The Night She Got Lucky (18 page)

We should think about how we'll stage your sitting, Lucio said from the griddle. We will end up using your pose as an example of the kind of custom photography we offer, if it is all right with you.

Ginger grinned. She liked the way he'd been talking about his business as a we proposition. He'd included her in all his brainstorming. She was happy to help him get it off the ground. She was unemployed, after all. And the idea of spending lots of time at Lucio's side had a certain appeal.

Do
you
have any preference? Ginger asked Lucio. What do you think would suit us? You're the expert.

He thought about that while he finished stacking the pancakes on a plate, which he then placed in the oven to keep warm. He ladled out a second batch. Who would eat them, Ginger had no idea. She could always freeze them, she supposed.

You and your little fluffy dog are both very feminine, he said, waving the spatula around for emphasis. Ginger loved the way he used his hands when he talked, almost as much as she loved watching the muscles of his torso ripple as he moved. I see you both in a the word
languido
?

Languid? Ginger offered, laughing. A languid pose?

Yes! Perfect. You are reclining. Something luxurious, yes?

Luxury always works for us, she said, raising her coffee cup in approval.

Lucio chuckled. What are your thoughts,
bonita
? All those years as an editor have made you a visual artist in your own right, yes? So what do you see? How do you envision it?

Ginger took a sip of coffee and cast her eyes downward for a moment. It was startling how Lucio so effortlessly described the essence of her work. Yes, she was a visual artist in addition to being a journalistshe had spent years designing pages and special sections, making words and images fit together in a way that would draw in the reader. What amazed her the most about Lucio's observation was that she'd known him for just weeks, yet he understood more about her job than Larry had in seventeen years of marriage. Ginger stroked HeatherLynn's poofy hair, thinking she liked having a boyfriend who was an artist, someone who could create something from nothing, the way she did.

She looked up. Lucio had been studying her.

I am sorry, but I love looking at you, he said with a shrug. I find I cannot take my eyes from you.

What do you see when you look at me?

I see a beauti

I know you think I'm beautiful, Lucio, Ginger interrupted, her voice soft. And I can't tell you how much that means to me, because I've been struggling with getting older.

I know,
mi amor
. His smile was gentle.

But what else do you see? Ginger sat up straighter in preparation for his answer. Can you tell me what else you see in me?

Lucio flipped the pancakes even as he studied her.

I see a mother who is raising two sons without any real help, he said. A mother who can handle a crisis and juggle seven other things at the same time.

Ginger took in a breath of surprise. She was expecting him to mention something along the lines of her fashion sense or the way she styled her hairnot who she was at her very core.

I see a strong and brave woman who did not fall apart when her husband left her. Nor did she fear that same man when he came back yesterday, angry and drunk and stupid as a rock.

Ginger's mouth curled into a smile.

I see a tender heart,
bonita
, he continued, touching a hand to his bare chest. I see insecurity at times. I see a woman who does not truly understand how wonderful she is.

Ginger nodded, a huge lump in her throat.

I see a flower in the peak of bloom. Lucio gave her one of his huge, bright smiles. A rare and
beautiful
flower.

She was speechless. She sat very still in the kitchen chair, in awe of this man who seemed to have dropped down from the skies and landed smack in the middle of her life, already knowing her.

I hope I do not offend you, Lucio said, stacking up another leaning tower of pancakes. He opened the oven door and tossed them onto the warming plate.

Uh, no. You don't offend me, Ginger whispered, suddenly a little self-conscious. You are very sweet to me.

Lucio tossed the spatula to the kitchen counter and laughed. Within seconds, he was in a squat in front of her. He gently gripped her thighs. If Lucky Montevez sees it, it is there, my love. I am not being sweet when I tell you what I see, yes?

Ginger frowned. Then she tapped her forehead to smooth the wrinkles. Then she immediately stopped tapping her forehead and just allowed herself to frown'
to hell with it
.

Lucio did not miss her little dance of anxiety and he shook his head, smiling. You think I am only flattering you?

No. I don't know. Maybe.

Lucio patted her knee. Do you know that every editor I've ever worked with has told me I had the best eye in the business?

Really?

This is true. I am known for being able to see what others cannot. I will tell you a secret He leaned closer. HeatherLynn's head popped up as Lucio came near her. She wagged her tail. I sometimes suspect that I can see things an instant before they actually happenyou know, the lightning before it cracks open the sky, the very last sliver of a moon before it disappears, a single perfect snowflake before it falls in front of my lens.

Ginger nodded. It's your gift.

He grinned. Oh, yes.

Is that why they call you ‘Lucky?'

Lucio laughed. Ah, well, no. I got that name because I tend to survive dangerous situations. I've had the name since childhood, did I not tell you this?

She smiled. No, Lucio. I've got as much to learn about you as you do me.

True. His eyes sparkled.

Tell me some of the dangers you escaped.

He winced, sucking in air through his teeth. Are you sure you want to know?

She nodded, even as she acknowledged to herself that she might not like what he told her.

Lucio shrugged. I fell off a roof when I was about seven. It was a game, you know, to jump from house to house while on the red tile roofs in my village. Two stories up, but I did not receive a scratch!

Ginger's eyes widened, imagining how freaked out she'd be if she found out that was how Jason and Josh were spending their summer afternoons.

Then, when I was twelve, I was pulled from the wreckage of a small European car after it had been hit by a logging truck. It was a narrow mountain road with many turns, yes? But I was not injured.

Ginger gasped. Oh, my God, Lucio. Who was driving? Was anyone hurt?

My mother, he said, the sadness eclipsing his handsome face. She had never seen him sad, and it was shocking how it sucked the life out of his eyes. My mother died, he said. It was a hard time for me.

Ginger's hand flew to her mouth, hiding her moan of horror. She willed herself not to burst into tears, but the idea that Lucio had lost his mother so youngand in that waywas unimaginable. I am so very sorry. Ginger reached out and stroked his hair. He leaned into her touch.

Thank you.

It must have been so painful.

Lucio nodded softly. Yes. He took Ginger's hand from his face and kissed her palm, then set it down on her lap. I do not mean to make you sad by going through my ‘lucky' stories one by one.

There are
more
?

Oh, yes. My first year with
Geographica
I got trapped in an avalanche in the Himalayas of northern India. I was the only person who lived.

Holy hell! Ginger's mouth hung open.

And then, a few years later, I was on a barge in the Suez Canal when it exploded. I lost most of my equipment, but I had the word? He shook his head, annoyed that he couldn't find the English he needed.

A lifeboat?

Noinsurance! That's the word. He smiled. You'll have to forgive me but sometimes I go blank on the English.

Your English is phenomenal.

Thank you.

Well, that explains the nickname, Ginger said.

But that is just the beginning. I've also survived a typhoon in Borneo and a bus crash in Cambodia and a few other things, but I won't go into the details.

My God, Lucio, was all Ginger could come up with.

So. He reached over and rubbed one of HeatherLynn's ears. The dog's eyes rolled around in ecstasy. For your portrait with the little fluffy Senorita Chiquitina hereany ideas?

Yes, as a matter of fact, Ginger did have an idea. An image of HeatherLynn and herself had been stuck in Ginger's brain for years. She'd never shared it with anyone. Certainly not with Larry or the boys. Not even Bea, Josie, and Roxie. It was kind of embarrassing. But there had to be a reason she'd carried the vision around for all this time, right?

I have one, Ginger said. Do you promise you won't laugh?

Lucio's eyes lit up. I like it already.

Ginger smiled. You might not feel that way once I'm done describing it to you.

Let me worry about that, he said.

In fact, you may not even know what the hell I'm talking about, because you're European.

The corner of his mouth hitched up. Try me.

Okay, she said, taking a deep breath and forging ahead. Have you ever heard of a 1960s TV show called
Gilligan's Island
? It's where this group of people go out on a three-hour tour and

Lucio laughed. Of course! And I think I already know where you're going with this.

Ginger was almost disappointed. But how could you know? I haven't even said anything yet!

That show is why you are called ‘Jeen-jair,' yes?

She laughed at how he'd overdone his accent. I can't believe you figured that out.

What is there to figure? he asked, grinning. You do resemble the red-haired actress.

You've seen the show?

He chuckled. Of course. I have spent a lot of time here in the States, but even if I had not, you can see
Gilligan's Island
anywhere in the world. I once watched an episode in Kenya, inside a dung hut.

All right
, she thought,
now he's truly messing with me
.

No, my love. It is a fact. Lucio grinned. Developing nations have turned into the dumping ground for worn-out U.S. goodsespecially TV shows and secondhand polyester clothing. Lucio gestured broadly. Africa may have started out as the cradle of civilization, but it is now the land of leisure suits!

She laughed hard. You're really funny, Lucio, she told him.

He rose from his squat, sighing a little as he stretched. You have worn me out,
bonita
, he said, patting HeatherLynn's head before he stood. And you have made me ravenous. Let's eat and you can tell me more about your island fantasy, yes?

The front door flew open. It was Josh and Jason. Ginger figured she had about six seconds before they reached the kitchen, so it would have to be a quick inventory: Lucio was bare-chested and barefoot, but at least he was wearing his jeans; she was covered with a cotton knee-length robe and nothing else, but at least it was belted; there were no visible signs of their earthshaking sexual rampage, at least not in the kitchen.

God help her if the boys saw inside her bedroom.

Hey, Mumu! Josh waved at her as he lumbered across the foyer. The boys couldn't see Lucio, who was out of the line of sight, frozen, his eyes large.

Jason was right behind Josh. I know it's early but Dad had us working all night, cleaning up from the earthquake. His garage was trashed and

This was the moment of truth. Ginger's boys had never seen her with a man other than their father. Not even a date to the movies or someone picking her up for dinner. But here she was, in the kitchen at five a.m., with a half-naked man who'd obviously spent the whole night in her bed.

What would her kids say? How would they react? Would they be angry at her? Would they feel betrayed or jealous?

Lucio! they yelled in unison, screeching to a halt as they cleared the kitchen doorway.

Lucio smiled at them. Good morning, gentlemen.

As the instant of surprise passed, Ginger watched for how their expressions would change, what their faces would reveal. Her heart raced. A few more seconds ticked by.

Then Jason sniffed the air. He and Josh looked at each other like they couldn't believe their luck.

Are you making
pancakes
, man? Joshua asked, his head jutting out in front of his neck like a cartoon character.

Blueberry. Lucio said. Would you care to join us?

The twins hooted, jumped, and gave each other a series of high fives and chest bumps, a ritual usually reserved for televised sports.

Dude! Can you make some bacon, too? Jason had already opened the refrigerator meat drawer. Hey, Mom, do we have syrup? Should I go borrow some of Dad's?

Smiling weakly, Ginger moved her gaze across the kitchen to Lucio. He looked at her over his shoulder, his dark eyes filled with warmth, humor, and something more.

Almost immediately, she felt it. The something more began to swirl in the air above them, invisible and silent as it looped through Ginger and into Lucio and back again. Lucio nodded gently, indicating he felt it, too.

It was all too much, she decided. It was way too soon. This was not what she'd intended and she was pretty sure it wasn't what Lucio expected, either. That soft smile on his handsome face had to be a mask for the panic he must be feeling. It was one thing to promise a new girlfriend that you'd stick around and get to know her, but it was a different thing altogether when the girlfriend's kids adored you and her dog worshipped you. Add to the mix one broken condom and the obvious fact that the girlfriend herself had fallen madly, deeply in love with you and never wanted you to leave her side, and you really had something to panic about.

Ginger squeezed her eyes shut at the realization. She'd fallen in love with Lucio Montevez, the shirtless, spatula-wielding Spaniard in her kitchen.