I giggled. The self-defense classes my father had bought for me last year had paid off .
“I want my surprise.” I settled into the seat .
“You sure ?”
“Positive.” I knew I was safe with Cole .
“All right, then. We’re already here.” Cole parked the truck behind a ruddy red brick building .
The sun had dipped behind the buildings of the border town, but not before throwing an orange hue on everything around us. I waited while Cole jogged around the front of the truck to get my door .
I caught a hint of his cologne as he helped me step down from the truck. My stomach was instantly in butte
rfly knots when he smiled .
“Ready?” He offered his arm .
I nodded and tucked my hand through the crook of his arm .
Cole led me to a towering wooden fence. He knocked several times before an older woman cracked the gate enough to see us standing there. I kicked myself for not taking Spanish in high school or college. She and Cole were having an extensive conversation, and other than the words table and water, I couldn’t pick up much of the exchange. Why did I insist on learning German ?
We walked into a courtyard. In the center was a bistro table, draped with a colorful tablecloth. Cole walked over and pulled out a chair .
“Is this for us?” I looked around at the mini-courtyard flanked with tropical plants .
“It is.” He stood by the chair, waiting for me to sit .
I looked up and saw lights strung across the table, forming an X overhead. The woman who had let us in returned to the table with a pitcher .
“Are you going to sit?” Cole asked, and nodded at the chair .
“Oh yeah, sorry.” I eased myself into the chair, and Cole walked to the other side of the table. “Everything is so beautiful. I feel like I’m in a movie. And I can’t believe I’m here with Cole Thomas .”
“Believe it.” He filled the empty glasses on the table from the pitcher and handed one to me. “This is the best Sangria you’ll ever have in Mexico .”
I sipped the fruity wine. “Wow. It’s good .”
Minutes later, our hostess walked in with a platter of nachos loaded with fresh avocados. I was used to mashed-up guacamole, but the slices were perfect. She nodded to Cole before exiting through the slatted swinging doors. I could tell by the sounds coming from the building’s entrance that beyond those doors there were other customers. It sounded like a restaurant .
“Ok, how did you pull all of this off?” I twirled an orange around in my glass. “We have our own private patio ?”
“I wanted to do something special for you to say thank you. I never would have had the Dunes ready for tomorrow if you didn’t offer to help .”
“Thank you for the thank you, but you know I wanted to help. I didn’t expect anything in return .”
“I know you didn’t, but I wanted to do this. Besides, seeing you in that dress is worth it .”
I blushed. How could he do that to me so easily ?
“You’re all booked up through the end of next month. I think the Dunes is going to do great once the word gets out that it’s open again and it has running water.” I laughed. “Plus, throwing an awesome party isn’t going to hurt your reputation with the grads. Everyone is going to love it .”
“I think Pops would be proud I pulled this off .”
“I wish I could have met your grandfather .”
“He was a character, but he gave me everything he had. The man never met a stranger, or at least he didn’t let people be strangers.” Cole paused. “I miss him .”
I reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “He would definitely be proud of what you’ve done with the Dunes. Most people would have given up or sold it at the first offer that came along .”