Chica Bella by Carly Fall Page B

phone call to the woman he loved because he was afraid she would tell him to go to hell.
    Pathetic.
    So, yeah, seeing her was a hit and miss as well.

 
     
    Chapter Two
     
     
    “Mr. Walker?”
    Landon jolted awake, habitually searching for his gun, adrenaline surging through him. So much for his plan to stave off sleep for another hour or so, as well as his plan to relax.
    José stood at the open door of the van and reached in to grab Landon’s duffel bag while Landon found his wallet. Landon got out ten bucks and handed it to him as he stepped out.
    “Have a nice stay, Mr. Walker.”
    Landon nodded and lumbered up to the front desk. Although he had stayed here many times, the expanse of the lobby never failed to impress him.
    The white floors gleamed as though another soul had never walked across them. There wasn’t a window in the place—just white gauze curtains flowing in the ocean wind. Water from fountains gushed high into the air and danced down into black-tiled pools. People milled about, sipping the free beers and margaritas the hotel generously offered to those checking in.
    He waited in line with the families and what he guessed were honeymooners, and a few college kids who were talking about their big plans at the hotel for spring break. While waiting his turn to check in, he grabbed a beer from a passing employee with a tray and slammed it down in one long drink.
    Ten minutes later, the girl at the counter smiled and waved him over.
    “Check-in,” he said. “Walker. Landon Walker.” The small hands of the pretty Mexican girl with dark brown hair up in a bun and big brown eyes flew over the keyboard.
    “Welcome back, Mr. Walker. I see you’ve stayed with us before.” Her accent was thick.
    He nodded. He’d come here in between deployments for the past three years.
    “Per your request, I have you in a suite overlooking the ocean.”
    He nodded again. He had been requesting the same room since he first stayed there. His philosophy was that if you found something you liked, then don’t screw around with it and hope for something better.
    After the credit card was swiped, she pulled out a map and started to make circles and lines on it.
    “It’s okay,” he said. “I know where I’m going.”
    “Oh! Well, then, please enjoy your stay.”
    “ Gracias .”
    He swung his duffel bag over his shoulder and walked through the huge expanse of lobby, grabbing another beer from a passing tray.
    The lobby let out to a big courtyard littered with tables and chairs surrounded by restaurants and a gift shop. He made his way through the throngs of people in the courtyard and hung a left down a crowded path sandwiched with palm trees and green grass, and fell in step with the flow of people. As he passed the upper pool, he saw that the party was in full swing even though it was only two in the afternoon. He noticed a couple of people who were going to be really sorry they had foregone the suntan lotion. The carefree laughter that wafted through the air was almost a foreign sound, but somewhat familiar, like a long ago memory.
    The hotel buildings, stretching three stories tall, sat back from the path, each room brandishing a terrace. He let his gaze wander up and down the buildings, taking in the older man lounging on his balcony reading a book, and the younger men a couple balconies over who sucked down bottles of beer while checking out the scantily clad women walking the path. The woman a few doors down from the younger men was curled up on her lounge chair puffing on a cigarette. The rooms looked as if they were pretty quiet, and Landon guessed everyone was out on the beach, down at the pool, or visiting downtown Cabo.
    Finally reaching his building, he hesitated. If he continued in this direction, he would run into the pool and the stairs leading to the beach. He wanted to get to his room and crash into bed, but he also needed to check out the pool.
    Deciding his exhaustion could wait, he traveled down