Around the World in 80 Men Series: Boxed Set 21-30 (117 page)

He
didn't want to see Morgan under those circumstances, he'd hoped to
spend time with her when she would be free to just
be with me.

He
nodded and interjected a few necessary words on occasion, but for the
most part, he wasn't mentally present during lunch. He thought of
telling Angel that he couldn't help him, then thought that he would
like to see Morgan, then back to minding his own business to the
whole situation. By the time Michael paid the bill, he had gone full
circle, more than once, and decided that seeing Morgan Holland under
any circumstances was an opportunity that he couldn't pass on.

Looks
like we'll meet again, Morgan.
He smiled at his friend as he
waved goodbye, and returned Angel's call to let him know that he'd do
all he could to get Morgan to Hawaii in the next few days.

“I
don't know why you wasted a bitch's time with all of this
calling
back
shit. I knew you would do it, now leave my ass alone and go
get my girl. Oh...and have fun in Jamaica.” Angel had already
ended the call before Michael could correct him.

“Hawaii,
Angel. Hawaii.

*****

“I
hate this,” Manuel wrapped his arms around Morgan and held her
tight against his body. “Come to Peru with me.”

“You're
funny,” Morgan muffled a response into his chest. “I wish
it were that easy. I could just stay with who I wanted for however
long I wanted.” He felt her smile and he kissed the top of her
head.

“Well,
I've got a bunch of boring business meetings to go to and family
fundraisers, but I'm sure you could make yourself at home while I'm
gone.” Morgan knew he was teasing, but she wondered if she said
yes, if he would want her to spend another week together. “I'd
get you an endless supply of those muffins you talked about
and...and...Moscato.” She smiled again, at the fact he
remembered. “I have a huge tub too. All the bubble baths you
could want.” He squeezed her tighter.

Morgan
leaned her body away from him so she could look at the handsome man.
“We will see each other again, Manuel.” At least she
hoped so. In just a few days, he had nested himself a special place
in her heart. She felt her eyes begin to burn, and knew she had to
say goodbye before the waterworks began. “You should go, I
don't want you to miss your flight.”

“One
more thing.” Manuel's face lit up, and he dropped his arms from
Morgan and dipped a hand into the front pocket of his designer jeans.
“Something to...remember me.” He took her hand in his and
set something on her palm, then closed her hand with his own.

The
two shared one more kiss, two more hugs, and a verbal farewell, then
Morgan watched as he left the lobby of the hotel, and into a waiting
taxi on the street. “Bye Mannie.”

A
single tear ran down her cheek, then dropped from her chin, to her
hand. The hand that was still balled into a fist. Slowly, she opened
her fingers. “Oh my god!”

“Is
everything alright?” The receptionist was startled by Morgan's
outburst.

“Uh,
yes. Which way is the elevator?” Morgan closed her hand back up
and made her way toward the direction the woman pointed. “How
did you do it?” She shook her head as she waited for the doors
to open. Inside her hand, was a tiny silver charm. She walked into
the elevator and opened her hand back up. “My little horny
toad.”

She
removed her bracelet and hooked the little blue eyed toad charm on
the chain. It was beautiful, and the fact that he'd obviously seen
Morgan's bracelet and took it upon himself to get her a charm was one
of the sweetest things he could have done. “Thank you, Mannie.”

Meeting
Manuel, enjoying his company, allowing him into her heart, and
letting him go, actually made Morgan grow even more as a person. She
was realizing that she could care for people without expecting more.
She could, as she kept telling herself, just feel.

*****

“Shit,
shit...oh, that's....whew.” Morgan slowly stepped into the hot
water and lowered her body beneath the surface. “Damn, this is
nice.”

Morgan
relaxed in the oversized tub of her hotel room and closed her eyes
for just a moment. Being back in civilization certainly had its
perks, and her hot bubble bath was one of them.

Fifteen
minutes later, a sleeping Morgan was pulled from her unintended nap
by her phone that was still in her shorts beside the tub. She flung
bubbles all over the floor when she leaned over, but answered the
call before it made it to the third ring.

“Yes?
What? Damn...hello?” She wasn't quite as awake as she thought
she was. With her eyes squeezed tightly with regret for not looking
to see who it was first, and hoping that she didn't just swear at
Julianne, it was a relief to hear a male voice.

“Nice.
Want to do try that one again?” The sexy voice on the other end
instantly woke her. She sat up in the tub and caused a wave to run
the length of her body, and back, as she answered.

“Michael?
Hey! How are you?” The chuckle on the other end was nice, and
she eased her rigid back a bit as she waited.

His
rich tone, and easy laugh was something that she instantly knew she
had missed. “I'm great, Sweetheart. The reason I'm calling is
because I recently talked to, Angel.” Morgan rolled her eyes
and leaned all the way back against the tub again.

No,
Angel! Why the hell did you call Michael?
She took a deep breath,
and as she stared at the double marble sink across the room, she had
to have answers. “Why? Why is he calling you?” She wasn't
sure at that point if she should have even asked, she should have
just called Angel, but it was too late.

“Eh,
he called to tell me that you're going to Hawaii and wondered if I'd
tag along and keep you company.” It wasn't exactly the truth,
but lying didn't come natural for the man. Morgan's brows came
together in confusion.

“Uhm...no...I've
been invited to Hawaii but I never said when or if I'll go. What is
this really about?” She sat up, pulling her legs under her
body, and stood.

Michael
wasn't sure where to go from there, and his lying skills weren't
getting any better. “I, uh, I don't know about any of
that...just what I've already told you. And...the truth is, I have
business to attend to..in Hawaii. So, if you'd like some company, we
can leave tomorrow or this weekend.” He closed his eyes and
his head dropped against his steering wheel as he waited.

Morgan
wasn't sure what to think of the whole situation. She knew that she
would be taking the week off, but wasn't sure where she would go
next. Hawaii? Maybe, but she certainly never told Angel that she was
definitely going.

She
walked across the tiled floor, dropped a trail of white bubbles in
her wake, and tried to think quickly.
I could go for a few
days...maybe a week. And..it would be nice to see Michael again. But
I don't want to see Kole. Damn! But I do want to see the rest of the
family. Shit!
Michael waited, knowing Morgan was mentally
debating with herself, and kept still until she spoke again. One full
minute later, he got his answer.

“Okay,
Hawaii it is. I can book us flights for tomorrow if that works for
you.” Michael's heart raced as she spoke, and he quickly
interrupted.

“No!
I'll get us the flights. I'll text you tonight.” He hung up so
quickly that Morgan didn't get a chance to say goodbye, or change her
mind. She stared at her blank phone then turned slightly to catch
her own reflection in the steamed mirror.

“Never
a dull moment.” She laughed at herself before leaving the
bathroom, and the only thing on her agenda for the night was to call
Angel and find out what he was really up to. “Right after I
eat.”

Morgan
wrapped herself in a towel and walked to the bed, grabbing the room
service menu off the desk along the way. “Shit, so many
options...” Her eyes scanned over the menu quickly. “Yes!”
Deciding her choice, Morgan made a call downstairs and ordered a
steak, baked potato and a salad. They told her it would take twenty
minutes, so she took the time to get herself presentable, and by the
time she was done blow drying her hair, a knock at the door told her
dinner had arrived.

“That
was faster than I thought,” Morgan told the man as she opened
the door. He was holding a tray with all of her food covered in
little silver bubbles. The man nodded toward the inside of her room
and she stepped aside so he could bring her food in. “That's
not necessary, I can...okay.” She awkwardly followed him as he
made his way toward the bed. He reminded her of someone... “Luigi!”

“I'm
sorry?” The thin man, with tanned skin and a thick mustache set
her tray down and turned back to Morgan.

“Nothing.
You just remind me of....never mind.” Telling the man he looks
like a man, who looks like one of the Mario Brothers would be more
confusing than it was worth.

“Will
that be all then?” Morgan nodded, and the man remained in his
spot for a moment, then turned around once more.

“Oh!
I'm sorry,” she finally realized why he was lingering, and
grabbed a tip from her purse and handed it to him. “Have a good
night!” Morgan followed him back to the door, and the silent
Luigi left without another word. “You're not as nice as the
other Luigi.” She giggled to herself and skipped back to her
bed to dig in.

Her
steak melted in her mouth like butter, and Morgan couldn't remember
the last time she had eaten a warm roll or a salad, but they were
just as delicious. She picked up the last crouton on her plate and
popped it into her mouth. Her grandmother used to ask her all of the
time where she
put
her food.
She would even look under the table, or ask if Morgan had fed dinner
to the dog, because there was no way an eight year old should be able
to eat four slices of pizza. “It will catch up to me, Gran.”
She giggled and set her empty plates back on the tray and carried it
all back to the door, where she carefully put it on the ground.

Morgan went back to the bed and let her body fall
backwards onto the thick down comforter. “Now, time for you.”
She flipped to her side and reached for her phone on the nightstand.
When settled into a comfortable spot, she clicked on his smiling face
to make the call.

On
the fourth ring, she heard his voice, but it was his voice mail
greeting. Of course, it was in Portuguese, but she could still hear
the sarcastic inflection of her best friend's voice. After the beep
sounded, Morgan left her message. “Angel, sorry, I know it's
late.” It was something she hadn't thought about earlier, and
she looked at the clock quickly. It was nearly two in the morning in
Rio. “Call me as soon as you can. You know what about. Love
you!”

She ended the call and no sooner did she set her phone
down, it rang again. “Did I wake you?”

“Stick, I've got enough sand in here to make my
own mothafuckin' Ariba! I've been doing this same laundry for
months!” In reality, it had only been two days.

“First off, hi. Secondly, where are you and why
is there sand? Thirdly, I think you mean, Aruba.” Morgan shook
her head and rolled to her back, crossing one leg over the other.

“Whatever. GiGi and Skankszilla went to the
mothafuckin' beach. This bitch is mothafuckin' cat-crazy. Always
flapping her puffy lips!”
“Bat crazy?”

“Whatever,”
Angel said again. “Are you even listening? I'm losing my
mothafuckin' mind! I've got all of Jamaica calling me.”

He was speaking more quickly than usual, and she heard
him bang the dryer shut, then another loud sound that she couldn't
identify. She'd never heard him that stressed, and decided she would
talk to him about his problems first. He obviously needed someone to
talk to.

Chapter Ten

“I'm trying to tell G about my heart breakin',
and all he cares about is that mothafuckin' bride-wanna-be!”