Songs for Perri by Nancy Radke Page A

had seared her with an intensity that left her shaken. No wonder he wore dark glasses, if he looked at everyone like that. She almost preferred the mirrors.
    "Satisfied?" he drawled, bringing his chair down with a thump and leaning an elbow casually on the table.
    "Partly." She helped herself to a steadying breath before continuing. "What's your name...besides Hugo?"
    "Brandt. Hugo Brandt.”
    “How did you know I spoke Spanish?”
    “You told Anna on the way in from the airport. You said you spoke several languages fluently. Which ones?"
    "Oh...Spanish, French, German, Italian. And a smattering of other dialects I've come across. I've always had a knack for languages. My...my mother spoke both French and German and she used to talk to me in different languages as I grew up. And then—” She stopped short.
    Her mother...Crystal...gone, her love forever lost. Unwanted tears formed in Perri's eyes and she had to bite her lower lip to keep it from trembling.
    She had gotten over the shock of her mother’s death and the period of denial and had now entered the emotional stage. The pain of her loss cut sharply across Perri's emotions at unexpected times, leaving her vulnerable to whoever was watching.
    And this time it had to be Hugo! Annoyed, Perri fought her grief. She wasn’t going to break down in front of this overwhelmingly confident man.
    Hugo stayed quiet, his large frame at ease, slouching indolently, the only sign of emotion being the tightening of his lips into a hard straight line as she wiped her eyes dry with a fingertip. He was probably deciding he really didn’t need to share a meal with a weepy woman.
    "Better?" he asked, after she regained her composure.
    "Yes.” She stiffened her back, lifted her chin. “We aren't always as strong as we think we are."
    "You're right." A moment of silence rested between them before he spoke again, more slowly. "I want to apologize for my behavior this afternoon." He shifted his weight on the chair and leaned forward. "You caught me in a bad situation. I...uh, have been trying to discourage Anna Meyers."
    "Why? And what does that have to do with me?"
    "Nothing, except Anna’s been coming on strong ever since she arrived; taking my picture, following me, inviting me out. I don't mind a woman letting me know she's interested, but I do want her to back off when I don't respond."
    "You must have given her some encouragement."
    "Not that I know of. I've run into her kind before; hints are ignored. Being rude is the only way to discourage them."
    Perri smiled as her memory re-pictured the scene. "And I invited her to share the cab."
    "That you did. I had to keep acting like a jerk or have her start chasing me all over again. I'm sorry."
    "Maybe you ought to figure out a better way to rid yourself of unwanted attention."
    "I'll work on it. But my method does have results. She's leaving me alone. Kindness only encourages."
    At that moment Miguel arrived with their meal. It was excellent fare, hot and spicy, and Perri ate heartily, making up for not eating all day.
    Hugo seemed deep in thought, for he made few comments during the meal. Perri cleaned up everything she had, and finished off his Buñuelos when he said he didn't want the crisp fried cookies.
    Finished, he scraped his chair back and stood up and she stood too.
    "Look, love, I've got to go. I've business to attend to. I'll see you back to the hotel."
    "What kind of business?"
    "Phone call."
    Since she had to return to the hotel, Perri agreed, only slightly bristling at the endearment he had used almost absently. He paid the bill and joked briefly with the waiter before they walked back toward the hotel in the now moonlit night.
    The air was warm and mellow and with the right man, under the right circumstances, it would have been very romantic walking up the narrow street.
    So why did it seem so right to be walking beside Hugo?
    There was a charisma about him that attracted her...and probably other females too, which was