The Other Marlowe Girl (Marlowe Girls) (11 page)

So I slapped him in the face. He clasped his hand over mine, glaring at me as he pushed it away from his face. “We’ll talk later.”

Luke pushed his roller chair back and stared at us.

I wouldn’t be able to put it off until later. We didn’t have “later.” “Enrique Hernandez, you are such a jerk!” 
 

“How did I become the bad guy?” he shouted.

“That is one mad white girl. She even got the silent H right,” Luke said.

“I shouldn’t be there, but it’s okay for you to? How can you go to a strip club, and then trash me? If guys like you had better things to do, I couldn’t have gotten the job,” I said.

“Oh, wow,” Luke said. 

His words were so slow that I realized he didn’t know about it. Enrique didn’t tell anyone 
Why not? Duh. He didn’t want anyone to know he was there.
 

“I guess your brother that I’m not good enough for, isn’t so perfect after all.”
 

“No—Kammy, I went for Luke.”

“What? That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Luke was supposed to meet someone there. He sent me instead. I don’t hang out at places like that, if that’s what you think. Tell her, Luke.”

That was too much. He treated me like I was some sort of pariah because I got arrested with a stripper in Cancun, and he was going to strip clubs. And I knew my sister—his wife—didn’t go to strip clubs.

“Tiffany!”

“I’m busy with Lucí,” she called from down the hall.

“Come! Now!”

“Kammy—” Luke said. “
Chica,” 
Enrique started at the same time.
 

Tiffany appeared in the open doorway of Luke’s home office with Luci following behind her. 

“Kammy,” Luke said. 

Enrique’s eyes traced to the baby. “Don’t.”

“Take the baby to her room and come back,” I said.

“What’s going on?” Tiffany asked, the panic obvious in her voice.

“Just do it.” 

Tiffany picked up the baby and started down the hall. “It’s not like that,” Luke said. “It was a client.”

“Tell her, not me.”

She was back without Lucí. “Tell me what?” Tiffany asked. 

I turned so that I was facing Tiffany now. “That was fast.”

“Yeah, her room is only two doors down. Now tell me what.”

“Enrique and I are no longer speaking because he thinks I’m a whore.”

“I did not say that,” Enrique said.

“Because he ran into me at a strip club that he went to for Luke, because Luke couldn’t go.”

Luke held his hands up in defense. “
Anjel.”
 

“What is she talking about? Luke—”
 

“Come on. Sweetheart, you know me better than this.”

“This is not a good time for you to screw up.”

“I—”

“Lucas Hernandez, I cannot handle this right now. You can’t do this because—”

“
Anjel—
”
 

“Because I, we’re—”
 

“TIFFANY! Listen to me. A prospective client wanted to meet me there. I sent Enrique because I didn’t think it was appropriate for me to go to a strip club with a wife and daughter at home. I couldn’t tell the client that since he’s married and suggesting strip clubs. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” but she was crying. Something was clearly wrong.

Luke moved to my sister, taking her in his arms. “Tiffany, don’t lie to me. You attacked me in front of people, and you’re crying. What is wrong?”

“I—we’re—I…”

“What, baby?”

“I’m pregnant again,” she sobbed.
 

Everyone was quiet. Luke brought a hand up to her head and stroked her hair. “That’s why you’ve been so sick. I’m sorry. I should have known. But why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t have time! For anything. Lucí is already neglected. I’m too tired for words. I can’t keep working.”

“You can take medical leave if you need to.”

“You don’t understand. I can’t take care of one baby right and work full time. I can’t keep working!”

“Ahh,” he said before leaning down to peck her on the head. “Stay home. We don’t need the money. I’ve always told you that.”

She sobbed. “I can’t quit. You need me. You’re saving so much money having me in house. This is why I haven’t said anything. I can’t quit because I work for family.”

“I’ll hire another accountant. It’s going to be okay.”

She wiped her eyes. “So you’re okay with this?”

“Happy,” he said, pushing her toward the door. “Let’s get you in bed. I’ll take care of the baby until you’re feeling better.”

Enrique and I stood in silence for a moment. “That was different,” he said. 

Our eyes locked for a moment, and finally I spoke, “I’m sorry I slapped you.”

“That wasn’t nice.”

“I know.”

“Why were you there?” he asked.

“I needed the money.” 
 

“I told you I would give it to you.”

“I wanted to do it on my own.”

“Like that?” The words were hard, and that look he had that night at the club was back in his eyes.

“No! I didn’t know another way.”

“How long where you stripping?”

“That was my first night. I never stripped and I never planned on it. I was supposed to be dancing. I was told stripping was optional but more lucrative. I thought I could do well dancing.”

“You don’t need the money.”

“You know the situation.”

“The drug dealer is dead.” 
 

“What?”

“My private investigator told me he got shot by a druggy he threatened to shoot. I wanted to tell you, but I was too angry to talk to you. I knew you were safe, so I thought I could deal with this later.”

I laid my head down on his chest, and he brought his arms up around me. 

“Have you been there since then?”

“No,” I whispered. “Have you?”

“No. I’m sorry, too.”

“For what?”

“Avoiding you. It killed me that you’d rather strip than just take the money from me, and I didn’t think you were that kind of girl.”

“I’m not.”

“I know.” He ran his fingers through my hair with one hand and held me tighter with the other. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.” He brought his hand from my hair to my chin, lightly tracing my cheek with his fingers. Enrique brought his lips down to my own. He licked my lips, parting my mouth then traced the inside of my mouth with his tongue. A moan escaped me. The way he kissed me, the way he held me, it was like he wanted me—had to have me. But I couldn’t do this. It wasn’t right. I fought past the power and strength of the kiss to pull myself far enough from him I could use logic.

“We can’t,” I gasped. “Do this.”

“We’ve had our first fight. I think we’ve passed the fifth date thing.” He pulled me to him again.

I put my hand on his face and said, “It’s not that. I want this as much as you do, but I’m leaving in a few days, and this will only make it hurt worse.”

“Leaving? What? Why?”

“I’m going to dance with The Bolshevik Ballet for a year.”

“You’re—you’re going to Russia?”

I nodded.

“Why?”

“There isn’t much a mid-twenties dance major can do. I have to do this.”

“Audition for the Houston Ballet. Do the Los Angeles Ballet if you want, at least it’s on this continent.”

“Don’t make this harder, please.”

Luke came back into his office and picked up a tablet from his desk. “Ignore me, I’m just grabbing this.”

“Kammy’s going to Russia,” Enrique said.

Luke nodded.

“How long have you known?”

“I wanted to tell you.”

“But you didn’t. How long have you known?”

“A few days. I told you to take her calls. I can’t talk right now. Tiffany needs me.” He disappeared again.

“If I asked you to stay?”

“What can I do here? I think we know I’m not a good secretary.”

He laughed. “
Chica, 
there must be something.ou” He ran his hand through my hair and kissed me again. “I have days to change your mind, and I can be very persuasive.”
 

“Don’t make this harder!”

“I won’t give up.”

Chapter 17

Later that night, I helped Tiffany with dinner. Well, more like she gave me a cooking class, and for the first time I noticed a little bulge in her belly. It sucked to know I wouldn’t be here when the baby was born. Enrique stayed for dinner, and we all watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Enrique slipped his arm around me, and I snuggled into his chest. I shouldn’t be getting closer to him. I was already too far gone, but I couldn’t help it. “I can’t believe you’re going to Russia,” he said. “You don’t seem like the kind of girl who can live without hot water.”

“There is no hot water in Russia?” This was going to suck. It was the freakin’ tundra. I’d have to buy a whole new wardrobe just to live there, and apparently I was going to live in the arctic with no hot water, while my sister had a baby I wouldn’t be here to see and Enrique met some brain surgeon. I got up and ran for my room with Enrique following me.

Tiffany got up too, but Luke grabbed her. “Let Enrique go.”

I didn’t want him to though. I’d already proven I couldn’t do anything right if I stayed here, and I needed to get my life together. Enrique would just try to talk me into staying, and it would be easy to let him because I was not looking forward to leaving him. I turned to face him. “I need some alone time, please.”

“You’re about to have a year of it,” he pleaded.

“Enrique—”

“I’ll let you go, but I don’t like it.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

The next day when I woke up, Enrique, Tiffany, Lucí, and an older Mexican lady were downstairs.

“What is going on?”

Tiffany smiled. “I’m going to work three days a week until a new accountant can start. I’ll train my replacement and quit. Gloria is going to watch Lucí here on my off days instead of her house, so I can spend more time with her, but I have help when I’m sick. And this guy,” she pointed to Enrique, “I don’t know what he’s doing here. I think I should charge him rent.”

He laughed. “This guy is not going back to work until after you’re gone,” he said.

“Luke will kill you,” I said.

Gloria smiled. “Luke took a couple of days off a few years ago to spend an extra day in Cancun. The girl he brought home was so sweet no one could fault him for it. I’m glad she had a sister. I just wish there was another Marlowe girl, because I have one more son.”

“
Mamá, 
stop,” Enrique said.
 

 I met Enrique’s gaze. “Can we talk?” I asked.

 Enrique nodded and followed me to the kitchen.

 “I don’t think it’s a good idea to spend extra time together when I’m leaving in two days. It will hurt worse.”

“I’d like to spend every second I can with you until you’re gone. I’ll fly to Moscow sometime this year.”

“Enrique, you’re the best man I’ve ever known, but we both know long distance relationships rarely work.” 

He nodded hard. “If you’re still single when you get back—”

“You’ll be the first to know.” I wasn’t prepared for the way he grabbed me, pulling me to his chest. Something about the way Enrique held me was sensuous. He could hold me in a crowded room, and it was more intimate than making love to my ex-husband had been. He held me like that for half an hour before finally moving away. “I guess I should go to work.”

I followed him back into the living room and waved
 
as he walked out the door looking dejected. Letting him go was the hardest thing I’d ever done, but I knew it was the right thing. When I came back from Moscow in a year, he’d probably have some beautiful woman on his arm, who would undoubtedly be more accomplished than me. And that was the kind of thing Enrique deserved. It didn’t make it any easier though.
 

I sat down on the couch and stared at the door where Enrique had stood only seconds earlier. Gloria slapped me on the leg. “What did you do to my baby?”

I sighed. “I told him not to wait on me.”

She scowled at me, but it was Tiffany who spoke. “Why? I—well, you don’t tell me everything. I get that, but from what I’ve seen, you love him. He’s the best guy you’ve ever dated.”

“He is. He’s great. God, he,” I was about to go into a monologue of how great Enrique was when I remembered his mom was in the room and blushed. “He’s awesome, but long distance relationships rarely work.”

“If it doesn’t work, what do you have to lose? Not him, you just pushed him away.” Tiffany looked at me waiting for an answer.

“He offered to come to Russia to visit.”

“See,” she urged.

“We haven’t known each other very long. I don’t think it’s a good idea to start a transcontinental relationship.”

“You could not go,” Gloria said.

“Dance is all I know. There isn’t much I can do, otherwise.”

“It’s never too late to pick up a new skill. Ernique and I were in college at the same time.”

That surprised me. “Why?”

“I was in college when I got married. I got pregnant with Luke a few months later, and I felt too sick to do anything. I’d planned to go back when he started school, but the other two boys came and life got busy. I’m an interior decorator, and I didn’t go to my own graduation because Enrique graduated that same night.” She laughed.

“Finish school,” Tiffany said.

Right. 
I seriously had money for that.  
 

“Hey, I’ll be back in a year, and if Enrique is still single,
 
I’ll beg for forgiveness, but he’ll probably have some prettier, thinner, smarter woman on his arm.”
 

Gloria shook her head. “That boy has brought more girls home than both of his brothers combined, and I’ve never seen him look at a woman the way he looks at you.”

“Just figure it out,” Tiffany said. “Because you don’t have much time left. But I think he’s good for you.”

Chapter 18

The next two days were full of packing and preparing, doing things like picking up my visa. My plane was leaving at eight o’clock in the morning. I’d have to be at the airport by six, and it was a forty-five minute drive. Luke and Tiffany offered to drop me off, but she was pregnant and they’d have to get Lucí out. I told them I’d get there on my own.