CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Lisa folded a T-shirt and put it in her bag and glanced over at her sister as she munched on almonds. “Tell me about your job.”
“It’s everything I hoped it would be and more. James is one of the hottest wedding and event planners in San Diego, and him taking me under his wing is going to give me the chance to learn a ton.”
“I’m so stinking happy for you. I know you were tired of working at the hotel and having a side hustle at the restaurant too.”
“Yeah, the two part-time jobs were starting to get hard to schedule, and I’m glad to finally have one I love.”
“Is James easy to work with or a tyrant?”
“A little of both. The reason he’s so popular and in demand is because his events are flawless. And flawless takes a ton of work, and since I’m still learning how he likes things, it’s sometimes a little rough.”
“The learning curve always is.”
Carissa tossed the empty bag in the trash and then folded her legs. “When are you leaving for Central America?”
“Friday.”
“Mom told me your new man is tagging along.”
“Seems he is since he just got approved for leave. We’re spending a little over two weeks together, and I have no idea what to expect.”
“It’s a bold move; that’s for sure. How long have you known this man, anyway?”
“Let’s see…we met in Yemen at the beginning of May and had one date in Yemen; then we didn’t start seeing one another until the middle of July. So, two weeks.”
“This is by far the craziest thing you’ve ever done, considering you always keep men at arm’s length.”
“I don’t do it on purpose. It’s hard to keep a man around when you’re bouncing all over the world, chasing a story.”
“And this one seems to be chasing you by going along.”
“I guess that’s one way of looking at it.” Folding a pair of shorts, she put them in the suitcase and then sat down. “He’s like no one I ever met and well…”
“You’ve fallen for him,” Carissa said as she leaned forward. “You haven’t had that look since you were fifteen and smitten with Ryan the surfer.”
“That’s not true.” She tightened her ponytail and crossed her legs. “I’ve had plenty of boyfriends since then.”
“I know, but none of them made you smile the way you are right now.”
Running her hand over her comforter, she shrugged. “Ace does know how to make me smile.”
“Is he super-sexy and talented in bed?”
“He definitely has some moves, but it’s more than that.” She looked up at the ceiling and then fell back against the bed. “I connect with him in a way that’s never happened with anyone else and…”
“If you don’t have the words to describe it, then I know you’re in trouble. My sister with the million-word vocabulary at a loss for words tells me this man might be the one.”
“I guess time will tell.”
“Mom told me he may be a father before too long.”
“Yes, a fact I try not to think about too much. Which is foolish because if he does end up being a daddy, then the complicated factor will go up by one hundred since the woman who’s pregnant is your basic nightmare.”
“You sure didn’t pick an easy man to fall for.”
“Tell me about it. Between his career and personal life, he’s about the hardest choice I could make.”
“I hope he’s worth it.”
“Me too because if I really let myself fall, it’s not something I’d likely get over.”
“If at all,” Carissa added as she moved to the bed and laid down. “Are you pretending to be casual and carefree?”
Lisa took her sister’s hand and squeezed. “Yes, and so far, it’s mostly working.” Looking over, she moved Carissa’s hair off her shoulder. “You think I’ll ever pick easy or am I doomed to always go after the hardest thing available?”
“You’re doomed.”
“Thanks, sister. Appreciate it.”
Carissa laughed and then kissed Lisa’s cheek. “Better to face what is and accept it because denial just puts off the inevitable.”
“I’m all for putting it off for a while longer.”
“So, when do I get to meet this Ace Henderson?”
“It might not be until after the trip because he’s on a training exercise in the desert and isn’t getting back until Thursday.”
“I guess that works out because you may want to get rid of him, and I’d hate to waste my breath grilling him if he’s not a real candidate.”
“I try not waste your time with the riffraff.”
“And I appreciate it.”
Laughing, she gave her sister a hug and sat up. “Do you want to go over to the OB Noodle House for dinner?”
“Sounds good.” Carissa stood and pulled down her T-shirt. “I’ll go grab my purse and then come back and get you.”
“Perfect.” Going back to her pile of clothes, she folded several more tops and thought about what her sister had said and wondered if she and Ace would be compatible travelers. If they were, then she was going to have a hard time keeping herself from falling head over heels in love.
A prospect so frightening that she decided not to think about it until it became absolutely necessary.