by Claire Adams
“Are we picking up Marissa?” Josie asked, sleepily. She blinked slowly, her blue eyes adjusting to the bright morning sun.
“Yup,” I said. “We’re on our way there now.”
The car sped through the city, zipping in and out of traffic. My driver was used to getting me places in a hurry. We weren’t rushing that morning, but I was eager to see Marissa again. I’d thought of nothing else all night.
After her shopping trip to Nordstrom, she sent me an email to say thank you. Even through the computer, I could tell how surprised she was by my generosity. I didn’t even think of the clothes as a gift. They were necessary accessories for our trip. Without them, she wouldn’t have been able to play the role properly. At least, that’s what I told myself at the time, and it was legit.
It was my motivation that I wasn’t being totally honest about.
The truth was, I just wanted to do something nice for her to thank her for being so great with Josie at the zoo. We hadn’t even left for California, and already, I knew Marissa would be a godsend at the resort. The clothes were just a thank you: a way to show my gratitude before the festivities began.
“Are we almost there?” Josie asked from beside me. She craned her neck to look out the window.
“I don’t know,” I said, glancing around me. I didn’t know exactly where Marissa lived, though the driver had her address.
“We’re about five minutes out,” the driver said.
“Thank you, Trevor.” I sat back in the seat and tried to calm my nerves.
“Daddy,” Josie said. “Will we go to the beach in California?”
“The place we’re staying is on the beach,” I said. “You’ll be able to see the ocean from the window.”
“I will?” she asked, her eyes wide and her face expressive.
“You will,” I said. “It’s going to be awesome.”
“Can I swim in the ocean?”
I hesitated. Josie had only just started taking swim lessons. She wasn’t yet able to remain afloat by herself. The idea of her tiny body swimming in the ocean made my stomach flip nervously.
“We can definitely put our toes in,” I said, with a smile. “But, the water is so cold that you may not want to swim.”
“I’ll want to,” she said firmly.
I smiled at her independence. Though I sometimes wished she would be less adventurous, I loved her free-spirit. It was something she got from Amelia and from what I could tell, something she also shared with Marissa.
When I suggested Marissa pick up some outfits, my treat, I worried she would refuse. She had already proven herself to be a strong, independent woman. She was self-sufficient in a way that seemed uncommon these days. Her life was her own, and no one would take that away from her. It was already one of my favorite things about her.
We’d only known each other a few days, but it was long enough for Marissa to prove her strength. I thought for sure she would decline my offer and say she would handle the preparations on her own. I was excited to find that she had accepted the offer and even took home the outfits.
“Here we are,” Trevor said from the front seat.
“Thank you,” I said. “Please stay here with Josie. I’ll be back in just a second.”
“Can’t I come?” she asked, poking out her bottom lip.
“It’ll be quick,” I said. “I’m sure Marissa is already waiting for us.”
“Okay,” she said with a frown. She sighed and sat back in the seat. I smiled and climbed out of the car.
Hurrying across the sidewalk, I was felt my stomach become jittery at the thought of seeing Marissa again. I jogged inside her building and squinted around for her apartment number. She lived on the first floor, just three doors down from the entrance. I stepped up to her door and knocked loudly.
“You’re here,” Marissa said, as she answered the door. “I didn’t think you were coming.”
“No?” I asked with a frown.
“You said you were sending a car,” she said. “Not yourself.”
“I hope the surprise is a pleasant one?”
“Only if you brought Josie,” she teased.
“She’s waiting in the car,” I said with a smile. “Impatiently, by the way.”
Marissa nodded and stepped into the hallway. She had her purse thrown over her shoulder and was wheeling a medium-sized suitcase.
“Let me take that,” I said. I reached for the handle, but Marissa just shook her head and walked down the hallway.
“I got it,” she said, as she walked on.
“You’re going to make it hard to be a gentleman, aren’t you?”
“Not at all,” Marissa said. “A gentleman gives a lady what she wants.”
I laughed and followed her through the door. We stepped out onto the sidewalk and Trevor jumped quickly out of the car. He hurried over to take Marissa’s bag. While he loaded it into the trunk, I held the door open for her to slide in beside Josie.
“Hey there,” Marissa said as Josie threw her arms around Marissa’s waist. “Are you ready for our trip?”
“Yes!” Josie said. Her face fell as she added, “I’m not sure about this whole plane thing, though.”
“The plane?” Marissa asked.
I closed the door and hurried around to the other side. When I climbed inside beside Josie, she was explaining her fear of flying to Marissa.
“Josie’s been scared of flying since she was six months old,” I said. “Amelia and I took her to Denver for a business thing, and she screamed the entire way there. It was awful.”
“I was just scared,” she said. “And, I still am. I don’t understand why we can’t drive.”
“Well,” Marissa said. “We could drive.”
“We could?” Josie asked eagerly. I shot Marissa a look, but she just smiled at me easily.
“Sure,” she said with a shrug. “But, it would take three days just to get there. Three whole days of being in the car. Three days when we could be on the beach, putting our toes in the ocean. Plus, we’d have to leave three whole days early to head home. Three days we could be enjoying the resort.”
Josie frowned, but I felt a smile spread across my face. Marissa was a child whisperer. She knew exactly what to say to diffuse any situation.
“But,” Marissa said, “if we fly, then we’ll get there in just a couple hours. We could be on the beach by lunchtime.”
“Lunchtime?”
“That’s the plan,” Marissa said. “Right, Dirk?”
“Absolutely,” I said.
Josie nodded and sat back in her seat. Trevor fired up the engine and pulled away from the curb. We chatted easily as we drove back through the city toward the airport where Stanley’s plane was waiting on the tarmac.
It wasn’t until we pulled up beside it that I remembered how much I hated flying with Stanley and his wife.
“Oh my gosh!” Eloise cooed as we climbed out of the car. “You actually came! Eeek! Oh my goodness! Josie, get over here and give Auntie Eloise a hug!”
Josie smiled politely and extended her arms. My ears were already ringing. The sound of Eloise’s high-pitched voice was like nails on a chalkboard to me.
“Dirk,” she said, turning to me. “I can’t believe you actually decided to come! I told Stanley you would bail for sure.”
“Not a chance,” I said, keeping the tightness out of my voice. “Eloise, this is Marissa. Marissa, this is Eloise.”
“It’s very nice to meet you,” Marissa said, shaking Eloise’s hand.
“You too, dear!” she said. “When Stanley told me Dirk was bringing a date, I hardly believed it. I mean, we’ve been told he’s dating, but I just don’t know. I worry about this man. I really do.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes as I walked over to Stanley. “Hey,” I said, slapping his shoulder. “Your wife better behave herself on the flight.”
“Don’t tell me,” he said. “You know I can’t control that woman.”
“She’s already cornere
d Marissa,” I said, jerking my head behind me.
Stan craned his neck around to get a look at the ladies. His eyes widened when they fell on Marissa. I looked over at her, trying to see her through his eyes.
She looked young. Her hair was down, cascading over her shoulders. She was wearing a pair of dressy jeans paired with a nice blouse. She looked comfortable, but elegant. I smiled and turned back to him.
“Quit staring at her,” I snapped.
“You fucking perv,” Stan said quietly. “What is she? Twenty?”
“Twenty-five,” I said, with a shrug.
“Dirty old man,” he said with a grin. He nudged my shoulder and added, “Why have you been hiding her away all this time?”
“It’s new,” I said. “We just started seeing each other. I had to wait until I knew things would work out before I introduced her to everyone.”
He nodded and hurried over to introduce himself. Not long after that we all boarded the plane and took our seats.
Stan’s private plane was beyond nice. I always loved flying on it, but I hated being in a confined space with Eloise. Before the flight was half over, I was praying for earplugs.
“Are you doing okay, sweetie?” Marissa asked Josie softly. Eloise was jabbering away to Stan a few feet away. “Are you thirsty?”
“No,” Josie said. “I just wish we could be on the ground again.”
“I know,” Marissa said, her tone comforting. “Why don’t we play a game to distract you?”
“Sure,” Josie said, “What kind of game?”
“Well,” she said. “You said you wanted to learn Spanish, right?”
“Right,” Josie said eagerly.
“Okay. Why don’t you say a word in English, any word, and I’ll tell you what it is in Spanish?”
“Okay!”
I smiled to myself as I watched them go back and forth, speaking both English and Spanish. This wasn’t at all the way Josie usually learned something new. When it came to her language studies, I bought workbooks and audio tapes. It never occurred to me for her to learn organically.
“What about chair?” Josie said slowly.
“Silla,” Marissa said simply.
“How do you spell that?” she asked with a frown. “S-y-a?”
“S-i-l-l-a,” Marissa said. “In Spanish, the double l makes a y sound.”
“It does?” Josie asked. Marissa nodded.
“That’s pretty.”
Marissa went on to explain more about the Spanish language. By the end of the flight, they were conversing in almost nothing but Spanish words. Josie was such a quick learner that she remembered almost every word Marissa taught her. It was amazing to see her in action.
When it was time to land, Marissa buckled Josie’s seatbelt and sat back in her own chair. Our eyes met, and I mouthed my silent appreciation. She smiled and inclined her head. I could tell she was having just as much fun as Josie.
The plane finally bumped down onto the runway, making Josie jump and grab Marissa’s hand. Marissa held her tightly and whispered words of comfort into her ear. I watched as Josie visibly relaxed, happy to be safely on the ground.
“Are we going to the beach now?” she asked, the second we left the plane.
“Let’s check in at the resort,” I said. “We can check out our rooms and then, we’ll go to the beach.”
“Okay,” she said, a slight hint of disappointment in her voice.
“Come on,” Marissa said. “I’ll race you to the car.”
Josie grinned and took off running across the tarmac, Marissa right beside her.
Chapter Ten
Marissa
We rode down the Pacific Coast Highway with the windows rolled all the way down. Josie wanted to stick her head outside, but Dirk put his foot down, so we just watched the ocean go by as we sped toward the resort.
Thankfully, we were in our own car with Stanley and Eloise following close behind. Dirk’s friends seemed nice enough, but they were the kind of rich people I didn’t care for. They both looked at me like I was nothing more than Dirk’s current plaything. I hated being judged, but I knew better than to make a fuss. I wasn’t being paid to cause a scene.
Besides, it was easy to distract myself with Josie. She was so much fun to be with that I almost forgot anyone else was around.
“This is so beautiful,” I said softly.
“Have you never been?” Dirk asked.
“I’ve been California,” I said. “But only San Francisco. When I was thirteen or so.”
“You’re going to love this resort,” he said. “Our bungalows are right on the water. The beach basically backs up to the doors.”
“Really?” Josie asked.
“I told you you’d be able to see the ocean,” he reminded her.
“I know, but I can’t wait!” We all laughed and continued gazing out the window.
For the second time in two days, I felt like I was living in a movie. The picturesque scene before me was almost more than I could handle. I never imagined I would go on a California beach vacation before the age of thirty, especially not one as lavish as this.
Not only did we fly in on a private jet, but we took a private car to the private resort where our private bungalows extended out onto a private beach. It was insane and exotic, adventurous and exciting. I couldn’t believe my luck. I wasn’t just enjoying myself — I was being paid to enjoy myself.
When we finally pulled up to the resort, I helped Josie from the car and led the way through the lobby. Dirk followed close behind us while the drivers unloaded our bags. Stanley and Eloise arrived seconds after we did and met us at the front desk.
“The name is Mathis,” Dirk told the attendant. “Dirk Mathis.”
The man had a nametag that read “Donald” clipped to his shirt. He scrolled down on his computer until he located the reservation. Josie and I stood off to the side while Dirk got the keys and talked more with Donald.
“I have you in our luxury bungalow,” Donald said. “With the westward view. Is that correct?”
“Yes,” he said with a nod. “Should be two bedrooms.”
Donald nodded as he double checked. With a glance upward, his eyes fell on me and Josie. He frowned slightly and turned back to Dirk.
“Mr. Mathis, I don’t have anything in here about needing a cot,” he said. “Would you like me to have one sent up for your nanny?”
The word fell like a brick against my ears. I felt my cheeks redden and my throat tighten. Behind me, Eloise made a tsk sound as Stanley chortled with amusement. They seemed to think it was hilarious, but me? I was livid.
Who did this Donald person think he was? Making assumptions about me and my position? Just because I was the youngest person, besides Josie, didn’t mean I was the help. I was ready to put up a fight when Dirk stopped me by clearing his throat and fixing Donald with an angry glare.
“Actually,” he said. “Miss Gonzalez is my guest. A cot will not be necessary.”
“My apologies,” Donald said, averting his eyes, clearly embarrassed. He typed quickly on the computer before looking up and handing Dirk two keys.
“Here you are, Mr. Mathis,” he said. “There are two carts waiting outside to take you and your luggage to the bungalow.”
“Thank you,” Dirk said. He took the keys and turned to me and Josie. “Are you ready?”
“Yes!” Josie said. She jumped up and down and pulled on my arm.
“We’ll see you two later?” Dirk asked, turning toward Stanley and Eloise.
Stanley was still red-faced from laughing, and Eloise just looked annoyed. Her nose was perpetually in the air. They both nodded as we hurried past them and headed back outside.
Dirk helped the attendants load our luggage onto the second cart while Josie and I took a seat on the first. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders as we began the trek toward our bungalow. I took in the sights all around us, quickly feeling my irritation fade. I’d never seen anything as beautiful as this resort and w
asn’t going to let anything ruin the experience.
The palm trees were tall and gorgeous, lining almost every road. We passed by a kid’s amusement park, complete with water slides and an indoor arcade. Josie giggled with excitement when I pointed out the slide and promised to take her on it soon. Dirk lit up with joy when we drove past the golf course.
“I take it you’ll be spending quite a bit of time there?” I asked with a laugh.
“A bit,” he said with a shrug. We both laughed because we knew he was lying. It wasn’t hard to see why Stanley chose this place. It was like a dream come true.
When we finally arrived at the entrance to our bungalow, I helped Josie jump down and run inside. Dirk unloaded the bags with the attendants and brought them inside. I couldn’t believe my eyes as I stepped over the threshold.
The bungalow was a full suite, complete with a kitchen, living room, study, two bedrooms, and two full baths. Just across the living room stood two doors that were thrown wide open. I could see hammocks resting on the little porch and sand extending all the way to the ocean. I walked forward in a daze, barely aware that Josie was still hanging onto my hand.
“Oh my God,” I whispered. “It’s like paradise.”
“It really is,” Dirk said gently. I jumped, not realizing he was behind me.
“I can’t believe this,” I said. “Honestly, I feel like I’m in a dream. This place is amazing.”
“Josie,” Dirk said. “Go check out the bedroom.”
He pointed across the room toward a door. Josie ran through it without a second thought. We could hear her squeal as she bounced on the bed. Her little giggle rang out through the room.
“I’m sorry about the clerk downstairs,” Dirk said, taking a step my way. “He shouldn’t have-”
“Dirk,” she said, interrupting my attempt to smooth it over. “I’m young, and I’m Latina. He assumed I was the help. It’s not the first time something like that has happened, and I can assure you it won’t be the last.”