Love on the Malecon

by Aubrey Parr

  “I’d like that,” she said simply.

  Derek had never felt happiness like this before. All in that one moment, everything seemed brighter. Everything went out of focus around her; Nicole was the only thing he could see. He still had her hands, so he gestured for her to come to him. She stood up and he pulled her around the table into his lap. She giggled, but didn’t look around to see if anyone was watching. They were all that mattered.

  She sat on his lap and rested her arms on each shoulder. He swept a strand of hair out from her face and took her mouth into his. It felt like it was their first kiss again, at that little bar on the beach. He knew he could kiss her forever. When the kiss slowed down, she kept her body close. She leaned her forehead into his and had her eyes closed. It was amazing how far they had come in one day. Keeping her body against his, she spoke, “Do you know what else I’d love to do?”

  “Tell me.”

  “I’d love to write a book. I’m glad you’re offering to help keep me employed. That’s important to me. But I feel like I have a book inside of me. This way, you will give me the opportunity to find it.”

  “I’m sure there may be many books inside that beautiful head of yours. I look forward to reading them.” He kissed her again. He noticed that the waiter appeared to be giving them privacy. He knew that Nicole was hungry, so he suggested they take a look at the menu.

  They drank white wine and Nicole joked that it was a good choice because it matched the décor. The restaurant offered a tapas menu and the two of them must have tried every dish on it. The meal took all night. They began with goat cheese in a tomato sauce with crostini to dip. They shared bacon-wrapped dates and paella with prawns poached in a white wine sauce. They sampled an array of different meats, seared and served with all types of reduction sauces. They shared potatoes prepared in mouthwatering sauces.

  They talked about where to visit next and what type of book she’d like to write. Derek couldn’t believe that this was happening. He had been trying to prepare himself for a long distance relationship. He would have made it work, but he wasn’t sure how hard it would be. Now he didn’t have to. Now he’d have her with him every day.

  After endless dishes and two bottles of wine, they decided to go back to their apartment. They were both drunk, though not nearly as bad as their tequila night at the Samba. Hector was waiting by the car in front of the restaurant when they walked outside.

  “Can we walk for a bit?” she asked him sweetly.

  “You heard the boss, Hector. We’ll be back in a little bit.” Hector smiled and got back into the front seat of the car. Derek held Nicole’s hand while they crossed the busy street to walk along the water. He put his arm around her and she leaned into his shoulder.

  They wandered in silence, taking in the surroundings. The night was gorgeous. He could not wait to do this with her in endless towns around the world. She hadn’t even agreed to be his wife and he could already imagine them honeymooning in Venice. She would love it there.

  When they made their way back to the restaurant, Hector was there waiting and drove them to the hotel. Nicole had apologized profusely for making him wait, though Hector could not have been nicer about it. Derek was going to miss him while they were gone. Early on in their business relationship, Derek had officially put him on his payroll so that he would get paid even when Derek was not in Vallarta. He didn’t like thinking of him struggling to take care of his wife and two little sons. Well, they probably weren’t little anymore. Derek knew that he was nice enough to do it anyway, but, in Hector’s eyes, waiting half an hour was part of his job.

  When they reached the apartment, Nicole couldn’t keep her hands off of him. The second the door closed, she pounced. He laughed and matched her eagerness. He pushed her body up against the wall and his hands explored all of her curves while he kissed her neck. He felt her tiny little waist as his hands roamed to her hips and back up to her breasts. He pulled down her dress and eased it over her hips until it fell to the floor. He scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom. She was pulling his shirt over his head and tugging at his pants as he laid her down. She didn’t care if she ripped them; she wanted them off. Finally, she had him naked and he climbed over her. She pulled his head into hers for another kiss. She couldn’t get enough of him and it was such a turn on. He loved how much they craved each other. When he was inside of her, she let out a sigh of relief, as if she had been waiting her whole life for his touch. He knew exactly how she felt. He, too, had waited his entire life to feel this way.

  He wanted to make love to her tonight. He wanted it to be slow and sensuous. There were nights for fast and loud; this wasn’t it. She had agreed to stay with him. He could stop counting the days he had left with her. He whispered to her about how much he loved her and how she had made him the luckiest man. He told her how he wanted to show her world. She replied back with sweet moans while she showed him what heaven must be like.

  When they were resting afterwards in the glow of it all, he silently thanked her father for bringing her to him. Whether it was true or not, he liked the idea of it. He knew every night wouldn’t be like this, but he loved that she would be there for all of them.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Nicole woke up wrapped in Derek’s arms. He must have opened up the wall to the balcony at some point, because she heard the ocean crashing into the beach before she opened her eyes. She couldn’t believe how much her life had changed in less than two weeks. How was it even possible? She lost her father and had broken up with Andrew. Now she would be an ex-pat living on resorts all over the world.

  With that thought, she realized that she needed to give her resignation at work. There was no need for someone to write remotely for a Chicago-based magazine. Then she thought again. This lifestyle she had now could open up so many possibilities. What if she offered to write about vacation options for Chicagoans to escape the cold and snow in the winter months? It wouldn’t be weddings anymore, but there could be a captive audience for an article like that. She could focus on areas where she and Derek were staying and write an in-depth review of the area. She’d recommend his resorts, of course. That would be a win/win situation for the both of them. She needed to call her editor and suggest the switch. If he wasn’t receptive to the idea, then she would simply resign her position. Still, she hoped he would consider it.

  As she laid there thinking about everything with work, Derek began to stir. She turned her body into him. It still astounded her how handsome he was. His features were so rugged yet perfect. Before he opened his eyes, he somehow found her lips for a quick morning kiss.

  “Good morning, love,” he said in the middle of a yawn.

  “Good morning to you,” she said with a smile.

  “How about having breakfast where the King’s Head Pub used to be and then be off on our adventure?”

  Nicole loved the idea. “Definitely,” she said excitedly, “Also, let’s take the bus to Mismaloya. That’s how my dad always got there.” She was glad that she was telling, rather than asking. She didn’t want to start the relationship with Derek thinking he’d get to make all of the decisions. She wanted this relationship to work and that would be an important dynamic to figure out.

  “Sure, just because you can travel by private jet now doesn’t mean you’re too good for the bus,” he joked with her.

  Did he really say jet? “You have a plane? Are you kidding me?” she laughed.

  “I guess I’m not used to mentioning that with the ladies. Yes, you have a plane at your disposal. I can send it for your friends as well. Make sure to tell Kate that she can visit anytime she wants. She won’t need to pay for a flight.”

  Nicole could barely wrap her head around that idea. That fact alone made it even easier to stay with Derek. She could have her friends here whenever they could come. “Give her a suite to stay in and she’ll be here every weekend,” she said, half-joking, half-waiting for the answer so that she could pass along the good news to Kate.


  “We’ll book her the best room in the resorts.” He kissed her again and got up out of bed. For a second, she could barely breathe. Kate was going to lose it and Nicole couldn’t wait to tell her. She would honestly love Derek no matter what (she had loved the man when she thought he lived in Detroit, of all places), but this was a really fun perk to find out about.

  Nicole was so excited to focus on her dad for the day that they were ready in no time. They each dressed for the beach, with tennis shoes for comfort, and headed to breakfast. Since the restaurant was close and they were taking the bus, there was no need for Hector drive to them.

  The restaurant was just down the street from the hotel. It was no wonder her father had stumbled upon it one day. It was tiny as well. As they walked in the door, Derek began to tell her how it was set up when her father frequented it. The walls were now brightly colored, but he explained that it used to be almost all wood in order to resemble an English pub. Along the wall were three bar tables, oversized for the space. Now, five little white tables were in their place. The bar was located along the wall across from them. Derek said the size of the room hadn’t changed and Nicole couldn’t believe there was even space for a bar. Now, it had more dining tables and a wait staff area for drinks and supplies. There was a little register in the corner. She could see just slightly into the kitchen and imagined that’s where the pub food was prepared.

  While Derek found them a table, she tried to imagine everything as her father saw it. She sat down and closed her eyes, trying to see if she could feel his presence. She wasn’t sure. She liked being there; it had a welcoming feel to it. She wondered if that was her dad. For once, Derek wasn’t on a first name basis with the employees. She figured it was because he had breakfast in his apartment most days. Derek ordered an omelet and Nicole chose a breakfast burrito and they both had a latte. Her breakfast was fabulous. The pico de gallo tasted so fresh that it had to have been prepared just moments ago. She savored every bite.

  When they finished, Nicole was happy to see that there was a bus stop right in front of the hotels. She knew that must be the stop her dad took. It made her smile as they waited. Derek must have noticed, because he put his arm around her and kissed her head. “Thank you for letting me be a part of this,” he whispered into her ear, “I wish I could have met him. I would have told him that his daughter will always be loved and cared for.”

  With that, Nicole was ready to cry. She fought back the tears and just leaned her body into him as a thank you. She hadn’t really put it together that her father had to die for her to meet Derek. Could the universe really have sacrificed her dad in order to make a chance encounter happen? She wasn’t sure how she felt about the idea. She liked the idea that when her father died, he pulled some strings to have their paths cross. Not the other way around. He truly would have loved Derek. She couldn’t imagine that he could have hand-picked another man that was more suited for her. They would have drunk beers together and discussed business. She pictured them up till all hours of the night talking, just as she could with Derek.

  Luckily, the bus arrived to pull her away from her thoughts. She wasn’t really sure what to expect, but it was nice, cute and clean. Derek paid the fare with coins and they sat down in the first available row of seats. The bus was about half-full of mothers with their children and a few men that looked like they were construction workers. There was an older woman who appeared to have bought a few things at the market. Now that she knew to some extent how wealthy Derek was, Nicole was surprised that he didn’t look out of place. He fit right in. There wasn’t a pretentious bone in his body and she loved that. Andrew would have stuck out like a sore thumb.

  She needed to stop comparing him to Andrew. That relationship was officially over now. Derek was her future.

  The bus ride to the Conches Chinas beach took about half an hour. Their stop was right next to a large outdoor bar and restaurant. Immediately, she felt like she could see her dad hanging out at the bar, having a shot of tequila. She was beginning to feel like an alcoholic with all of the day drinking, but a shot of tequila with Derek was exactly what she wanted just then. As if he could read her mind, he grabbed her hand.

  “Let’s do a shot for your dad.”

  “You do know me, don’t you?” Nicole said with a laugh and they walked towards the bar. “I still have some of the seashells he brought me back from this very beach,” she said. She wondered if there was something special she could do to display them.

  “We’ll have to get those and keep them with us wherever we stay,” Derek said thoughtfully.

  “What are we going to do about my stuff?” Nicole asked, realizing that she hadn’t even thought about that.

  “I already told Andrew that I would have your things sent to Kate’s, but we can have them put in a storage unit and take a trip there to go through everything. I do travel light between places, but I have some meaningful items in some of the apartments I visit most often. I understand if there are things, like the shells, that you’d like to bring to each place.”

  “Thank you. There are some things of both my mother’s and father’s that I’d love to have.”

  “I’m going to ask Gael to meet tonight. I’ll try to plan a face-to-face meeting with the people in Chicago soon and we can take care of both things. I want to meet Kate and any of your other friends as well.”

  Nicole started laughing at the idea of them meeting. “She’ll be so excited. She already searched you on the Internet. I forgot about that. I want to see you back in your fighting days. I’m trying to picture you fifteen years younger.”

  “Imagine less grey,” he said bluntly, giving her a smile.

  “It’s really not fair that men look better when they grey and women just look old,” she responded with a playful scowl.

  “I will love every grey hair on your head,” he said and kissed her.

  They took their shots of tequila and ordered beers to take out onto the beach. They walked together and Derek asked to hear more stories about her father while they searched for shells to keep. While they inspected shells, Derek told her that the name of the beach roughly translated to “Chinese Sea Shells”. They were beautiful- brightly colored and larger than any she’d seen on beaches before. Most of the ones they found were smaller than the ones her dad had brought her. He must have waited to bring back the rare ones.

  Derek did come across a beautiful shell and they both decided that it would be perfect to add to her collection. She could tell that he didn’t want to invade on her collection from her father, but she wanted to add it because of the meaning of their trip to the beach. Despite his broken family life, Derek really seemed to understand the importance of it.

  They stayed at the beach for the rest of the morning, relaxing in the sun. As they both lay quietly, Derek sat up and looked at the shoes they both had abandoned in the sand. Out of nowhere, he said, “Hey, we both have running shoes. Do you wanna take a run on one of your father’s favorite beaches?”

  “That’s a great idea,” her eyes widened at the thought. “With all of this eating and drinking, I could use a run.”

  They quickly put on their shoes and Nicole could tell she was already trying to get hers on faster. Oh Lord, Derek was going to find out how competitive she was. She usually tried to keep it in check, but somehow it always reared its ugly head. Maybe he’d like that about her. So far, chess was the closest thing they’ve come to competition and she knew she was out of her league there. But this could be different. She was pretty fast. And not just for a girl, she thought.

  She hopped up before he did and started jumping in place. “Ok, mister, what’s taking you so long? Let’s do this.”

  He looked up from his shoes with his eyebrow raised and she knew he could already see it in her. Luckily, he was smiling, so that helped. “You think you can take me, love? Well, it’s on.” And he took off in a full sprint.

  That was below the belt, she thought as she laughed and raced after him. Was
the man good at everything? Still, Nicole was fast and caught up rather quickly. Derek may have slowed down, but she preferred the idea that she was quicker. When she was next to him, she saw how hard he had been laughing and they both slowed to a reasonable pace.

  Nicole was with her favorite person, doing one of her favorite things, on her father’s favorite beach. She wanted to remember this feeling forever.

  As they ran and talked, she couldn’t help occasionally trying to gain a small lead. Every time she did, she could hear him laughing at her. Fortunately, he thought this competitiveness was an endearing quality thus far. They agreed on a halfway point and turned back to toward the restaurant on the beach. This was just what she needed and somehow Derek knew.

  When they made it back, they stripped off their shoes and dove into the water to cool off.

  “I’m hungry after that,” Nicole said, relaxed in the cool ocean.

  “Let’s eat,” was all he said and took her hand and they walked back onto the beach.

  Nicole was disappointed to find out that the restaurant on the water they had visited a few nights before was not open for lunch. It was on their bus route back to the Romantic Zone. They decided to get something to eat at the restaurant in Conche Chinas. It was not their best meal, but it served its purpose.

  On the bus ride home, they were a bit drained from the sun, but she was excited to mark off something else on the list of her father’s favorites. They took the bus through the Romantic Zone and onto the Malecon.

  Her father wasn’t a religious person, but he always told her that he felt close to God in The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It was in the center of town and felt a million years old. Its tower seemed iconic. Whenever she had seen pictures of Puerto Vallarta, she hadn’t realized that it was the church that stretched up above the little sky line of the city.