Fourteen
MJ could not believe his eyes. He stepped out of the helicopter straight into heaven.
Lush green palm trees and bright flowers lined immaculate, mosaic-paved walkways. Festive music played in the distance. Birds sang, invisible in the trees. The wind blew the humidity away with a soft breeze.
It was paradise.
And his dad had been living here with his perfect girlfriend while MJ was struggling to survive in misery with Old Man Rocha.
He couldn’t blame his dad for leaving him at the Rocha Estate when he didn’t know he was even alive. At least when he found out, he got him the hell out of there.
When they reached the hotel, a white, stucco hacienda, a curvy blonde came bustling down the walkway. “Beck! Thank God you’re back. Riley’s being insubordinate again.”
MJ wondered how she functioned in heels as high as the ones on her feet.
Beck laughed. “He can’t be insubordinate. You’re not his boss.”
MJ stepped off the pathway out of the blonde’s way as she pushed past him to get closer to Beck and Rachael—then she stopped and spun around to face him.
“Oh my God,” she said. “Merrick has a brother?”
Beck laughed loudly, stepping between them. “This is MJ,” he said. “Merrick Junior.” She gaped and Beck bent and kissed her. She seemed to relax a little. It made him think of Maddie’s body going slack under his while he pressed his lips to hers.
Shit.
Rachael shook her head, stepped around the pair kissing on the sidewalk and hooked her arm through MJ’s. “Come on. I’ll show you around.”
“You okay?” he asked. Her arm felt a little tense where it touched his.
She rolled her neck to one side, then the other. “Fine. Joan likes to get under my skin. It’s her favorite pastime. I try to be nice to her, but it’s pointless.”
“Why is she here then?” MJ glanced back to see Beck and Joan smiling and talking with their hands linked.
“She works for Beck,” Rachael pushed her hair back out of her face, “so I deal with it.” She laughed. “Funny thing. Beck used to call her Dragon Lady before they started going out. It’s a very fitting nickname.”
“Why is he with her? I mean, I don’t know either of them, but they seem a little mismatched.”
Rachael chuckled. “When you can tell me why men do anything they do, then you’ll have your answer.”
That was an easy one. Sex. Men did everything for sex. But he wasn’t going to tell Rachael that.
Approaching the hotel, the bright, early morning sunlight streamed through the palm fronds. MJ put his hand up to shade his eyes, wishing he’d remembered to bring his sunglasses, but he’d left them in his car. The hotel had long, narrow, black-shuttered windows sunk into the white stucco. They were propped open and reminded him of eyelids that would rather be closed until at least noon—like his own.
Orange-red tiles covered the roof and a black wrought-iron fence closed off a courtyard with a mosaic-paved patio to match the pathway. In the middle of the courtyard stood a fountain with a mermaid sitting on a rock in its center holding a conch shell with water spurting out of it. He had the childish urge to throw pennies in and make wishes.
He didn’t even know what he’d wish for at this point.
“Heidi and Roger are probably up by now with the kids,” Rachael said. “I bet they’ll be down for breakfast soon. I’ll get you settled in a room, and we can find them in a little while.”
“No hurry.” MJ’s eyes roamed as they walked through a gigantic, sliding wooden door into a lounge area. There was a fireplace built into the corner of the concrete wall. Dark brown leather sofas and chairs sat, scattered around the room, rustic wooden tables between them. Bright red, yellow and aqua blue Mexican rugs lay underneath.
He loved it. He never wanted to leave. Turtle Tear was the most perfect place on Earth, and he hadn’t even seen the whole thing.
“What do you think?” Rachael asked, hesitantly. She linked her fingers and rubbed them together.
“It’s incredible.”
“Thanks.” Her smile was amazing. It changed her whole… everything. She was a new person when she smiled like that. MJ wondered how Merrick could ever leave the island with the image of Rachael smiling in his head.
Maddie had a fantastic smile even if it was a little crooked.
Rachael had walked halfway down a hallway in front of him before he realized and started to follow. They came out in the entryway where colorful painted Spanish murals of trees, birds and flowers covered the walls. Raw, wooden beams lined the open three-story ceiling, and a curved staircase with bent wooden rails that looked like tree roots climbed up to the second and third floors. Light streamed in the windows beside and above the great, double hacienda-style front doors.
“You’re back.” A guy about MJ’s age, maybe a few years older, approached Rachael. “Can I get you anything? Have you had breakfast? I’ll get Jesse to take your bag up to your room.” He glanced at MJ and smiled.
“Thanks, Riley. We’ll wait a little while before we have breakfast. This is MJ.” She motioned toward him and Riley shook his hand. “He’s going to need a room. How about the one on the far end where my friend Shannon was staying? I think you know which I mean.”
Riley licked his lips and suppressed a smile. There was a story behind his eyes that MJ thought he might like to hear from the glint flashing there. “I know the one.” He headed toward the stairs, beckoning MJ with his hand to follow.
Riley tried to take his bag, but MJ pulled the handle back. “I’ve got it, thanks.”
MJ followed Riley to the end room on the second floor. “If you need anything let me know,” Riley told him, “and if you see a blonde that looks like she stole Barbie’s wardrobe, stay away. She’s crazy as a shithouse rat.” He laughed and stepped out into the hall letting MJ close the door.
It seemed Beck was the only one who could stand Joan. MJ would have to stay far away from her. The last thing he needed was trouble with another woman.
Finally alone, MJ rolled his suitcase farther in the room. It was large with windows facing the side and back of the property. A king-size bed sat against the far wall, filled with overstuffed pillows and a puffy, white comforter that MJ figured he’d toss on the floor at night or sweat to death underneath. The hardwood floor was covered with two bright rugs like the ones in the lounge below. The furniture was all rustic, dark oak. At least he thought it was oak, but what did he know about furniture?
He crashed down on the bed and sprawled out, ready for an early morning nap. How long would Rachael leave him up here if he fell asleep? He yawned and sat up, deciding to change from his jeans into shorts.
Laying back down, he flipped through channels settling on a World War II show on the History Channel. These types of programs always put him to sleep. He adjusted the pillow under his head and in five minutes was out cold.
“Gone?” Maddie jumped up from her father’s couch and gripped his arm. “What do you mean MJ’s gone?”
He looked at her like she was a mental patient. “He went to Turtle Tear with Rachael. I’m sorry he didn’t tell you.”
Maddie’s mind reeled. He left her this time. He wanted to hurt her like she’d hurt him.
Her ring! Shit. MJ better not have taken it with him. “I have to call him.”
Her dad shook his head, stepped away from her and picked up his car keys. “I’m running some errands. I’d steer clear of the big house today if I were you. Enzo’s in a foul mood with Merrick here.”
She nodded and watched him leave before dashing to her room and grabbing her phone.
One missed call from MJ from early this morning, but no message. Had he called to tell her goodbye? She dialed his number and bit her fingernail as it rang.
“Mads,” he said in a sleepy voice on the third ring. “Back in Michigan already?”
Anger lurched through her veins. “Tell me you didn’t take my ring with you.”
“I didn’t take your ring with me.” He chuckled through a yawn. “There, I said it, but it’s a lie. I do have it with me.”
She kicked one of her flip-flops across the room. “Why the hell would you take it with you?”
“Why the hell did you leave this morning before coming to get it from me?”
“I didn’t! I’m standing in my bedroom at my dad’s. You’re the one who left.”
“Enzo said—” MJ groaned. “Never mind. The fact is you can’t be trusted to not change your mind. You don’t know what you want, Maddie.”
If he were there, she’d strangle the life out of him. She gritted her teeth, seething. “I told you my decision. I need the ring to give back.”
“Well, I need you to tell me why you left me before I give it back. You need something and so do I, sounds like we have a deal.”
Maddie sank onto her bed and let her eyes fall shut. “No deal. Just send the ring back here, MJ.”
“Come get it, Mads.” He laughed and hung up.
Maddie tossed her phone to the end of her bed. “I hate you,” she mumbled, knowing it was far from the truth.