Chapter One

 

 

 

 

July. Miami, Florida.

Carolina Rodriguez angled the large Sprinter van around the parked cars of her family and friends. The magnets advertising her business were stowed in back. She parked near the side entrance to the chapel and gave her cousin a shake. “Sleepy head, we’re here.”

“I’m up!” Sam’s delicate brows drew together above her sunglasses. “Gosh, my head is splitting.”

“It’s still attached to your shoulders, so you’d better get a move on. My mom is pointing to her watch and saying something. Correction, she’s walking this way.”

“Crud, from her expression, Tia is on the war path. What time is it?”      

“Five past four.” Carolina gathered up her cousin’s purse in an effort to avoid a lecture.

“We’re late.” Sam grimaced, lifting up her sunglasses. “No wonder Tia looks upset.”

Carolina smiled and waved at her mom. “By a few minutes. Besides, you look fabulous.”

“You mean for someone who spent the entire night drinking?”

“It was memorable and wasn’t that the point? Your last night as a single woman deserves to go down in history.”

“Mission accomplished, Caro!” Sam slipped on her sandals in a hurry.

“Hey, I simply complied with a smashing bachelorette party.” Carolina’s grin widened. “Sam, you’re really lucky.”

“Yep.” Her cousin nodded. “I can’t believe after four years, I’m about to see my dream become my life.” Sam twisted her engagement ring and her lips started to tremble.

“No, don’t you start crying,” Carolina ordered. Sam tried to smile except now her chin was also trembling. Her cousin’s eyes filled with tears, then a sting hit the back of Carolina’s lids. “Good grief! Aren’t we a pair! Here.” She held out a tissue as her eyes blurred with unshed tears.

“We’re the best kind!” Sam laughed, pulling down the visor. She dabbed at the corner of her eye just as Carolina’s mom opened the van door.

“Ay, chicas. Are you both loco? Really Carolina, of all the days to revolt.”

“This wasn’t a revolution. We had to celebrate Sam’s last night of freedom.”

Sonya frowned. “Cynthia, say goodbye to my wayward daughter. We need to get you dressed.”

“Mom, we aren’t that late.”

“Late is late,” Sonya huffed. “You two have always pushed limits. Well, we’ll see how you do now that you’re about to be separated.” Her mom turned to the young man tapping her on the shoulder.

Carolina rolled her eyes. It was true. As cousins, friends, confidants, she and Sam—aka Cynthia—had been inseparable until now. With Sam getting married, they’d be off to their own adventures for the first time in twenty-six years. They’d grown up in Miami, only months apart in age. They had attended St. Teresa’s Academy from kindergarten thru high school. Both of them had lost a parent. Both of them had suffered heartache from a jackass.

The only difference was, Sam’s jackass turned out to be Prince Charming once they reconnected. Today, Sam was marrying Rob Graham, former jackass. Evidence that happy endings do come true—at least for Sam.

Her future, however, looked much, much different. “I’m so happy for both you and Rob,” Carolina said. Soon, Sam would be walking down the aisle toward wedded bliss. In two days, Carolina would be on a plane headed to Annona, Texas. No, that wasn’t exactly true. She’d fly to Clarkesville. Annona was too small to have an airport.

“Thanks for everything, Caro.” Sam blinked her false eyelashes rapidly. “This is great. I’ll be a crying mess before the wedding. Rob will take one look and shout, yeah right.”

“Never. Not him. He’s madly in love with you. Now, shoo!” Carolina jutted her chin toward the church.

“Where are you going?” Sam looked appalled.

“Not far. I’ll be right in after I park the van.”

“You better rescue me before they turn me into an iced cupcake.” Sam slanted her head to their aunts and cousins congregating on the sidewalk.

“Hah! That might be the least of your worries. Get ready to have this entire event captured. The photographer just set up. Remember to smile, chica.”

“Give me a hug. You’re my best friend. Always.”

“Always,” Carolina echoed. They wrapped arms around each other for a hug.

There was a tap-tap-tap on the window. Sam drew back and picked up her purse, murmuring, “No looking back now.” She stepped onto the sidewalk and smoothed the front of her pale-yellow sundress.

“Hold that,” the photographer called. “Okay, take a couple of steps and then let’s get one with the family coming to meet you.”

Sam peered over her shoulder and mouthed, “Help!”

“Big. Smile.” Carolina grinned back and waved.

In no time, aunts, cousins, and her mom surrounded Sam. Shaking her head, Carolina took a wide loop around the church parking lot in search of a parking place. Some place she could fit the Sprinter given it was 22 feet 10 inches from bumper to bumper.

A silver Jag convertible entered the church parking lot up ahead. Talk about a sense of impeccable timing. The man hit it, time and time again, on the head. Dr. Jeffrey Haverty, VMD in all his glory. They’d had met at a seminar at Miami University. At the time, she’d just graduated and he was an authority in his field. She had politely declined his invitation. But Jeff had pursued her, not only with invitations for lunch and dinner, but he’d offered her something far more interesting, an opportunity to learn and clients. Since then, Carolina had worked as an independent contractor, cherry picking cases that gave her experience she otherwise would not have gotten.

Six months ago, she had invited Jeff to the wedding. Back then, they were nearing the end of the two-year stint where they’d dated on and off. It had been a polite gesture. Today, all Carolina wanted to do was formally end a relationship long over. Earlier Jeff had texted and said he’d meet her at the church. She hadn’t expected that he meant almost two hours before the wedding.

Carolina didn’t bother to get out of the van and neither did he exit his car. She rolled down her window and got an eyeful of Jeff and his toothy grin. He was thirty-eight, graying at the temples, handsome, and in shape. A self-professed bachelor that lots of women branded ‘a catch.’ Catch and release was more like it.

“Hey, good looking! Still rolling around in the ole van, I see.”

There was nothing shabby about her Sprinter. It served as a high-tech office when she was out in the field, which was all the time. Unlike Jeff, she didn’t have a swanky office at a university or teaching assistants, which she didn’t want anyway. Though it wasn’t a case of her craving to be footloose and fancy free. Carolina’s mobile van, part lab, part office, was all hers. No one could take it away.

Refusing to take the bait, she said, “You’re early.”

“I’m on the run. Just got a call and I’m flying out.”

That’s when Carolina realized that he wasn’t dressed in a suit and tie. He wore s sports jacket over a golf shirt. “So why are you here?”

He flashed her his best version of a lopsided smile. “I wanted to touch base. You mentioned something about a job out-of-town. Is it something you need support on?” The man could smell money a mile away.

“The job doesn’t start until next week and I’m fine.”

“Princess, don’t go getting steamed. I’m just trying to help. Isn’t that what couples do for each other?”

Carolina’s BS radar kicked into high gear. Well, well, she thought. So, this was how Dr. Can’t-Keep-It-In-His-Pants is going to play it. Lovely.

“Jeff, let’s just get things clear. ‘Us’ as a couple is over. If it’s strictly business related, then I’m okay working with you as a professional. But, I don’t need your excuses. Not as an independent contractor.”

“You’re much more than that,” he said. “We have an employment agreement.”

“That ended as of June 30.” She’d opted not to renew.

“What about the Ocala dairies?” he snapped.

Those were huge accounts and she’d been on the road for three and a half weeks, hustling to finish before Sam’s wedding. Undeterred, Carolina supplied, “I finished the regular check-ups and vaccinations on Tuesday. So, next time, just call if you have a question.”

Reeling it in, Jeff laughed as if amused. It was part of his cool detachment that, at first, had attracted Carolina. Now it just rubbed her the wrong way. Mistakenly, she had once believed Jeff to be a consummate professional. An expert. Something she’d longed to be in her field of work.

Growing up in Miami, she’d been surrounded by people who spoke their minds, even when you didn’t want them to. It wasn’t just that her family was close, they were ultra-close and in everyone’s business.

“How many times do I have to tell you, no one else can come between us?” Jeff replied as if on cue.

Carolina’s anger spiked but she held back. In a detached voice, she said, “Then maybe it’s best if we cut all ties. Starting today.”

“Don’t talk like that. One misstep and you act like we’re married. Carolina, what do you expect when you’re so uptight? If you’re unwilling to do what I ask. A man has needs. It isn’t like they mean anything.”

Wonderful. Another round of crazy-making. She’d fallen into the trap before. He’d play it cool and collected, delivering infuriating insults disguised as ‘helpful’ suggestions.

“Stop,” she rasped, unwilling to engage in this discussion.

“Stop what? You’ve got the body, the brains. But you’re cold. So what, if I need a woman who responds and I go find one. They were just one-night stands. I wouldn’t go looking if you were willing to—”

“I’m late!” Carolina’s knuckles went white from gripping the steering wheel. This was truly Dr. Haverty’s ultimate specialty: screwing with her head. She glared at him. “As I’ve already said, it’s over between us.”

“No kiss. Just goodbye. Is that it?” he retorted like this was a game.

“Just bye, Jeff.” Good riddance also fit the bill.

“So hard and so beautiful. A veritable Ice Queen,” he practically sneered. “You might not want to believe or admit it, but sooner or later, you’ll be in touch. I won’t hold it against you. Take care, Dr. Rodriguez.” Before she could offer up a rebuttal, he floored the gas and drove off.

In a flash, he was gone.

Carolina reminded herself: being turned off by a two-timing liar didn’t make her frigid!

It was draining to deal with Jeff but there was a silver lining. Finally, she was free of any baggage when she left next week. On that happy thought, she spotted a shady parking space across the lot, in an out of the way corner. It was away from the church entrance and she headed over.

After that skirmish, Carolina needed a couple of minutes to get her head on straight. Besides, in truth, she was a bit frazzled—if not slightly hung-over—after spending all night partying and drinking her way around South Florida. In the company of thirty screaming women in two limos, no less. It had been pure lunacy and so much fun. She’d thrown her heart into planning Sam’s bachelorette party. Go big! had been the unwritten theme. They had all stopped for an early morning breakfast at IHOP before most of the party-goers had gone home and crashed.

Only Carolina and Sam had not gone home to bed. Instead, they showered and dressed. As the maid of honor, she’d ferried Sam to waxing, hair, nail, lash, and make-up appointments before bringing her to the church. If anyone deserved a moment, it was Carolina. Meanwhile, the bride would be dressed by an entourage of aunts and half-tipsy cousins and she wouldn’t be missed.

Heck, she could grab a much-needed catnap. After dealing with Jeff, this was her due. The wedding march wouldn’t start for another hour and a half. Alone in her car, under the shade cast by a huge oak tree, Carolina set her alarm. She plugged in her iPod and pushed back in her seat until she was fully reclining.

With the windows up and the air conditioning on, Carolina closed her eyes. Much, much better.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later an alarm trilled!

Carolina woke up, stretched, and yawned. Talk about the benefits of power napping.

She sat upright, removing her earbuds, and peered into the mirror on the visor. Not too shabby. If she could get some eye drops, she just might pass for a bridesmaid. The parking lot was filling up with cars. There was even another car parked next door, all the way over here. Then she glanced inside the car and noticed the lit-up screen of a computer. The strong hands of a man rapidly typed on the keyboard.

Carolina’s gaze travelled along his darkly tanned, roped forearms to crisp white shirtsleeves rolled up. He abruptly picked up a cell phone. She could only see part of his rugged profile. From the set of his square jaw, he did not look pleased.