Chapter 24
For the benefit dinner, I wore a black cocktail dress with rhinestones inlaid across the bodice and along the trim. I curled and pinned up my hair and applied my makeup a little heavier since it was pretty dark at the Biltmore Square. The doorbell rang and I answered it.
Steven stood there and looked very handsome in his black suit. “Wow, you look amazing. Why don’t I open a bottle of wine and we’ll stay here?”
“Careful or I’ll take you up on that, handsome.” I gave him a long kiss letting him know later there’d be more.
“Shall we?” He gave me his arm and escorted me to his car.
We arrived at the Biltmore and made our way inside. We went to the bar and Steven ordered us two glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon. We strolled around the open-air venue until we found Rafael and Antonio and joined them.
Rafael and Antonio made a dashing couple. Antonio looked amazingly handsome in his black suit. His wavy salt and pepper hair was slicked back making him look suave. Rafael was a perfect compliment with his pompadour hair and five o’clock shadow. Rafael shed his suit jacket before he was even into the venue.
I looked around the area as I enjoyed the party. Live jazz music played and local restaurants had set up food booths.
Antonio told us about the hats and scarves being donated this year. He pointed to one of the scarves a young woman wore. “That one is silk from India. The colors are magnificent. We added the trim to give it more sophistication.”
I looked where he pointed and admired the scarf. I noticed a man walking up to her, our gazes meeting as he glanced my way. It was Javier.
We stared at each other for a moment. I glanced back to the woman. She gazed in our direction, obviously to see what Javier was looking at. I met her eyes and slowly realized it was Veronica. She was the woman in need of the silk scarf. I swayed in my heels.
“Oh my God.” I whispered out loud. I didn’t explain as I walked away from Rafael, Antonio, and Steven. I made a line for her. When I got there, I grabbed her and hugged her hard. “Oh my God, Veronica, no, not you, no.”
She hugged me back and I wouldn’t let her go.
“It’s okay, really. I’m going to be okay.” she said.
Javier did nothing as he watched me hug my long-lost best friend and his beloved cousin.
I looked at him, still holding her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It didn’t come up.”
I let go of Veronica, still looking at Javier. I broke our stare and focused back on her. Before I said anything, Ricardo walked up with water for Veronica, wine for himself and Javier.
“Thank you, Ricardo,” Veronica said. “Do you remember Kayla?”
“Of course I do. Hello, Kayla. It’s been a long time.” He took my hand and kissed my cheek.
I couldn’t help but notice Ricardo sported a chin strip beard that traced his jawline to his sideburns. He’d really filled out and was no longer a skinny teenager, but a broad-shouldered, fit man. Like Javier, his suit was custom designed.
Although Veronica had lost her long dark curls, her skin seemed to glow. She looked happy and true to the girl that I always knew. She was dressed classy but comfortable in her wrap dress and flats.
“It’s been a long time. How are you?” I asked.
“Doing well. Javier told me that you're building the new showroom for us.”
Us? “I’m the designer on the project.”
“I saw the specs. It looks amazing. I'm excited to see it come to life. You should visit the factories some time so you can see what goes into the cars we sell.”
“The factories?”
“Yes, didn’t he tell you?”
“No, he didn’t get to that either.” I didn’t look at Javier.
Ricardo shot Javier a questioning look. “My father passed away two years ago and I took over the maquiladoras. Javier’s dad’s car-lots took a hit with the recession so we joined forces and started dealing with Mexican produced luxury cars. We’ve done so well that we’re now in position to showcase on a bigger scale.”
So, that’s how Javier climbed to the top so quickly for a young man.
“Veronica just opened the fifth branch of Oficina De Negocios Más in Hermosillo,” Ricardo continued.
“Congratulations. You always said that you’d go into the family business.” There was an uncomfortable silence, but I didn’t want to leave. “Are you living up here in Phoenix now?”
“No. I’m just staying with Javier while I’m getting treatments.”
My eyes filled with tears, but I blinked them back hard. “My good friend Antonio is the designer who made this scarf. Do you like it?”
“I love it. The scarves are much more comfortable than the hats.”
“I'll tell him that.” I forced a smile again, watching Veronica. “Well, I should get back to my party before they think I ran away. I hope I see you again soon.”
“I’d like that. Do you have a phone now?”
I looked at her shocked. I glanced up at Javier who grinned at me, but remained silent. I turned my gaze back to Veronica.
She burst into laughter. “Javier told me the whole story.”
I didn’t meet his stare and kept my focus on Veronica. “I’ve finally gained my independence from the emperor and I do have my very own phone.”
“Here, put your number in,” she said, handing me her cell.
I took her phone, entered in my cell and work numbers. I handed over my phone for her to do the same. “Here.”
She gave it back to me. “I entered Javier’s numbers too, since I’m staying with him.”
I paused and smiled at her. “Okay. I’ll remember that.” I stood silent, looking at her for a minute. So much time had gone by, totally wasted.
“I should go. Have a wonderful evening.” I hugged her again and kissed her cheek. “I'll call you soon.” I went to Ricardo, hugged and kissed him too.
“It was good to see you again, Kayla.”
“It was good to see you too, but I have a feeling we’ll see more of each other during this project.”
“Absolutely.”
I looked up at Javier and didn’t know what to do. He winked and made no move toward me. I smiled and turned and walked away without a word.
I didn’t seek out Steven, or Rafael and Antonio, who were mingling with other guests. Instead I went to the bar and asked for a bottle of wine and a glass. I left the party and found a quiet secluded place in the fashion square to sit and be alone.
I poured the first glass of wine and drank it down letting it warm my insides. Then the tears started again. I hadn’t only lost Javier all those years ago, but my best friend. My only friend, and when she needed me most I wasn’t there. I wasn’t there when she found out that she had cancer, or there for her when she went to chemotherapy.
Hell, I'm not even sure what kind of cancer she has or her prognosis. I cried some more and drank some more, and when the bottle was gone and I wasn’t feeling any better. I kept on crying.
Suddenly a hand grabbed my shoulder and I jumped.
“Let’s go.” I heard the familiar voice.
I didn’t move. I just remained there as tears streamed down my face.
“Come on. Let me help you.” Javier helped me up and then I felt him scoop me up, carrying me like an injured victim. I put my head on his chest. He carried me to his car and eased me into the passenger seat. He walked around and got in behind the wheel.
“Do not under any circumstances vomit in this car. Barf out the window if you have to.”
~ ~ ~
I woke up the next morning slowly looking around. My head pounded and I’d no idea where I was. I immediately looked under the sheet. What happened? Oh crap, I’m in a man’s shirt. Shit, shit, shit, what did I do? Where are my clothes and how am I going to get out of here?
The door opened. Javier walked in, carrying a cup of coffee and a bottle of water. He handed me the coffee and set the water on the nightstand. “I believe this is how you take it."
“Thank you.” I took the cup and slid up in bed. “How did I, I mean did we, did I?”
“Stop talking.”
I looked at him annoyed. That wasn’t very nice, but I kept forgetting that he wasn’t a very nice person anymore.
“No, nothing happened. I just brought you here to sleep it off.” He continued to stare at me. “Do you do that often?”
“Do what?”
“Get drunk alone in the park where you can be assaulted?”
“No.”
“Why did I find you there completely inebriated?”
“I was upset. I’m sorry.”
“Upset about what?”
“Nothing.”
“It must be something because you cried most of the night.”
“I did?”
“Yes you did.”
“You stayed here all night?”
“It’s my room.”
My face heated. “Good point.”
“So?”
“So what?”
“Why were you crying?”
I looked away.
“You do that when you don’t want to talk or are embarrassed.”
“Do what?”
“Look away.”
“Oh, I'll have to work on that.”
“Yes, you will if you want to make it in the business world.”
“Can you take me to my condo?”
“You haven’t answered my question yet.”
“I don’t want to answer you.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not comfortable with you.” I saw pain in his eyes at my statement and I regretted the words that I’d chosen.
“Then let’s get you home.” He turned and walked toward the door, pausing to say, “Your clothes are in the bathroom.”
I got up and walked into the master bathroom. I didn’t know who’d decorated for him, but it was exquisite. I ran my hand over the black granite and admired the mesquite cabinetry. My gaze met the opposing wall that was a light stone and arched around the frosted window.
The tub under the window appeared carved from the same stone. To the right of the tub was a shower with steps leading up to it. The double doors were open, allowing me to see the large over-sized showerhead that allowed for a straight-down rain effect. Three of the four sides had matching frosted grid-lined glass. I admired my surroundings for a brief moment.
I put on my dress and washed my face with the hand-soap he had on the counter. After freshening up the best I could in a stranger’s bathroom, I made my way back through the bedroom and peeked out the door to see if anyone else was out there before leaving the room. I didn’t see or hear anyone so I opened the bedroom door the rest of the way.
“Here’s your purse.” Javier startled me.
“Thank you.” I took it.
“Are you ready?”
I nodded and he led me down to the garage. When we got there, I was stunned to see that his car was an Aston-Martin. “Where’s the Camaro?”
For the first time in six years, I saw that familiar smile. The smile that showed his dimple, the smile that I fell in love with.
“It’s still in Nogales at my dad’s house.”
“Too bad. I’d have enjoyed another ride in it.”
“Well, this will have to do.”
We got inside his adult boy-toy. We drove quietly when I decided to break the silence. “I was crying about Veronica. About time lost. About losing people I care about.”
He looked straight ahead. “I understand.”
“I know you do.” I gazed out the passenger window.
We pulled into the garage of my condo building and parked. “How did you know where I live?”
“I know lots of things.”
“So, you keep telling me.”
“I will walk you up.” He got out of the car and escorted me to my door. I unlocked it and he said, “Take care, Kayla.”
“That sounded like a good-bye, not a see-you-later.” I shot out, turning around to see him already walking away.
“Would that bother you?” He glanced back slightly, stopping but not turning back around.
“I don’t know what I feel right now.”
He gave me a sideways grin over his shoulder and walked away.
I let myself into the condo and sat down in the living room. For the first time, I realized the implications of what happened last night. I took out my phone and looked at the list of text messages and missed calls.
How was I going to explain leaving Steven at the party, getting drunk and waking up in Javier’s bed? I called Rafael first. He’d know what to do.
“Girl, you better have one hell of a story. Steven was frantic looking for you. I had to talk him out of calling the police. Where are you?” Rafael demanded.
“I'm home. Now.”
“Now? Where were you?”
“I saw my friend Veronica there at the party.”
“I figured that was her when you walked away from us.”
“I couldn’t take it, Rafael. She was my only girlfriend back in the day. She has cancer and I wasn’t there for her when she needed me most. After I saw her, I went to the bar and got a bottle of wine and drank it out in the square. Javier found me out there drunk.”
“Oh God, what happened?”
“Nothing apparently. I woke up in his bed and in his shirt, but he said I cried most of the night and fell asleep.”
“Well, that’s a ghastly night.”
“What am I going to say to Steven?”
Rafael sighed heavily. “You could lie and say you took a cab home, but I’d bet he went to your condo to see if you were there last night. You could tell him the truth, which will ensure a break-up or you could go into hiding.”
“I don’t like any of those options.”
“Good luck, Sunshine.”
“Thanks.” I hit ‘End’ on my phone. Well, I better get this over with, I decided. I dialed Steven.
“Kayla?”
“Hi.”
“Are you okay? Where did you go last night?”
“I saw a friend of mine there I hadn’t seen in years. She obviously has cancer. I was upset after seeing her again and I took some wine to the square and drank it.” I stopped, not wanting to continue.
“Go on.”
"Javier ran into me out there and gave me a ride."
There was silence for a moment. “A ride to where?”
I was silent. This wasn’t going to sound good, no matter how I delivered it. “His house.” I paused. “But, nothing happened. I just passed out and he drove me home this morning.”
Steven said nothing.
“Say something, please.”
“Kayla, I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to think anymore. I think we need to take a break right now until you figure some things out.”
Tears started running down my face. “Steven, please. I didn’t mean it. Please forgive me.”
“I do forgive you, Kayla, but you need some time and space right now.”
“Steven, no, please no.”
“Kayla, let’s get this project done and see where we are then.”
I curled up on the couch and cried. I didn't even know why I was crying this time. Was it because Steven broke up with me? Was it because Veronica was sick? Was it because Javier no longer cared about me? Maybe, it was because I was such a mess, I couldn’t even function anymore.
I spent the rest of the weekend on the couch trying to figure out what was going to make me happy in this life.
On Monday morning, I called into the office and told them I’d be working from home for the next couple of weeks.
I couldn’t stand the thought of pretending to be happy day in and day out. Staying home and working was the only way I could function right now, or maybe I’d work from a totally different space altogether. I needed to be somewhere that I’d relax and pull myself together, all while trying to get my work done and not get fired.
About mid-morning I pulled out a large suitcase and started packing. On my way out the door, I grabbed my briefcase and my laptop, loaded up the car and started driving. Four hours later, I stopped in front of the gates of our old house in Nogales.
I sat there and looked at it for a while remembering how awestruck Dawn and I were when we moved here. When had my parents sold it?
I started the car back up and drove to Javier’s parents’ house next. I pulled up and pushed the buzzer to the gate.
“¿Quién es?” a female voice asked through the intercom.
“Kayla Johnson.”