Forever Summer (8 page)

“Goodnight, and thanks again.”

****

The day passed by quickly.  Summer took Marisol to see the Eiffel Tower first.  They ate lunch together at a sidewalk café, then went to the Louvre and saw as much as they could fit in during the two hours they were there.  After she dropped Marisol off at the hotel, she went shopping for something special for the concert.  She called her grandmother and told her she’d be picking her up, and that the tickets she’d received that morning included backstage passes, so she would be able to meet Gabriel Rodrigo in the flesh.  They were both looking forward to a memorable evening.

Summer splurged on a classy, black cocktail dress that ended a couple inches above the knee, had a beaded bodice, and was backless except for the thin lacing that crossed in back.  It fit her like it had been made for her.  Strappy high heeled sandals matched perfectly, and she swept her hair up on top of her head, leaving a few ringlets to frame her face.  A gold, lacy shawl and some simple pieces of gold jewelry added up to a very classy and attractive presentation.   She was truly looking forward to the concert, but mostly, she was looking forward to treating her beloved grandmother to a night on the town.

Gabe sent the limo to pick up Summer and her grandmother, and they arrived about half an hour before the show started.  The driver took the ladies directly to the back door and led them to where all the performers were awaiting show time.  Gabe caught sight of her the minute they entered the room, not that he’d been watching.  He sat in the corner with his parents and Celia and stood immediately when he saw Summer, his eyes never leaving her as she approached.  She was an absolute vision in the little black dress. 
Diós
, she was beautiful.  And sexy in the little black number from her upswept hair to her sandaled feet with the most gorgeous legs in between that he’d ever seen.  It wasn’t until she was within arm’s reach that he noticed her companion.  Hell, he hadn’t noticed anyone else was even in the room from the moment Summer had made her appearance.

“Gabe, I’d like to introduce you to Teresa Graciela Alvarez de Valdez, my grandmother.”

“
Un placer, Señora
.  It is a pleasure to meet you.  May I introduce you to my parents?”  Introductions were made, including a typically haughty Celia, and pleasantries were exchanged.

“I must confess that I am a fan,
Señor
.  My granddaughter tells me she is enjoying working for you immensely.  It is a pity your daughter is not present.  Summer has told me all about her, and she sounds adorable.  You must be very proud of your son,
Señor y Señora
Rodrigo.  I’m sure it was through your encouragement and support that he has attained his success at such an early age.”

Araceli smiled at the elder woman.  “We are exceedingly proud of Gabriel.  However, although we encouraged him to pursue his dreams, it was actually his grandmother who started him down the road.  She taught him all the old Mexican love songs, and he sang them to her often.”

“Ah.  It is so nice when grandparents can share in their grandchildren’s lives and upbringing.  My Summer has brought me great joy as have many of my grandchildren.  She holds a special place in my heart.”

  Ten minutes later, Summer excused herself and her grandmother, and they took their seats – front row, no less!  As she walked away, Gabe was treated to a delicious view of her backless dress.  Since when were backs so sexy?

Halfway through the show, Gabe took a break from singing in French and introduced the classic Spanish ballad,
Somos Novios
, dedicating it to Summer’s grandmother.  She blushed like a school girl in the spotlight.  Summer had tears in her eyes as she watched her grandmother blow Gabe a kiss, and as he tossed her a rose in payment.

The limo driver met them outside and said the Rodrigo’s would be joining them on the drive home.  Summer offered to get a cab, but the driver insisted that Gabe had been very specific.  Gabe, his parents, and Celia all met them in the limo, and they were all very chatty on the drive back to her grandmother’s home, except for Celia, of course.  When they got to the house, Gabe excused himself while he walked both women to the door and saw them inside, telling Summer to take her time.

Saying goodbye was always difficult but more so this time than ever before.  Her grandmother gave her her blessing, and they embraced.  Tears were shed, promises were made to call soon, and Summer finally made herself leave, rushing back to the car before she broke down completely.

Gabe got out and opened the door for her.  “Are you alright, Summer?”

Summer nodded but couldn’t speak.  He helped her into the car and motioned for his mother to sit with her.  She did and handed her a handkerchief and patted her knee.  Summer clasped her hand briefly and looked out the window the whole drive back, crying silently most of the way.  She’d finally regained control of herself when they entered the hotel.  Celia stated that she wanted a nightcap, and Gabe’s parents thought that was a great idea, just as soon as Gabe saw Summer to her room, and they swept Celia away with them to the hotel lounge.

It was a silent ride up the elevator as Summer finished getting control of her emotions.  As they walked towards their rooms, she was finally able to speak.

“Gabe, thank you so much for making tonight so special for my grandmother.  She’ll never forget it, and neither will I.  I can’t thank you enough for your kindness and generosity from the tickets to the limo, to the dedication, everything.”

“It was my pleasure, truly.  Will you be alright?  You are welcome to join us downstairs.”

“Thanks, but I think I’ll call it a night.  I’ll be fine.”  She took a deep breath and lost the battle, shedding new tears.  “I’m sorry.  It’s just so hard to say goodbye.  She’s eighty six years old, and I love her so much.  I don’t know what I’ll do when … I can’t even say it.”

Gabe took the handkerchief from her cold hands and wiped her tears.  “Shh.  Your grandmother may very well outlive us all.  She looks strong and well.  There’s no sense in thinking about unpleasant possibilities before they occur.  If you do that, you miss the joy of today.  Now, no more crying.  Better?”

Summer looked up into his eyes and blinked away her tears.  “Better.  Thank you again, for everything.  Oh, and the show was great.”  Before she gave it any thought, she reached up and kissed him on the cheek and gave him a hug.  Then, she went inside and said goodnight, leaving him standing outside her room.

Gabe stood there for a full minute before he turned and headed for the elevator.  The last thing he wanted to do was go downstairs for a drink.  He turned around and went to his room and checked on Marisol, kissing her on the forehead and dismissing the nanny.  He called down to the lounge and sent a message to his parents and Celia that he would not be joining them and went to take a shower.

He couldn’t stop thinking of Summer.  Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw her.  Walking towards him in that black dress, walking away from him in the black dress, getting in and out of the limo in that black dress, legs first, the hem rising higher.  Looking up at him with luminescent eyes, reaching up to give him a chaste kiss and grateful embrace.  Angry and calling him names.  In his bed, naked, underneath him, moaning his name as she …
Diós.
  Where had that come from?  More importantly, where was that going?

Gabe hadn’t crossed the line between business and personal in … ever.  He’d never slept with an employee, and his private life was very … private.  He was on shaky ground here, although not for the standard reasons.  Summer wasn’t after his money or anything it could buy.  She didn’t want to use him as a starting place for a career in entertainment, and she didn’t … need him, much less want him.  But damned if he didn’t want her, his daughter’s teacher, for God’s sake. 

****

Always an early riser, Summer was showered, dressed, and packed by eight the next morning, despite the late hour she’d gone to bed the night before.  She was about to lock up and head down for breakfast when her room phone rang.

“Summer? 
Ay mijita
, I hope I didn’t wake you.  I know it’s early.”

“No,
Señora
, I’m awake.  I was just about to go downstairs for coffee.  Is there a problem?  Is that Marisol I hear crying?”

“Yes, and yes.  Marisol refuses to let me fix her hair or dress her.  She insists that you do it.  Would it be too much of an imposition for you to come over?”

“No, of course not.  I’ll be right there.”  Summer took out her room key and put it in her back jeans pocket and went across the hall where the door opened before she had a chance to knock.  An extremely frazzled Araceli opened it and let her in.

Summer walked into the room and listened to Marisol yelling at her nanny and watched as she swiped at her hand.  The little girl was obviously having a meltdown.  Although Summer could understand why, after traveling so much lately and staying in hotel after hotel, she wasn’t about to dance to her tune.

“Marisol!  What’s this?”

Marisol stood up from her prone position on the floor and ran to where Summer sat down on the couch, throwing her arms around her.

“Summer!  I want you to get me ready this day.  I don’t want Nanny Rosa or
Abuelita
to fix me, I want you.”  The little girl buried her face in Summer’s neck and continued to cry.   Summer let her get it out of her system for a few minutes, and then leaned away from her. 

“Marisol, I will be happy to help get you ready, but not when you’re acting like this.  I know you’re tired,
Chiquita
, but it’s not nice to yell and hit the people who are trying to help you.  Poor
Abuelita
and poor Nanny.  They are just trying to help you.  I bet if you would have asked them nicely, they would have called me sooner, and I could have arrived faster, and you’d be all ready by now.”

“I did tell them, but they said it was too early to call you.”

“I’ll tell you what.  If you will apologize to them, and return to being the nice girl who is my friend and student, I will let them know that they can call me early from now on.  I always get up early.  I don’t mind coming to help you, Marisol, but you can’t treat your nanny and Grandma that way.  They take care of you so well you should be sweet to them, not ugly like this.  Okay?”

“Mamá, what’s going on, I could hear Marisol screeching from all the way in the shower.”  Gabe entered the room and took in the scene at a glance.

Gabe had rushed his shower and put on a pair of jeans and nothing else but a towel draped around his shoulders and droplets of water dotting his upper body.  When Summer looked up, she was tempted to count every drop.  As she licked each off, one at a time.  As good as the man looked dressed, he was even better without a shirt on.  Talk about a build!  His chest was broad with a light dusting of black hair that arrowed down his six pack abs, all the way below the waistband of his jeans, his waist narrow and trim.  He was muscular without being bulky, and he was dark.  All over.  At least, that was Summer’s guess as she speculated about what the rest of Gabe’s body looked like.  Yummy.

“Everything is fine now, Papá.”  Marisol walked across the room to the nanny and hugged her and apologized, then moved to her grandmother.  “I am truly sorry,
Abuelita
, for being a brat.  Next time, I will try to be better.  Summer said we can call her early if we need to.”

On her way back to the couch, she stooped to pick up her hairbrush and the ziplock full of colorful ribbons, barrettes, and hair ties and brought it over to Summer.  “Will you please do my hair?”  Everyone in the room stared openly at the little girl who, only minutes ago was a living terror and who now was the picture of sweetness.

“Since you asked so sweetly, I will be very happy to do your hair.  How would you like it today?”