Acapulco Nights (4 page)

We sat in Joaquin’s convertible with the top down. The orange-red sun setting over the bay mesmerized me. Acapulco was as beautiful as ever—tall palms lined the long curve of the white sand beach, and the sky darkened into a deep navy blue with a sparkling of stars. The sweet scent of honeysuckle rode on the breeze mixing with the salty tang of sea air.

To keep the awkwardness to a minimum, I insisted Janice sit in the front seat. That spot gave her the best view. Plus, it would keep me from strangling her at keeping such a ‘surprise’ from me all these weeks.

“I’m taking you to one of the best restaurants in town. Let me make a call to make sure we’re getting the table I asked for.” Joaquin flipped open his cell phone, dialing and driving with deftness.

We skirted along the stretch of road that hugged the bay, working our way toward the northern edge – the same lip of land Janice had pointed to earlier on the beach. I would rather be paddling that distance alone in a kayak, than be riding there with Joaquin in a candy apple red convertible with leather seats.

I doubted Janice thought the same. She was radiant and smiling, taking in the view, the breeze, and the night air. For her, Acapulco was a dream.

Joaquin spoke some rapid Spanish into his phone, and a moment later he smiled. “It’s all taken care of. Best table in the house.”

“Oh, Joaquin,” Janice said. “You didn’t have to go to so much trouble just for us.”

At that moment Joaquin looked pointedly at me in his rear view mirror. “I would move heaven and earth for you ladies.”

I looked away, the intensity in his hazel gaze too much to bear. What did he want from me? If he had wanted to talk, why did he insist on taking Janice and me to a fancy restaurant? 

Could it be that he thinks Janice knows? He knew she and I were good friends all those years ago. She had been there when we met. My breathing became shallow, my hands cold as panic set in.

Oh, God. This can’t be happening.

What have I gotten myself into? Janice will find out, Janice will tell James—my mind whirled at the thought of my secret being exposed to him. He trusted me. He loved me. James would not forgive my deception.

*

“So, I’ve been wanting to ask you this for awhile now,” I said.

James and I sat in a movie theater, the rest of the audience filtering out into the aisle while the credits played.

“What?” He set his empty soda cup into the half-full bucket of popcorn and wiped his greasy hands on a napkin.

“Why would a fabulous guy like you still be single? Why hasn’t some hot woman snatched you up?” I crumpled up my empty bag of M&Ms and tossed it in with the popcorn and soda cup.

“She did.” He picked up my hand and kissed it in a very gentlemanly fashion.

I smiled. “You know what I mean. Before you met me. Were you ever serious about someone else?” The lights in the theater flickered on, and I squinted in the brightness.

A clouded look crossed his face. “There was someone, but that was a long time ago.”

“What was she like?” We got up and scooted out into the aisle, bringing our garbage along with us.

“I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“Why not? Did she break your heart?” I teased.

As we headed toward the exit, he grew quiet.

Serious now, I asked, “Did she?”

“I met her in college. We dated for three years. I thought I loved her.” He held the exit door open for me and tossed our garbage into the can by the door. “We got engaged after graduation. We were going to get married after I finished grad school.” The door slammed behind us, and we headed for James’s car parked around the corner of the building. “She worked as a nurse at the VA hospital. The nightshift. We barely saw one another. Then, one day, I came back to our apartment for a paper I had forgotten. I caught her in bed with another guy.” He pressed the alarm button on his car key and opened my door for me.

“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry. That must have been terrible.” I slid into my seat and waited for him to climb in the driver’s side.

When he got in the car, he put the key in the ignition without starting it. “He was a doctor on staff. Older, married. She told me later it had been a fling, a mistake, she said. But I ended it. I broke off the engagement, moved my stuff out, and never saw her again—end of story. I guess I wasn’t ready to trust someone else like I trusted her. You don’t know what it’s like—to be lied to, deceived. I never wanted to feel that way again. But then, I met you.”

“What’s so different about me?”

“I don’t know—seeing you with that flat tire. You looked so frustrated, and cute, and—” His green eyes lit up, and he pulled me in close to him, kissing me lightly on the nose.

“No need to explain.” I curled up against the warmth of his body, the emergency brake getting in the way. “I don’t care why. I’m just glad you rescued me that night or we might never have met.”

“Just call me James the Gallant, Rescuer of Beautiful Women in Need of Spare Tires.”

“You mean, I’m not the only one? There’s other women out there who have experienced the magic of your tire changing skills?”

“I don’t share the magic with just anyone.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” He kissed me, pressing his lips to mine, thrusting his tongue with gentle warmth into my mouth.

James the Gallant had rescued me that night, and I couldn’t have imagined meeting a more loving man than he. I lost myself in that kiss, and swore silently that I would never hurt him as he had been hurt before. I knew what I had, and I didn’t want to screw it up.

*

Joaquin pulled up to the valet parking sign outside the restaurant, the engine purring in neutral. My gaze froze on the back of his neck: short, clipped hair on dark, smooth skin. I used to wrap my arms around that neck, and now I would do anything never to see it again.

Janice turned around to face me. “What’s wrong, Suze? You look positively ill.”

Joaquin, handing his keys to the valet, didn’t hear our little exchange of words.

“Too many margaritas,” I confessed, hoping she would believe me. “And all that vodka. I guess I need to eat something.”

“Well, let’s get inside, then.” 

Joaquin opened the passenger’s side door for her.

“What a gentleman.” Janice took the offer of his hand to help her out of the low-slung car.

His perfect teeth glittered in the dusk. “
De nada
,” he rumbled.

Watching him from the back seat, I could imagine the young man he used to be. How he had charmed me with his good looks and confidence the very first time I met him. But now I could see the charm wasn’t just for me. He poured it on for Janice, too. Had he acted this way when we were dating? I couldn’t remember very clearly. But I could remember those hands on my body and his full lips kissing mine.

My body flushed at the memory.

Funny how some details I could never forget, but others were so elusive.

Before he could turn his attention on me, I pulled on the door handle. Joaquin had his hand on the small of Janice’s back, guiding her toward the sidewalk and the benches outside the restaurant entrance. I took the opportunity to get out of his car and step up onto the curb unassisted.

At the click of my sandals on the concrete, he looked over Janice’s shoulder and frowned. I didn’t care. So I looked the fool for not waiting for his escort. Or possibly made him the look the fool. I couldn’t be sure. Tonight would be hard enough without obsessing over these small details.

“
Señor Hernandez, bienvenidos
.” A short man in a dark suit greeted us at the entrance. Clearly, Joaquin dined here often. I wondered what other women he may have entertained. Unwanted jealousy pricked my heart.

Why should I care what Joaquin had been up to all these years? I had left him hanging. He had every right to move on with his life, meet other women. But for some reason, I didn’t want to be rational.

I needed to call James when we got back to the hotel room. At that moment, I wished for his voice in my ear. James had shared everything with me: his childhood, his previous relationships, his hopes and fears. I knew him better almost than I knew myself, and he thought he knew me. I wanted to confess it all to him. Reveal I was married to a man I hardly knew anymore. I wanted to believe James would forgive me.

But what if he didn’t? 

That one niggling doubt kept me here at the restaurant, even though I wished I were a million miles away. What if, when James heard the truth, he left me? His heart had been badly broken once, and it took him years to get over it.

If he found out about my lies, would he still trust me?  Would he still love me? Would I be just another woman who broke his heart?

I couldn’t bear the thought of it.

I steeled myself for the coming evening. Waiting for the bombshell to drop and for Janice to declare our friendship over, my engagement a farce, and my life one big lie.

Oddly enough, it never did drop.

*

Somehow we made it through dinner without one word about our dating history or our marriage. Joaquin must have sensed Janice’s ignorance of this fact, as he, too, chose to keep silent on the topic.

He had gotten us the table with the best view in the place: right in front of a huge set of French doors that opened out to a balcony. We overlooked the mouth of the bay and all of Acapulco to the south. The lights sparkled and reflected off of the black waters in a breathtaking sight. Joaquin sure knew how to impress.

“So, were you surprised, Suze?” she asked me, all smiles and giggles. As if she had really pulled one over on me.

Oh, if she only knew.

“Oh, yeah, you got me good. I didn’t expect to see Joaquin here.”

“I know. I couldn’t help myself.” She unfolded her white dinner napkin and set it on her lap. “I mean, I wanted to come back to Mexico, but never in a million years did I think we would run into Joaquin!”

The host at our table smiled. “I assumed the last time I saw you,” he looked pointedly at me across the table, “would be the end our friendship. But imagine my shock when Janice called a few weeks ago to let me know about your plans.”

“Yes, imagine the shock.” I took a sip of wine.

Janice didn’t seem to notice the tension in the air. “And he’s been so nice about setting everything up—giving us one of the best rooms. Such great service. Everything’s so perfect.”

“I’m glad you are enjoying your stay so much already.” He patted her hand in a friendly gesture. “It’s the least I can do for two beautiful ladies.”

“Your hotel is fantastic. The food, the service, the suite—everything,” she declared, taking a drink of wine. Having Janice there made light conversation easy. “We signed up for the kayaking, but I want your opinion, Joaquin. Which would be more fun: the kayaking class or windsurfing?”

“I didn’t think Susie was the adventurous type.” He eyed me over the rim of his wineglass.

“She’s more into practicing her volley on the tennis court, but she promised she would do whatever I wanted on this trip. Right?”

“Right,” I said.

“Even if it means she has to learn to do tricks on a trapeze—”

“Not that again. Could you please explain to her what ‘closed for safety reasons’ means?” I looked at Joaquin. Keeping the topic of conversation off of the past was vital. I would do anything to distract Janice from our days as foreign students in Mexico and my history with Joaquin.

“I’m sure it’s nothing,” she countered.

“Tell that to the guy they probably have stashed away at the local hospital with a broken pelvis,” I said.

A white-coated waiter arrived at our table with a tray weighted down by plates and steaming food.

“Ladies, our meal has arrived,” said Joaquin. “We will have to continue this debate later.”

The waiter set a plate in front of me laden with meats, a variety of
mole
sauces, and piping hot corn tortillas. I got in one last jab, “I’m
not
learning how to do flips twenty feet in the air.”

“But you promised.” Janice dug into her food. Not even a friendly argument could stop her from eating.

“That was before I knew resorts were turning into circus training camps.”

“Enough, you two.” Joaquin held his hands up between us like a referee in a boxing match. “We can discuss this later, no?”

Janice spent the rest of the meal prodding Joaquin for ideas about places we should visit and things we should do during our stay. Things that didn’t include trapezes or bodily harm of one form or another, thank goodness. The light banter made it easy to forget the tension from earlier that evening. Having Janice there kept the atmosphere superficial. Joaquin was an old friend and nothing more. How easy to convince myself of that when downing delicious Mexican cuisine I didn’t have to pay for.

As we waited for coffee and dessert, Janice excused herself to the ladies’ room. I knew she hoped I would come along so we could gossip about my old boyfriend, but I saw this as the opportunity to talk to Joaquin in private, even if only for a few minutes.