But it was still lonely not to have Sofia across the hall, not to interact with the other staff at the hotel that cared about making the place as beautiful as possible. It was a sense of pride for everyone there, from the chef to the janitor.
Just when I shut my laptop, Catalina texted me.
Hey, were you as hungover as I was?
Worse, I’d imagine.
LOL. You wanna go to lunch?
Like, outside the house?
Patricia is a great cook, but you need to get some vitamin D. It’s such a warm day. It’s only spring but it already feels like summer.
I knew Damien didn’t want me to leave the house, not when Liam could be waiting for the right opportunity to grab me. I really shouldn’t go anywhere…
Because that asshole says no? Her attitude was obvious in her words. Don’t be one of those women who obeys their man like a dog.
I’m not. I just know his concern is valid.
Look, if some guy bothers you, I’ll take care of him.
Obviously, she thought this was all a joke. I’m being serious, Catalina.
As am I.
I stopped texting, unsure what to do.
It’s just lunch, Anna. We’ll walk a few blocks, eat, and then walk back. But if you’re really that uncomfortable, I’ll come by there.
Now that I had a friend, I didn’t want to lose her. Hanging out at the house all the time wasn’t fun for anyone. And I wanted to be close with Damien’s sister, because I assumed my relationship with him might last forever. Alright. Just give me fifteen minutes.
Yaaaassssss.
She picked me up at the front door, and together, we walked down the street. She was in a short royal blue dress that had slits along the sides near her stomach, showing some skin but not enough to reveal her belly button. Her jean jacket hid most of it. She walked in wedges like they were flats, and she had a little brown purse that hung across her body. “It’s such a beautiful day.” She tilted her head back and held out her hands, as if she was absorbing the sun straight into her bloodstream. “Girl, if I could photosynthesize, I would.”
I chuckled. “I’m a sun person too.”
“I hate winter. Hate it. Hate it. Hate it.” She lowered her arms and spun in a circle as she kept walking. “See? Isn’t it nice to get out of the house?”
I had to admit it was. “Yes.”
“The only good thing about winter is you can screw in the back seat of a car without getting hot. Otherwise, winter serves absolutely no purpose at all.”
“I’ve never gotten laid in the back seat.”
“Never?” she asked incredulously. “You’ve gotta try it sometime.”
I could have screwed Damien last night in a comfortable bed with the fire crackling, but that didn’t happen. It would eventually be inevitable, and I suspected it would grow more difficult to resist as I continued to sleep with him. But it was the best night of sleep I’d ever gotten, and I had no regrets. “I’ll put it on my bucket list.”
We walked two blocks until we reached a small bistro.
“You wanna sit on the patio?”
“Sure.”
We moved to a table in the center of the seating area. All the other tables were taken, mostly by people who were there on their lunch break. Catalina opened her menu and looked through the options. “I want everything, but I’ll order a goddamn salad.”
“We came all the way here so you could order a salad?” I asked like a smartass.
“I know.” She pulled off her sunglasses and rolled her eyes. “But I’ve got to keep my weight.” She stuck out her tongue this time. “Trust me, if I could gain twenty pounds, I would do it in a heartbeat. I have no tits and no ass.”
“That’s not true.”
“You haven’t seen me naked, girl.”
“I can see your tits right now.” I looked down at her dress. “You’ve got something going on there.”
She waved me off. “Well, thanks. I would quit ballet if I didn’t love it so much. My feet are always blistered, and I have to stay at, like, eight pounds, but I won’t be able to do it much longer, so I’ll enjoy it while I can.”
I wished I were passionate about something like that. “I want to watch you dance sometime.”
“I have a performance almost every weekend. Have Damien take you.”
I doubted he would take me anywhere. “I’ll ask him.” I looked over the menu and didn’t give a damn about my waistline. I decided on something big and delicious before I put the menu down.
The waiter took our orders before walking away.
Catalina sipped her iced tea and glanced at another table. “Ooh…that guy is hot.”
I didn’t look, not out of loyalty; it just wasn’t instinct.
“He looks good in a suit.” She took another sip and stared. “I bet he looks even better without that suit, if you know what I mean.”