tried to make sense of what had happened with the tiki idol, but no amount of logical thinking could sort it out.
She tumbled off the bus at the stop a few blocks from the restaurant. Her bag weighed her down and she perspired with the effort to lug it while she jogged. She hadn’t considered how disheveled she looked until she came closer to where Franco would be.
When the restaurant came into sight, she slowed her pace. The building sat on the edge of a cliff. Blue water crashed on the rocks below. Workmen hammered nails on the roof and sanded the boards of the patio. She scanned them but didn’t spot Franco.
As she got closer, someone asked, “Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Franco.” Her voice cracked on his name.
“He’s inside.”
She opened the door and the sound of power tools drowned out the bang of the door shutting behind her. Among the workers, Franco, shirtless, bent over a table, sanding off the old finish. His muscles rippled with each pass of his hand over the plane. Sweat gleamed on his back.
She stood in front of him, waiting. Once he looked up, he held her gaze. She wanted to pour out an apology, but this wasn’t the place.
“Can I talk to you?” She yelled to be heard over the noise.
He only nodded and wiped his hands on his jeans. She followed him out the door, and around the back of the building. A path led to a small clearing with a few plastic beach chairs set up around a cooler—a break spot for the workers.
He didn’t sit but looked at her, his arms crossed over his bare chest, daring her to start.
“Franco, I need a job. I know I treated you unfairly, and if you no longer want me working for you, then I understand.” She held her breath, praying.
“You came to ask me for a job?” His eyebrows went up in disbelief.
“Yes.” Words of desire almost escaped her mouth. Her sweaty palms clenched in fists, keeping herself in check.
“I thought you said tips were unpredictable.”
“I think I need a little unpredictable. Besides, I need to take day classes.”
He looked out over the ocean. “Okay, sure, why not. I know you’re a hard worker and a great person. I’d be stupid to let my personal feelings get in the way of hiring a good waitress.”
“Thank you.” She threw her arms around him, and even though he made no move to return the embrace, being close to him eased her mind. “That’s a relief, because I just quit the hotel.”
“You what?” Franco pushed her away. “Wendy, we’re not opening for weeks. I can’t pay you yet.”
“That’s okay. I’ll get by.” The smile that spread across her face eased the tension she had held on to for too long.
He shook his head. “I don’t get it. It’s not like you to do something so reckless.”
She smiled and lowered her lids. “I’m in a reckless mood.” She hooked her finger through his belt loop and pulled him in for a deep kiss.
Her tongue swept inside his mouth. Hesitant, at first, his mouth opened more and returned the kiss.
She broke away and stared into his warm brown eyes. “I need you.” Wendy’s voice was thick.
“Need me for what?” Franco asked, looking at her through slits.
“For everything.” Wendy pulled her shirt over her head.
“Crap, Wendy. My cousins are on the roof.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her to a set of stairs that lead to the second floor.
She raised her head to the sun and allowed the cool breeze to play across her skin. He yanked her inside and slammed the door shut. They stood in a small one room apartment. A queen bed and wardrobe nestled in one corner. A café table with mismatched chairs stood in front of an efficiency kitchen.
“I’m living here now.” Franco said.
“Cozy.” Wendy sashayed toward him.
He backed away. “Really, Wendy. I need to know.”
“I’m here Franco. Who knows what will happen. But I want it to happen with you.”
His eyes stayed narrowed but his arms fell to his sides and he took a step toward her.
“So
She tumbled off the bus at the stop a few blocks from the restaurant. Her bag weighed her down and she perspired with the effort to lug it while she jogged. She hadn’t considered how disheveled she looked until she came closer to where Franco would be.
When the restaurant came into sight, she slowed her pace. The building sat on the edge of a cliff. Blue water crashed on the rocks below. Workmen hammered nails on the roof and sanded the boards of the patio. She scanned them but didn’t spot Franco.
As she got closer, someone asked, “Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Franco.” Her voice cracked on his name.
“He’s inside.”
She opened the door and the sound of power tools drowned out the bang of the door shutting behind her. Among the workers, Franco, shirtless, bent over a table, sanding off the old finish. His muscles rippled with each pass of his hand over the plane. Sweat gleamed on his back.
She stood in front of him, waiting. Once he looked up, he held her gaze. She wanted to pour out an apology, but this wasn’t the place.
“Can I talk to you?” She yelled to be heard over the noise.
He only nodded and wiped his hands on his jeans. She followed him out the door, and around the back of the building. A path led to a small clearing with a few plastic beach chairs set up around a cooler—a break spot for the workers.
He didn’t sit but looked at her, his arms crossed over his bare chest, daring her to start.
“Franco, I need a job. I know I treated you unfairly, and if you no longer want me working for you, then I understand.” She held her breath, praying.
“You came to ask me for a job?” His eyebrows went up in disbelief.
“Yes.” Words of desire almost escaped her mouth. Her sweaty palms clenched in fists, keeping herself in check.
“I thought you said tips were unpredictable.”
“I think I need a little unpredictable. Besides, I need to take day classes.”
He looked out over the ocean. “Okay, sure, why not. I know you’re a hard worker and a great person. I’d be stupid to let my personal feelings get in the way of hiring a good waitress.”
“Thank you.” She threw her arms around him, and even though he made no move to return the embrace, being close to him eased her mind. “That’s a relief, because I just quit the hotel.”
“You what?” Franco pushed her away. “Wendy, we’re not opening for weeks. I can’t pay you yet.”
“That’s okay. I’ll get by.” The smile that spread across her face eased the tension she had held on to for too long.
He shook his head. “I don’t get it. It’s not like you to do something so reckless.”
She smiled and lowered her lids. “I’m in a reckless mood.” She hooked her finger through his belt loop and pulled him in for a deep kiss.
Her tongue swept inside his mouth. Hesitant, at first, his mouth opened more and returned the kiss.
She broke away and stared into his warm brown eyes. “I need you.” Wendy’s voice was thick.
“Need me for what?” Franco asked, looking at her through slits.
“For everything.” Wendy pulled her shirt over her head.
“Crap, Wendy. My cousins are on the roof.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her to a set of stairs that lead to the second floor.
She raised her head to the sun and allowed the cool breeze to play across her skin. He yanked her inside and slammed the door shut. They stood in a small one room apartment. A queen bed and wardrobe nestled in one corner. A café table with mismatched chairs stood in front of an efficiency kitchen.
“I’m living here now.” Franco said.
“Cozy.” Wendy sashayed toward him.
He backed away. “Really, Wendy. I need to know.”
“I’m here Franco. Who knows what will happen. But I want it to happen with you.”
His eyes stayed narrowed but his arms fell to his sides and he took a step toward her.
“So
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