She nodded, not wanting to go into it all now. "Yes. Everything is fine. They have a really nice man, Mr. Perez, from the Refugee Admissions Program taking care of them."
"Oh, that is a relief. I'm so very glad everything worked out."
"Yes. And you were right—they do have family somewhere in Miami, as far as they know. They lost touch years ago, but Mr. Perez is going to look into it."
"That's good news. Did Miguel and Raul come home with you? The girls got the cottage ready this morning. They’re welcome to stay here, instead of sleeping at the old hospital." She made a face. "They all must be so exhausted."
"Everyone is, but no, Miguel and Raul stayed at the hospital. Sean's taking a nap. He was up all night as well."
"It was a wonderful thing he did. Not only is he a doctor, a cardiac surgeon, no less, but he's also a very nice man. Do you know if he has a family of his own? A wife hidden anywhere?" her mother asked with a glint in her eye.
"Not yet. I'm still working on it, but he's very secretive when it comes to his personal life. He backs away from all questions, gets real prickly too."
"That's too bad. I'm dying to know."
Kayla laughed. "Good luck with that." She stretched and yawned. "Have you had any time off today? Want me to take over for awhile?"
"No, I'm fine. The girls took turns and relieved me. Why don't you go back and rest? You've gotta be beat."
"I will in awhile." She sat down in a chair and faced her mom. "I'm so glad that your friend is coming for the holidays. I'm sure we'll be completely booked by then. I wish we could get everything done by the end of October, but it doesn't seem possible, does it?"
"Anything is possible I suppose, if you pay well enough."
"Are you happy here, Mom?” Kayla asked, remembering Sean’s question. “You had so many friends and activities in Princeton."
"True, though this was Allan's dream, I must admit I'm enjoying it." She pushed her dark hair off her face. “What I love most is the relaxed lifestyle. No one's rushing about, there's no horns honking, and no grumpy people shouting, or shoving or pushing. It's just nice. People seem nicer too."
"I agree." Kayla picked a brochure out of the conch shell container on the desk and brushed her hand over the colorful, glossy images. “Paradise Cottages. It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Gives off positive vibes—a promise to our guests that they will experience a really good time." Her thoughts flew to Sean, wishing she could deliver that promise to him.
"What are you thinking?" her mother asked. "You’ve got a sad look on your face."
"Oh, nothing. I just want to make sure we do this place up right, make enough money that we can all live our dreams. Me? I think I'm staying here."
Her mom nodded. "Taylor enjoys it too. She gets to try out her new dishes and dazzle everyone with her culinary skills. She made a Tzatziki sauce earlier this morning and it's chilling in the refrigerator, and Spanakopita which is sitting in the oven." She sighed. "As much as you and Taylor are taking to this place, I'm not so sure about our youngest. Place is too quiet for a high-strung girl like her."
"Oh, I don't know. Brit can make her own fun wherever she is." Kayla stretched out her back, which was beginning to ache.
"Speaking of Brittany. What did you say to her? She's all excited about dancing with the stars." Her mother waved her fingers toward the sky.
Kayla got up off her seat and edged toward the door. She didn't want to get caught in the crossfire between her mother’s ideas for Brittany, and what Brittany wanted for herself. Their arguments could raise the roof. "Uh–I just told her not to give up on her dream. Just because she can’t be a ballerina doesn’t mean she can’t have a future in dance. You know how she loves it."
"Well, she did have a future. She worked in a dance studio and gave lessons to little kids. She loved it."
"She hated it." Kayla should have held her tongue.
"No!” Anna’s expression was horrified. “I thought she had a calling to teach, like me. That she enjoyed working with talented youngsters who hoped they’d perform on the big stage."
Kayla faced her mother, crossing her arms at the waist. "Mom, don't you see? She was feeding their dreams while her own were locked away in a bottom drawer. How could she be anything else but miserable?"
"Well, I wish she had told me!" Anna said, offended. “I hardly want my children to be unhappy.”
"She may have, a time or two." Kayla smiled to take the sting out of the words. She hadn’t realized her baby sister was so miserable either. "Anyway, point is, she's only twenty-five. She can do anything she wants with her life. Right?"
"Of course.” Anna lifted her chin. “I support everything my children want to do."
Kayla walked over to her and gave her a hug. "That's true. You even agreed to let the family stay a month when I asked you to. Since we have empty cabins, it just seems like the right thing to do." She headed out the back door of the office. "I'll make us a nice easy dinner, and perhaps take a plate over to Sean's."
"Now, that is a very good idea," Anna said with a wise smile. "Since it's quiet in here, I might finish this novel I'm reading." She fanned her face. "It's a little racy I'm afraid, but I'm enjoying it."
Kayla laughed. "Good, Mom. Promise me something. Don't ever get old."
"I don't plan to. Old's for other people, not for me."
When Kayla entered their cottage the mouth watering smells of the delicate Spanakopita drifted throughout the cozy rooms they called home.
She found Brittany laying on the couch, enthralled with her iPad, a bowl of grapes by her side. "Hey, Brit. Finding anything interesting?"
"Yeah, there's a lot of dance studios, that's for sure. I need to read reviews and do some research before I commit." She put her iPad down and got up from the couch with her gazelle-like grace. "What's the news on the family? Did the hospital admit them?"
"Yes. Everything has worked out fine. So far. I tried to get Raul to come home with us, but he wanted to stay at the hospital with his family. Sean's at his cabin sleeping. He was up all night."
"Oh. That poor man. I wonder if he wants company," Brittany said, sticking her hands into her tight short pockets.
"He needs sleep, Brit. Seriously. Can you hold off with your flirting for just a few more days? We have serious issues at hand. Like booking reservations and getting this place up to snuff before the holiday season."
"I'm sure you're right. Sean's just an innocent diversion. He won't be here forever, so what could it hurt?"
Kayla didn't bother answering. Three months was a long time at a resort. Instead she took a package of lasagna noodles out of the pantry and a large jar of spaghetti sauce, determined to make a quick lasagna dish. Couldn't be that hard, could it? Taylor's was always divine.
She read the ingredients on the back of the package, and checked the refrigerator. She found a pound of hamburger in the freezer and nuked it in the microwave. She took out a package of frozen spinach too. She found a container of cottage cheese with an expired date on the label, but what difference did a few weeks make? She smelled it, but she'd never liked cottage cheese to begin with. Next she took out a package of shredded mozzarella and a jar of Parmesan cheese. Two eggs, and she was done.
"Need some help?" Brit asked.
"Sure. Could you take those two trays out of the oven, and wrap them in foil to keep warm? Then you can help me make lasagna."
Before Brittany had a chance to cover both trays, Kayla pinched one of the spinach and feta delicacies that were encased in phyllo dough. She popped it in her mouth, and moaned with pleasure.
"Yum! How does she do that?" Kayla didn't wait for an answer but handed Brittany the lasagna box. "Read the directions out loud, so we both know what we're doing."
They worked comfortably together, and soon had the thawed beef simmering on top of the stove. Kayla added the jar of spaghetti sauce while Brittany tossed the other ingredients into a mixing bowl.
Kayla carefully layered the
lasagna so-so, just as the directions stated. She covered it with aluminum foil and popped it into the hot oven. "The last time I made one of these, Brian tossed half of it out."
"That good, huh?" Brittany knotted her ponytail so it sat in a loose bun. “Must have been a bummer.”
"Well, I had worked all day, and then he told me his mother was dropping over for dinner, so I planned on ordering in. No mess, no hassle. Then he showed me the refrigerator. He had gone to the store and bought all the ingredients, so what was I to do?"
"Couldn't he have just made it?" Brittany perched on a bar stool. “Women don’t have to do all the cooking.”
"Are you kidding? I might be a bad cook, but he's even worse. Good thing we lived close to the city then. Food was only a phone call away."
"So what happened with the lasagna?"
"It never sat. Thing was so mushy, I had a hard time slicing it and getting it out of the pan. Didn't taste all that bad, but it looked pretty awful." She laughed at the memory. "At least he never asked me to cook for his mother again. We always took her to one of our favorite spots for dinner."
Brit laughed and stretched out her legs. "Worked out well."
"You got that right." Kayla high-fived her sister.
“You must get lonely. Do you miss him?”
“Nope,” Kayla answered quickly and honestly. “He wasn’t the one, I suppose. And now, I’m too busy to think about dating, or romance.”
Sean's handsome face popped to mind. She wondered what his kisses would taste like. His hard body next to hers. She suddenly felt warm.
Opening the door of the oven gave a blast of heat that she used to explain her fiery cheeks. "Smells good," Kayla said. "Foil needs to come off soon. I'll have to let it sit so that it'll settle. Last time I just took it right from the oven to the table."
"Guess you’ve got it from here. I'm going in to shower," Brit said. "Then I'll get the drinks ready for happy hour."
"Sounds like a plan." The lasagna still had forty minutes left so she decided to lie down for a few minutes and rest her back.
When she woke up, the clock read five o'clock. She'd slept an hour and a half. She hadn't heard her mother or Taylor come in, but when she stepped into the kitchen she noticed the happy hour food was missing. There was a near empty bottle of rum and chopped up mint for the Mojitos still sitting next to the sink.
She opened the oven to check on the lasagna.
Half of it was gone and so was Brittany.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Sean might have been asleep for about an hour when he heard the bedroom door squeak open. His drapes were closed but sunlight peeked through and he saw a woman's shape. He hoped Kayla was back. He should apologize for his behavior. Again. He’d refused to answer her innocent questions, then fallen asleep rather than keep her company on the drive home. No matter how much he was hurting, he had no right to take it out on others.
"Kayla?" He lifted himself with his elbows and raised his shoulders off the bed.
"Hi Sean. It's me. Brit. I brought you some lasagna. I left it on the stove."
He flopped back on the bed, surprised at the rush of disappointment he felt. The last person he wanted to see was Brittany. What was she doing in his bedroom, anyway?
He ran a hand over his face, wishing she'd turn around and go away. Eyes closed, he didn't hear her move.
"Lasagna, Brit? Uh, thanks." Determined to turn over a new leaf, and remember his manners, he slowly sat up. "That was nice of you."
"Kayla and I knew you had a hard night and a busy day, and we wanted to do something for you." She advanced toward him, her silhouette shaded against the pulled blinds in the dark room. "You must be starved. You had quite a night, saving that poor family, being a hero."
Knowing he was stripped down to his underwear, he pulled the sheet around him a little higher. What did she want? Brittany was a flirt, that much he knew. And he didn’t want to be the target of her affections.
"That's nice of you both. Tell Kayla how much I appreciate her thinking of me."
"Sure." Instead of leaving she hitched her butt on the edge of his bed. Next to his leg.
He shifted toward the wall, putting as much distance between them as he could. "I'll eat, shower and then join you for happy hour. Must be that time, right? Don't want to miss it."
"We could have our own happy hour if you want." Before he had a chance to reply, she had her warm hand on his bare arm, and walked her fingers up to his shoulder. "If you're not too tired." The smile on her face told him everything he needed to know.
She was offering a hellova meal.
He swallowed. He didn't want to offend her, but he certainly didn't want to encourage her either. "Not today. Thanks, though."
"No problem. A rain check?" she asked, dropping her eyes to his chest.
He wished he’d worn his T-shirt to bed. "Listen, Brittany, you're a nice girl, but you’re about half my age." He hoped that was an exaggeration, but he certainly felt more like eighty than forty.
"I'm old enough," she answered. "If you're interested, you be sure to let me know." The back of her hand skimmed his cheek. "You're cute."
"So are you, but I won’t change my mind."
"Your loss, in that case." She tossed her head and stood up. "I'll be back in half an hour and escort you to the pool."
"No need to do that."
"I know, but I want to." She laughed and blew him a kiss.
He watched her leave, and breathed a sigh of relief. She was a gorgeous gal, but his interest was zero. Now, Kayla was a different matter. If she came down here offering sweet temptations he might not so easily resist.
Not that she would. He didn't figure her the type who'd be interested in cheap gratification or a casual hook up. He didn't know why after only a few hours in her company, he had decided that she was an honest woman with integrity and strength.
The kind of woman that he would have been attracted to, once upon a time.
He'd have loved some more sleep, but now that he was awake he might as well get himself cleaned up. After all, Kayla would be waiting for him down at the pool and he still owed her an apology or two.
***
Kayla took a quick shower and dressed, trying to push her negative thoughts away. It irked her no end that Brittany had ignored her plea to let Sean rest, and had gone and taken the lasagna to him. As much as she loved her sister and wanted her to be happy, she wished she'd leave Sean well alone. She wasn't interested in him, or about the fact that he had come to their door seeking quiet, a haven to heal. Brit only wanted to get it on with somebody, and he was certainly the most attractive man around. Perhaps, the only one.
Her beautiful baby sister could be a spoiled brat once in awhile. Like taking things that didn't belong to her. Not that Kayla thought for one minute that Sean was hers. She had no idea if he belonged to anyone, but the point was—he was a guest, a mystery to them all.
Kayla chose a light blue halter dress that left her back bare. The fit and flare of the polyester spandex material was ideal for the hot night. Her long hair was blown out, and drifted past her shoulders in soft waves. She applied her make-up quickly in the mirror over the dresser she shared with Taylor.
Her mother and Brittany shared the second bedroom. It was tight quarters, but they'd agreed to give this a trial run for a year and make a business decision based on the bottom line. Of course it took money to make money, but if business was good, they might be able to pay the small bank loan off which they'd taken out for the improvements they had planned.
She gazed at herself in the mirror, then turned so she could see herself from all angles. Taylor stood at the bedroom door with a big grin on her face. "Nice dress," she said. "You wearing that down to the pool?"
"A little much?" she asked, feeling slightly foolish.
"Not if you want to catch a certain man's eye," her sister said with a grin. "And don't you dare take it off."
"It is over-the-top. I don't want him to think I
wore this because of him."
Taylor winked, her long, dark lashes natural. "He'd be flattered. And wait 'til you see what Brittany has on."
"Why?" Kayla's spine stiffened. "What is she wearing?"
"A one-piece snakeskin jumpsuit. Fits like a second skin."
Kayla almost cringed with embarrassment. "I'm going to change. No way am I competing with my sister for any man's attention. That is so not going to happen."
Taylor gave her a push. "Off you go." Then she quickly shut the bedroom door and locked it from inside.
Fuming, Kayla stood there staring at the closed door. "Open up, Tay. Right now!"
"I can't hear you," she answered in a sing-song voice.
"I'm going to kill you when I get my hands on you. Did you hear that?"
"Nope. Have fun. See you soon. Bye-bye."
Humiliated, pink in the cheeks, Kayla grabbed a full bottle of rum and marched down to the pool. The guests mingled—the only two missing were Brittany and Sean.
The honeymooners chatted with the Ohio couple, Jeff and Mary, and her mother. The four of them cheered when they saw the bottle she carried. Jeff jumped up to take it out of her hands. Pushing away unwanted thoughts of her sister and Sean, she smiled, blew her hair out of her eyes, and greeted them all. "Hi everyone! Sorry I'm late. Hope you all had a great day."
Making herself useful, she passed around the tray of Saganaki. The plate was beautifully decorated with cherry tomatoes and tiny purple flowers, yet the cheese looked untouched. She knew Taylor would be disappointed if they didn't at least try the appetizer.
"Here we go, folks. It's a Greek dish, but basically it's fried cheese. Delicious." She handed a napkin to the two couples and waited for them to take one from the tray.
Mary sampled it first. "Mmm. This is fabulous. Try it, honey," she told her husband. "I swear, we are never going to want to leave."
Kayla laughed. "Well, just make sure you tell all your friends about us, back in Ohio." She used a napkin to mop the perspiration from her forehead and looked toward Rhapsody. What were they doing? Having the lasagna together? She could picture Brittany in that skin-tight one-piece outfit, smiling and teasing Sean, playing footsie with him under the table.
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