Inamorata (7 page)

Chapter 11

“Food.”

“Got it. Maria’s got that covered. She is already roasting that huge pig. Juan has some concoction smoldering underground covered with banana leaves.”

“Ice, plenty of ice.”

“Got it.”

“Beer, whatever the men want.”

“Got it. You’re bugging me now, sis.”

“I just want everything set for tomorrow,” Mick said and ran her fingers through her hair then winced as she flexed her hand that was wrapped in a now-dirty bandage. She smacked herself good with that hammer the other day.

“Everything is set. You call me the worrywart. Could it be because a certain doctor will be here that you haven’t seen in a few days?” he asked sweetly.

Mick gave her a disturbed look.

“Don’t be an ass. Isabella…”

“You like her,” he said childishly.

“Sean…”

“You do, admit it. I saw the way you looked at her when she came out of your tent that morning.”

Mick started to protest but knew it was a futile attempt because Sean was right. She was on the verge of being a lovesick sap, if she wasn’t there already. And it nagged at her that she didn’t know if Isabella felt the same. From her kisses, Mick thought for sure she did, but Mick had a bad track record with women, and she didn’t trust her instincts.

“And I know what you’re thinking right now,” Sean said.

“Get that sappy grin off your face,” Mick said. She fiddled with the drawings on the table, glancing at her ass of a brother. “Okay, smartass, what am I thinking? And I bet you’re off your rocker.”

He leaned his elbows on the table, and fiddled with the ruler. “You’re thinking you really like her, and wondering if she feels the same, but you don’t want to believe she does because of what’s-her-name. And you’re all insecure and girly…”

Mick glared at him. “I hate your guts right now, brother.”

He let out a genuine laugh. “I love you too.” He cocked his head and stopped laughing. “Am I off my rocker?”

Mick sighed and tossed down the pencil. “No, jackass. You’re absolutely right.” She rolled up the blueprints. A healthy swat over the head with the blueprints was the reward for his sarcasm. “Maria said she’s bringing some guy. Might be the guy she was kissing,” she said with a shrug and started to walk away.

Sean reached over and took her by the arm. “I see the way she looks at you, Mick. Don’t jump to anything here,” he said and grinned.

Mick chuckled and kissed his forehead. “Thanks for the vote of confidence,
mi hermano
. But at the very least, if I get a good friend out of this and no romance, I’m still lucky.”

Sean sat there, his mouth gaping. “Girlfriend? No sex?” He then shook his head and walked to his tent. “You have been in this infernal heat much too long, sis.”

*******

Saturday was sunny, hot, and humid.

“For something completely different,” Sean grumbled as he wiped the sweat off his brow.

The workers all had gotten to the site early to do the last-minute work. By noon, they were all sweaty and tired, but they had not only successfully erected the wooden frame of the clinic, but two walls as well.

“It does not look like a clinic,” Zeke said, scratching his head as he looked at the wood frame. “It looks like a bunch of boards hammered together.”

Mick and Sean laughed at his confused posture. Sean ruffled his hair. “Wait until the rest of the walls go up. In another week, you’ll see.”

“Okay, Juan. Send the men home and let them know the party starts at three,” Mick said, and Juan smiled and pulled Mick into a fierce hug. Mick was surprised as was Sean.

Juan pulled back and sniffed.

“Juan, what the hell is wrong?” Mick asked in near panic.

“Nothing. You two are just doing a good, noble thing. Your parents would be so proud of you,” he said.

Sean put his strong arm around his old friend. “They would be proud of all of us,” he corrected him in a kind voice.

Mick agreed and kissed his cheek. “Okay, enough mush! Let’s get this party rockin’!” she ordered.

Chapter 12

“Are you upset that I am going?” Alejandro asked as he drove.

“No, of course not. I just do not like the way you did it,” she replied, looking out the window.

“Well you would not have asked me, I do not think,” he said, and as instructed, he pulled down the paved little road. “Hmm. Civilization meets Los Rios.”

Once again, the disdain in his voice concerned Isabella. “It is about time. Don’t you think?”

He glanced at her, and chuckled sarcastically. “Of course.”

They drove through the small wooded area and the construction site burst into view. It was... “
Magnifico
!” Isabella exclaimed.

The frame of her clinic was standing tall and sturdy. Although she could not tell what was what, it looked wonderful. The large tents seemed almost dwarfed by comparison. They parked in the area next to the Land Rover and Isabella groaned when she was engulfed in a tight hug around her waist. Zeke held on for dear life.

“Doctor Rivera. I am so glad you have come. I have missed you,” he nearly cried.

Isabella smiled, squatted down, and returned his hug, surprised that she felt the same. “I have missed you as well, Zeke. You look taller and stronger. Is that possible?” she asked.

The little boy beamed with pride. “Of course! I am a man,” he reminded. She laughed openly and introduced him to Alejandro who smiled and shook the young boy’s hand.

Zeke frowned with disapproval. Isabella saw the smirk Alejandro offered Zeke.

“Isabella!” She heard the voice she had missed so and her heart fluttered in her chest. She grinned and looked up to see Mick waving from her tent. She looked…well, Isabella had never seen Mick dressed in anything but sweaty work clothes.

Now, she wore a black tank top and a white open linen shirt tucked into a pair of tan cargo shorts. The heavy work boots replaced by a pair of lighter hiking boots. Her hair was still streaked from the sun; it curled now around her neck making it look thicker. Could it have grown a bit longer in such a short time? Isabella did not care; she looked wonderful. Her tan was deeper which made her white teeth look even more so when she smiled as she was doing now. Isabella could see her icy blue eyes sparkling as she waved. She noticed the bandaged hand.

Zeke saw the doctor’s frown. “She smacked it with a hammer. No, that is not true. I-I missed a nail and hit her hand,” he said and looked at the ground.

Isabella ran her fingers through the boy’s thick, dark hair. “It is all right. I will see to it.”

She and Alejandro met Mick by the fire where Maria was cooking the huge pig.

“God, it’s so good to see you,” Mick said, smiling. She couldn’t help it. She was glad to see her friend. She pulled her into a warm embrace.

Isabella relaxed and returned the affectionate hug. “I have missed you,” Isabella whispered sincerely. For a moment, their eyes locked.
Madre de Dios
, those eyes; the color of the Caribbean, Isabella sighed inwardly.

Alejandro cleared his throat. Isabella blinked and offered the introductions. Mick grinned and offered her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Señor Reyes,” she said kindly, and he shook her hand and grinned.

“It is my pleasure Señorita Brennan,” he answered. Mick groaned and waved him off.

“Let’s cut the Señor and Señorita shi… uh, stuff. I’m Mick,” she blushed at her near blunder. Isabella hid her grin.

“I am Alejandro,” he said, rigidly.

Isabella saw his firm handshake; Mick smiled then, and pumped his hand twice. “Nice handshake,” Mick said, glancing at Isabella

Mick gave them the tour of the site, explaining everything in a professional manner. Alejandro listened and nodded. “You are very good at your work, Mick.”

“I love my work. I love this project.
Gracias
,” she said and led them over to the huge coolers. “Keeping this cold will be a challenge.” She flipped the lids open. “Help yourself. I hope I have whatever you like.”

Maria called Mick over to the roasting pig. “Excuse me. I have to get back to work. Make yourself at home. The workers and their families should be here anytime.”

“You have invited the laborers?” Alejandro asked, completely incredulous.

Isabella knew what he meant. Laborers were just that. They were for labor and not for socializing.

Mick, on the other hand, looked completely confused.

“Well, yeah,” she said slowly, looking back and forth.

“I mean no disrespect, but Mick, laborers are laborers,” he said as if he needed to clarify; Mick’s back stiffened. “As a woman perhaps you do not understand the business world. If you coddle them, they will not work as hard.”

Mick blinked in utter disbelief. “You’re serious,” she finally said in awe.

Alejandro took her exclamation of horror as a vote of praise. He smiled and puffed out his chest and nodded. “
Sí
. You are doing well. Please do not misunderstand me. I am sure Juan or perhaps your brother would understand.”

Mick just stared like a deer caught in the headlights. She glanced at Isabella as if to say, if it weren’t for you, kiddo, I’d toss this guy out on his ear. Isabella smiled; she could almost hear Mick say those very words.

“Well, I don’t know what kind of business you’re in, Alejandro, but if it weren’t for these laborers, I would not be in business. Back home we have company picnics all the time. We appreciate our employees’ hard work and reward them. A paycheck is not a reward. Their wages are earned, not given. They work hard for me and for themselves because they are treated as human beings with a soul.

When she stopped, she glanced at Isabella who smiled with pride.

“The retirement package doesn’t hurt their efforts either,” Mick said, and Isabella laughed heartily.

Alejandro just blinked, now he looked horrified. “Retirement package?”

Isabella realized Alejandro was going to pursue Mick’s womanly inferiority so she quickly turned to Mick. “Can I have a beer, Mick?”

Mick tore her gaze away from Alejandro and smiled. “You can have more than one, of course.” She handed both of them an icy cold beer. “Can I borrow Isabella for just a moment…Al?”

Alejandro’s body language did the talking; if he stood more erect, he would break like a twig. Isabella gave Mick a pleading look.

“Sorry. We’ll be right back,” Mick said, taking Isabella by the arm.

As they walked back toward the foundation of the clinic, Isabella noticed a rocking chair situated in the back section of the wooden shell frame.

“What is this?” she asked as they walked up to it.

“Sit,” Mick ordered and gently pushed her into the chair. “Rock.”

Isabella hid her grin and gently rocked.

“You are looking out your window, Doctor. In a few short months, hopefully, you’ll be sitting in this chair, surrounded by your books and pictures, just sittin’ and rockin’, watching the sunset.”

Isabella looked up with tears in her eyes. Mick frowned and knelt next to her. “What’s wrong?” she asked anxiously.

Isabella wiped the tears from her cheeks and shook her head. “Nothing. I am just so happy. I am overwhelmed.
Gracias
, Michaela Brennan,” she whispered sincerely.

They looked into each other’s eyes and Mick grinned.

“It’s my pleasure, Isabella,” she said softly. “I’ve…”

Isabella smiled. “I have too. I cannot seem to get you out of my mind.”

Mick’s grin grew wider. “Me either. I’m so glad. I was afraid…” She stopped and looked back toward Alejandro.

Isabella reached over and cupped her cheek. “Do not be afraid. But I do not think Alejandro likes his nickname. You have done that with everyone. Ezekiel has become Zeke…you call poor Pedro, Peddy-boy…Why, why have you not done that with me?” she asked and looked into icy blue eyes.

Mick thought for a moment. “Your name is much too beautiful to change to anything. You can only be…Isabella,” she said her name quietly.

Isabella put her head back and smiled, closing her eyes.

“So do you like your chair?” Mick asked playfully, and she put her hand on the back of the chair and rocked it back and forth.

Isabella grinned, her eyes still closed. “
Sí
. I love it, Mick,” she said and opened her eyes. She couldn’t help herself; she reached over and hugged Mick around the neck. Mick sighed and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

“I love the scent of you, Isabella.”

Isabella sighed; she felt her body tremble and quickly pulled back. The look on Mick’s face melted her heart. She reached up, once again and caressed her suntanned cheek.

“The men and their families will be here soon,” Mick said. “I’d better go. Enjoy the view.”

Isabella heard the quaver in her voice; she just nodded as she watched Mick walk away. What a beautiful woman, she thought as she rocked back and forth. “
Inamorata
,” she whispered, with a grin.

“A penny for your thoughts?” Sean’s happy voice called out.

She looked up and laughed as he sat on the cement foundation next to her. He offered her a beer, which she took. “
Gracias
,” she said happily.

“
Da nada
,” he responded in kind and touched his beer bottle with hers.

“So whatta think?” he asked and looked around.

Isabella took a long drink from the icy bottle. “It is wonderful. I cannot believe how much you have done.”

Sean snorted a bit. “Mick is the miracle worker, as Maria says. Last week for some reason, they didn’t deliver the lumber. We called and they said they never got the order. Mick was furious. She hopped in the Land Rover and took off. Four hours later, she came back with a truckload of lumber,” he said, chuckling. “This is the second time we’ve had this happen. Trust me, Doc; in this business there are snafus all the time. It’s the nature of the construction business. But we double- and triple-checked all the work orders. That’s my job and as Mick says, I’m a worrywart.  It’s as if…” he stopped and shook his head.

“As if someone does not want us to continue.  Why are these things happening? Last week…” she stopped abruptly and Sean shot her a worried look.

“What happened last week?”

Isabella put a hand to her forehead. “I received several calls. I do not know who it was, telling me to stop this project. They did not come out and threaten me, but it was there.”

“Shit! Then she was right.”

“Right about what?” Isabella stopped rocking and sat forward. “What Sean?”

“I don’t know. Mick won’t tell you. She doesn’t want you to worry…”

“Tell me what? What is she hiding?” Isabella asked seriously.

Sean took a deep breath. “She’ll kill me. The other night we heard something in the woods. I thought it was an animal. We both took a flashlight and searched the area.” He motioned with his head to the woods behind their tents. “We split up and that’s when I heard her cry out. By the time I got to her, she was on all fours and her side was bleeding. I told her to go see you but she wouldn’t. She made me promise not to tell anyone.”

“Oh, that woman!” Isabella exclaimed and started to rise. Sean quickly stopped her.

“What are you doing? Do you want her to kill me?” he asked, honestly petrified. “You don’t know my sister.”

Isabella was fuming. Sean watched her. “Yeesh, you’ve got a temper worse than hers!” his voice squeaked out. “Will you relax for a minute? She’s okay. I looked at it. She thinks it was a knife maybe…”

“A knife?” she exclaimed and took a deep breath.

Sean leaned in and covered her mouth with his hand. “Holy shit, will you be quiet?” he begged. “God, I should’ve kept my mouth shut. If I thought you were going to fly off the handle like this…”

She looked over Sean’s head to see the source of her irritation playing with Zeke. As Mick squatted down, she noticed she moved stiffly. “Sean, why did she not come and see me?”

Sean shrugged. “Because she’s a stubborn woman, that’s why. She said she was fine. I don’t even think Juan and Maria know. She worries about everyone else.”

Sean could see the angry look. “I will be back,” she said in a terse voice, and Sean groaned helplessly.

*******

Mick squatted down, watching Zeke. “Show me again,” she said.

Zeke took another long blade of grass and put it between both thumbs, clasping his hands together, he put his thumbs to his lips and blew. A gentle whistling sound rang out from his hands.

“That is so cool! Let me try,” Mick said, and Zeke giggled. They both laughed then looked up to see Isabella coming their way with a purposeful gait. Mick frowned slightly at the angry look on the doctor’s face.

Zeke saw it as well. “Doctor Rivera looks angry.”

Mick nodded. “Yeah, what did you do?” she scolded playfully and the little boy giggled again. They both stood as Isabella marched up to them. Zeke was standing in front of Mick who grinned.

“Hi, what...?”