Love on the Malecon

by Aubrey Parr

  “I don’t know. Kate’s been calling and texting. Let me check.” She opened up the texts first, to get an idea of what was going on. Her heart began to sink. Andrew had called Kate and told her he was on his way to Vallarta. He had searched the names of the hotels online until one sounded familiar and he recognized Playa Vallarta from her stories. Of course, now he remembered! He was going to be here today, having skipped his meeting and taken the early flight out.

  Nicole wasn’t sure how to explain it all, so she handed Derek her phone so he could read the numerous texts that filled her screen. He stood as he read and began pacing the room. She wasn’t exactly sure what his reaction would be. She knew he was capable of protectiveness on all levels. She had seen his reactions to everything from a shop keeper innocently touching her arm to a man attempting to rape her. She knew his reaction would fall somewhere between those two, she just didn’t know how bad it would be. She didn’t want to see Andrew or talk to him either. She couldn’t believe he decided to come. What the hell was he thinking?

  Derek hadn’t set the phone down, but he was speechless while he paced. She grabbed the landline by the bed and quickly dialed Kate’s number.

  “Hey, it’s me,” she said, “I’m calling from Derek’s. I’m sorry, my phone was on silent.”

  “What are you going to do? Is he there yet?” Kate sounded just as freaked out as Nicole was.

  “No, I don’t think so. We just got back. I haven’t even heard your voice mails. Derek is reading your texts right now. He’s pacing. Kate, this isn’t good.” She watched him as he walked around like he was in a trance, like he didn’t even hear her talking about him.

  “Why the fuck did he decide to come now?” Kate said. Nicole loved her for being so worried.

  “I don’t know. I can’t deal with this right now. I feel like death from drinking last night. I just want him to go away. Nothing he says can change my mind about this.”

  “By the way, have you looked up your new man on the Internet yet?” Kate interjected, “I did and good for you, Nic, he’s gorgeous. At least he was when he was a UFC fighter.”

  “He still is,” she smiled at Kate’s reaction, “When I’m done figuring out this mess, I’ll definitely need to do that. I haven’t seen those pictures yet. I want to see what he looked like that long ago. I promise to get a picture of us and send it. Don’t post it!”

  Kate laughed, “Okay. Call me if you need me. Otherwise, let me know what happens. Love you.”

  And she was gone.

  Nicole hung up and watched Derek. She wasn’t sure what to say. Her head hurt so badly and this definitely made her feel like she wanted to throw up. She was sick of exes messing with her trip. First, it was Silvia and now Andrew.

  “Are you kidding me? What the hell?” she said, not really caring if Derek was listening. She was more talking to the universe anyway. “Why can’t I just have a nice vacation and enjoy myself? Is that too much to ask?” She looked up at the sky, waiting for a reply from the gods.

  Derek glanced over at her, took his phone out of his pocket, and dialed a number.

  “Hector, cabrón. I need you to watch for a man coming to the hotel looking for Nicole…Yes, call me immediately…Gracias.” He ended the call and finally looked over at Nicole, his face transforming from a stony expression to a man in love. He came over and sat next to her on the bed. He leaned her into his chest and began stroking her hair again. He must have been listening to her talk to Kate, because he said calmly, “I know you won’t be able to sleep, but please try to relax and feel better? Will you let me handle this?”

  “What do you mean by ‘handle’?” Visions of him hitting Silvia’s cousin popped into her head.

  “I want to speak to him, that’s all. You don’t need to worry. I promise not to go crazy.” He kissed her head, needing to know what she was thinking.

  “I don’t know, Derek. This is my mess, not yours.”

  She wasn’t sure she was comfortable with the idea of the two men discussing her. It all just seemed too weird. Was Derek going to offer Andrew a goat for her hand? Plus, Andrew would freak out. She needed to make sure that Derek wasn’t thinking she couldn’t handle it. “You know I can deal with Andrew, right?” she asked.

  “Of course, love. I would bet you’re a force to be reckoned with when crossed.” He kissed her nose. “Your messes are my messes now. You said yourself that you can’t deal with this today. When Hector calls, let me deal with it. I wouldn’t push this much if you felt better. Please!”

  Why was it that when he said the word please, she would give him whatever he asked?

  “Oh, whatever. I can’t believe I’m saying this but…you can talk to him. Don’t be a jerk though, just tell him that I don’t want to see him and there is no reason for him to be here.”

  “I will act like someone worthy of having your love. Don’t worry; this isn’t a dick-measuring contest. I just don’t want you to have to deal with this. You already told him it was over. I will simply tell him, man-to-man, that he had his chance with you and now it is my turn to make you happy.”

  “Thank you.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. Then she laid back down, grabbed the white comforter, and threw it over her head. “Now just leave me here to die, please.”

  He let out a laugh and kissed the mound of white that was probably her head and walked out of the room.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Derek was in bed, Nicole resting on his shoulder. She had finally fallen asleep again. He knew she was worried about the situation. He wasn’t thrilled about it himself. He didn’t want to fight the guy; he wasn’t in the ring anymore. He simply wanted to explain to him that Nicole was no longer his concern. But what if he didn’t take it well? What was Derek prepared to do? He looked down at her, sleeping calmly, and knew he’d do anything for her. He would do whatever it took to make her happy.

  It had been just over an hour and he had his head leaned back with his eyes closed when his text message alert him went off. He slipped his phone out of his pocket so that he wouldn’t wake up Nicole. It was from Hector. He rolled his eyes and opened the text: “He’s here, waiting in the bar.”

  Derek leaned over and kissed Nicole’s head. For her sake, he really would try and be nice. If he came across like a complete asshole, it would make her look stupid. He didn’t want anyone thinking poorly of her, even an ex-boyfriend.

  He slid his body out from underneath Nicole and she snuggled into the spot where he had been. Even hung over and sleeping, she looked beautiful. He quietly gathered his things and left the apartment without disturbing her. He hoped he would return with Andrew headed back to the airport before she woke.

  He stopped on the way out for a shot of tequila. It was only noon, but he needed something to give him an edge. The shot glass was barely back on the bar before he headed for the Playa Vallarta. As he passed Hector, he said hello and swore he could see a smirk come across his face. He hoped that little man wasn’t laughing at him. This may not be as serious or dangerous as the Silvia situation, but it still was a pain in his ass.

  He knew exactly who Andrew was before he even saw his face. He was the idiot sitting at the bar wearing a pair of khakis and a Hawaiian style shirt, with the type of beer that only Americans drank. In the few seconds before he reached him, Derek tried to figure out what Nicole saw in the man. He was classically handsome, he would give him that. But he looked like he was trying too hard to fit the part. Was Nicole supposed to think that because he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt, he was now this laid back guy that could make her happy? One look at the man and Derek knew Andrew couldn’t do that.

  Derek noticed that Andrew sat facing directly towards the elevator, barely taking his eyes off the doors. He must have been expecting Nicole to come out of them. Cracking his neck, Derek walked up and sat down on the bar stool next to him, glad it wasn’t his favorite one.

  “Can I buy you a real beer?” he said to him with a straight face. Not knowing what was goi
ng to happen, he put on his fighting face from years back.

  “I’m sorry, do I know you?” Andrew looked a bit confused.

  “Well, you know of me,” Derek answered, “Nicole will not be coming down to speak with you.”

  “So you’re the guy, huh?” Andrew looked like he was ready for a fight. Not that he would win, but he was ready. “Did you tell her she wasn’t allowed to see me?”

  “Of course I didn’t. She’s not feeling well from celebrating last night. She’s sleeping it off at my place.” He couldn’t help adding in the last part. This guy was a schmuck.

  “You can’t make me leave. I’m going to talk to Nicole.” Andrew’s voice rose and he didn’t seem comfortable with it.

  “You’re going to talk to me. There are some things that I would like to discuss with you,” Derek replied calmly. He had the upper hand. Now he could toy with him or get straight to the point. It felt a lot like being in the ring. Some fights were dominated by one person who had all the power for the entire fight. Some highlighted fights, where a great deal of money changed hands, Derek would hold off ending it to give the audience more of a show. This felt very much the same way.

  “What could you possibly have to say to me?” Andrew was asking.

  “I have a lot of things to say, in fact.” Derek took a drink of the beer that the bartender had brought over without having been asked. Andrew had to have noticed that. “First of all, whether it was Nicole or not, you do not let a woman leave on an International trip unless you know exactly where she will be. Please remember that with your future relationships. You always need to make sure that they are safe.” Andrew looked like he was going to try and explain himself but Derek kept talking, not allowing him to speak, “Second, in the future, if your girlfriend loses her parent and the only family she had left, you follow her to the ends of the Earth. If you do not, you will have signed the death certificate on your relationship. I am not the cause of your relationship ending. You are.”

  That was not all that he had to say, but he figured it was time to see if Andrew had anything to say for himself. For the past week, Derek had racked his brain trying to figure out what type of man wouldn’t go on vacation with Nicole and for what reasons. He really was truly interested in his response.

  “This really is none of your business,” Andrew tried to snap at Derek.

  “Well, everything involving Nicole is now my business. Would you like to explain your actions? I will make sure that she hears. I can tell you that this issue weighed heavily on her mind initially.” How could he stay silent?

  “Nicole and I are very different when it comes to traveling. I don’t do it often and she was being too hasty with this trip. No one books a trip to Mexico and leaves the same day.” Andrew tried to look superior.

  Derek couldn’t stop himself. “Well, I do. But then again, my plane is at my disposal whenever I’d like to go somewhere.” He didn’t smile. It was a fact that his plane could be ready within the hour and he took advantage of that often. But he didn’t want to act cocky in the way Andrew had just attempted. So he stayed very calm.

  “So it’s your money, huh?” Andrew laughed to himself.

  “You don’t really believe that, do you?” Derek asked him. Not really expecting an answer, he continued, “Nicole doesn’t know about my plane yet. She doesn’t know the full extent of what I have. But she will want for nothing. Andrew,” it might bother him that Derek knew his name, “You had three years to try to make her happy. You had three years to decide what you wanted with Nicole. I knew after three days. I will make her happy.”

  “I know what I want now. I can make her happy.” Andrew finally started to sound passionate rather than arrogant.

  “Stop and really think about Nicole. There is so much to that woman. She needs someone that can appreciate all of her. She needs a man that will get on a plane with her whenever she would like to go somewhere. I get the feeling she had to abandon part of herself. Though I haven’t asked her, it’s just something I’ve sensed.”

  “Don’t act like you could know her better than me. I’ve been with her for three years.” Andrew shot back.

  When Derek heard that fact, it made it hard for him to keep his composure. He hated thinking of her ever with someone else, even for a night, especially with this guy. Andrew wouldn’t even look at him; he just stared ahead. Derek couldn’t blame him. Even though this guy was stupid enough to lose Nicole, it had to be hard to know that Derek was with her now. Derek wanted to tell him that he could make her moan his name over and over. But he had told Nicole he wouldn’t be petty.

  “Listen, I know this is hard for you,” he said, “I would die now before I would lose her. But your relationship is over with her. What has happened cannot be taken back. She needs someone like me and I promise you that she will be happy and I will not hurt her.”

  “I don’t need your promises,” Andrew said, still not looking at Derek.

  “No, you don’t. And that’s one of the problems. Because I would need one. If Nicole ever decides that she does not want to be with me, I will make sure that the next man treats her well. I can’t believe you don’t want that for her.”

  “Don’t try to act like the nice guy,” Andrew spouted at him, “You took advantage of her in her time of grieving.”

  That comment also made it very hard to stay calm. “Andrew, I have been nothing but nice to you. But that time has come to an end.” He put his hands under the bar because he knew he was balling them into fists. “You left your girlfriend to grieve alone on a trip to remember her only family she had left. Do not blame anyone but yourself for that. I have helped her visit her father’s favorite spots and allowed her to talk about him and tell me stories. All things you should have been doing.” He took a deep breath. “I told Nicole that I would not act like a jerk. She wants you to know that she doesn’t want to see you and there is no reason for you to be here.”

  “I want to hear her say that to me.” Andrew finally looked at him. Now things could get interesting.

  Derek stood for effect. He was about the same height as Andrew, but in far better shape. “That’s not going to happen. She doesn’t want to see you.” He raised his voice just enough to sound intimidating, yet not irrational. “She has already been through enough. I will protect her from anyone that would like to add difficulties to her life.”

  “Well, you can’t make me leave. I will get a room here and she’ll talk to me at some point. I came all the way here, I’m not leaving.” Andrew sounded like a child.

  “I cannot make you leave Puerto Vallarta. But I can tell you that you won’t be staying here.”

  “Fine, there’s a hotel right across the street.” He pointed at the Paraíso.

  “Or there,” Derek said, beginning to sound aggressive.

  “You can’t own all of the fucking hotels here. I’ll find one and I will sit here and wait for her.”

  “Why are you doing this to her, Andrew? She doesn’t want to see you. I don’t think I could be clearer about that fact.”

  “Because once she sees me, she’ll remember our life together.” He looked at him like he had something with Nicole that Derek didn’t. All in good time, Derek reminded himself.

  “She’s over her life with you. Seeing you won’t change that. In fact, I will have her things taken from your apartment. If rent money is an issue, I will send you a check for her half of the remainder of the lease.” He knew he was an attorney and could most likely afford the rent himself. Still, Derek couldn’t help emasculating him a little bit.

  “Money isn’t the issue!” Andrew yelled.

  “Well, that’s nice to hear.” He leaned in a little closer. He had perfected the intimidating move in his fighting days. “If you feel the need to sit and watch us enjoy her vacation from afar, that is your choice. If you’d like to make her uncomfortable on a trip that’s about her father, that is your choice. Maybe you’ll see that she doesn’t need you.” He threw enough cash on the tabl
e to cover his beer and a tip. “We’re done here.”

  He walked away, toward the Paraíso. He didn’t care if Andrew saw him go into the hotel. He could handle him if needed.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Nicole couldn’t believe that Andrew was across the street. What the hell was he thinking? She was honestly surprised that she had no urge to see him at all. Usually she wouldn’t let someone else deal with something like this. Then again, she did feel like she’d throw up if she moved. Looking over at the glass wall, she wondered if she had the strength to get up and figure out how to make it disappear like Derek had. The panels must follow some kind of track. But that seemed like too much work, so instead, she threw the covers back over her head and closed her eyes. She wanted everything to go away.

  With a sense of relief, she heard the door open. Derek was back and that hadn’t taken long at all. Wanting to find out what happened, she called from under the covers as loudly as her body would allow, “You’re back. Come get in bed and tell me everything.”

  “No thanks, I have other plans for us,” she heard a woman say, “Get up, Blondie.” Her heart stopped for a split second. She couldn’t breathe. It was Silvia. It had to be. Nicole slowly lifted the covers back.

  Silvia was standing over the bed with a gun pointed straight at her. Nicole tried to tell herself to stay calm, but it wasn’t working. What was she supposed to do? She had to think fast. All she could come up with was:

  1.Keep her talking.

  2.Make Silvia see her as person, not an object.

  3.Try to find something in reach that could be used as a weapon.

  Nicole slowly backed herself up until she sat against the headboard. Her heart was racing; she felt like she might start hyperventilating.

  “You’re Silvia,” she stated more than asked. Nicole could tell that she had tried to disguise herself. Her hair was cut into a short bob, bleached completely blonde. Why the hell was Sylvia calling her Blondie given how she, herself, looked? She was wearing an outfit that made her look like a tourist, which was smart. If she was going to hide in plain sight, it was better to look like someone on vacation. Despite that, Nicole recognized her as the woman who had given her the stink eye when she came in from running a few days before.