocial shell, but it was a frightening thing to put her livelihood in someone else's hands. Especially when problems cropped up. "Thank you for being so patient and understanding."
"No problem. I know exactly how stressful running a business can be."
Elena nodded, relieved that things with her shop had worked out and hadn't ruined their day completely.
* * *
A soft breeze cooled the warm sunshine that fell on them as Joe escorted Elena away from her hotel toward the local flea market, where the smell of tacos and cooked fish hovered in the midday air. Since coming to Cabo, he'd regularly enjoyed the sights and sounds of the busy market, and he knew Elena would like it, too. What woman didn't like shopping? "I'm glad you were able to get everything worked out over the phone. Taking care of business while you're on vacation is no fun."
She released a worried sigh. "You're telling me. I hope I don't get a frantic call tomorrow if things don't go right. I still think maybe I should catch a flight home today. Call this vacation good."
"No. You don't want to do that. Everyone needs a break from life sometimes, and Cassie deserves the chance to handle this, don't you think?" Elena wore her hair down today, and it glided over her shoulders in a golden wave. He couldn't run his fingers through it there on the street, so he reached over and took her hand instead.
"I suppose so. It's a little stressful, though. I'll call Mercedes later and give her a heads up. She'll make sure everything is fine."
"See? It's all good." He steered her away from a group of oncoming people. The flea market was such a tourist trap, but, judging by the number of individuals crowding the area, no one seemed to care.
"Thanks for bringing me here. The people and energy are amazing. This is exactly what I need." She gestured toward a display of colorful skirts that hung on a line outside a small shop. "I love those." Her lips curved upward as she glanced at him. "You know, I've always wanted to do this."
"Do what?"
"Shop at a flea market."
Women and shopping. Always a good combination. "So, why haven't you?"
"When I was younger, my mother barely had enough money to keep food on the table, let alone travel to places like this or buy anything other than basic necessities. Then once I married Richard, he insisted I only frequent the finest shops. He prided himself on that."
"The guy seems a little uptight."
"That's an understatement."
And here Joe was dragging her to a dirty, noisy market that was, on second thought, maybe not the place to bring her. "Are you sure you're comfortable here? We could go back to the hotel and shop there."
"Are you kidding me? This is going to be great. Teach me how to haggle, will you? I want to try it."
"Sure, okay, but you have to have a good poker face."
She nodded, as a grin teased her lips. "I can do it." Her smile broke free. "But you go first."
Damn, she was cute. And fun. She was classy in her sleeveless silk shirt and colorful skirt, but he'd seen her laid-back side as well. When she let her hair down, figuratively as well as literally, being with her was better than drinking a cold cerveza while lying in the sand watching a parade of bikini clad babes. He wasn't sure what that said about him, but as long as he was with Elena, he didn't care.
"Let's go here." He nudged her toward a vendor selling silver jewelry. The building was quite small, the roof made from thatched palm fronds, but it was clean inside and had some nice homemade displays.
As they entered, he leaned over and whispered. "I bought my sister a necklace here once. Their stuff's pretty good. You have to be careful with some of the beach vendors, though. Several have been known to stamp their silver with a higher quality grade than it really is."
"Okay," she whispered back as though they were spies trading information, and another silly grin emerged on his lips.
"Hola." He spoke to the grandmotherly woman that was busy straightening a tangle of necklaces. She was heavy-set, her red skirt faded with time, the wrinkles around her eyes crinkling as she smiled at them.
"Hola." She nodded a greeting and deserted her task. "You like jewelry?"
He glanced at Elena who had her bottom lip tucked in, probably trying not to smile back. "We want to look a bit."
"Si." She nodded. "We have good pieces."
He nodded and followed Elena to a display of silver rings. She picked up several before pausing at one set with a light-colored stone in the shape of a heart. "I should get something for Cassie, and she loves rings." She tried it on her finger. "What do you think?"
He shrugged. He had no clu
e what would appeal to her daughter. "Do you like it?"
"I think it's absolutely beautiful." She twisted her hand, admiring the look of it.
"You like?" The older woman had managed to come up behind them without being heard.
Joe glanced at Elena who watched the woman with great interest. "Hmm…maybe. How much?" he asked.
"Three hundred pesos." She smiled. "On sale. Today only."
He favored Elena with a disappointed look before returning his attention to the saleswoman. "No, that's far too much for us."
The senora took Elena's hand, holding the ring up for inspection. "But see fine quality. It's good, very good. My husband do himself."
Joe stole Elena's hand and pretended to study the ring. She had long tapered fingers and perfectly manicured nails. Nails that had dug into his skin the night before. "It is very fine work…but I can't pay that much. Will you take one hundred pesos?"
The woman chuckled and shook her head. "No. No possible. Husband has to eat to make more rings. Your lady likes it. For two hundred-fifty pesos."
"One-fifty," he offered, and saw a smile crack on Elena's face. He loved that she was having a good time.
"Two hundred twenty-five. No less." The woman shook her head, clearly enjoying the bartering, too.
He looked over the ring selection, spying another similar to the one Elena wore. "If you sell it for one hundred seventy-five, I'll take two of them." Elena furrowed her brows at him.
The lady paused a moment and then nodded. "For you only."
"Agreed."
* * *
Elena pulled out her wallet to pay for her purchase, but Joe shook his head. She tucked it away, unsure what to do. Was it customary for the person who haggled to pay? Or for the man to pay? She waited patiently for Joe to count out his pesos, still curious why he'd chosen two rings.
Outside, she walked toward a grassy area where she opened her wallet again. "How much do I owe you? I don't know how much one hundred seventy-five pesos is." She hesitated for a second, not sure she should ask the other question hovering on the tip of her tongue. "And who did you buy the other ring for, your sister?"
Joe smiled, the creases in his cheeks showing, charming her. "You don't owe me anything. I bought them for you and your daughter."
"Oh." An uncomfortable feeling settled over her. This was how Richard started his controlling obsession, making small decisions for her that later had become all-consuming ones.
Joe's smile disappeared as well. "Is that okay?"
She waited until two tourists passed, not wanting anyone to overhear their conversation. "It's just that I wanted to buy her something."
"Oh." Concern darkened his eyes. "I’m sorry. I didn't mean to overstep."
She paused and tried to take Richard out of the equation. Really, Joe hadn't done anything wrong. It was a small and kind token.
Elena inhaled and realigned her thinking. She'd behaved irrationally. It wasn't fair to judge him based on Richard's actions. "No. No." She shook her head, letting out a soft breath. "You didn't. It's fine. I—I… It's a lovely gesture. Thank you."
He waited a moment as if making sure things were okay. "You're positive? 'Cause if you want to repay me, it's only five hundred dollars."
"What?" She widened her eyes. "That's too—"
"I'm kidding. Together, they cost me about thirty bucks."
She released a pent up breath and smiled. "You're awful…but sweet." Cassie would love her ring, and Elena loved hers, too.
"Come on, it's not going to hurt you if I buy you a trinket." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, giving her a squeeze.
She loved receiving gifts. Who didn't? Unfortunately the things Richard had given her never had any real meaning behind them, and quite often they had thick strings attached. This was different. Somehow the flowers Joe had brought her and the little silver ring were just perfect. "Okay, but I get to buy you something, too."
Hours later, her shopping bag was full of treasures. Elena had bought them both a T-shirt proclaiming Got Lime? with a picture of a margarita underneath. It was a frivolous purchase, but that's how their day had been. Fun and lighthearted, and she'd had the best time ever. She'd tried her first cactus taco and chased it down with a sweet sangria soda. They hadn't made it on the list of her favorite foods, but they were interesting to try.
The sun now sagged in the sky, tired from heating the tourists that ransacked the multitude of shops in the area. At the edge of the marketplace, a young teenage boy caught her attention. Dirty and unkempt, he had a dozen handcrafted pots sitting in the dirt between two shops.
"Do you think he's as poor as he looks?"
Joe followed her gaze. "Probably. A lot of these people struggle. In the tourist spots, things are kept pretty nice, but get into the outlying areas, and people are hurting."
"I feel so bad for them. I grew up poor—though not that poor—but I remember what it was like to wonder if we'd have enough money for a new pair of shoes for school."
"Yeah. Not good." Joe steered them toward the young man. "You know, I need to get my mother a birthday present, and those pots look perfect."
As they approached the teenager, he got to his feet. Dirty streaks lined his brown face, the hollowness in his eyes echoing the hard life he lived. "Hola."
"Hola." Joe squatted down on his haunches and examined a pot painted with sunflowers. "You make these?"
The kid nodded. "My cousin in Guadalajara. He make them. I sell them and get half."
Elena knelt next to him. "They're called Talavera pots," she whispered to Joe. "The quality is amazing." She looked up at the boy. "Your cousin is very talented."
He nodded, but she wasn't sure he understood what she'd said.
Joe eyed the young man. "How much for this one?"
"Five hundred pesos." The boy looked hopeful, but most likely knew that it would sell for a much lower price.
"No," Joe replied and the boy's face sank. "That's not even close to what it's worth."
"We work, long time. We need some money. You understand?"
Joe's lips twitched. "Oh, I understand. But what you need to know is that this vase is worth at least seven hundred pesos."
"Seven hundred?" The teenager widened his eyes. "You pay?"
Joe grasped the colorful pot and stood. He turned it around in his hands, inspecting it and nodded. "I'll give you seven hundred."
"I'll take one, too." Elena picked up a gorgeous black and white detailed vase. "Same price."
The boy smiled in obvious delight as he spoke in rapid Spanish. He quickly wrapped the pottery in paper and sent them on their way, probably so they wouldn't have time to change their minds.
"That was very nice of you," Elena said as they neared her hotel. The sun had almost set, leaving the streets with a hazy glow and the air slightly cooler.
"Nah, it was worth it." He chuckled.
She smiled, hugging her vase to her. The thought of making the young man happy left her heart light. "It is wonderful work. I could probably take this back to Carmel and sell it for twice the price I paid."
"Maybe. It's too bad the kid can't do that. I'm sure his family could use the money."
That's true, she thought. Money was a powerful force. Too much or too little could have a detrimental effect on people's lives. Joe seemed willing to share, but honestly, how much could a fishing guide make? Yet, he'd helped that young man and his family anyway. So unlike Richard. So unlike many of the people she knew in Richard's circle of friends.
"Are you staying at my place tonight?" She flashed him a hopeful smile. With Mercedes gone, she intended to enjoy as much time as possible with this gem of a man. She didn't know how she'd walk away from him when the time came. She only knew that she would walk away. She had to.
"If you're inviting me, then I'm there." He grinned and squeezed her hand.
* * *
Joe tightened his arms around Elena as she shifted. She sat nestled between his legs on one of the lounge
rs outside her bungalow's entrance, her back resting on his chest. The stars had been out for hours, but neither of them made any attempt to end their evening.
Joe had gone home with her after their trip to the market and the following three days were now a blur of kisses, love and laughter. This would be their last night together, and he didn't want to think about how empty tomorrow might be. For six days, they'd laughed and played together. He'd gotten to know the woman beneath the reserved surface and loved what he'd found. It was hard to imagine a future without ever seeing her again.
A chill raced over his skin as she caressed his forearms with her thumbs.
"What are you thinking?" The sound of her voice jerked him from his thoughts.
He grasped both of her hands, holding them safely within his. They were soft and warm, and he knew with complete certainty he'd miss her touch after she vanished from his life. "I don't know. Nothing, I guess." He intertwined his fingers with hers. "You?"
"I'm thinking I don't want to go home tomorrow."
His heart pitched. Her words were exactly what he wanted to hear. "Then don't."
"You know I have to." She reached up and ran her fingers down his cheek. Seconds of tortured silence crept by. He wanted to share his heart with her, but he didn't know where to begin.
"If you're ever in Carmel, you should, you know, look me up." It was obvious she was trying to keep things lighthearted, but he couldn't go there.
He opened his mouth, but then shut it again. He wanted to beg her to stay, but he couldn't.
"This was a mistake, wasn't it? Spending this much time together. We should have left it at one night."
"No." He squeezed her. "I don't regret a minute of it. Do you?"
"Of course not. It's been wonderful. But there's no future for us, and we've been behaving like there might be, even though we said we wouldn't. It's going to be hard to leave you behind."
He paused, not certain how to enter new territory. Then again, he'd learned the most direct route was often the best. "We can figure a way around this if you want."
