by Imari Jade
“Do you really want me to?”
Tricia shook her head. “No. I can’t be with a man that doesn’t trust me. And truthfully, Damien and I have grown apart. He had a new life here and a career and I thought I could fit into it, but I can’t.”
“Don’t write him off just yet,” Harper said. “Unless you have already moved on. I mean, with Kevin.”
“I won’t lie to you, Harper. I do like Kevin, but he doesn’t know that. I know he’s younger than I am, but he’s kind, and helpful and he’s been there for me. I don’t have to put on airs around him and I can just be myself.”
Harper stopped eating again. “Are you trying to tell me that you are in love with Kevin?”
Tricia shrugged. “I don’t know. But what I do know is that he makes me happy. What Damien and I had is over. A part of me knew this before I came to Japan, but I thought my feelings would change once I saw him again. They didn’t. In fact, he’s changed too. I am so glad that he has found happiness in his job, but he isn’t in love with me anymore either. If he was, he would be trying to spend time with me and not trying to get me to apologize to Barbara.”
“I understand,” Harper said. “Feelings do change. So please break it off cleanly with him.”
“Believe me, Harper. I only want happiness for Damien. He deserves to be with someone who wants to share the limelight with him. That’s not me. I just want to be a good teacher and maybe find a guy and have some kids with. If Barbara is the woman for him, I’ll be happy for them. But for now, I just want to work on me. I’ll start my teaching position soon and I’ll have little minds to nurture. Damien will be jet-setting all over the world with his new girl group. He won’t even have time to miss me.”
“I’m still hoping for you to change your mind,” Harper said. “It’s not too late for you and Damien to sit down and talk this over. Your mother was looking forward to planning this big wedding.”
“She still has four sons to marry off. As for Damien, I’ll talk to him, but it won’t change anything. Something died inside of me when he got out of the limousine that night and walked Barbara to her door. Call it fate or destiny, but I knew right then and there that things would never be the same between us. He’ll see that I’m right about this.”
“Do you plan to leave Osaka once your year of teaching is over?” Harper asked.
Tricia shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not really sure. Things are different here, but it’s not all that bad. I’m just going to take this one day at a time, have a long talk with my mother when she gets back and then decide.”
“The movie should be wrapping up soon,” Harper said. “And she’ll be back.”
“Yeah. I want to spend some time with my new little brothers too. They are so cute.”
“They would be even cuter with blond hair and green eyes,” Harper muttered.
“I can’t believe that you haven’t given up on being with her,” Tricia said.
“I’ve made some seriously bad mistakes with Shaundra. But, believe me, I am still deeply in love with her. I know she loves Ichiro, but I won’t give up hope that she will come to her senses one of these days and see that she’s too old for him and that she and I have more in common.”
“See, I feel the same way too. If it is any consolation, I hope she realizes that too. Having you as a step-father won’t be too bad.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that,” Harper said.
“But until then you’ll just have to deal with Amaya.”
Harper chuckled.
They finished up their meal and Harper dropped her off at home. Tricia pulled her phone out of her pocket. She had no missed calls. His loss. She grabbed some clean clothing and went to soak in her tub.
Chapter Eleven
Yori decided to spend his free time at the beach alone to do some thinking. He’d rented a car and left before any of the others volunteered to join him. He liked his friends, but he needed some alone time. Although he wanted to be there for Satoshi after the awful way Akemi had treated him, Yori had his own issues, one being what he was going to do with the rest of his life once he was no longer a member of Aomori. At twenty-eight he was much too young to retire. He had money, that wasn’t the problem, but he couldn’t sit alone in his apartment looking at walls all day either.
His parents wanted him to join them in the symphony orchestra, but he just didn’t know if he could go that route. He wanted to be out of the public eye for a while to live his life like any normal man. He hoped he’d be able to travel without being noticed, but he didn’t think that would be possible.
Yori looked up just in time before bumping into a young lady. She was standing on the beach, painting something on a canvas. He looked over her shoulder and then at the woman. Other people had stopped to watch too, but they went on about their business. “That’s very beautiful,” he said. She had painted the shore with people frolicking around in it.
“Thank you,” she said.
“You’re very talented.” Yori supposed it took a lot of skill to do what she was doing with a brush.
The women ran her gaze over him. “You are Japanese.”
“Si,” Yori answered. “My name is Yori Morioka.”
“I’m Dolisa Torres. Are you in Barcelona for a vacation?”
He liked her sexy accent. “Not exactly,” Yori said. “I’m here to perform in concert. I’m going to be here for two weeks.”
“Oh,” Dolisa said. “Do you sing opera?”
Yori shook his head. “Pop and rhythm and blues.”
“Really?” the beautiful artist asked.
She reminded him of Cristal, not by the way she acted, but her looks. She wasn’t an Amazon, but she had reddish brown hair, big brown eyes, a slender nose and full lips. “Yes, but don’t tell anyone. I don’t want to be mobbed.”
“Your secret is safe with me, señor. Would you mind removing your sunglass for a moment?”
Yori removed them.
“Hmm, just as I suspected. You are very handsome.”
Yori put the glasses back on. “Thank you. Are you from Barcelona?”
“Si. I teach art at the university.”
“You are very good at what you do. I like the way you captured the seagulls in flight.”
“I like coming out here every now and then. It’s so relaxing,” Dolisa said. “And you never know the kind of interesting people you might meet.” She went back to painting.
A gentle breeze blew her hair, capturing Yori’s attention. Her ears were pierced and she wore little gold hoops.
“So tell me, Yori, what’s it like being a singer?”
“It can be very nerve-wracking at times, but I’ve visited some wonderful places and met the most interesting people. Like today, I was walking upon a beach and met you.”
Dolisa smiled. “I like you, Yori Morioka, especially that voice. Tell me, do you sing love songs?”
“Yes,” Yori answered. “But not all the time. I’m in a group named Aomori.”
“Sorry, I’ve never heard of you.”
That he was thankful for. “Do you live around here?”
“Si,” she pointed to a bungalow on the edge of the beach.
“You live here?”
“Si. I’ve always loved the water.” She paused. “What are you doing out here all alone? I would think you would have security flanking you.”
Yori chuckled. “They don’t know that I left the hotel. I didn’t exactly tell them that I was leaving. I just needed some alone time.”
“Oh, you are being sneaky. Will they be angry when they discover that you are gone?” Dolisa asked.
“Probably,” Yori answered. “But if I hadn’t done it I wouldn’t have met you.”
Dolisa laughed. Two small dimples formed at the sides of her mouth. “Would you like to join me for a cup of coffee?”
Yori nodded. “I’d be delighted.”
Dolisa began gathering her supplies.
“Do you need some help?”
“Y
ou can carry the easel if you don’t mind. I usually make two trips, bringing the paint and canvas first and then coming back for the easel.”
Yori followed her toward the bungalow. He’d have to come back for the rental car.
Dolisa removed her sandals when she entered the house.
Yori toed out of his loafers. “We have the same custom back in Osaka.”
“I just don’t like tracking sand through the house,” Dolisa said. “But it is a good custom.”
Yori looked around. It was a nice-sized house with summery furniture that could withstand the dampness of the sea air and the moisture. There was artwork mounted on the walls behind glass to protect the work. “Do you live here alone?” He asked as she led him to the kitchen.
“Sometimes,” Dolisa said. “It actually belongs to my parents, but I use it during the summer months.”
I wonder if she has a habit of bringing strange men home.
“Have a seat, Yori.”
He liked the way she said his name. There was a laptop on the table.
Dolisa prepared the coffee.
“What else do you do when you’re not teaching or painting?”
“Sometimes I do volunteer work at the hospital or at my church,” Dolisa answered.
“That sounds interesting,” Yori said.
The coffee brewed quickly and Dolisa placed a cup and a saucer before Yori. She had the pleasant scent of the ocean coming off her skin.
“What about you? What do you do when you’re not performing?”
“I sleep,” Yori answered.
Dolisa laughed. “I suppose being a star takes a lot of work and you don’t have much free time.” She sat down near the computer. “May I Google you?”
“Yes,” Yori said. At this point, she could do anything to him that she wanted.
Dolisa typed something into the computer. “Oh, it’s you.”
Yori chuckled this time. “What? You didn’t believe me?”
“Yes, but I didn’t expect you to be so famous.”
“Is that going to be a problem for you, dating a famous singer?”
Dolisa stopped surfing and looked up from the screen. “Are we going to date, Yori?”
Yori nodded. She didn’t have a ring on her finger. “Yes, unless you have a boyfriend that wouldn’t approve.”
“Ah, you have jokes,” Dolisa said. “No, I don’t have a boyfriend. What about you?”
“Me. No, I don’t have a boyfriend either.”
Dolisa had an infectious laugh. “Stop teasing me. Is there a Mrs. Yori Morioka?”
“Not any more. I’m divorced.” He wanted to be honest and up front and not let her find out about it on the net.
“Do you have any kids?” Dolisa asked.
“No,” Yori answered. “I was only married a couple of years.”
“What? She couldn’t take being the wife of a superstar?”
Yori sipped his coffee. “No, she cheated on me with someone who was supposed to be a friend.”
“Silly woman,” Dolisa said. “You’re hot. What is her problem?”
Amaya had too many to count. “I’ve known her since I was a child, but people change and I’m sure she’s much happier now.”
“And you, Yori. Are you happy?”
Dolisa’s light brown eyes simply seduced him as she stared at him from behind her coffee cup. “I think I will be in time.”
“Sing something for me.”
“You mean a cappella?”
“Si.”
Yori had the perfect song. He had to learn it in Spanish for the concert on Saturday. He began singing it for her. Dolisa rewarded him with a big smile when the song ended.
“That was beautiful. You have a fine voice. I would like to hear more of it.”
“Would you like to attend our concert on Saturday night?” He knew he’d just met her, but he felt like he’d known her all of his life. He was comfortable with her—a way he hadn’t been in years, and certainly not with Amaya.
“I’d like that very much, Yori. What is it like to be at a concert?”
“You’ve never been to one?” Yori asked.
Dolisa shook her head. “I’ve seen performances on television. Is it a formal event?”
“Semi-formal,” Yori answered. He reached into his pocket and took out two tickets. “Do you have a friend that you would like to bring along with you?
Dolisa accepted the tickets. “Yes. Her name is Maria. She’s my BFF.”
He was sure Satoshi wouldn’t mind hanging out with him and the two women on Saturday night.
“Are you doing anything tomorrow evening?” Dolisa asked.
If he was, he’d get out of it. “No, I’m free after rehearsal. Why?”
“We’re having an art show at the university. I’d really like for you to come.” She dug through the stack of paper next to the computer and came up with a ticket. She handed it to him. “The university is just down the street.”
“And will you join me for dinner afterwards?” Yori asked.
“Si, Yori. I’d like that very much.”
Yori finished his coffee. “Do you have a cell phone?”
Dolisa took out her phone and handed it to Yori.
Yori took out his international phone and gave it to her to put her phone number in. “Do you need me to pick you up for the art show?”
“No. I can walk. It’s just two blocks away,” Dolisa answered.
Yori said goodbye to Dolisa and left the bungalow. He walked back to the car and drove to the hotel and went up to his room to change for dinner.
“Why are you smiling?” Satoshi asked him when the two of them met up in the hotel restaurant.
“Because I met Miss Right today,” Yori answered.
Satoshi looked at him like he didn’t believe him.
****
The next evening, Yori dressed to go out again. This time he wore a black business suit, white dress shirt and a black tie. He also changed his sunglasses to a pair that went better with his outfit. He checked his appearance in the mirror before he left the room. He looked like a detective instead of an idol. How he managed to slip out of the hotel again without anyone seeing him was just short of a miracle. The bodyguards were probably in Satoshi’s room playing cards with him and Takumijo.
Yori climbed back into the rental car and returned back to the beach area. He passed Dolisa’s bungalow and traveled down two blocks to the university and parked. He took the ticket Dolisa had given him out of his pocket and followed some people to the university’s art school building. He didn’t see Dolisa at first but then he spotted her after the school’s administrator made a few announcements. She was with some students. She smiled at him. Yori made his way over to her. She surprised him by giving him a big hug. The students looked at him oddly.
Dolisa introduced him. “This is my friend Mr. Morioka. He’s visiting from Japan.” She spoke to them in Spanish. It was a good thing he was fluent.
“Hola,” he said to them. He bowed.
“Hola,” the young people said to him.
Two of the young ladies giggled.
Yori was used to that. Satoshi called it animal magnetism. Yori just thought it was annoying, but he always dealt with it gracefully.
The students went away, leaving him with Dolisa. “Come, let’s go look at their art work. The students have been working hard.”
For the next two hours Yori looked at paintings and sculptures. After the show ended, he walked Dolisa out to his car. “I hope you haven’t eaten yet. I’ve made reservations at a nearby restaurant.”
“No, I’m starving,” Dolisa answered.
She was dressed prettily in a floral sundress. The hem of it came respectfully to her knees. She also wore a pair of strappy sandals with a sensible heel.
Yori put on one of the local radio stations instead of a Japanese music CD.
“So what did you think of the art show?” Dolisa asked him as Yori headed to the restaurant.
“I
loved it,” Yori answered. “Some of the students are very good.”
“I’m glad you said some. There are others that are not so good. But they try so we include them in the show to encourage them to do better,” Dolisa said.
He liked talking with her. He didn’t feel like he had to be an idol around her. He could just be himself. Not many people knew that side of him.
They arrived at the restaurant. Yori had scoped out the place yesterday after he left the bungalow. He made the reservation after he returned to the hotel.
The restaurant served traditional Spanish dishes. The ambiance in the dining room was perfect with low lighting, candles on the table and mariachi music playing.
The waiter seated them and returned several minutes later to take their order.
“Have you eaten here before?” Yori asked.
Dolisa nodded. “They have great food.”
“What do you recommend?” Yori asked.
“Escudella,” Dolisa said. “It is a stew with pasta and meat and vegetables. They serve the soup first and then the rest. The suquet de peix is good too. It’s a seafood soup.”
“I think I’d like to try both,” Yori said.
Dolisa ordered for them in Spanish.
The waiter left them after taking their order. Yori sipped some of his water. The waiter had brought them the bottled kind, which Yori was thankful for.
“I’m going to ask a stupid question,” Dolisa said.
“Ask away,” Yori said.
“Do you eat with chopsticks or utensils?”
Yori chuckled. “That depends on what country I’m in. Since I’m here, I will use utensils.”
“I’ve never eaten Japanese food before, but I have always been curious,” Dolisa admitted. “I have always wanted to try sushi.”
Yori loved the way her eyes twinkled by candlelight. “If you were in Osaka, I would take you to the farmhouse and get my friend Ichiro to cook for you.”
“He is a farmer?” Dolisa asked.
Yori laughed. “No, he is a lead singer in my group. But he’s also a trained chef. He’s always cooking good meals for us.”
“I’d like to meet him. Is he a good singer?”