by Aubrey Parr
Love on the Malecon
by Aubrey Parr
Copyright 2016 Aubrey Parr
Smashwords Edition
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This novel is purely a work of fiction. Any characters, names, or events are the product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to real persons, places, or events is purely coincidental.
Dedication
This book is dedicated to...
Katie – For keeping me writing so she could keep reading.
and
Kelly – For seeing me as a writer from the beginning.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Connect with Me
Sneak Peek: Love on Ocean Drive
PROLOGUE
“He just walked out! Good riddance to him then!” Nicole was practically yelling now. She held the phone to her ear with her shoulder. She was throwing clothes into a suitcase, barely noticing what she chose. She knew that Kate was going to try and calm her down. That’s what she always did. Kate was far more even keeled than Nicole. That’s probably why their friendship had lasted for so many years; they balanced each other out.
“Breathe, Nic,” Kate reminded her, “You just got back from the funeral. You need to just take some time for yourself.”
Oh, done! Nicole thought to herself. She wasn’t ready to tell anyone, even Kate, that she had booked a ticket to Puerto Vallarta. Well, anyone but Andrew. And look how that turned out. He just left.
CHAPTER ONE
It was the first open-ended plane ticket that Nicole James had ever purchased. It came with a return flight, of course, but somehow this felt more like a one-way trip. She had just buried her father and this seemed like the best tribute to his life. It was the least she could do since she didn’t get to say good-bye.
As soon as she had found out that she hadn’t made it to him in time, she knew what she wanted to do. Booking the flight was the easiest decision she had made in a long time and it felt like the right one. It didn’t come without its risks. Her editor at Chicago Home Magazine was not thrilled with the last minute extension to her time off. Then again, when someone’s father dies, one is usually given a little more leniency.
There was also Andrew to consider. He chose to skip the trip with her and Nicole took that as a bad sign for their relationship. The heap of self-help and relationship books that weighed down her carry-on bag was going to help her figure out that situation. Andrew didn’t even know her return date wasn’t booked. No one did. Two weeks sounded like a nice length of time but she wasn’t ready to commit just yet.
The pilot came over the intercom and informed the passengers that they were starting their descent into Puerto Vallarta. She smiled at the thought of the 90-degree temperature that waited for her below. It had been years since she had been to Mexico. Her father’s work had taken him around the globe several times over the past decade and he had always said that Puerto Vallarta was his heaven on Earth. Nicole wondered if her father’s heaven was really made up of cobblestoned streets, little restaurants, and a Malecon the stone seaside walkway he could stroll for all eternity.
Her head started to spin again at the thought of her father. She was not prepared for his death. Although suffering a slow death would have been awful, Nicole couldn’t help but think that some forewarning would have been nice. But accidents don’t work that way. Still, she would have loved to spend a few minutes with him by his hospital bed to have some closure. There are so many things that she would have said. But he had been too far gone. Even if they were in the same city, she still may not have made it to the hospital in time. No plane would have been fast enough, but she still had had to try. She lost her mother so young. It had been the two of them for as long as she could remember. Now, one careless decision made by a stranger driving a car had taken her father from her.
Lost in her thoughts, Nicole barely noticed that the plane had touched down.
“We landed dear. You can relax,” the elderly woman next to her said as she patted her hand. Nicole didn’t remember grabbing onto the arm rest.
“Oh, thank you,” she smiled, adding a half-hearted laugh.
As Nicole sat there in a daze, waiting for her turn to disembark, her thoughts turned to Andrew. Andrew Hanson was the complete opposite of her previous boyfriends. Nicole always had a thing for bad boys and too many had broken her heart by the time Andrew walked into her life. A complete change was just what Nicole thought she needed.
He was a lawyer and certainly looked the part. His chestnut brown hair was always just so and his suits were always immaculately pressed. He was classically handsome with tanned skin and blue eyes. His nose was perfect and he had a sweet smile. She admitted to her friend Kate once that he kind of reminded her of a Ken doll. She was a little scared that it wasn’t a compliment. And though she had never witnessed it, she suspected that he even ironed his jeans. Another mystery was his tan. He was tan year-round and they lived in Chicago. How was that possible? Was he hiding a membership to a tanning salon along with the closet jeans ironing?
Andrew never seemed to be entirely comfortable in his own skin. And although she loved him dearly, he was a little too stuffy for Nicole at times. Nicknames made no sense to him. He didn’t even use terms of endearment. He never liked it when anyone tried calling him Andy. In his eyes, that was not his name. Nicole was simply Nicole.
He was sweet and gentle, in his own way. They went to fabulous dinners at nice restaurants and he indulged her love for the theater. Though she appreciated those things, she loved the casual side of life as well and there was still the part of her that missed hanging out in a hole-in-the-wall pub or a beach bar. She laughed to herself at the thought of Andrew walking into a grungy dive. He’d probably wipe down the barstool with hand sanitizer before sitting down.
Their last conversation had been short. She told him that she needed a vacation and wanted to visit her father’s favorite place on Earth as a tribute to his life. That was all she was able to say before “no” came out of Andrew’s mouth. Nicole wasn’t sure if he was saying that he didn’t want to go or if he was really trying to tell her that she wasn’t allowed to go herself. As if she was a child asking permission. She didn’t wait to find out the answer. She told him to leave their apartment while she packed and he had left without any other communication.
Nicole replayed the short scene over and over in her head. She couldn’t quite believe how quickly he had walked out. How could it have been so easy for him? She wasn’t even sure he knew where she had gone. Sure, she had told him numerous times that Puerto Vallarta was her father’s favorite place. But would Andrew remember?
Nicole also surprised herself at how easy it was for her to board a plane without her boyfriend of three years having any idea where she was headed. Frankly, she liked the idea that she was unreachable. She wasn’t even sure she would turn her phone back on now that they were on the ground. Her only family left was gone. Her friends were grown adults with lives to lead. Everyone could survive a hiatus without reaching her. No one could blame her for disappearing for a bit and soon enough everyone would know she was okay. Well, no one could blame her but Kate.
Kate was
her matter-of-fact, hilarious, there-for-you-no-matter-what type of friend. Not letting Kate know her whereabouts would be inexcusable in Kate’s eyes. And she could keep Nicole’s secret from Andrew if needed. She reminded herself, yet again, that it was only two weeks, right? Then that sneaking suspicion popped back in her head, the one that told her that this felt like a one-way trip. She brushed it off, attributing it to her state of mourning. Surely she wasn’t quite in her right mind at the moment.
Nicole’s back began to ache even more as it was finally her turn to head up the aisle. As she stepped off the plane onto the platform, the sunshine was a smack in the face, like a splash of cold water awakening her from her haze. She was there. She had made it.
She immediately thought of her father. She was happy and sad all at the same time. Nicole imagined old Bill’s face, the mischievous smile he would have as he would set foot in his favorite place on Earth. Images of her father filled her head, from as far back as she could remember to the last moments she had spent with him. Maybe that was his way of telling her that he was there with her. She took a deep breath and smiled at the idea of that.
All of the passengers filed down the stairs and piled into a waiting bus to take everyone to baggage claim and customs. Luckily, she was one of the last to board the bus and the entire process at the airport was actually rather quick. It seemed like a nice start to her trip.
Her taxi pulled up to the Playa Vallarta hotel. It was right in the middle of the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta. Nicole had been to Mexico before but she had always stayed in Cancun at a variety of huge resorts. This trip was all about her father. She wanted to experience his Puerto Vallarta. She wanted to stay at his favorite hotel, frequent his favorite bars, and eat at his favorite restaurants. One of her favorite stories was hearing about when he met the owner of The King’s Head pub down the street from his hotel. It was a British pub in the middle of Mexico. The owner had spent his “holiday” in Puerto Vallarta, returned to England, and sold all of his belongings to come back to open the pub. Nicole always thought that was such a fun story and she couldn’t wait to visit and hear it for herself
She immediately felt her father’s presence in the Playa Vallarta and fell in love with the place right away. There was an open air lobby with trees inside. Just past the desk, tables spilled out from the restaurant. There was a large lobby bar and a swimming pool, all before an entrance to the beach. It wasn’t a huge hotel like so many of the resorts in Mexico can be. Though Nicole had always been drawn to the all-inclusive resorts where you didn’t have to leave the property, in this very moment, she couldn’t figure out why.
Playa Vallarta was quaint, clean, and inviting. It made her feel like she would be a guest, not just a number. She had begun to pull her suitcase behind her when a little man in a crisp white summer suit came up and took it from her.
“Please allow me to assist, señorita. My name is Hector and I will be here for you, mi amor.” Nicole smiled and let him help with her bags. He was so little and absolutely adorable. It seemed as though someone had stuck a normal sized man in the dryer and shrunk him just a hair. He had kind eyes and a bright, happy smile. Nicole knew instantly that they could be friends.
“Thank you,” she smiled, “I’m hoping to get checked in quickly so that I can relax a bit after my trip.”
Hector nodded in agreement, “Of course, señorita, I will make certain you are assisted immediately.”
He waited patiently for her to check in and then showed her to the elevators. As she followed Hector, Nicole noticed the beautiful color of the wood in the lobby bar- brilliant tan with bands of orange that sparkled in the refection of the sun. It was huge, with a thick elbow rest, and seemed to go on forever. There was a heavy overhang above, in the same amazing colors, with beautifully colored glasses dangling from it. Each style of glass was a different color and made Nicole want to order all kinds of fun mixed drinks with umbrellas in them. There were plants placed randomly all around the shelves above with vines hanging down that added a natural warmth to the area. There were a few guests scattered around the bar, some in bathing suits, taking a break from the sun.
Nicole was wondering which barstool would have been her father’s when she noticed a man sitting there, aimlessly stirring his drink. She felt a chill all over as she realized he had been watching her. He looked like he was most likely American, maybe forty, with salt and pepper hair. (Why was it that a man could become more attractive when he grayed but it just made women look old?) His face was angular with a sharp jaw line and it looked as though if he didn’t get up the energy to shave in a few days, he would officially have a beard. So far that may have been her favorite thing about him. She loved everything from a five-o’clock shadow to a full-on beard; it made a man look rugged and exciting. He was in a casual t-shirt and tan linen pants with flip flops dangling off his feet. He looked like he had just come from a walk along the beach. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw edges of tattoos that were peeking out from beneath both sleeves of his t-shirt. Nicole loved tattoos; she had a few small ones as well. She preferred meaningful little accents for herself but with men, the more the better. Andrew didn’t have any tattoos. And no matter how many times she suggested he consider one, he wouldn’t budge.
They made eye contact. He had searing dark eyes that seemed to look right inside of her. He tipped his glass to her as a hello and looked at the empty chair next to him. His expression didn’t change; he just stared at her with an intensity that she’d never felt before. Nicole decided to continue their silent communication. She pointed to the elevator and then back to the chair next to him and smiled. He seemed to understand that she wanted to go upstairs to freshen up from her travels and then would join him at the bar. His eyes never left hers but he did reveal a little smirk on his face as she finally pulled her attention back to Hector and the open elevator that waited for her.
Not wanting to take too long, Nicole flew through a shower and put on one of the dresses she had in her suitcase. She did a quick inventory of what she had remembered in her hasty packing. There were a handful of dresses and skirts, a few pairs of light summer pants and shorts, a pile of tank tops ranging from casual to dressy, two bathing suits, flip flops, and some bras and underwear. Luckily she had remembered to pack some running gear and her shoes. Not too bad. She could work with this and buy anything else she might need along the way.
After swiping on some mascara and lip gloss, she stepped back from the mirror to survey the results. Her long blonde hair was wet from the shower but she was one of those lucky girls who could let her hair naturally air dry and look like she had spent time styling it that way.
Nicole always felt that she was the girl-next-door type of pretty. By no means did she think that she was some grand beauty but she knew what her assets were and did her best to accentuate them. She had always been told that her eyes and lips were the best features, so mascara and lip gloss were essentials. She had fair skin that didn’t really need much added to it. She was tall and leggy with a little more curve than she would prefer. Though men seemed to like the curves, Nicole always wished for a little less.
She had chosen a very casual tan summer dress so that it wouldn’t look like she was trying too hard. She threw on one of her black bathing suits underneath, so she had an excuse to be downstairs in case she had misunderstood their little silent conversation. Satisfied with the reflection in the mirror, she stepped back and noticed some of the relationship books that she had brought with her. What was she doing? She lived with Andrew and though they were fighting when she left, he was still her boyfriend. Grabbing her purse, she figured she could start reading those books tomorrow and she headed for the door.
CHAPTER TWO
Derek Stone was sitting in his regular spot at the Playa Vallarta bar. He had just finished running over some numbers at the sister hotel, Paraíso, across the street. The hotel name meant “Paradise” and it was just that. The busy season had been good to them and now thin
gs were quieting down. Though Derek had ownership in the Paraíso, he still favored the bar at Playa Vallarta. He had been sitting in that same barstool when he made a decision that had changed everything for him, so he had a soft spot for the place.
Derek had been a Mixed Martial Arts fighter almost fifteen years ago, in what felt like another life. Derek was a good fighter; it came easily to him. Outside of the ring, he had grown into a rather laid back man, quite different from when he was a kid. Derek grew up without a father in the Detroit area and his mother wasn’t much to speak of. So for the better part of his life, Derek had taken care of himself. That included fending for himself in whatever way possible, which most of the time meant fighting. As a kid, he made money to buy himself food and clothes by fighting near the bike racks. As he grew, so had the crowds and the venues. By the time he was seventeen and fighting in warehouse basements for a thousand dollars a pop, he was recruited by a man who introduced him to MMA fighting and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. With his natural abilities and some training, the man had said, he could actually make a career out of it. And so Derek’s unfortunate start in life had been preparing him for his first real job. Derek was always able to channel his anger with his parents into the ring and it never seemed to fail him. It wasn’t long before he had won a rather large chunk of change.
When Derek was twenty-five years old, he decided to take a vacation to Mexico. He wanted to get away from all the hype of the fighting world. By no means was he a household name, but the UFC following was growing and he figured he could be recognized in a place like Cancun. He settled on Puerto Vallarta, which was a smaller, more authentic town, to relax. He had just come in from running on the beach when he sat down at the Playa Vallarta bar for a beer. A man had stopped at the bar to take a business call.