It was so annoying to not have Wi-Fi in our hotel room. I sent Trevor a text, but he didn’t respond. It was early, so he was probably still asleep. Or if he was awake, he might have been out for a run. Mason left to shower in his room. I woke Sophie and hopped in the shower first because I wanted to have time to go down to the computer stations in the lobby before meeting the guys for breakfast.
As I brushed my hair in front of the bathroom mirror, Sophie squeezed behind me “Why do we have to call him Bill?” She stepped into the shower.
“His dad is financing the school project he’s volunteering for and he doesn’t want anyone to know he’s related.”
“Why?” she shouted over the sound of the water.
“Partly because he doesn’t want preferential treatment and partly because it might not be safe if the wrong people find out that he’s wealthy.”
“What, like he’ll get kidnapped for ransom or something?”
“I guess. It’s common in some parts of Mexico.” I applied clear lip gloss and pulled my hair into a ponytail.
“Shit.” She towelled off as she made her way back to the bedroom. Then buttoned the fly on her jean shorts and pulled a tank top over her head. “I hope you know boyfriends aren’t an obstacle for guys like Mason. He’s smooth enough to make you slip up if you’re not careful.”
I leaned my shoulder against the doorframe, arms crossed. “We were just talking—as friends. I made it clear I’m still with Trevor. And I love Trevor.”
“I know. That’s why I’m warning you now.” She pointed at me in a genuinely cautionary way. “Be careful.”
“Mason didn’t even try anything. He’s a gentleman.”
“He’s a sex Jedi.” She slipped her feet into sandals and slid a stack of gold bangles onto her wrist. “If he uses the Force on you, you might not be able to resist.”
“He leaves this afternoon. I can handle it.”
She walked over to me and pinched my cheeks. “I hope so.”
I rolled my eyes. “A little faith, please. Meet me downstairs. I need to email Trevor.”
I had to wait for a computer. A man who was booking golf tee-times, apparently for the entire year, was using one. One of the computers wasn’t working. One was being used by a girl who was messaging someone back and forth at impressive speed per message but torturous speed per conversation. I paced around and tapped my fingers on my thigh. I think I annoyed the golf guy enough that he finally got up and left.
I sat down and logged in to compose the email: Hi Babe. There’s no Wi-Fi in the room and it’s ridiculously slow in the lobby so I have to use a shared computer. If you need to get a hold of me you should text. I keep having a vision. I think it has something to do with you getting lost on a rescue. I don’t know for sure. Please don’t go on any rescues until I get back.
I sent it and then remembered I had other things to tell him. While I was writing the second message, his response to the first one came through:
Hey, I’m not going up to Britannia Beach. I have way too much studying to do. You don’t have to worry about me getting lost, unless I get lost between my room and the library. I didn’t know about Sophie and Doug breaking up. I called him to see how he’s doing. He’s messed up. He said she won’t return his calls or emails. He thought they were going to get married. He asked me to ask you to tell Sophie that he loves her and wants to talk to her. Are you having fun?
I quickly finished typing the second email:
There’s one other thing I want to tell you. Don’t freak out, because there’s no reason to freak out. We ran into Mason down here. It was a coincidence and he’s leaving this afternoon. We talked last night and Sophie and I are going to meet him and his friend for breakfast. It’s no big deal. Just thought you should know since I would want you to tell me if you ran into an ex.
I wasn’t sure if he was still online, but I waited and bit at my fingernails. Finally, my inbox chirped.
Thanks for telling me. Have fun.
Relieved, I quickly typed: I love you. Please be safe.
Always am. Love you too.
I felt better knowing that Trevor wasn’t planning on going on rescues. I also felt better knowing that Trevor trusted me with Mason.
Sophie and the guys were already standing together at the main entrance to the dining hall. Seeing Mason from a distance talking to her made it seem like he had never been gone from my life. He smiled at me from across the lobby as I approached them, and although there were a lot of reasons why we could never really be close friends, that’s what I wished for.
The buffet was literally overflowing with fruits, pastries, and artisan breads. There were stations for pancakes, waffles, French toast, and any type of egg dish you could imagine. It put my little continental buffet at the Inn to shame. I went back three times to fill up on different things. My favourite was the Eggs Benny and the tropical fruit salad with cooked muesli. I was stuffed.
“Do you ladies have plans for the morning?” Mason asked after we finished eating.
“Not really. We were thinking about going to the spa,” Sophie said as she tipped the waiter.
“The spa can wait. Orrett and I are taking you horseback riding.”
Orrett shrugged as if he didn’t know that was the plan, but was fine with it. Mason pulled my chair out for me and I saw him slip the waiter another tip. As we passed the buffet, I grabbed an apple to take with us. I assumed we would be going to the horseback riding along the beach at the resort until Mason led us to the front of the hotel and hailed a cab. Well, it was actually more like a motorcycle with a passenger carriage on the back than a cab. There were no seatbelts and the driver drove like a maniac, weaving between other vehicles and pedestrians. Even if we’d been in a vehicle that was more stable than a tin can, I still would have been terrified by his driving.
The horseback-riding ranch was outside the city on top of a rolling hill. The dinky cab could barely make it up the road with all of us weighing it down. When the hill got really steep, the cab chugged and we could have walked faster. The ranch house was a huge Spanish-style estate with a landscaped desert garden and an impressive fountain that pooled down over river rocks and streamed across the property. Mason beat Sophie to the cab driver’s tip and grinned at her competitively.
“It’s beautiful here,” I said in awe. “Wait,” I said, then leaned in so I could whisper in his ear, “Where is your bodyguard?”
He touched his finger to his lips and whispered, “Shh.” His mouth stretched into a smile that was intended to be reassuring as he continued, “He’s here. You’re not supposed to see him. If you see him it either means he’s not doing his job properly or we’re in trouble.”
I frowned and glanced around nervously.
An English-speaking Mexican in a huge cowboy hat, brown boots, and Wrangler jeans with a woven leather belt met us in front of the stables. He showed us around, then outfitted us with four gorgeous horses. My horse was auburn brown with a dark-brown mane and tail. She had a little patch of white hair in the shape of a diamond on her forehead. Her name was Tortuga.
He showed us how to saddle the horses and checked to make sure we did it right. Mine was wrong. Apparently, the saddle would have slipped around as we rode and I would have ended up riding under Tortuga’s belly. My stirrups were too short too. I stood back to let the guide fix everything. Tortuga lifted her tail and dumped a pile of manure a foot away from me. It hit the cement floor of the stable and splattered up on my leg.
“Nice,” I groaned.
“You have to watch yourself behind a horse.” The guide chuckled as if he had known it was going to happen.
After we were all saddled up he gave us a mini-lesson on riding. Sophie had ridden when she was young, so she was off and trotting immediately on her horse, named Zhara. Mason was on a tan-coloured horse, named Rey, with a blond mane and tail. I had never been on a horse in my life, and Tortuga obviously knew it because she wouldn’t even walk for me. Mason slapped her butt and she reluctantly followed the rest of them.
The trails led up over the rolling hills and entered a forested area. My horse was doing whatever she wanted and I kind of wished I could flutter my eyelashes at her to make her do what I wanted. At one point, even though I was yanking on the reins and shouting at her, she walked off the trail and right into a bush. She just stopped and stood with her head in the branches. I didn’t know how to make her back up, so Mason had to grab her bridle and pull her sideways until she turned around and followed the trail.
Eventually, I got a bit more confident and she started to listen to me, sort of. We rode for over an hour to the highest peak, which overlooked Acapulco and the ocean beyond. Mason manoeuvred his horse next to mine and the horses leaned into each other and put pressure on my leg. Tortuga was doing it on purpose to be a pest.
“What do you think?” Mason asked as he gazed out at the view.
“It’s amazing. Thank you. Do you come here a lot?”
“No. I heard about it from some of the other volunteers, but I’ve never had a reason to come before.”
He dismounted gracefully. I slid off awkwardly. The guide set a picnic table with nice linens and Mexican dishware. He spread out an assortment of authentic, home-made Mexican food and poured us each a wine glass of Sangria from a cooler. I gave my Sangria to Mason, but ate more than my fair share of breads, bean dips, salsa, and other goodies.
After we finished eating, Sophie said, “This was really cool. Thanks Ma—” She stopped herself before she finished saying his name and a panicked expression flashed across her face. Mason and I pretended not to hear it. Orrett didn’t seem to notice.
“My horse already doesn’t like me,” I said to break the silence. “She’s not going to be thrilled when she realizes I just put on ten pounds of Mexican snacks.”
“You need to give her a good kick to make sure she knows what you want,” Mason said as he helped the guide pack everything back into the picnic basket.
I stood to help wrap up the leftovers. “I don’t like hurting her.”
Mason sort of scoffed and then shot me a glance that wasn’t particularly friendly. “Sometimes being too nice hurts more.”
He was definitely talking about us and the past. The guilt made me wince. When he saw the expression on my face, his eyes closed as if he maybe regretted saying it. But he was entitled to be mad. It was fair. I deserved it. “Sorry,” I said, under my breath, before I walked over to my horse and attempted to get back on. I hopped three times before I gained enough height to throw my leg over her back. Just when I was almost mounted, she spun around and bucked. I was catapulted forward over her shoulder and flipped once before landing on my back in the dirt.
“Ow,” I groaned.
Mason was already kneeling beside me when I opened my eyes. “Don’t try to move,” he said as he scanned my body for blood or sideways bones.
The guide reined in my horse and Sophie crouched down on the other side of me. “Oh my God. Are you hurt?”
“Um.” I closed my eyes and took a physical inventory. “My phone is broken, but I think I’m okay.” I moved to pick up my shattered phone and a sharp twinge shot through my arm from the elbow to my fingers. “Ow. Maybe not.”
“Orrett’s a doctor,” Sophie said, and moved so Orrett could look at my wrist.
“I’m a dentist,” he corrected her.
She waved him over eagerly to indicate that anyone with medical knowledge would do.
“I guess I can take a look.” He moved the joint in a couple of ways and it hurt so bad when he bent it back I started to cry. “It might be broken. You need x-rays. Do you have travel medical insurance?”
“No.” I sucked back the pain so I could talk. “We left so quickly. I didn’t even think about it.”
“It’s fine. I’ll cover the cost,” Mason said. “The hospital is on the way back to the hotel.”
With help, I got to my feet, but I hadn’t even been a good rider with two hands, so the guide phoned the ranch and arranged to have someone pick me up in a Jeep. Mason insisted on riding with me. Sophie and Orrett rode back with the horses and the guide. The drive over the mountain terrain was actually bumpier in the Jeep than it had been on the horse and my wrist started to swell.
Mason looked so concerned. “I’m sorry.”
I glanced sideways at him while cradling my wrist against my chest. “It’s not your fault.”
He reached over and gently touched the swelling on my wrist. “Come with us to the project. I would feel better if you were with us—to make sure your wrist is healing properly.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. It’s not safe away from the resort.”
“You don’t have any medical insurance. It’s better if you’re around a doctor.”
“He’s a dentist and I’ve broken my wrist before. I’ll be okay once it has a cast or brace.”
“We have an entire medical team there.” He leaned closer and shifted into a deep and smooth tone that he undeniably knew was charming, “And I want you to come.”
“Thank you for the offer.” I closed my eyes before I continued so I wouldn’t have to see his face, “But I love Trevor.”
“I know that.” He chuckled as if that wasn’t why he was suggesting it. “Do you have a problem with us being only friends?”
“No.” I shook my head, confused by the mixed messages. “I just want to be clear, so nobody gets the wrong impression.” I paused and looked directly in his eyes for emphasis. “And so nobody gets hurt.”
He smiled as if he thought my concern was misguided and cute. “I just thought you and Sophie would enjoy the humanitarian experience.”
“Oh.” I felt embarrassed for assuming he wanted to be more than friends with me. But even if he didn’t have ulterior motives, going with him to the camp was a bad idea for a lot of other reasons too. “Well, thanks anyway, but I thinks it’s best if Sophie and I stay at the resort.”
He nodded and didn’t say anything else about it.
At the hospital, Mason talked with the people at the front desk. Whatever he said to them, or slipped them, resulted in preferential treatment. There was a waiting room full of people and we didn’t even have to wait to see a doctor. The x-rays showed that the bone was slightly fractured. They gave me a brace and we were finished in just over an hour.
As we waited in front of the hospital for a cab to take us back to the resort, I sat down next to Sophie on the curb while the boys went across the street to buy water. Sophie smiled in a way that meant she had a plan. “Mason invited us to go with them to the school project for a couple of days.”
“And you told him no, right?”
She tilted her head from side to side to indicate that wasn’t exactly the answer she gave.
“Are you crazy? They travel with armed guards because it’s too dangerous.”
She waved off my concern. “Nothing has ever happened. Orrett’s wife came down and stayed with him for a few days and she loved it.”
“No. You can go. I don’t want to.”
“You can’t let me go by myself. That would be friendship negligence. It’s only for two nights. The bus goes back and forth every third day. Mason said the experience will change our lives. Guaranteed.”
“Have you forgotten that you warned me to stay away from the sex Jedi?”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll run interference.” She clasped her hands together in an overly dramatic pleading gesture. “Please. I’ve always wanted to volunteer on a humanitarian project.”
I rolled my eyes at her manipulation tactics, and not that I was even close to considering it, I asked, “How far away is the camp?”
“About two and a half hours. Mason said he’ll ride back down to Acapulco with us if you want.”
“I can’t do any hard labour with my wrist like this. What kind of work do they do?”
“He said we’ll probably be painting or something. But you don’t have to do anything if you can’t manage with your wrist.”
“There are probably snakes there. Are you sure you want to be sleeping out in the wilderness?”
She shivered in disgust. “He didn’t mention snakes, but he did say we’d be in a two-person tent that’s built up on a wooden platform. It has foam bedrolls.”
“And snakes slithering beneath the platform,” I reminded her, since she was basically phobic of even harmless garter snakes.
“It will be good for us to step outside our comfort zone.” She shoved my shoulder. “Live a little.”
I shook my head, not ready to cave in. “The food is probably disgusting compared to what they have at the resort.”
Mason and Orrett returned and heard me. Mason chuckled and handed us each a bottle of water. “The mess tent is not as good as resort dining. I’m not going to lie.” He winked at me. “But when you take away all the fancy amenities that you take for granted you find out what’s really important to you.”
Torn, I sighed without taking my eyes off him. I could feel Sophie jigging around in anticipation of my final decision. “Three days, two nights, armed guards?” I asked, still skeptical.
“Perfectly safe. I wouldn’t take you if it wasn’t. The bus leaves from the resort at four o’clock if you’re coming.”
The cab arrived and Sophie bounced up all excited. “So?”
She and Mason both looked convinced that I was going to give in and say yes. Even though I was leaning that way I said, “I’ll think about it,” and then climbed into the cab.