I say. “I know what the Falcon is. I never told you this because I’ve never had a reason to, but my father has toured this ship before, several years ago when he was in Special Ops. He told me all about it.”
“That’s cool. So you can both talk about it now.” He shrugs and takes a sip of wine. “So what is the problem? I thought you’d enjoy it, being that you’re a sailor’s daughter.”
“Well, my father also told me that it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to rent this thing for a week—” I hesitate, not sure if I really want to go where I’m headed with this conversation. For some reason, Grandma Winnie’s snide voice echoes in my head, repeating the old adage she always uses to describe the terminally clueless: ignorance is bliss . But why is that coming to mind now?
“And?” He looks and sounds annoyed, which takes me by surprise. Javier has never lost his patience with me. I’m definitely seeing a different side of him—I imagine it’s the same side that caused him to go after Lane Bradley in the café.
“And . . . honestly, I was just wondering how you could afford it. That’s all.” I add quickly in my defense, “And I don’t think it’s an unfair question to ask, given the circumstances.”
“What circumstances would those be, Evangeline?” He sighs, clearly over this conversation, and I’m taken aback by his use of my proper name. He has never done that before. I’d better tread lightly.
“Well, we’ve done a lot of traveling and staying in nice hotels over the last few weeks. And now this?” I furrow my brow, concentrating on the memories of all the fine hotels and expensive, five-star restaurants. I don’t know why this thought hasn’t occurred to me sooner. I mean, Javier doesn’t have a job, at least not one that he’s mentioned. Suddenly, the idea that he could be into something illegal—drug dealing, arms dealing, whatever dealing—pops into my mind, and I have to shake my head to dismiss the histrionic thoughts. “I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me.”
“There is something I’m not telling you.” He places his wine glass down on the table, leans in toward me with a conspiratorial look on his face and whispers, “Something quite important.”
I inhale a sharp breath and hold it, positive I’m not going to like what I’m about to hear.
CHAPTER 4
“Relax, Corazón,” Javier laughs. I glare back at him, which sends his hands up over his face in a defensive move. “I have a rich uncle, okay? What? Did you think I was a drug dealer or something?”
“What? No!” I lie. “Who? Uncle Rey?” It seems strange he’s never mentioned that little detail before.
“Yes. He bought up tons of real estate in the western US in the early nineteen-nineties, mostly in California and Nevada, and then sold it right before the housing bubble burst. Lucky bastard made tens of millions,” he says, “and because he has no children, I get to benefit from his good fortune.”
“So for you, he rented the Maltese Falcon ? Must be one generous guy, or else he loves you a whole lot.” My voice was saturated with skepticism.
“Oh, no, no.” Javier shakes his head, laughing. “He leased it for his honeymoon to his third wife. They flew to Barcelona this morning on a last-minute business trip and won’t be back until tomorrow afternoon when they plan to sail it to Turkey. He was kind enough to offer it to me for the night, because it’s chartered for the entire week.”
“Oh” is all I can say. I plant my elbows on the table to hide my face in my hands. My cheeks seldom burn red from anything other than utter embarrassment, but in this particular case, they’re on fire from utter shame . How could I be so rude and distrusting of Javier? He’s never given me any reason not to trust him. Since the first day I met him, he’s done nothing but try to make me happy. I think I’ve just proven to both of us that I’m not ready or mature
“That’s cool. So you can both talk about it now.” He shrugs and takes a sip of wine. “So what is the problem? I thought you’d enjoy it, being that you’re a sailor’s daughter.”
“Well, my father also told me that it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to rent this thing for a week—” I hesitate, not sure if I really want to go where I’m headed with this conversation. For some reason, Grandma Winnie’s snide voice echoes in my head, repeating the old adage she always uses to describe the terminally clueless: ignorance is bliss . But why is that coming to mind now?
“And?” He looks and sounds annoyed, which takes me by surprise. Javier has never lost his patience with me. I’m definitely seeing a different side of him—I imagine it’s the same side that caused him to go after Lane Bradley in the café.
“And . . . honestly, I was just wondering how you could afford it. That’s all.” I add quickly in my defense, “And I don’t think it’s an unfair question to ask, given the circumstances.”
“What circumstances would those be, Evangeline?” He sighs, clearly over this conversation, and I’m taken aback by his use of my proper name. He has never done that before. I’d better tread lightly.
“Well, we’ve done a lot of traveling and staying in nice hotels over the last few weeks. And now this?” I furrow my brow, concentrating on the memories of all the fine hotels and expensive, five-star restaurants. I don’t know why this thought hasn’t occurred to me sooner. I mean, Javier doesn’t have a job, at least not one that he’s mentioned. Suddenly, the idea that he could be into something illegal—drug dealing, arms dealing, whatever dealing—pops into my mind, and I have to shake my head to dismiss the histrionic thoughts. “I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me.”
“There is something I’m not telling you.” He places his wine glass down on the table, leans in toward me with a conspiratorial look on his face and whispers, “Something quite important.”
I inhale a sharp breath and hold it, positive I’m not going to like what I’m about to hear.
CHAPTER 4
“Relax, Corazón,” Javier laughs. I glare back at him, which sends his hands up over his face in a defensive move. “I have a rich uncle, okay? What? Did you think I was a drug dealer or something?”
“What? No!” I lie. “Who? Uncle Rey?” It seems strange he’s never mentioned that little detail before.
“Yes. He bought up tons of real estate in the western US in the early nineteen-nineties, mostly in California and Nevada, and then sold it right before the housing bubble burst. Lucky bastard made tens of millions,” he says, “and because he has no children, I get to benefit from his good fortune.”
“So for you, he rented the Maltese Falcon ? Must be one generous guy, or else he loves you a whole lot.” My voice was saturated with skepticism.
“Oh, no, no.” Javier shakes his head, laughing. “He leased it for his honeymoon to his third wife. They flew to Barcelona this morning on a last-minute business trip and won’t be back until tomorrow afternoon when they plan to sail it to Turkey. He was kind enough to offer it to me for the night, because it’s chartered for the entire week.”
“Oh” is all I can say. I plant my elbows on the table to hide my face in my hands. My cheeks seldom burn red from anything other than utter embarrassment, but in this particular case, they’re on fire from utter shame . How could I be so rude and distrusting of Javier? He’s never given me any reason not to trust him. Since the first day I met him, he’s done nothing but try to make me happy. I think I’ve just proven to both of us that I’m not ready or mature
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