Midnight's Kiss: An October Indulgence (An Indulgences Novella Book 11)

by Victoria Zak

Her mother stepped from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a food-stained apron tied around her waist. “Dios mio,” she exclaimed, holding her arms out and pulling Cat into a hug.

  “Where’s Emilio?”

  “Catalina, did you get my message?”

  Cat stopped before heading down the hallway. “No.”

  “Emilio isn’t sick.”

  “What?” Her brows creased in confusion. “But you said—”

  “I know, I know, niña. Emilio was faking. He snuck a hot water bottle under his pillow. I went in to take his temperature. I left for one minute to get a glass of water.” She huffed under her breath, “Niño travieso.”

  “Mama, calm down.” Cat placed her hands on her mother’s shoulders.

  “I caught him placing the thermometer under his pillow. I called you, but you didn’t answer. I’m sorry to have taken you away from work.”

  Cat released a sigh of relief. “It’s alright, Mama. I’ll go have a talk with him.”

  She gave her mother a warm smile, then made her way down the hallway and creaked opened her son’s bedroom door. “Knock—knock.” She walked in to find Emilio sitting in the middle of his bed with a long face. Her little man looked so grown up. “Ay, mi niño travieso.” She sat down next to him on the bed, pulling him into a comforting hug. God, how she missed him. “Emilio, why did you lie to Abuela?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know.”

  “I was worried about you.”

  Emilio pulled away. “You wouldn’t be worried about me if you were home more.”

  Taken aback, Cat looked at him, confused at the sudden outburst. What was going on inside her seven-year-old’s mind? “Emilio, you know I have no choice. I have to work.”

  “But you could take some time off. When was the last time you were at one of my fùtbol games?”

  Cat shook her head. “This isn’t fair.”

  “No Mama, it’s not fair. You’re worried about me, well, I’m worried about you. I need my mama.” Emilio threw his arms around her, sobbing.

  Tears streamed down her face. When was the last time she’d gone to his fùtbol game? He’d call her after every game, excitedly telling her how he’d blocked a goal, or made one, but that wasn’t enough. When she’d walked into the bedroom, she’d barely recognized him. It seemed he’d grown at least two inches since the last time she’d been home. Every two weeks wasn’t enough time with him, and it was breaking his heart.

  “Emilio, I love you to the moon and back. I promise I’ll be home more from now on.”

  Emilio looked down into his lap. “Mama?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m sorry for lying.”

  Cat swiped the tears from her cheeks. “You’re forgiven, my bad boy.” She smiled warmly.

  Because she’d been so wrapped up in working long hours for the past three weeks, she’d lost track of her priorities to the point of hurting her son. Never again. “Hey, Abuela is cooking dinner. Go get washed up.”

  Emilio jumped off the bed and ran to the bathroom.

  She’d made some bad decisions early in life. Like most teenagers, she’d thought she knew everything. Mario was right. She was stubborn. Growing up, she’d seen the love between her parents and wanted that more than anything. She’d ignored her mama’s warnings, believing the boy she loved felt the same. When she told him she was pregnant, it was the last time she saw him.

  Emilio was her joy, her rock through the hard times. It had always been the two of them against the world. They’d grown up together and she wouldn’t change it for all the money in the world. This time, Emilio had saved her from making another big mistake. If he hadn’t pulled this stunt, she would have stayed another day in her fantasy.

  That’s when she decided not to return to Aragon Island until Dario Dicola was on his plane and flying back to his world. She was putting an end to this fantasy nonsense once and for all.

  7

  Dario cursed. Catalina hadn’t answered a single call since he’d discovered her missing from her cabana. Mind reeling, he’d paced all morning, wavering between his inexplicable need to see her and respecting her obvious need for space.

  He’d thought he had her. Naked beneath the stars, writhing in his arms, he could almost hear the words on her lips. Kiss me. Hell, he was ready to beg her to kiss him when the other guests had stumbled onto their private beach.

  What was wrong with him? This sudden attraction to Catalina was unsettling. A week with her wouldn’t be enough. After only spending three days together, he’d grown addicted to her. He missed her smile and the way her laughter lifted the weight from his chest.

  Why was she avoiding him? Difficult as it was, he’d kept his promise. But he wasn’t accustomed to women giving him the cold shoulder, though she’d been anything but cold the night before. If she’d been any other woman, he would have had her by now.

  He reached into his nightstand drawer and pulled out Cat’s blue wrap. He sniffed it, loving her soft scent. Hell! He couldn’t go a day without seeing her.

  She’d ignored him long enough. More determined than ever, he cursed under his breath and strode out of his cabana. Someone had to know where she was.

  Dario rushed into the lobby of the main building, his attention drawn to the sound of Mario’s fingers typing away on the computer at the front desk. Relieved to see Cat’s friend, he knew if anyone would know where to find Cat, Mario would. He ran a hand through his hair as he approached the desk, only to be ignored. He cleared his throat and Mario peered up from the screen.

  “Can I help you?” Mario asked with more attitude than Dario preferred.

  “I’m looking for Catalina. Have you seen her?”

  “Yes,” he said dryly before turning back to his work with exaggerated strokes of the keys.

  Okay. “Could you tell me where I can find her? I have something of hers I need to return.” He wasn’t lying. He indeed had her blue wrap.

  “Like her heart?”

  “What?”

  “Nothing,” Mario snapped. “I’m sorry, Mr. Dicola. It’s Indulgences’ policy not to share personal information about our guests or staff.”

  “Oh, come on. You know me. I need to talk to Cat.”

  “Then call her.” Mario stepped out from behind the desk. “Pool side duty awaits.”

  Fuming at the rude dismissal, he swallowed his curse and followed Mario. “Listen, I know you’re close with Cat. She’s not answering my calls.”

  “Well, maybe she doesn’t want to talk to you. Besides, she’s not here.”

  “What do you mean?” He stepped in front of Mario. “Where is she?”

  “She went home.” Mario dismissed him with a wave. “That’s all I’m telling you.”

  Dario smirked. “Name your price.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me. Is it money you want?” Dario pulled his wallet from his pocket. “How about fashion week in Milan, or—”

  Mario’s eyes lit up. “Fashion week?”

  Dario pulled a card with his personal number on it from his wallet and handed it to Mario. “Si. All expenses paid.”

  Mario’s eyes narrowed, his face twisting with indecision before he spoke. “First of all, let’s get one thing straight. Cat is my friend and I love her dearly. Secondly, because I know her so well, I know when she’s making a huge mistake.” Mario paused. “I’ll accept your offer. Not because I’m selfish and would sell my soul for tickets to Milan. But because Cat needs this.” He snagged the card from Dario’s fingers and stuffed it into his pocket. “I just hope she’ll still talk to me after this.”

  Careful not to say or do anything to make Mario change his mind, Dario reigned in his smile.

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Mario shook his head.

  Dario whipped out his phone and opened a mapping app, prepared to enter Cat’s address.

  “Okay,” Mario said. “You take the ferry to the mainland port, then grab a taxi and—

&nbs
p; “Just give me the address,” Dario insisted.

  “Hello?” Mario said. “We have rules. I can’t just give you that information.”

  Dario rolled his eyes, gritting his teeth against the urge to shake the address from him. “Fine.”

  “Grab a taxi and get on the Cinta Costera coastal beltway to Casco Viejo. She’s a block from the Church of San Jose. Blue, three-story house.”

  “Thank you.” Dario typed everything in, hoping he was spelling it all correctly, then pocketed his phone and grabbed Mario by the shoulders. “Thank you.” He nearly kissed the guy before he let him go and raced toward the glass lobby doors.

  “Front row!” Mario shouted behind him. “I want front row seats!”

  Dario gave him an acknowledging wave on his way down the stairs. He’d get him backstage passes if that’s what it took to get to Cat.

  Humid air pumped through his lungs as he sprinted through the heart of the resort to the docks, not stopping until he reached the end where the ferry was supposed to be. I missed it. Annoyed and out of breath, he searched the area for an alternative.

  “Excuse me.” He jogged back down the dock to a woman stepping off another boat. “Do you know when the next ferry leaves?”

  “I’m sorry, but that was the last one.”

  Disappointment washed over him, along with another prickly emotion he didn’t have time to think about. All he knew was that he didn’t want the night to go by without seeing her. He looked out across the vast ocean toward the mainland. Yeah, swimming wasn’t an option.

  “Are you alright?” the woman asked.

  “I desperately needed to be on that boat. I need to get to Cat.”

  “I’m assuming this Cat is a special woman?”

  He nodded, not knowing how else to express what he was feeling. She was special, but it was more than that. He couldn’t just let her walk away.

  “I normally don’t invite strangers on my boat,” the woman continued, “but you look as if you need a miracle. My husband and I are sailing to the mainland for a shopping adventure. You’re welcome to join us.”

  Hope filled his heart. “Are you sure? I’ll pay. Whatever you want.”

  “Nonsense.” The woman motioned for him to follow her. “We’re headed in the same direction. I guess I’m a sucker for true love.”

  True love? Was it? His feelings for Cat had surpassed a one-night-stand already. But love? Surely not.

  Whatever his feelings, it was enough to make him do whatever he needed to do to see her again. An hour later, he boarded the Lucky Ones, sailing toward Cat.

  Once on land, the couple pointed out where to grab a cab. He thanked them profusely and they wished him well.

  “Where to?” the taxi driver asked when he climbed inside.

  “Casco Viejo.”

  “Sir, you’re in Casco Viejo.”

  “Right.” Dario shook his head and pulled out his phone, flipping to his notes. “Church of San Jose.”

  The driver nodded.

  After navigating through bumper-to-bumper traffic, an hour later, he reached the historic district of Casco Viejo. Dario gazed out his window, taking in the scenery. Block after block of dilapidated or abandoned buildings lined the side streets. Storefronts and shops sat vacant, leaving the neighborhoods a hollowed-out shell. Weathered for sale signs were hidden behind overgrown weeds and tagged with graffiti. It was a shame to see such a culturally rich area go to waste.

  As they drove deeper into the city, the buildings began to take on another form. Refurbished and painted in bright colors, the houses breathed life back into the neighborhood. A few shops were open. Probably family-owned, he thought as he eyed an empty nightclub on the corner.

  He could imagine by nightfall the place would be packed with people dancing to loud music. He scrubbed his chin in thought. With his connections, money, and his passion to succeed, there was true potential here.

  The taxi rolled to a stop in front of the church and the driver turned to Dario. “Fifty-dollars.” He held his hand out with a smirk.

  Dario’s brows creased. “Fifty? American dollars?”

  “Si.”

  Dario calculated the mileage and, by his educated guess, the cab fare should be at most ten dollars. He shook his head, handing the man a fifty-dollar bill. “This is highway robbery.”

  The taxi driver smiled. “I charge double for traffic delays.”

  The scent of the earlier rainstorm was strong in the humid air as Dario stepped out of the taxi, letting the thief off. He didn’t have time to argue about fifty dollars. He needed to find Cat.

  He stood in front of the church, looking east, then west. “A block from San Jose,” he repeated the directions Mario had given him, wondering which way to go. East looked more residential. Only half confident in his choice, he strode down the cobblestone road.

  A few moments later, he stood at the end of the block in front of a blue house, as described by Mario. His heart raced. He’d finally reached Cat. Every male impulse urged him to storm the gates and claim her.

  From the corner of his eye, he saw a woman across the street selling flowers. He didn’t want to greet Cat empty handed. In reality, he needed a few minutes to collect his thoughts. Chasing a woman was uncharted territory for him, and as much as he tried to deny it, he was chasing her. Bribing her friend, bumming a boat ride from strangers to a town he wouldn’t otherwise care about, all went far beyond his usual pursuit of distraction.

  He crossed the street and searched the cart for the perfect bouquet when the woman pulled a handful of flowers out. “You look as if you’re searching for something extra special.”

  There’s that word again.

  Surprised she spoke English, he smiled. “Si.”

  “For a special lady?”

  Dario grinned, the word special growing on him, yet somehow, it still seemed lacking.

  “Here.” She handed him a bouquet of white orchids. “This is Panama’s national flower, the flower of the Holy Spirit. If you look inside the open blooms, you’ll see a beautiful white dove. A true sign of miracles.”

  Dario eyed one of the flowers and she was right. Inside was a white dove with reddish-purple spots on its wings. “This is perfect.” He was going to need a miracle to get through his next move, whatever that was.

  Dario paid the woman more than the asking price. “Thank you.”

  He jogged back across the street and knocked on Cat’s door. His heart nearly stopped when it opened. Wide-eyed, Cat stood before him wearing a pair of cutoff denim shorts and a white tank top, her hair pulled up in a messy bun.

  “Buongiorno,” he choked out, his voice smoother than it should have been.

  “Dario?” she asked, the shock in her voice matching her expression. “Why are you here?”

  “You left me no choice. You weren’t taking my calls.” And because I needed to see you. He mentally cursed his lack of courage to admit his thoughts aloud.

  “But, how did you find me?”

  “Mario.” Dario cringed, suddenly feeling guilty for invading her privacy. Intrusive or not, he was here and he wasn’t leaving.

  “I should have known.” Cat frowned.

  “Please, do not be angry with him, tesoro mio.” He grinned. “I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.”

  “Dios mio, Catalina.” An older woman pushed her way between them. “Don’t be rude, invite your friend inside.”

  “Mama.” Cat gave the woman an irritated glare. “I’m sorry, but you can’t stay, Dario.”

  “Catalina, what has gotten into you?” the woman scolded, then offered him her hand. “Hi, I’m Santina, Catalina’s mother.”

  Dario kissed the top of her hand and she blushed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I see now where Catalina gets her beautiful smile.”

  “Mama, this is Mr. Dicola,” Cat said. Dario bristled at the formal introduction. “We met on the island.”

  “Come in, come in.” Santina pulled him inside. “Will you be stayi
ng for dinner? I’ve made plenty.”

  “Mama,” Cat snapped. “Dario is a very busy man. I’m sure he has better things to do.”

  “Actually,” he interrupted the mother-daughter debate. “I’m starving.” He stepped inside, grinning at Cat in victory.

  She glared and shut the door.

  “Catalina, when you can, come help me in the kitchen,” Santina said as she walked back into the kitchen.

  “I’ll be right there.” Catalina rounded on Dario. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  Expecting her to be more surprised than angry, he pushed aside his wounded pride and pulled her into his arms. While he liked her fiery temper, he had no intention of stoking those flames. Not yet. “I’m being a good guest and accepting an invitation to dinner. Where I come from, you never refuse a homemade meal, especially by your mother.”

  “She’s not your mother, and that’s not what I meant.” Cat pulled away and crossed her arms over her chest. “Why are you here?”

  “These are for you.” He handed her the bouquet, then leaned in to kiss her cheek. When she pulled away, he released a defeated sigh. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I’ll go.”

  “Wait.”

  Dario paused, glancing down at her staying hand on his arm, then up at her face. “I missed you this morning,” he admitted. “The way you left last night...I needed to know you’re okay.”

  “Mama.” A dark-haired boy appeared in the hallway. “Who are you?’

  Dario peered at the child, whose eyes looked hauntingly familiar.

  “This is my son, Emilio. Emilio this is my friend, Dario.”

  Dario’s heart dropped into his stomach. Her son?

  He remembered her mentioning Emilio, but to be honest, he’d forgotten about it, not wanting to imagine her in the arms of another man. A son? A surprising wave of relief rolled through him. Smiling inwardly, he considered himself a fool for feeling jealous over a mere boy. He bent down to the boy’s level and shook his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  Emilio looked up at his mother and she nodded. “It’s okay,” she said, her gaze darting to Dario, her easy smile telling him that she’d missed him, too. “He’s a friend.”