Later that afternoon Rex shifted his glance away from Viv to admire the sparkling surface of the pool. Miss Kitty took the moment to pounce onto his lap. He let his fingers travel through the thick fur on her neck. She began to purr.
And then came the expected tickle in his nose, followed by a distinctive "bork" from the other side of the fence. Rex ignored Kevin's protest, turning his head to sneeze.
He scratched behind Miss Kitty's ears. Another purr rumbled from her chest as she leaned into his fingers. Rex had to admit he enjoyed the connection. She was harder to please than Kevin, so he felt a certain satisfaction that she'd offered him a purr. Plus Miss Kitty has a regal quality that he admired, not unlike Viv.
"Bork!"
Rex looked toward his yard. On the other side of the fence Kevin pawed at the boards. "Jealous much?" he called to the dog. Rex suspected that Kevin might be feeling left out. He glanced toward Viv, whose eyes were closed.
Miss Kitty hopped to the ground. Her tail waved in the air as she sauntered toward the sound of Kevin's bark. His pawing stopped.
"Meow," she called, rubbing against the fence and then turning to rub her fur the other way.
Kevin yipped excitedly.
I know how he feels, Rex thought.
Viv began to speak. "So you actually see images roll up in your mind? That's how you knew Frank was Susan's father." Her eyes were still closed.
Turning away from watching Miss Kitty, he explained, "When I have, you know, the images, they are usually accompanied by a certain feeling, a sense of things. But I can have the image and the feelings and still not know what it's about. That part isn't always accurate." He thought about how, when he'd first seen the expensive sheets, his conclusion was that he'd be sleeping with Viv. Look how that turned out.
"I also saw Susan in an image,” Viv said. "She was maybe three or so years old, wearing a cowboy costume. A man bent over as if he was talking to her."
He sat up. "What? You saw it too—in your mind—like a slot machine? Now that's really something." Rex leaned back in his chair, lowering his sunglasses from the top of his head to cover his eyes. Then he cleared his throat.
“Not like that. It was a photo.”
“Oh that makes more sense. So let’s change the subject. I have an invitation, if you will."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Rex heard the door behind them slide open. He glanced over his shoulder and then groaned. Fernando Gutierrez stood with his arms folded over his chest. He could have been posing for a muscle man magazine, he looked so perfect and detached.
Rex gulped. "Does he have to hang out so close? He can hear our every word."
“That's his job." Viv smiled. "He's my bodyguard."
Rex did not feel amused. He'd seen the empty plate of cookies on the counter when he'd passed by to the pool. In his opinion, Viv had adjusted to this recent invasion of her privacy all too easily. It was as if Fernando already meant something to her.
"You can't bring him," Rex said stoutly.
"Bring him where?" Viv asked.
"On the cruise. That's what I'm proposing. I booked us a trip to Hawaii. For next week. A quick getaway. As a surprise. We'll sit on the beach and soak up the sun. Doesn't that sound nice? A good way to recuperate from this latest investigation, and I can keep an eye out, just in case people are following you."
When Viv didn't say anything, Rex’s agitation grew. "Aren't you excited, you know, to take a trip, get away for a few days?"
"I get seasick," she said calmly.
He'd not thought of that.
"And I don't like buffet food," she added, her voice sounding firm. "Plus what about Miss Kitty; who will take care of her?"
Rex felt defeated. He'd hoped she'd be thrilled that a man, such as himself, had taken charge. He'd offered to escort her on a cruise, playing the role of every woman's dream companion. There were lots of females who would have jumped at the chance.
She could dress up and drink unlimited cocktails and get a manicure.
Viv tipped her bottle of water toward her lips. "Will my stateroom be next to yours?"
It can be, Rex thought. Once I cancel the one room and book two instead. He'd not thought that she'd prefer her own accommodations. But if that's what it took to get Vivienne Rose to go on a vacation with him, well then that's what he'd do.
"I've arranged for two deluxe staterooms." Okay, that was a lie, but only by omission. He'd reserve the second room right away, as soon as he could. Turning his lie into a reality.
Viv put her bottle under her chair. She stretched out her legs and rested her arms over her cover-up. He reached to take her hand. Gently touching the red marks on her wrist, he sighed.
"Don't you think you need a rest?"
She drew her sunglasses down to stare at him. "From you?" she teased.
He laughed. "Okay, I am bit much, I admit it."
"Just a bit?" She pushed the glasses back on her nose, leaving him to ponder her meaning.
His cell phone pinged. Followed by a text message on his screen: “Your voyage countdown has begun. Only ten more days until boarding. Sign on to our website to select your preferred dining options.”
He lost no time. "I have to answer this," he told her, heading toward the house.
Once he'd finished booking the extra stateroom, he texted Sutton and his on-call doc with the boutique practice. The doc assured him he'd have the prescription delivered, Palm Desert style.
Brimming with goodwill, Rex pushed past Fernando. "Move, would ya?" he said. Then he sat next to Viv. "I've solved everything. You've got a stateroom with a balcony. I've arranged for Sutton to cat sit. My doc has a patch for seasickness. Very chic, worn right behind your ear. And I've booked us a table for dinner every night where waiters bring the food and there's no buffet in sight."
He leaned back in his chair, feeling very pleased with himself. A few texts and a website visit had removed all of Viv's misgivings. He began to hum an old Sinatra song, "The Best Is Yet to Come," under his breath. Until she spoke, making the last note catch in his throat.
"Don't forget Fernando. He'll need his own stateroom for the voyage."