4. Emily

Chapter 4

Emily

Ignoring the little voice in the back of my mind telling me I'm in over my head, I walk out of an enormous en suite bathroom through a walk-in closet that is bigger than my apartment. It leads me onto a private terrace with a stunning view of the Cibeles fountain.

Alejandro's offer to "fake" marry me is an outrageous scheme. One that I should not participate in. But who am I kidding? He's gifting me an opportunity for revenge. And I can't wait. It's going to taste so sweet.

Concerned that I might be going a bit too far, I take out my phone to call my sister. She always gives good advice. If she tells me to get on the next plane back to Maine, I'm going to leave.

"Em! I'm so glad you called. I was starting to get worried. Your plane landed eight hours ago."

"Are you tracking my flight?"

"Of course, I'm. You're my only sister. It's my duty to watch out for you."

"You should have come with me, Janie." I lean against the railing. "It's so beautiful."

"If I hadn't just moved to Whiskey Creek and started my business, I would have gone with you in a heartbeat. How's the hotel? Is it as elegant as the pictures on the website?"

I take a deep breath and pour my heart out to Janie, giving her every sordid detail of my first day in Spain. The hotel snafu, Joshua, Peaches, Alejandro, my hideous misuse of Spanish, and my pending hoax of a wedding.

"What!" Janie shrieks into the phone. "That no-good, two-timing waste of space is there? Right now?"

"Can you believe it? I nearly fainted when the clerk told me."

"He's such a jerk. I'm sorry that he's done this to you, honey. But I'm so glad you didn't marry him, Em. I never liked that man."

"I know. I honestly don't know what I saw in him."

"Enough about that jerk. Tell me more about this Alejandro. The fact that he didn't make fun of you when you botched your Spanish already puts him high on my perfect man list. Wait. I'm going to call you back on Facetime. I want to see this amazing suite."

I can't stop smiling. Janie is the best sister ever. I answer her call and point the camera at my view. The sun is setting over the fountain which has come alive under the bright illumination of the night lights.

"Oh, Em," Janie sighs. "That's spectacular."

"Just wait." I open the slider and walk back into my bedroom.

"Is that a king-sized bed? Are those fresh peonies?" Janie gushes. "Show me the bathroom, pleeeeease."

I climb inside the sunken tub, surrounded by oodles of fresh flowers and candles. "There's room for four people in here." I laugh.

"You should marry Alejandro for real." Janie giggles. "Wow! I've never seen the inside of a penthouse. You should definitely keep this man, Em."

Keeping a man like Alejandro is out of the question. I sit up and set the phone on the marble in front of a vase. "Give it to me straight, Janie. Do you think I'm crazy for doing this?"

"Crazy? Absolutely not! I think it's the smartest thing you've done in years. That horse's ass deserves to be tortured for what he did to you. And what better way to do it than to ruin his honeymoon? I don't know this Alejandro, but I already like him. When can I meet him?"

"I don't know, Janie." I hug my knees. "I'm staying in a suite with a stranger who could be Ted Bundy for all I know."

"He's not a serial killer, Em. He's a miracle. The universe brought him to you. You were destined to meet him. Stop overthinking things. Have fun. Live a little." Janie brings her face right up to the screen. "No. Don't live a little. Live a lot! Don't think about rules or consequences, for once in your life, Em. Just be. Have fun! Enjoy your rich Spaniard in every way possible. I heard Spanish men make the best lovers." She wiggles her brows and blows me a kiss. "Check in tomorrow. I can't wait to hear everything. I love you, sis."

"I love you, too." I end the call and sink back into the empty tub. I'm meeting Alejandro for dinner in an hour. I close my eyes, picturing his striking face, broad shoulders, and the way his eyes burn my skin.

Joshua is going to hate him.

And for the first time in months, I smile from the inside out.

"You look beautiful tonight, Emily." Alejandro rests his hand against the small of my back as we walk through the lobby to an outside café that's exploding with color. There are decorative lights strung through the boughs of lush green trees and turquoise tables and chairs with ruby red and canary yellow linens.

"This is amazing."

"I hoped you would like it." He selects a pretty table in the corner and pulls out a chair for me.

"You look very handsome." I blush as the words come out of my mouth.

His lips curve into a smile. "Just when I thought this day could not get any better, you have made it even more special."

"Are you always this nice?"

"No." He winks.

"I don't believe you."

A waiter delivers menus, along with a bottle of sparkling water.

"Shall I order for you?" Alejandro asks.

"Okay, as long as you don't order anything slippery like squid or eel." I wrinkle my nose. "And if we can have some more Spanish sherry… It was delicious."

"Ah, no calamari or squid then. Spanish sherry is a must and perhaps paella if you like shrimp."

"Perfect." I grin.

Alejandro hands the menus back to the waiter while rattling off our order in Spanish. It flows effortlessly off his tongue, which makes me jealous. I'm going to have to try harder to master the language. I take a sip of my water. "I called my sister and told her about you."

"Did you tell her that you think I'm in the Spanish mafia?" He laughs.

"Sort of."

"What did she say?"

"Truth?"

"Always, mi vida . I always want the truth from you."

The waiter delivers our drinks and a basket full of piping hot rolls that smell heavenly.

"She told me that I should stay, even though Joshua is here." I hesitate for a moment and then decide to tell him the rest of our conversation. "She said meeting you was destiny."

"Is that so?" His eyes dance in the candlelight. "I like your sister."

"I love her to death. I tried to get her to come on this trip with me. But she has too much going on. She just moved to a new town and is starting her dream business." I take a roll and pass the basket to Alejandro. Conversation with him is easy. Natural. Nice.

"What is her dream?"

"She's opening a wedding event business with her best friend and this wonderfully smart girl named Myra. I know she's going to kill it." He gives me another one of his smiles and I flush all over. Maybe it's the sherry. Or maybe it's sitting outside in the dry heat. After years of living on the coast of Maine with a steady ocean breeze, I'm not accustomed to ninety-plus-degree weather.

"What is your dream?" Alejandro leans forward, giving me his full attention.

Caught off guard by his question and the intensity of his gaze, I pick up the sherry and take a big swallow. We stare at each other for a few seconds before I blurt out loud what I've never dared to tell another living soul. "I want to open a bed and breakfast. I would name it the Rose Cottage Inn after my grandmother. Every room would have a fireplace and would be decorated in a special theme. There would be freshly baked muffins and pastries served with breakfasts fit for kings and queens. Oh, and it would have gardens full of roses and maybe even a small restaurant with a bar, and I would serve big juicy burgers and mouth-watering appetizers. And…" I gulp air, realizing I've said too much.

Alejandro's eyes soften. "What is keeping you from your dream, mi vida ?"

"Fear," I whisper, studying the napkin in my lap. "I'm afraid of failing."

His hand brushes the edge of my chin, tipping my face up till our eyes meet. "With your passion, you will not fail. We have only so many trips around the sun in this life, mi vida . You must try for your dream before your last sunset is upon you, no?"

"Oh, my God. When you put it that way…" I don't know what to say. I've been working in accounting for years. Every day I wake up waiting for a sign that it's the right time to go after my dream. As Alejandro's words sink into my spirit, I realize he's right. What am I waiting for?

Suddenly, laughter rings out that has the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. I grit my teeth, turning around slowly. Blood pounds at my temples. My hands tremble. And my stomach churns.

"Is that him?" Alejandro's deep voice is full of concern.

"Yes."

"Alright." He gets to his feet and holds out his hand. "We begin, mi vida ."

"We do?" I ask as I put my hand in his.

With a soft tug, I'm in his arms. He captures my eyes with his and everything quiets. The pounding at my temples ceases. My body stops shaking and instead of my heart aching…it dances.