Daniel would have loved to be an artist able to capture the glory of the moment on canvas. The way the sunlight bounced off the water, stray rays of sunshine glimmered in Stephanie's hair, turning it the color of spun gold. She looked like a vision.
He stood mesmerized, watching her scamper playfully in the waves like a puppy discovering water for the first time. This wasn’t what he had expected. She wasn’t what he had expected.
Sitting down, he rolled up his pant legs, took off his shoes, and stuffed a sock in each one. He was going to have to find out for himself who Stephanie Cortez really was and what she was really after. His gut told him the woman he’d observed all morning was nothing like the picture his mother had painted all these years. “Even as a child she was always like her mother, never happy with the simple things. Wasn’t she, dear?” Eduardo would always nod and agree, but Daniel had to wonder. Would a child who always wanted more be so entranced with the prism of colors created by nothing but sun and water?
Now was as a good a time as any to find out.
Following in her footsteps, Daniel rushed to catch up with her . “Careful or you might find yourself walking all the way to Santa Marta.”
“Santa Marta?”
“It’s a much more popular beach about an hour away. A lot of people have apartments there. They go for long weekends. The beaches are more like the Caribbean. White sands, clear blue water. You can see your toes at ten paces.”
Stephanie tilted her head in his direction, staring him down.
“Okay, maybe ten paces is a slight exaggeration, but the water is clear as ice on a good day.”
“I like how warm the water is. I wish I’d brought my suit.”
“Did you live by an ocean?”
“Near enough. Jones Beach was the best. It’s a couple of hours’ drive away, on the edge of Long Island. Rye Beach was only about 20 minutes away. It was okay. My mom always loved the beach. I suppose it’s hereditary.” She shrugged, an amused twinkle in her eye.
“Did you travel?”
“No. We never really had a budget for that. Mom worked long hours. She wanted to make sure she could afford to send me to college. Then…you know how it is. You get older, you do stuff with your friends, don’t spend much time with your family anymore. One summer I spent a bunch of weekends out at the Hamptons with some friends who had rented a house. Talk about crazy.”
“The house or the Hamptons?”
“Both.” She smiled, laughter sparkling in her eyes.
Amused, Daniel flashed a restrained grin. “So you had a wild and crazy youth?”
“Not exactly. I’m a conservative in the making. If my friends and I all had our way, they’d reopen Alcatraz, child molesters would face the death penalty for a single conviction, and the people would get to vote whether or not their leaders deserve a pay raise. No, I think I’d be considered more of a spectator.”
“Geek? Bookworm?”
“Neither. Just ordinary.”
“Somehow I doubt that.”
“Seriously. Smart, but not brainy, a B average. Not too tall, not too short, average. Same thing with my weight, average. Light brown hair, average. If I had brown eyes I would fit the description of sixty percent of the female population. I think that constitutes ordinary.”
Surprised at her bland description, he had to restrain himself from telling her all the reasons he’d already noticed why she was anything but ordinary. “Tell me more about ordinary Stephanie.”
“Not much to tell. I was born here. Moved to suburban New York City with my mother when I was six. Spent twelve years in the Catholic school system. Got my BA from Iona College, and here I am.”
“Remind me not to let you write obituaries for the paper,” he teased.
“That wasn’t one of my career goals.” Her bright smile lit up her face.
“There has to be more. Who was your first boyfriend?”
Stephanie stopped a moment, her eyes aimed steadily at his, studying his face. He could see the inner battle her mind had waged and he recognized the moment it was over. A smaller smile teased at one side of her mouth as she turned wistfully to the ocean. “Tommy Peterson.”
Daniel watched her turn and resume her path along the rippling water’s edge, and fell into step beside her.
“It wasn’t much. It lasted all of three weeks when I was fourteen. It took him two weeks to get up the nerve to kiss me.” She swallowed a giggle. “I think that probably had a lot to do with why it only lasted another week.”
“That bad?”
“Is it ever that good at fourteen?”
“Point taken. Best friends?”
That big bright smile returned. “Yes, thank God. Kate and I were pretty much like pen and paper. As a matter of fact, we were often referred to as Lucy and Ethel.”
“Ah, I sense a real story coming on.”
“Nope, just normal high school stuff. Kate had a crush on Bill, my friend Sue's brother. I’m surprised he never accused us of stalking, though I suppose with his sister as our third musketeer he couldn’t very well have a restraining order put on us.”
“Might cause some family tension.” He smiled. “Are you still friends?”
“Oh yeah. I wouldn’t have made it through without them.”
“School that bad?”
She stopped short and looked over at him. The same thoughtful glare she’d studied him with before descended on him again. “You don’t know?”
Frowning, he realized there was no way to know what she was referring to. He knew next to nothing about her. His mother had always made it a point to mention what a spoiled brat she was when Catherine took her away. He’d known about the dolls, and that she’d written Eduardo that she’d graduated college and would like to come see him, but nothing more. In light of the current question, no, he didn’t know very much. “Apparently not.”
“My mother was killed in a car accident shortly after graduation,” she blurted out and turned around to walk back toward the house, her pace a little faster.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Do you have any other family? Grandparents? Aunts or uncles?”
“Mom was an only child, like me. Gramps died when I was in seventh grade. Grammy died when I was a sophomore in college. It was just the two of us.” Despite the warmth of the tropic sun, Stephanie crossed her arms and rubbed them as though trying to chase away a chill.
Not for the first time since they started their little stroll, Daniel resisted the urge to reach out and touch, to comfort, to feel. Something about her kept drawing him in. He needed more time to think. Why had this woman gotten so deeply and thoroughly under his skin?
Stephanie was glad Daniel had little more to say on the walk back to the house. He mentioned it was time for lunch, and as if able to speak English, her stomach responded at exactly the right moment with a growl.
Settled into the passenger side of the car, she kicked off her sandals, leaned her head back against the seat, and then her stomach grumbled again, more loudly. She and Daniel both burst out laughing, setting the day back on a more lighthearted note.
“Instead of going all the way back to the club in town, we’ll stop at the golf club along the coast highway for lunch. More atmosphere anyhow. You’ll probably enjoy eating with a view of the ocean, as long as you can ignore the kids in the pool.”
“I like kids in pools. Only, now I really wish I’d brought my suit.”
“We’ll see if you still feel that way after lunch.”
A few minutes later they drove through the gates of the golf club. A small clubhouse with a terrace and swimming pool was nestled along the hillside to the right of the drive. An expansive, lush green golf course rambled off to the left.
Daniel had been right. From her seat by the pool, she had a beautiful view of the ocean. The atmosphere was perfect. He’d also been right about the pool. Small children ran and splashed and played. Her steak was sprinkled with chlorine water more than once. “I see what you mean about kids and the pool.”
“It’s worse when school is out. At least now we’re only subjected to the younger crowd. Normally there’s a nineteenth-hole restaurant and bar inside, but it’s undergoing renovations at the moment.”
“I don’t mind really. It’s just beautiful. I can see why you live out here.”
“I live in the apartment building next door to Eduardo. The beach house is a second home, for now any way.”
“For now?”
“It’s on the market.”
Stephanie noticed him shift uncomfortably in his seat. “I’m sorry to hear that. It’s really...special.”
Daniel looked off to the ocean as if contemplating what to say next when his cell phone rang.
“Si?”
Stephanie watched him closely as his face pinched with annoyance before he turned away. The day had been nothing like she had expected. She was actually having fun. When he’d started pumping her for information about her life, she’d been filled with apprehension, a need for caution. After he asked her about her first boyfriend, she considered shutting him down and asking to be taken home, but realized there was no malice in his questions. She saw honest curiosity and offered friendship in his eyes. Then she couldn’t help but laugh at herself when she remembered Tommy Peterson.
“Excuse me, I need to take this inside.” Daniel covered the mouthpiece of the cell with his hand and moved to the inside of the building.
Two brothers, approximately three or four years old, were chasing each other around the pool. Their bright orange floaties waved through the air, acting as a warning signal for all pedestrians to keep away. The only problem was the foursome of golfers making their way to the empty table beside her were completely oblivious to the racing munchkins. In a flash the two little boys scurried between two of the men, nudging the one on the outside swiftly into the pool with a very large splash. The second man jumped back out of the way, pushing the third man in after him and knocking the fourth man into the back of Stephanie’s chair.
Being knocked into the table wouldn’t have been so bad if she hadn’t been in the process of taking a sip of cola that was now unceremoniously splattered all over her shirt and lap.
“Oh no. Are you okay? I am so sorry.” A voice as soothing as honey came from behind her.
Horrified, Stephanie sprang from her seat and stared down blankly at herself. The only thing to stop her from screaming rather loudly at the clumsy oaf who had plowed into her was the sight of the two frogmen climbing out of the pool sopping wet and now dripping all over their dry friends.
“Gees, Andres, there are easier ways to meet girls. Excuse my friend's boorishness. I’m Alejandro Trujillo. My other soggy companion is Guillermo Escobar, the gentleman on the floor there is Francisco Martinez.” He pointed to the young man brushing himself off. “And the clod who has ruined your lovely outfit is—”
“Andres,” she interrupted. Accepting the towel a waiter had rushed to her, she roughly wiped herself off. “I suppose I should be thankful I didn’t wind up in the pool as well.”
Shoving a towel at his friend, Andres elbowed his way back into position next to Stephanie. “You must allow me to somehow make this up to you. You’re not from here.”
“No. I’m from New York. I’m just visiting.”
“Then Miss...”
“Stephanie.” She extended her hand hesitantly.
“Then Stephanie, you must allow me to show you the sights of our fair city.”
“Thank you.” Having wiped her skirt as dry as possible, she tossed the towel onto the empty chair. “I’ ve already seen the fair city.”
“Then dinner perhaps. Tonight?”
“Thank you, I think you’ve done enough for me. I suggest you go help your friends dry off.”
“He really is harmless, but to be on the safe side, from now on we only eat inside.” Alejandro tossed his wet towel over Andres’ shoulder.
“See, I’ve been vouched for. I promise if you allow me the honor of escorting you to dinner this evening, I will not spill, pour, sprinkle, or douse anything other than compliments on you.”
It took everything in her not to roll her eyes at the man. Did women here really fall for those lines?
“What the hell are you doing?” Daniel stepped out of the doorway. His expression threw daggers at the man hovering over Stephanie.
“Nice to see you again too, Daniel. If you must know I’ve been apologizing profusely to this lovely lady who is an innocent victim of my clumsiness. I am hoping to persuade her to allow me to make it up to her at dinner this evening.”
“The lady isn’t interested.” Daniel waved at the waiter to bring him the check. Ignoring the persistent man, he turned to Stephanie. “Do you want me to see if I can find something dry for you to change into? Perhaps one of the ladies has an extra change of clothes in the locker room?”
“No, I’ll be fine, but I would like to go home now.”
“Please,” Andres spoke up again. “You must allow me to somehow make this up to you. You can bring a chaperone if you like, but I insist you join me for dinner this evening at the club.”
Stephanie was starting to grow tired of this. If nothing else, the man was charming. He wasn’t bad looking either. Probably about six foot, maybe six foot one, wavy blond hair, green eyes, and strong shoulders. And he couldn't be financially deprived if he belonged to a country club. What was the matter with her? This should be every young girl’s dream. “Very well. If I may bring someone along, and I can meet you at the club, I’ll be happy to join you.”
Andres’ brows buckled. “If meeting you at the club is the only way you’ll agree, then I will be there at eight.”
Daniel’s eyes glazed over. Viciously he signed his name to the paper the waiter handed him, grabbed Stephanie by the hand, and practically dragged her away.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Stephanie screeched when they reached the car. “You’d think I just accepted an invitation to dine with Jack the Ripper.”
“That would be preferable to dinner with Andres Campo.”