Forever Summer (9 page)

“Will you please braid it like yours?”

“Of course.  One French braid in the back coming up.  What will you be wearing today, so I can choose a matching ribbon?”

“
Abuelita
, may I wear jeans today instead of the dress you picked?”

“Of course,
mi vida
.  Would you like the red t-shirt?” 

Marisol turned to look at Summer once again, looking longingly at her white t-shirt.  “Yes, please.  Can we go shopping in Rome and buy me a white t-shirt?”

“Perhaps when you and Summer go sightseeing, you will see one.”  The child nodded and dutifully turned around, so Summer could brush and braid her pretty, dark hair.  Araceli smiled her thanks, and when Gabe finally got over his shock that Summer had so easily transformed his daughter when it usually took him a good hour and a time out in her room to settle her down, he turned back to his room to finish getting ready.  As he was dressing, he couldn’t help but envy his little girl and wondered what Summer would do if he asked her to help
him
get ready.  The thought brought a silly grin to his face.

The flight to Rome was uneventful, unless you counted the daggers Celia shot at Summer whenever she was within a yard of Gabe.  Clearly, the woman had it in for her.  Luckily she didn’t seem to have a big influence over Gabe’s decision making.  Summer felt like telling her she wasn’t the kind of woman to encroach on someone else’s territory, but she thought it would be better to just keep her distance.  She thought the plan was working until Celia tried to entice Marisol away from her midflight, and the child refused to budge.  If looks could kill, Summer knew her heart would have already stopped beating.

They were all in the process of climbing into the waiting limo after landing at the airport when a big, black Harley pulled up to the curb behind them, and Summer heard her name called.  She looked up to see a familiar smiling face as the driver took off his helmet.

“Carlos!”  Summer laughed as she launched herself at the handsome man, and he swung her around in a full circle, joining his laughter with hers.

“I was going to call you when I reached the hotel.  How did you know what time I landed?  I didn’t take a commercial flight.”

“I have my ways, Summer, you know that.”  He raised his eyebrows suggestively.  “Come on, let’s start the day early.  I’m working tomorrow, so we only have today to catch up and fit in enough memories to last us until next time,
chica
.”

Summer turned around to excuse herself and found all eyes on her, except for Marisol’s who’d fallen asleep in her father’s arms.  For once, the only one smiling was Celia who assured her that her luggage would be taken to her room and wished her the very best of times.  Was that weird or what?

Carlos handed her the helmet, and she climbed on to the back of the bike and squealed with laughter as they roared away, Summer grabbing hold of his waist frantically.

Gabe stood watching her disappear and scowled as he climbed into the limo.  For once, holding a sleeping Marisol did not bring him peace or comfort or well being.  Who the hell was this Carlos?  For someone who was usually reserved, Summer certainly gave him an enthusiastic welcome.  He scowled again as Celia cozied up to him in the car.

“How nice that Summer has a … friend here in Rome.  I was beginning to think she was antisocial, but after seeing her leave with that very handsome gentleman, I see I was wrong.  I hope they have a wonderful time, don’t you?”

“
Mijo
, are we still going to go to St. Peter’s square?  I would like to go to mass this evening.”

“Yes, Mamá.  I was going to ask Summer if she wanted to accompany us, but it seems she has other plans.  I don’t even know if she is Catholic.”

“Oh, she is.  She mentioned to Marisol that she was hoping to pray the rosary at St. Peter’s while she was here.”

“Well, that’s one answer anyway.  I wonder if she mentioned to Marisol that she was meeting
Carlos
today, because she certainly didn’t mention it to me.  It’s lucky I didn’t need her on duty today.  I’m just glad Marisol didn’t see her climb onto the back of that motorcycle.  The way she’s been shadowing Summer lately, she would have put a Harley on her Christmas list.”

“
Como que
‘on duty today’ Gabriel?  You told her from the beginning her time was her own on flight days.  And there is a big difference between a four year old on a motorcycle and a grown woman, don’t you think?”

Gabe continued to scowl.  “It’s dangerous either way.”

“Well I think it’s very romantic, and I for one would love to spend the day on the back of a bike seeing all the romantic sights here.  Gabe, we should rent a motorcycle today.”

“I have to check the concert hall, Celia, and then I’m going to mass with my parents.  I don’t have time to see the sights, and besides, I’ve seen them all before, several times.”

“You’re no fun.”  Gabe glanced her way and thought Celia looked a lot like Marisol when she didn’t get her way.  He didn’t cater to spoiled brats, whether they were four or thirty-four.  He wished Celia would go home anyway.  They’d grown up together and even had a brief dating spree when they were teenagers, but he wasn’t the least bit interested in going there with her again, despite the many invitations she’d sent his way ever since the death of his wife.

He was in a foul mood the whole day.  After mass, he, his parents, Marisol, and Celia all went out to dinner.  It was after ten when they finally made it back to the hotel.  Gabe put Marisol to bed and afterwards began to pace the living room.  Around ten thirty, he decided that it was imperative to know what time Summer planned on picking up Marisol in the morning and dialed her room.  Having worked out exactly what he would say when she picked up, he was doubly frustrated when there was no answer.  Leaving the nanny with his daughter, he decided to go downstairs to the lounge for a nightcap.  It was mostly deserted by the time he got there, so he had his choice of seats.  Having stayed at this hotel many times, the staff knew his preferences and led him to a secluded table in the back corner, but he chose a different table closer to the entrance.  It was purely coincidental that it happened to have a clear view of the hotel’s main entrance.

Over an hour and several drinks later, Summer came breezing into the lobby with a huge smile on her face.  It was the first time Gabe had seen her so unguardedly happy since he’d known her, and it was extremely aggravating to know that … motorcycle man was apparently responsible for her joy.  Carlos what’s his name.  Oh, yeah, he didn’t know his last name.  Just Carlos.  The idiot on the bike that had his hands all over his daughter’s teacher this morning at the airport.  Well, maybe not all over her, but that was probably no longer the case based on the smile on Summer’s face. 
Diós.

What kind of man didn’t see the woman to the door, anyway?  Signing the tab, he decided it was up to him to rectify the situation.  He stood up and headed for the front desk where Summer was collecting her key.  She was just turning around – still with that big smile on her face – when she literally bumped into him.

“
Perdón
, oh hi, Gabe.  Are you on your way out?”

“Hello, Summer.  No, as a matter of fact, I’m headed up to my room.  I believe you’re right next door to us.  Shall I see you safely to your door?  It is the gentlemanly thing to do, after all.”

“Sure.  Are you okay?”

“I’m great, but probably not as great as you are based on the smile on your beautiful face tonight.  Had a good time did you?  With Carlos?”

“Uh, yeah.  I had a great time today.  I hadn’t seen Carlos and Marcos in years.  Have you been drinking?”

“Carlos and Marcos?  Isn’t it wonderful how sometimes you can just … pick up where you left off with some people?  I guess Carlos is one of those people for you.  And yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes, I have been drinking.  Not
mucho, mucho,
just
mucho
.”

“Uh huh.  I’ll tell you what, Gabe.  Why don’t I see
you
to
your
room?  Preferably before anyone from the press or your fan club sees you.”

“How gracious of you, but I insist that I see me to your room.  Did I say that right?  No, I didn’t, did I?  Shall I try it in Spanish?”

“That’s okay, Gabe.  I get the gist of it.  Here’s the elevator.  Let’s go.”  They stepped into the elevator, and she pushed the button, thankful nobody else was riding with them.

“You are a very beautiful woman, Summer, and you have a very beautiful name that suits you beautifully.  Who named you, anyway?”

“Thank you, Gabe, and my mother named me, sort of after her.  My mother’s name was Sunny.”

“Another beautiful name for another beautiful woman, no doubt.  You said you looked like her at the interview, did you not?  Was she?”

“Was she what?”

“Sunny.  I mean, did she have a sunny personality, or was she more serious like you?”

“My mother was rarely serious.  I remember her always laughing, and me laughing with her.  So yes, she was exactly like her name suggested.”

“So why are you so serious?”

“I’m not always serious.”

“You know, you’re right.  There was nothing serious about you when Carlos picked you up today, unless you count seriously happy and seriously excited to see Carlos.   Riding motorcycles is dangerous, you know.  I was very concerned about your safety.”  The elevator doors opened, and when he didn’t move, she hooked her hand inside the crook of his arm and pulled him out.

“That’s very sweet of you, but as you can see, I am just fine and all in one piece.”

“I can see your body is all intact, but what about your heart?  Did you cry when you said goodbye to Carlos like you did when you said goodbye to your grandmother?”

“Gabe, shut up and let’s get to our rooms.  I hope you don’t make this a habit.  Marisol doesn’t miss much, you know, and if you make it a habit coming home so tipsy, she’s sure to pick up on it.”

“Marisol is asleep,
cara
.  I checked on her before I went downstairs.  And no, I rarely drink, other than a glass of wine with dinner or a cold beer on a hot day.”

“Good to know.  Well, here we are.  Where is your room?”

“Right next door.  Now aren’t you glad I walked you to your room?  What kind of man is this Carlos anyway, that he didn’t see you to your room?”

“The tired kind that has to get up for work tomorrow.  Goodnight, Gabe.  You are going to your room now, aren’t you?”

“
Si, señorita
.  What, no goodnight kiss tonight?  You kissed me last night.  I remember.”  He wore a sloppy grin on his face as he looked down at her.

Summer rolled her eyes and decided to humor him reaching up to kiss his cheek.  At the last second, he shifted and met her lips with his own in a searing kiss she felt with every nerve ending in her body.  Gabe framed her face in his hands and tilted her head to the side, so he could deepen the kiss.  Caught off guard, Summer began to pull back initially, but his hands kept her in place, gently, coaxingly, while he parted her lips with his tongue to taste her more completely.