Tapas and Tangelos

by C. K. Martin

  Kate shouldn’t have to deal with this kind of thing. Hayley didn’t want to tell her the truth and watch as the horror spread over her face and she walked out the door. Because, really, wasn’t that the only way this could end?

  No, a stern voice reminded her, the real ending would be Kate telling everyone else. Then the bar, Pablo, and all the tentative steps towards happiness she had finally taken would be gone forever.

  She’d survived so much hatred and loss when she was younger.

  She wasn’t sure she would survive it again.

  Chapter Ten

  Kate had a plan.

  In the early hours of the morning, when she had turned off the light and yet somehow sleep remained elusive, she’d gone over and over the conversations they’d shared during their amazing day together.

  That was how she saw it, anyway. Amazing. She hoped Hayley felt the same way, but she knew just the experience of the park itself was fantastic as far as she was concerned. Hayley had been the icing on the cake.

  She had gone over every word they’d said, remembering each smile, each joke. Each casual brush against each other when they were walking, or when Kate reached out to show her something.

  They were her favourite memories of the previous twenty-four hours. Those moments when their skin touched and the electricity that flowed between them told her that this was more than just her imagination. More than just wishful thinking.

  In amongst the reminiscing, it dawned on her that she’d played her strongest card at the start.

  An exclusive, private showing of the park before it opened to the public was the one unique thing she had to offer. Hayley had been so reluctant to give in to her charms that she’d decided to go big or go home. Now she had nothing else to win her over with for their second date.

  That was when her thoughts had returned to the conversation and saw Hayley had revealed a little bit about herself that Kate knew she could use.

  All she had to do was convince Hayley that she wanted to do it with her.

  ‘Good morning,’ she said brightly, bouncing through the doors into the bar. She saw the automatic smile that appeared on Hayley’s face before it was pushed back down into something more neutral. Not an ideal response, but Kate wasn’t going to let that stop her.

  ‘Hi.’ Hayley’s response was measured. Kate ploughed on as if she hadn’t noticed.

  ‘Isn’t it a beautiful day out there? I can see why you love this place.’

  ‘Not today I don’t. Marco forgot to tell me that we’re almost out of cava, so I’ve spent all morning trying to sort out an emergency supply. Since the Prosecco boom people are drinking it like it’s going out of fashion. Anyway, what can I do for you? Coffee? Breakfast?’

  ‘Just a flat white please, if it’s not too much trouble to ask you to go off menu for me again? I’m going to hold out on the pastries until my willpower crumbles. Am I okay to take a table and work in here today?’

  ‘Of course. Take a seat and I’ll bring it over to you.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Kate, however, did not take a seat. Instead, she stayed propped up at the bar, watching Hayley make the drink. She could watch her all day, she thought dreamily, before mentally slapping herself across the face with a warning to snap out of it. ‘Did you enjoy yourself yesterday?’

  ‘I did. Thank you.’ Hayley threw a smile her way from the coffee machine. ‘I would never have done it on my own. You seemed to enjoy it too.’

  ‘I did. It was amazing.’

  ‘And I didn’t distract you from your work too much?’ Hayley placed the coffee down on the counter in front of Kate. ‘I mean, you didn’t have to waste time explaining things to me when you could have been making notes, or whatever it is you usually do on these things?’

  ‘Of course not. It actually helped.’

  ‘It did?’

  ‘Yes.’ Kate took a sip of the hot coffee. She was already looking forward to the joy of real caffeine flooding her system. ‘I visit these places already knowing more about them than most people. Having to explain things to you, or point things out you wouldn’t have noticed, it helped me to see things through a fresh pair of eyes. It’s given me a better idea of how to write the article now.’

  ‘Can I read it? When you’re done?’ it was an innocent question, but Kate could sense something else brewing under the surface.

  ‘Of course. How about I let you read the first draft if I finish it here today? It won’t be exactly the same as the final one and it will need a bit of polish, but it will give you a good idea. That way, you can read it before the rest of the world.’

  ‘That would be great,’ Hayley let out a genuine smile.

  ‘No worries,’ Kate took another sip of coffee, wondering if now was the time to execute phase two of the plan. It was still quiet in the bar but if things picked up, she might not get the chance to talk to Hayley again today. She had a feeling that the first response to the question would be no. Kate had to build in some extra time to persuade Hayley to her way of thinking.

  Ah, what the hell. ‘In fact, I was thinking, because it was so useful, you might be able to help me out again.’ Subtle. That was good.

  ‘I doubt it. If you’re expecting me to remember all those Latin names you told me yesterday then you’re going to be bitterly disappointed. Biology wasn’t even my favourite subject at school.’

  ‘No, nothing that complicated. What are you doing Monday?’

  ‘What?’ Hayley seemed surprised that Kate was asking her out again.

  ‘I need to write about something more universally appealing that people can do when they’re in town. Are you free on Monday?’

  ‘I have to work here. I’ve already taken too much time off to help Pablo. It’s clear that Marco is getting overwhelmed with the extra shifts if he’s forgetting things like cava.’

  ‘From what I’ve seen of Marco, I suspect it was more to do with the pretty girl drinking the cava than it was to do with overwork.’

  ‘You may have a point. But I’m not sure I can take the chance. Why do you want to know anyway?’

  ‘I want to go on a dolphin watching excursion.’

  ‘Seriously?’ Hayley looked at her like she had gone mad. ‘Why would you want to do that touristy piece of crap?’

  ‘Because, technically, I am a tourist?’ Kate countered. ‘I’m guessing by the phrase ‘piece of crap’ that you’ve never done one?’

  ‘No, I haven’t.’

  ‘Good. I told you I needed a fresh pair of eyes. I’ve done about seven now, all in different places. I need someone who is new to the whole experience.’

  ‘Dolphin watching hardly screams eco tourism to me.’

  ‘You’re right.’ Kate was prepared for Hayley’s arguments. ‘I’ve been doing my research and there is a new operator opening up over in Playa de Guayedra. That’s the next beach along, right?’

  ‘Right.’

  ‘It’s a more eco-friendly one. Family owned and operated. They don’t use sonar or any of that kind of shit to track the dolphins down. There’s no ‘see the dolphins or get your money back’ guarantee because they’re doing it the old-fashioned way. I won’t promote it as a better alternative unless I’ve tried it myself.’

  ‘I’ve worked with punters for long enough to know they are always going to go for the money back guarantee option if there is one. Don’t waste your time.’

  ‘Exactly. I need to see if it has more going for it than just dolphins. It has to be a full experience. I need a second opinion. I can’t do it on my own.’

  ‘I’m sure you can,’ Hayley laughed.

  ‘Okay, I don’t want to do it on my own. Come on, it will be fun. It really will help me with my research. Don’t you want local, traditional family businesses to thrive?’

  ‘Of course I do.’

  ‘Will you at least think about it? Don’t answer right away. Tell me at the end of the day, when I’ve written my article.’

  ‘Fine, I’ll think about it. But don’
t assume that means I’m going to say yes.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Now go grab a table before everyone comes in. That one over there has a power socket underneath if you need it.’

  ‘That would be perfect.’ Kate picked up the remains of her coffee and carried the cup over to the table Hayley had suggested. It was far enough away from the window to avoid the glare of the sunlight on her screen, but still afforded her a view of the world outside passing by. It was a happy balance and had the added bonus of providing a distraction from simply staring at Hayley.

  #

  As always, once she actually began to piece the article together, she lost track of time, totally absorbed in her work. There were so many things she wanted to write about, but she could only select the most important things. It was difficult to choose and she barely noticed that the coffee cup next to her was never empty when she reached for it.

  ‘Am I okay to interrupt?’ the voice made Kate look up and it took a second for her eyes to focus on Hayley standing next to her.

  ‘Sure. I was - shit, is that the time?’

  ‘That’s what I thought. You should take a break. You’ve been staring at that screen now for three hours and I’m not sure I’ve seen you look up once. That can’t be good for your sight.’

  ‘It really isn’t.’ Kate balled her hands into fists and rubbed eyes. They felt gritty and sore. ‘I should take a break.’

  ‘I’m about to have lunch. Do you want to come with me? There’s a table and chairs behind the building if you want a change of scene?’ It came out in a rush, as if Hayley was already changing her mind.

  ‘Um, sure. If that’s okay?’

  ‘Of course. You can leave your laptop in the office so you don’t have to worry about it.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  Kate didn’t know if it had been a busy day for Hayley, she had been so wrapped up in her own world. As she looked around the room now, she could see that only a handful of tables were occupied after the main lunch service. The transition from cafe to bar would soon begin. She followed Hayley behind the counter, feeling like she was heading into some new, almost forbidden, territory. She ignored Marco’s raised eyebrow and cheeky grin as she walked past.

  ‘That door there is to the office. I mean that in the loosest possible terms. But you can dump your stuff in there.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Kate pushed open the door. The room was tiny, with a desk and chair, but not a lot else. It felt dark and claustrophobic. She’d never had to work in a cubicle, but after years of coffee shops and open plan co-working spaces, she didn’t think she would ever be able to live that way of life. She hastily dumped her bag on the desk and returned to the kitchen.

  On the counter were two plates. Cheese, cold cuts and crusty fresh bread sat on each. ‘I went for the basics, I hope you don’t mind?’ Hayley asked, picking them up. ‘I don’t have much time for lunch, so quick and easy is always the way.’

  ‘That’s perfect.’

  ‘Follow me, we can sit out the back and enjoy the heat. It’s actually quite pretty if you ignore the empty beer barrels.’

  Kate followed Hayley through the kitchen doors to a makeshift patio area at the back of the building. A small plastic table with two chairs sat in the shade, facing out over a small area filled with beer barrels and empty crates. A high fence at the back made it relatively private.

  Hayley placed the plates on the table and took a seat. ‘I told you it wasn’t much to look at.’

  ‘I like it. It’s peaceful.’ It wasn’t a lie. She took a bite of the bread and looked around. Given that Hayley had owned the place for so many years, there weren’t many personal touches. This was the closest space she had to a garden, but the only thing to indicate it could be used for such a purpose was a small tree in a giant pot that Kate couldn’t immediately identify. Its fruits reminded her of Chinese lanterns. ‘What’s that?’

  ‘It’s a tangelo tree.’

  ‘A what now?’ Kate took another bite of bread and some cheese. She took a moment to savour the taste before turning her attention back to what Hayley was saying.

  ‘A tangelo tree. It’s not native to the region, but it suits the climate well. I wanted something unusual. It was a strange whim, years ago.’

  ‘I’m not sure as an ecologist I can condone the introduction of non-native species.’

  ‘Then it’s a good thing I’m not asking for your approval,’ laughed Hayley, popping a wafer-thin slice of Jamón into her mouth. ‘Besides, the fruit is delicious. You haven’t complained when you’ve been eating it.’

  ‘I’ve eaten it?’ Kate shook her head, surprised. All the food Hayley had given her had been of the strictly savoury variety.

  ‘Yes. On our picnic, yesterday. I used them in one of the dipping sauces.’

  ‘Wow.’

  ‘Here, let me get one.’ Hayley stood up and walked over to the tree, assessing the available fruits before selecting one and tugging it free with an expert twist. ‘There,’ she said handing it over. ‘Try it.’

  Kate handled the fruit, turning it over to feel the peel in her hands. The orange was so vibrant it almost felt unreal. But whereas an orange was a perfect round shape, the top of this fruit had something decidedly weird at the top. The only word that came to mind was ‘nipple’, but she decided to keep that thought to herself. Instead, she peeled the fruit to reveal the segments inside. As her nails pierced the skin, a fine spray of zest filled the air. She popped a slice into her mouth, not knowing what to expect. Her mind kept going back to the nipple and couldn’t predict what her tongue would feel.

  It was sweet, less like an orange and more like one of its smaller equivalents. Was it like a tangerine or a satsuma? Kate wasn’t sure she would know the different between the two regardless. But it was so juicy her mouth filled with flavour. ‘This is delicious.’

  ‘I know. I don’t use them in the bar food unless I get a particularly bumper crop. It doesn’t happen very often, but if I’ve got some left over I make a marmalade towards the end of the season. At this time of year, I add them to the sauces I make for my own food. There’s nothing quite like something sweet to offset salty tapas.’

  ‘You are so right.’ Kate popped another segment in her mouth. ‘I still don’t condone it though.’

  ‘And I still don’t care. You can hand it back if you’re morally offended.’

  ‘I wouldn’t go that far. I can’t believe I’ve never tried these.’

  ‘I think they’re Californian. I could be wrong. That sort of thing has never mattered to me as much as how it tastes.’ Hayley went back to eating the last few bites of her own lunch. She’d eaten for efficiency rather than pleasure. ‘Speaking of which, I should probably thinking about getting back.’

  ‘Already?’ Kate’s own plate was still half full.

  ‘Yes, already.’

  ‘That’s hardly a lunch break. You practically inhaled your food.’

  ‘It’s more than I usually get. Most of the time I just eat in the office so I can do the paperwork at the same time. This has been a nice change for me. But you’re right, it wasn’t long. You take as long as you need out here to give your eyes a rest. Just come back in when you’ve had enough of the heat.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘No problem.’ Hayley stood up and picked up her plate. Kate knew it was a good time to push a little more. They might not get any time alone again today. ‘So have you thought any more about my offer?’

  ‘What offer?’

  ‘Don’t feign ignorance. The dolphin watching excursion.’

  ‘Were you actually being serious about that?’

  ‘Of course I was.’

  ‘I told you, why would I want to go on a dolphin watching trip with a bunch of tourists? Really?’

  ‘And I’ve told you, it’s a new company. There won’t be many other tourists yet. You had a good time yesterday, didn’t you?’

  ‘Yes, but that was different.’

  ‘No
, it wasn’t. I wouldn’t ask you to do it if I didn’t think you would have a good time. You don’t get seasick do you?’

  ‘Not that I know of.’

  ‘Then what is there to lose?’

  ‘A day of my life watching people get drunk at sea and then throw up over the side?’

  ‘Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure that happens on the larger boats. In fact, I’ve been on a few trips that were more about the free beer than the dolphins. I don’t think this one will be like that or I wouldn’t go. Come on, how about it?’

  ‘Do I have a choice?’ Hayley rolled her eyes, but Kate could tell she was close to caving.

  ‘You always have a choice. I promise it will be a fantastic day. And if I turn out to be wrong, then I’ll find some way to make it up to you.’

  ‘You should be careful making promises. They could get you into all kinds of trouble.’

  ‘It will be worth it. So?’

  ‘Alright, alright. I’ll come, but only so you’ll stop asking me about it.’

  ‘If you say so.’

  ‘What? Are you saying you won’t just keep nagging me until I give in anyway?’

  ‘That’s true, but part of you wants to come, admit it.’

  ‘Never.’ Hayley walked back to the doorway that led inside. ‘And stop being so cocky. It doesn’t suit you.’

  With that she was gone, leaving Kate alone with the remains of her lunch and a smug look on her face.

  Date number two was good to go.

  Chapter Eleven

  Hayley sat back in the comfortable seat, her arms stretched over the side of the boat. It had been years since she had been on the water. She preferred looking at it from the safety of dry land. It wasn’t that she was scared of it, or anything like that. She was a perfectly competent swimmer. Somehow it never tugged on her heartstrings in the way it called to some people. The ocean was a thing of beauty to watch, not sit on.

  Despite her reservations, she had conceded within the first hour of the trip that Kate was once again right. It was becoming a disconcerting pattern and did nothing to stop her from liking Kate even more. She had spent another guilt-ridden morning before the two of them met up, chastising herself for doing something she shouldn’t do. The more she told herself it was wrong to spend time with Kate, wrong to encourage her friendship and keep the hope alive there might be something more, the more she found herself unable to keep away.