Moonlight and Margaritas (30 page)

Elena thought of how bad her regular delivery man had it for Mercedes and tossed a broken red blossom at her friend.  "I'm pretty sure he'd say yes."

"I think so, too.  Of course, Carmen will hate my guts.  Oh wait, she already does." 

"Shh…she'll hear you." 

They shared a secret laugh, and Elena was beyond happy that her old, confident friend was well on her way back.

Joe sat on the back deck of his boat, nursing a bottle of beer.  A slight breeze blew off the ocean, across the line of boats tied up at the marina.  It stirred the air, but did little to cool the late afternoon heat. 

He watched a small procession of clouds drift across the sky, blowing along with no particular place to be.  Just like he had done in Cabo.  Back when life was simple, free and easy.  If he could turn time back to the night that he'd met Elena, he'd do it.  And when she faltered after hitting on that young punk, he'd drink a toast to himself for being a smart man while he watched her walk away.  He definitely didn't need that kind of drama in his life.

He took another swallow of beer.  Tilting his ball cap forward to shade his eyes, he leaned back in his chair.

The sound of a woman calling his name brought him upright.  He cranked around and found his sister boarding his boat.  Great.  He pulled his hat down lower and closed his eyes.

"I know you're not asleep, Joe."  Renee tugged on the brim of his cap.  "I saw you looking at me."

He opened one eye.  "What do you want?"

"I want you to sit up and talk to me."  She pulled a vacant chair near his and sat.  "Mom comes back in a few days, and I'm wondering if you've given any thought to turning the company over to me permanently.  If we can present it to her as a united front, I think she'll give us less misery."

He shifted higher in his chair, annoyed that she'd interrupted his afternoon.  "You don't waste time taking over, do you?"

"What is your problem?  It's not like you haven't been thinking along these same lines.  Why are you being such a pain?"  She kicked at an empty beer bottle near his feet, sending it rolling across the deck.  "From the looks of it, you're well on your way to a hangover tomorrow."

"It's my weekend, and I'll do what I want with it.  Why don't you save business for a workday?"  He took another long drink just to piss her off.

The set of her lips tightened, but she didn't say anything.  She studied him with dark eyes, and just like with their mother, one look chastised better than words.

Oh, hell.  He straightened in his chair.  "She dumped me.  Again."

Renee gave him a disdainful glance.  "Elena?  Can't say I blame her.  Look at you."

He snorted, insulted.  "I didn't look like this until
after
she kicked me to the curb."  He ran a hand over his scruffy chin.

"Oh, so we're wallowing in self-pity.  Is that it?"  She shook her head.  "You're so much better than this."

Now,
he
was getting pissed.  "Back off, sis."  He thumbed himself in the chest.  "She broke my heart, and if I want to wallow, then I'll wallow."

A hint of a smile broke the line of her lips.  "It looks like you still have a little fight in you.  You might survive, yet."

He stared at her, surprised.  She'd been playing him, and he hadn't caught on.  It appeared his little sister had a hell of a poker face.  He slumped down.  "That wasn't nice."

She leaned forward and put her hand on his arm.  "You don't need someone to be nice to you.  What you need is a good kick in the butt to get you back on your feet."

"I know, but I want to wallow a bit more first."  He'd never been one to stay down for long, but damn, this really hurt.

"What you need is something to distract you."  She grinned.  "Like a new business venture.  If you'd get that diving business launched, then I could claim my rightful inheritance, and we'd all be happy." 

He sighed and set the half-empty bottle on the deck near his chair.  Talking with his sister always made him feel better.  "I did actually make some contacts with potential customers yesterday.  I also signed a rental agreement for a building a few blocks over.  I figured that way I could be close if you needed me."  He squinted up at her.  "Which you won't."

She laughed.  "That's wonderful.  I knew you had it in you.  I can't wait to hear what Mom has to say."

Joe raised a disbelieving brow.

Renee snorted.  "Okay.  You're right.  She's going to balk at both our suggestions, but she's an old lady.  What can she do?"

Joe's disposition warmed at the thought.  He and his mother had had plenty of sparring matches over the years, but they'd never let it interfere with their love and respect for each other, and he knew Renee loved her just as much.  "That's right.  We can take her."

Renee nodded in agreement.  "Now, you just have to figure out Elena."  She raised her eyebrows in sympathy.

"I don't know what to tell you.  It's the same old stuff as before."  Same damn, frustrating issues.  "I know she cares about me.  It's magic when we're together, but as soon as I push her a little, she shoves me away."

"Why do you have to push her?"

"I want to show her that everything will be fine if we're together.  I want her to feel safe.  Safe to try another relationship."

She raised her brows.  "And forcing her hand makes her feel safe?"

He blinked.  The answer to that would be a resounding
no.
  "I guess not."  How could he have been so stupid?  "I…I just wanted to…  Hell, I don't know…"

"You're just used to getting your own way and not being told 'no'."  His sister smiled.  "I think you've met your match."

Renee could very well be right.  "I should have realized that pushing her wasn't a good thing."  And that meant that there was a decent chance that Elena did love him, she just didn't like being pressured.  His heart soared.  She just needed time to realize she'd be safe, happy and loved with him.  "So how do I tell her that and get her to trust me again?"

"What's wrong with being honest?  Call her right now and tell her about your epiphany.  Apologize for being a big, stubborn brute, and ask for another chance.  If she loves you, she'll agree."

He wasn't a big, stubborn brute.  "She's not home.  She's got some mayoral campaign function going on."  And the thought that she'd be there with another man, even if it was only for business, did not sit well with him.  At all.

"Oh, that's right.  Carmel's big fund-raising ball at the old Sinclair House.  Greg was invited, but he's in Chicago this week, and I don't care to go alone."

A brilliant idea took hold.  "Would you care to go with
me
?"  It might be a long shot, but his burning desire to see Elena and tell her how he felt wasn't going to go away.  He needed to make things right with her.  Even if she refused to see him again, he needed to apologize for badgering her.

Renee glanced at her watch.  "I don't know.  It's late, and I don't have anything to wear."

"Please?"  He gave her his best big brother smile. 

She rolled her eyes and heaved a weighted sigh.  "The things I do for you," she muttered.  "Fine.  I'd like to meet this woman who's stolen your heart anyway."

Joe jumped out of his chair, promising to pick Renee up in an hour and a half.  She wasn't too pleased about the time constraint, but he wasn't about to miss this opportunity. 

Elena allowed Cole to help her out of his Maserati, feeling more composed than she had all day.  She'd finished her floral arrangements, barely leaving her enough time to switch roles from business proprietor to socialite.  But she'd done it.

Thank heavens she'd had time to get ready, because her date was dressed to the nines.  The mayor's brother was an attractive man with curly brown hair and an athletic build, complete with a California tan.  She'd been pleased when he'd asked her to accompany him to the mayor's ball, knowing that his connections could really help her business, and of course, that was before Joe had slipped back into her life. 

She'd always gotten along well with Cole.  They'd even dated once after her divorce, and although she found him attractive, it didn't extend any farther than the surface.  But he could be counted on for a good time, and she hoped that his compelling looks and charming demeanor would block out Joe's memory.  As it was, she was afraid Joe would haunt her for the rest of her life.

The evening was warm, and the old house-turned-country inn glowed with inviting lights.  Sitting atop the cliffs of Carmel with the Pacific Ocean crashing beneath, the property provided a captivating view.

Cole placed his hand on her back as he escorted her to the entrance, his fingers warm against her skin.  Her long and lithe black dress with a high front and daringly low-cut back swished against her skin as she walked.  She nudged away the fact that she longed for it to be Joe next to her, touching her instead.     

Elena nodded to an acquaintance as Cole led her through the front door and into a large reception room.  Graceful white pillars had replaced some of the interior walls giving the front of the house an open, airy feeling, perfect for mingling.  Elegant, classical music emanated from hidden speakers, while a glittering chandelier hung overhead.  Gentlemen in expensive tuxedos accompanied ladies in diamonds and designer gowns.  The atmosphere spoke of luxury, if nothing else, and her own beautiful floral creations added the final touch.  She couldn't have been more proud.

"Would you care for a drink?"  At her nod, Cole snagged two crystal flutes of champagne from a passing waiter that weaved between the guests.  "I suppose we should look for my brother, take care of the public appearances and all that."

"This
is
his evening."  Elena liked Carmel's mayor and hoped to see him win another term in office.

"True."  He took a sip, his blue eyes watching her over the rim of his glass.  "But I'll be much happier when I can waltz around the terrace with you in my arms." 

"Don't be such a flirt.  You forget, I know the real you."  He'd been born into money, and that combined with his good looks attracted more than his share of women, which had led him to the altar and then divorce courts on four separate occasions.

"Ah, you wound me."  He touched his breast as his eyes twinkled with laughter.  "But I shall not let that deter me.  You do like to dance, don't you?"  He studied her, and there was no mistaking the sexual attraction that emanated from him.

"As a matter of fact, I do."  A flash of her in Joe's arms in a hot Cabo nightclub crowded in.  She shoved it aside.  She was with Cole tonight, and she couldn't think about Joe right now.  "Dancing is one of my favorite pastimes, and I'm pretty sure I saw and article or two about you hitting the clubs, enjoying drinking and dancing, too."

He shrugged.  "That was before I cleaned up my act.  These days, I'm a respectable mayor's brother."  He widened his grin, and she forced herself to match his expression.  He was damned attractive and exuded confidence.  If she were Mercedes, the old Mercedes, she'd be all over him by now. 

He nodded toward the rear of the house.  "Come on.  Let's get the political portion of this evening over.  Then we'll see what we can do to entertain ourselves until the music starts."

This would be good for her, she told herself as he led her through the crowd of people.  She was free.  Free to enjoy herself however she pleased.  No strings.  This was exactly what she'd worked so hard to achieve.

In a smaller room near the back entrance, they found his brother and his flamboyant wife surrounded by a circle of constituents.  Cole politely pushed his way through, pulling Elena along with him.  When the mayor noticed them, his diplomatic smile grew more sincere.

"Cole."  He reached out and shook his hand.  "Good of you to come."

Cole's smile mirrored his.  "Wouldn't miss it."  The two men seemed genuinely fond of each other.  "Judith."  Cole nodded at his sister-in-law, the warmth disappearing from his tone.

"Hello, Cole."  The former blonde-bombshell sent him a disdainful glance.

Cole redirected his attention to his brother.  "I'm sure you know Elena Porter."

Elena smiled and extended her hand.  "Mayor Taylor.  It's good to see you again."  Instead of the expected handshake, the mayor kissed her hand.  She found the action charming and wasn't surprised that he'd met with success in the political arena.  Some people had it.  Others didn't.

She acknowledged his wife.  "Judith, you look lovely."  Judith Taylor had once been the shining star of Hollywood until time had dimmed her radiance, leaving everyone wondering if she'd ever had any acting ability.  Even so, Judith had done well for herself.  She was still considered beautiful for a woman her age, and she'd married a man who was devoted to her, flaws and all. 

"Elena.  We're so glad you could come."  The mayor reclaimed her attention.  "I want to thank you for the wonderful job you did with the flowers."  He looked at the by-standers.  "Doesn't she do excellent work?" 

People nodded, and she gave them a gracious smile.  "Thank you.  It was my pleasure."

He turned to his wife, waiting for her to agree.