Hotter Than The Caribbean (Building Love Book 2)

by Stacy Hoff

  “I already explained the hair color was part of my vacation plan. Mom and Dad didn’t complain to me about it.”

  “Not to you, maybe. They said plenty about it to me. I’m always forced to be in the middle. It’s very selfish of you.”

  Mel blinked, then stared at her sister as if she’d been struck. She bit down on her lip before she spoke. “I’m selfish? You have got to be kidding me. Expressing myself creatively makes me happy. But this whole time I’ve been dressing like a stupid politician. I do this so I can look the way you want me to for this job. Even though I don’t want this job at all.”

  Denny’s eyes were steel. “You should be grateful. There is no way you could earn this kind of money anywhere else. You’re acting selfish.”

  “If that’s what you—what all of you—think of me, I have no idea why I’m trying this hard to help any of you out. You didn’t even look at my plans.” She caught her breath to slow down her soaring heart rate. “I don’t want to fight. I’m going to cancel the new fabrics, glass pieces, and lighting I ordered. As soon as I do, you’re in the clear to go back to the original design. I’ll make sure your fixtures will make the scheduled arrival date.”

  Denny stared at her, her eyes wide. “You will?”

  Mel didn’t think about the rest of her words. They flowed out like molten lava. “Yes. Once I get that done, I quit.”

  Denny’s mouth dropped open. “You can’t do that!”

  “I can, and I will. I’m not asking your permission. I’m giving you the heads-up you wanted. While we’re having full disclosure, you should also know that Luis Serrano and I are seeing each other.”

  “What?” Denny’s lower lip twitched, a poker “tell” since childhood. “I told you that I was interested in him.”

  “There are no dibs in dating. We’re grown women.”

  “Don’t be coy. You know what I meant. You shouldn’t have gone after a man you knew I wanted.”

  Mel’s lips twisted together tightly enough to form a knot. “Which one of us is the sister who is acting selfish?” Suddenly, hot tears streamed down Mel’s face. “I’m sorry, Denny. I just can’t deal with this anymore. I love you, but I need my space. You’ll have my resignation letter by the end of the day.”

  Chapter 21

  Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Luis smiled cordially as Francine Nash strutted into his office. Whatever she was going to say to him, it was sure to be a doozy. The outfit alone was aiming for high impact. The woman’s white linen suit hugged her curves tighter than a tourniquet.

  He absently wondered if there was enough slack in the fabric of her skirt for her to sit down. If not, he was in luck. The faster her visit, the happier he was. Because she had a briefcase with her, he was doubtful he’d be that lucky. He glanced at his Rolex wristwatch to note the time. The woman had ten minutes. Maximum. He’d need double the duration to recover. Thirty minutes of his life he couldn’t get back. In fact, he had only resisted telling Olivia not to let her in for the sake of family harmony.

  “Yes?” Luis asked Francine without preamble.

  “I’m not used to getting a lackluster greeting.” Francine gave him a dramatic pout. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”

  “I’m confused. My brother is handling your portion of the design work. Why come to see me?”

  Francine smiled broadly then walked over to a guest chair and sat down. “Raul knows why I’m here. He agrees I should take over the lobby design work. I don’t see a lot of progress being made down there. I could have everything wrapped up quick. Reaching into her briefcase, she pulled out a red leather folder and extracted a packet of legal documents. “Here, sign these. It will authorize my company to get started. I’ll leave you to contact your lawyer about sending Merritt Designs their notice of termination.”

  When Luis didn’t extend his hand to take the papers she dropped them on the edge of his desk. Then she sat back and smiled brighter. “The sooner you sign off, the sooner I can get started. Raul told me that your father needs this project done right, and done fast. Time is of the essence. I’m sure you agree.”

  The bubbling lava that always simmered deep inside his core—that magically cooled when Mel was around—was about to spew forth. An explosion of great magnitude. Taking a deep breath, he did his best to keep a lid on the lava. With a cool, clipped voice he spoke. “A bit presumptuous of you, Francine. Don’t you think?”

  Francine stared at him, her mouth momentarily agape. “How can it be presumptuous? I checked with your brother. He said it was fine.”

  “That’s helpful. I wasn’t aware my brother controlled me.”

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  “I think it’s time for you to leave, Francine. I’m not agreeing to any of this. Further conversation would be a waste of both of our time.”

  Francine crossed her arms over her chest and wiggled her white linen-clad butt deeper into the guest chair. “Don’t worry about my time. I am prepared to spend as long as I need to convince you.”

  Remember to keep the lid on the lava, Luis. He pushed his feet away from the desk and stood up from his chair. “Will you wait here for a moment, please?” He strutted out, scoring himself a mental point for not slamming the door behind him.

  Olivia blinked in surprise. “¿Sí, Señor Serrano?” she asked, her voice cracked.

  He breathed in deeply, his inhale audible. “Never mind, Olivia. I needed a moment away from my meeting. I’m fine now.”

  Turning to go back into the lion’s den, he braced for the lioness’s pounce. But as soon as he opened his office door, animosity was replaced by curiosity. Francine’s hand was reaching across his desk, sliding his phone toward her. He loudly cleared his throat. Francine immediately sat up straight in the chair. “What are you doing?” he demanded.

  “Oh, nothing.” She smiled blithely. “Just waiting for you.”

  I know she’s lying. “Oh really? Does Raul know you bill my father for the time you spend waiting around? In an empty office, no less.”

  Francine’s mouth dropped open. “How can you say your office is empty? I’m talking to you right now.”

  “Not for much longer, Francine. This conversation is done. Either you leave or I will. Staging a sit-in won’t work.”

  Francine’s pale complexion turned beet red. “I’ve never been treated so rudely.” She pulled herself up, grabbed her documents, then hastily shoved them back into her briefcase and stormed out the door.

  “Somehow, Francine, I doubt that. Have a good day. Make sure you close the door behind you.” When it slammed shut with a bang, he smiled. Francine was not going to get the best of him.

  A thought popped into his head which made him smile even more. He pressed the intercom button. “Olivia, I apologize for the commotion you’ve had to endure today. Go on your lunchbreak, and take an extra hour for yourself. When four-thirty rolls around, go home. It’s a beautiful day. Enjoy it with your family.”

  Luis hung up the phone feeling better than he had in a long while. Relationships could work out. With Mel. Olivia. His mother, if her mind ever became healthy enough.

  Given Francine’s statements about Raul, however, the relationship with his brother was doubtful. He turned his attention back to business. The sure-fire way to know things were going to work out was to get this project done.

  Regardless of whether he’d get his family’s approval, he needed to take stock in himself. Mel had made him realize his own value. This afternoon he would resume working on his own company’s projects, too. The ones he had put on hold to impress the hell out of people who might never be impressed by him. He was a construction maven. A master at building deals. It was high time he acted like it. A man built for success.

  ~ ~ ~

  Mel walked into the resort’s lobby after the biggest fight
she’d ever had with Denny. Having run out of her own hotel room, she didn’t have a whole lot of her possessions with her. Grateful to have shoved her smart phone into her back pocket she yanked it out to call Luis. Talking with him would soothe her. She’d feel wanted and valued the minute he spoke her name.

  Her hands, still twitching from irritation, almost dropped the phone when it let out an unexpected ping. She walked to a more secluded area before garnering the courage to read the message. Her eyes widened when she recognized the San Juan art gallery’s number. ‘My apologies, señorita,’ the manager’s text message read, ‘the owner declined to show your work. I am not sure why. For what it’s worth, I enjoyed meeting you. Perhaps your work can sell in other galleries. Best of luck with your artistic endeavors.’

  Before she could hit ‘reply,’ another message from the gallery popped up. ‘You may pick up your artwork whenever you are ready.’

  Mel’s breath was kicked out of her. Her gut punched. Her eyes stung. ‘Thank you for letting me know,’ she texted back. ‘I’ll be there to pick up my portfolio within the hour.’

  She had barely recovered from her disappointment when she noticed a missed text from Luis. Despite her miserable mood, a sense of relief washed over her. Luis still values me. He’ll love my work. Once he gives Alonso the go-ahead on my revisions, I can walk around with my head held high. My family will see I do have value. Maybe another art gallery will, too.

  Her thoughts trailed off as she swiped onto his message. ‘You, and your firm, are fired,’ his text read. ‘Nash & Co. will be taking over immediately.’

  She blinked hard. Surely this had to be a sick joke. He would never leave a mean-spirited message. Luis, if not kind, was at least professional. He would give her parent’s original design a chance, even if he hated her ideas. He knew what the financial loss would mean to her family. He also knew what the personal loss would mean to her.

  And yet the message had come from his cell phone. If the number would have been Nash & Co.’s, or even Olivia’s, maybe the message could have been a misunderstanding or even a hoax. However difficult it was to believe, Luis was the sender. His message to her, and her family, was loud and clear.

  Mel’s breakfast lurched about in her stomach. I guess he doesn’t care what my family thinks of me. Because he doesn’t care about me either. She breathed in deeply to stop the tears. I will not cry. I can do this on my own. A person can walk alone and still move forward with their life. That little bit of optimism encouraged her. She had forgotten what her own goals and desires had been. Now she remembered. It was time to act on them.

  She was free to leave the island A.S.A.P. No further business to hang onto. Nothing to hold her back. Regardless of when the next flight was leaving for New York, she was headed to San Juan International Airport the moment she collected her portfolio. Symbolically, she would never leave her art behind again.

  She emerged from the lobby’s alcove and went back to the elevator. About to press the call button, her hand hesitated. Life is like an elevator. You can make it go up. You can make it go down. I’m through living in life’s basement. My family life, my love life, and my day job are all at rock bottom. This time I’m going to rise to the top. She pressed the ‘up’ button with enough force to launch a rocket. I’m headed back to New York. I’m going to contact every gallery owner I can find. I will never give up trying.

  Back in her hotel room, she shoved everything into her luggage with haste. With a final good-bye to her view of the Caribbean Sea, she was gone.

  ~ ~ ~

  Luis stared at Mel’s doppelganger. Except this woman had auburn hair and an air cast on her leg. Familiar eyes gazed at him, a bright-green color instead of Caribbean blue. The eye color difference was easy to see without a pair of big, red eyeglasses blocking his view. A sense of calm washed over him, as if he were with Mel herself. He smiled and extended a hand. “Denny?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

  “How did you know?” The woman’s surprise morphed into a smile.

  “Either I’m a great guesser, or you look exactly like your sister. It’s nice to meet you.” He shook her hand warmly. “Speaking of your sister, by the way, where is Mel? I haven’t heard from her all morning.”

  Denny’s lips straightened into a flat line. “Melanie flew back home. I trust she told you she was only holding down the fort for me. Now that I’m here, I’m looking forward to getting your lobby delivered to you on time and on budget.”

  “I’m sorry, could you repeat the first part? Mel already flew back home?” He felt his forehead crease. “That’s impossible.” There was no way she would simply up and leave him. Not without at least talking to him. Not without saying good-bye. His heart rate shot up. His hands clenched into tight balls. “You must be mistaken.”

  The auburn look-alike shook her head, eyes downcast. “I’m afraid not. Please don’t worry. The transition will be seamless.” She peered up at him through Mel’s long lashes. Denny’s eyes were full of hope. “If you want to touch base, we can schedule a time to meet. Is tonight convenient for you?”

  The way the woman said “touch” it sounded like she meant it in a literal way. He hoped not. It would be way too weird of a dynamic. He was intimately involved with her sister. His mind suddenly came to a screeching halt. He was still involved with Mel, wasn’t he? Why the hell had she run off? Without saying a word to him?

  “Mr. Serrano?” Denny asked, forehead furrowed.

  “Yes?” he answered, pretending his thoughts hadn’t drifted.

  “I was saying I would like to stick with the original plans Merritt Designs created. I know Melanie tried to make some revisions. The plans we initially presented to your architect, however, are a safer bet.”

  It dawned on him that he never had bothered to find out what Mel’s revisions were. He had simply trusted her implicitly. Could he do so now? Even though she took off without saying good-bye?

  “Um, Mr. Serrano? Is everything all right?”

  “Please excuse me a moment, will you?” Without waiting for a response, Luis walked away from the wide-eyed, auburn-haired, version of the woman he . . . What? Cared about? Wanted to be with? Loved?

  He was barely back in his office when he pulled out his phone to find out when Mel’s flight left. The blinking voicemail message on his phone caught his eye. It had to be Mel. He hit ‘play.’ Mel’s voice, sounding strained and sad, came through loud and clear despite the airport hustle prominently in the background. “Luis, I am truly sorry we cannot be together anymore. Despite everything, I wanted to say good-bye. The few days we’ve had together have been the best in my life. Falling out of love with you will be harder than anything I’ve ever done. I doubt I even can.” The message stopped. And, for a moment, so did his heart.

  Chapter 22

  Mel was lucky to have caught the last flight out of Puerto Rico before the incoming storm shut the airport down. Her plane had avoided the worst of the torrent but it bounced around in the sky until she was nauseous. Despite the safe landing, rocky travel loomed ahead. Plane turbulence could never compare with life turbulence. Being physically ill was the least of her problems.

  A tug on the back of her sweatshirt startled her. She quickly turned around, the sudden twist making her knee buckle. Luckily she was able to right her body in time.

  “Sorry, lady,” a little boy said. His large brown eyes were filled with remorse.

  It was impossible to be mad at him. Mel, rubbing her knee to stop the pain, hastened to make him feel better, too. “I’m okay. Don’t worry about it. Did you have fun in Puerto Rico?”

  The boy’s face broke out into a smile. “I had a super trip,” he prattled. “A cool time with my family. Did you have fun?” He leaned closer to her face and squinted. “Nah. I don’t think so. You didn’t get to enjoy the sun too much, did you?”

 
The kid has no idea how right he is. “No. Business trips are never fun.”

  “Bummer.”

  “Yeah.”

  “You need to go back to PR,” he insisted. “This time, do it right.”

  “Sounds good,” she quickly agreed. Then her eyes grew wide. “I mean no, not good.”

  A middle-aged woman ran toward them. “Andre, there you are.” The woman bent down when she reached the boy. The two embraced. “Come, your father is waiting.”

  The boy beamed at the woman who held him and then waived to Mel. “Bye, lady. I hope you have a better time in New York.”

  Mel sucked in her lower lip and unconsciously bit down. I seriously doubt it. No job. No art showings. No family. And no Luis. Then she remembered her pledge to emotionally move ahead. “Thanks, I will,” she called out to him, her voice sounding more confident at last.

  ~ ~ ~

  Luis was glad he let Olivia go home early. With his mood as foul as the weather, there was no way he’d be able to concentrate on work anyway. Sending his staff home before the impending storm made good sense. No need for anyone to be traumatized. The smile Olivia gave him made him feel slightly better for a little while. The silence of the empty office, plus the sound of the growing wind outside, quickly brought back his sense of melancholy.

  He walked over to the large wall of windows to distract himself from his mood. Palm trees swayed broadly, like a metronome. A howl-like sound kicked in as the wind increased. Slats of raindrops assaulted the windows. His view marred, he turned back to his desk and sank heavily into the leather chair.

  It was not normal for a highly successful, self-made man to feel this down. Yet the stomach-hollowing feeling of rejection was one he was all too familiar with. Why was it that everyone he loved refused to love him? Was he really that detestable? A bastard by birth, and by nature?