Last Chance Motel 1 (Last Chance Romance Series) (8 page)

All the men turned to stare at her.

Mike sat in his jeep and thought about what she had said to him.

A honk sounded. “Move your jeep, buddy!”

Mike waved okay and drove the jeep off the hotel’s property. All the way home he kept thinking if his date had been right on the money.

Was it true? Was he falling in love . . . again?

M
ike arrived early the next morning to find Eva already turning on the sprinklers for the plants. Mike looked at the sun. No doubt it was going to be a scorcher today.

He jumped out of the jeep and headed toward her. “Hey, Eva.”

“Good morning,” greeted Eva. She had had a sleepless night. Finally she had come to the conclusion that she must treat Mike as though she had seen nothing at the restaurant. She couldn’t afford to have a tiff with him and then have him quit, leaving her stranded. For the sake of the Last Chance Motel, she had to keep a cool head if not a cool heart.

If she were fair, she would admit that Mike had promised or insinuated nothing except for a little casual flirting and one kiss. Hardly a commitment on either of their parts.

“Hi,” rejoined Mike, coming up to Eva. His heart started beating faster. It caused him to lose his concentration.

“Yes?”

“Ahmmm. Can I talk to you for a moment?”

“You’re not quitting, are you?” Eva wondered if he had seen her run from the restaurant after all. The thought of Mike quitting left her cold.

Mike shook his head. “No, no. Ahmmm. I was just wondering if you would like . . .”

Just then Juan drove into the compound, blowing his horn in greeting.

“I can never get a break,” murmured Mike.

“What was that?”

“Nothing. I’ll talk to you later.”

“What do you need?”

“I’ll tell you later,” replied Mike, moving to join Juan. He needed some privacy to ask Eva out. He didn’t need Juan as his wing man on this.

T
he last bathroom had been demolished and Eva waited in her office for the plumber and his staff to finish installing the new pipes.

The original pipes were made of copper but many of them had to be torn out. Eva made sure the discarded copper was properly secured as she was going to scrap it along with the cast iron bathtubs. It would bring in a small amount of welcomed revenue.

Seeing Mike going over the invoice with the plumber through the window, Eva gathered her checkbook and went outside. She waited at a discreet distance until Mike finished negotiations.

They had previously agreed upon a fixed estimate of the repairs and now it seemed that the plumber wanted more money.

Eva would let Mike handle this. He was very good at this part of his job, which was to keep costs down. Finally there seemed to be an accord for the two men shook hands. Mike brought the invoice over to her.

She looked at it. “This is not the amount for the bid.”

“I know but he ran into some issues we weren’t expecting. I think this is a fair deal. I talked him down five hundred dollars.”

Eva consented and wrote out a check, giving it to Mike. He walked over and gave it to the plumber. They shook hands again and the plumber waved goodbye to Eva.

Mike might have given Eva’s heart a little pinch, but she trusted him completely on construction matters. She started back into the office.

“Eva, can I talk to you for a moment?” asked Mike, shoving his hands in his stained pants pockets.

“Okay.” Eva waited for him to approach her. She hoped Mike was not going to give her bad news.

Mike looked around making sure Juan had gone home. “Ummm, I was wondering if you would like to go out with me this week?”

“So soon? I thought you said in a couple of weeks. I have thought it over and I’m not sure if that is a good idea.”

Mike didn’t like the look on Eva’s face. She seemed confused and fearful. Something had changed since he had last talked to her about going out.

He thought he better change his tactic. “Let’s not consider it a date. I mean you’re always buying me food. I should feed you once in a while. Why don’t you come over and eat with Jenny and me? My mom cooks a mean pot roast. I would like you to meet her.”

Eva sighed with relief. She was so glad she hadn’t made a fool out of herself as for a brief moment she thought Mike was asking her out on an official date. He was just being neighborly.

“Sure. I’d like to meet your mother. And pot roast sounds wonderful after eating carryout night after night. I’m afraid I’m not a very good cook myself.”

“Great. How about tomorrow night around six?”

“You’d better give me directions.”

“I’ll pick you up.”

“You don’t have to do that. It’s so inconvenient.”

“I don’t mind. See you tomorrow night.”

“Well, if you don’t mind, then sure. Six it is.”

Mike gave Eva a wide smile. “Okay. See you then.”

He waved goodbye while jumping into his jeep.

Eva went into the office with her heart pounding. Thank goodness she had hidden her true feelings from Mike. She didn’t want him to know that she thought she was falling in love with him . . . especially not since she discovered that Mike was dating other women. Regardless of how she felt, she was not getting involved with a cheating man again.

They could just stay as they were . . . friends.

That would have to do.

J
enny pushed the screen door open and raced to meet the jeep.

Eva barely had time to get out of the vehicle before the youngster wrapped her arms around Eva’s waist, giving her a big hug.

“Hello, Jenny,” laughed Eva. “Glad to see you too.”

Jenny raised her sunny face to Eva and smiled, showing a space where a tooth should have been.

“Has the tooth fairy visited you yet?” asked Eva, surveying the fractured smile.

“Yes, and she left a dollar!” exclaimed Jenny.

Eva glanced at Mike, giving him a knowing look. “The tooth fairy must like you a lot because all I ever got was a quarter when I lost a tooth.”

“A quarter? That’s cheap.”

“That’s what I think, too. Here, you can help me. These flowers are for your grandmother and the wine is for your daddy.”

“Nothing for me?”

“Help me with the flowers and there might be something in my purse. I’ll have to look and see.”

“Mama. Mama. She brought flowers!” Jenny raced into the house with the bouquet.

A thin woman with salt and pepper hair came to the screen door and held it open for Eva and Mike.

Eva noticed that the woman’s nails were professionally manicured and her casual clothes were expensive. Mike’s mother had a pampered, naïve quality about her though Eva knew “Mama” was working very hard to put her family back together again after the tragedy.

“Hello. So nice to meet you, Eva. I’ve heard you have done wonders with that old motel. I’m Mary Bishop.”

“Thank you for having me in your home.”

“I hope you like roast.”

“I’d like anything that is home cooked. I’m so tired of eating hamburgers.” Eva held out a bottle to Mary. “I’ve brought wine. I don’t know if you drink it.”

Mary smiled at Eva. “We do. I drink a little red wine every night before bed. My doctor told me it was good for the heart.” Mary accepted the bottle. “Son, please show Eva around while I put the finishing touches on dinner.”

“Sure, Mom.”

Mary excused herself and went to help Jenny find a vase for the flowers.

Eva looked about the house. “Have you remodeled lately?”

“Yes. About five years ago for Mom. I took the dining room, living room, and kitchen and made one great room. Then I moved the washer and dryer from the garage to the side pantry in the kitchen. Easier for her.”

It was obvious that Mike was proud of his remodeling. Eva had to admit the light and airy house was the perfect Florida home.

“And back here I took out the deck and put in a loggia.” Mike held open the back glass door.

Eva stepped out onto the loggia where she was greeted by a stunning backyard with a beautiful pool and outside kitchen with carefully tended tropical landscaping. Everywhere Eva looked was the explosion of orange, yellow, red, and green framing the ocean. The property also boasted a dock with an Oceanic Catamaran Ketch gently bobbing on the water.

“Everything is just breathtaking,” gushed Eva, who was truly impressed.

“Thank you,” replied Mary as she joined them. She handed Mike and Eva each a glass of wine. “Let’s sit out here and enjoy the sunset, shall we.”

The riot of color in the sky accented the garden even though they were facing east.

“I’m so glad I came to Key Largo,” murmured Eva. “You never see anything like this in New York.”

“It is Paradise, isn’t it,” agreed Mary. “I’m originally from Kansas and came here after I met Mike’s father. I’ve got salt air in my blood now. I couldn’t dream of living anywhere else, even with the downside of the hurricanes.”

Jenny stuck her head out the door. “Mama, the oven buzzer went off.”

“Excuse me. The roast is done.”

Eva rose. “Do you need any help?”

“Stay out here and enjoy the view. I’ll call when dinner is ready.” Mary picked up her wine glass and went into the kitchen.

“Mom doesn’t like anyone in her kitchen,” tattled Mike, watching his mother through the glass panels that made the back walls.

“This house is impressive,” said Eva, sipping on her wine.

“Thanks. If Mom ever decided to sell, she would get top dollar.”

“No doubt. Your boat is impressive, too.”

“That’s the Sea Horse. That was really the love of my dad’s life,” laughed Mike.

“It was your dad’s boat?”

“Oh yeah. We’d go out every weekend. Fish. Swim. Snorkel. Find an island and picnic. We had a blast.”

“I’m sure Jenny enjoys it.”

Mike’s face turned dark. “I can’t get her on it. She’s terrified of the ocean. Sometimes I wonder if I’m being cruel, making us live in the Keys. I just keep hoping it’s something that she will outgrow and love the ocean as much as I do and as her mother did.”

Eva started to respond, but Mary poked her head out and called them to dinner.

Eva decided her questions could wait until later.

D
inner was sumptuous, consisting of a tender pot roast with all the trimmings.

Eva had two helpings of meat, potatoes, carrots, soft rolls slathered with lots of butter, and a huge slice of chocolate cake with caramel icing.

Finally Jenny couldn’t wait any longer. “Eva, can I bring your purse to you?”

Eva laughed. “I did say there was something in my purse, didn’t I. Go and bring it here.”

Jenny jumped out of her chair and gathered the purse, dumping it in Eva’s lap.

“Jenny, you know better than that,” scolded Mary.

Eva laughed. “It’s all right. I shouldn’t have made a little girl wait so long.”

She dived into her purse and brought out a rhinestone child’s tiara and bracelet. These were some of the few items she had asked her lawyer send to her in Key Largo. “Every girl needs a little bling for special occasions,” Eva said, handing them to Jenny.

Jenny squeaked, “Are these for me?”

“They are. Now go try them on.”

Jenny carefully took the jewelry pieces and ran to her room.

“You didn’t have to do that,” said Mike.

“They were mine when I was a kid. I don’t have any children myself so . . .”

“That’s very nice of you, Eva,” concurred Mary. “Especially since they were yours when you were a child. As you can hear from the squeals coming from Jenny’s room, the bling is delighting my grandchild.” Mary rose from the table. “If you don’t mind, children, I’ll be saying my goodnights now. It’s going to take awhile to get Jenny ready for bed and I need to make an early night of it myself.”

“We’ll clean up, Mom,” assured Mike.

“Yes, let us clean up,” agreed Eva, looking at Mike.

“So nice to meet you, Eva. I hope Mike brings you back often.”

Eva nodded. She was pleased that Mary seemed to approve of her. She liked Mary and hoped to see more of her.

After Mary went to see about Jenny, Mike and Eva make quick work of cleaning up. Finally, after everything had been washed and put away, Mike cut a big chunk of cake for Eva to take home.

“Oh, I can’t,” lied Eva, lustfully eyeing the cake. She could hardly keep from licking her lips.

“You better take it. It’s too much temptation for me to have chocolate cake lying around.”

Eva laughed. “Okay, if you insist.” She grabbed the cake container out of his hands.

“Now I know if I ever need to bribe you, my mother’s chocolate cake is the ticket, I see.”

Eva laughed again. In fact, she realized that she hadn’t laughed this much in a very long time. It felt good to be out from under the shadow of her divorce. It felt good to live again.

“Let me take you home,” said Mike. “I know you have an early day tomorrow too.”

“Yes, I do, but this was delightful.”

“Maybe we can do it again?”

Eva looked into Mike’s gray eyes. “Yes. I would like that very much.”

“Then we will make it happen again very soon.” Mike gazed at Eva, suddenly realizing that she was the same age his wife would have been. He also recognized how lonely he had been and the strain of raising a child without her mother. He had always been awkward telling women his true feelings but he wanted to with Eva. He just didn’t know if it was appropriate considering that he worked for her. Maybe he should wait until after the renovation of the motel was finished.

Mike helped Eva into his jeep and drove to the motel, all the while thinking of what to say to her.

Eva noticed that Mike was unusually quiet on the drive back to the motel. She wondered why.

When they pulled into the driveway, Eva got ready to jump out and unlock the gate, but Mike grabbed her arm. “Wait a minute, Eva. I want to talk with you.”

“Okay.”

The stars glowed in the night sky as warm breezes caressed Eva’s skin. In the distance, the horn of a ship sounded in the bay. Mike looked very handsome. It was a night made for romance, but Eva was determined to push those thoughts from her mind. She didn’t want to become another notch on Mike’s belt.