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After scanning the street for a limo and seeing too many of them, Bastien gave up and found a parking spot.
“Where do you think he could be?” Mikelina asked, stretching as she uncoiled herself out of the car.
He took a moment to admire her shapely legs and tanned midriff before she straightened her clothes. “I don’t have the foggiest idea.”
“Does he smoke?” she asked, putting a ridiculous set of heart-shaped sunglasses on her face. But on her, it worked. She looked adorable and he resisted the opportunity to kiss her. He held out his hand instead to help her step up to the curb and then decided not to let her hand go.
“You mean weed?”
“No.” She laughed. “Cigars.” She pointed to a few shops. “There are some master cigar makers in this area. If that’s your sort of thing.”
That was the problem. He had no idea what would interest Jace. Or what his sister saw in him. “Couldn’t hurt to check it out.”
Bastien didn’t know much about cigars, but he was pleasantly surprised that the aroma wasn’t as harsh as he had been expecting. When he mentioned it to Mikelina, she just nodded and said, “The good ones aren’t stinky and acrid. I’m not a fan myself, but I’ve smelled a reeking stogie before and these aren’t anything like them.”
They went in and out of the shops, but there wasn’t any sign of Jace.
Bastien peeked at a few limos but couldn’t see through the tinted windows. He even tried dialing Jace’s number on the off chance that he could hear his phone ring, but it went right to voice mail.
“I give up,” he said. “I’m sorry to have dragged you all the way out here.”
Mikelina shrugged. “It’s a nice day. I got to spend it with a handsome man. Why don’t we grab lunch? Maybe I can convince you to wander through a few museums before we head back.”
“That sounds great. What do you recommend?”
“I’ve got the perfect spot.” Tugging on his arm, she led him through the crowd to the Café Croqueta.
“What’s a croqueta?” he asked after she negotiated a table on the street in rapid Spanish with the hostess.
“It’s a fried ball of goodness. The ham and cheese ones will melt in your mouth. Just you wait.” She grinned at him. “I also ordered us dos Papa Dobles. It’s their Hemingway specialty drink. It’s a rum punch to end all rum punches.”
He whistled. “That’s a heavy-duty cocktail in this heat.”
“We’ll go slow.” Mikelina gave him a sultry look that made him wish they were back in the air-conditioned house with that big bed all to themselves. In fact, why was he wasting time here when he could be there with her? Jace and his idiot friends would show up sooner or later.
“It’s all part of my nefarious plan to get you to spend some time cruising through the museums with me while we sober up a bit,” she added.
“I can think of a few other ways to spend time.” Museums? Just because he didn’t want to go clubbing every night at strip joints didn’t mean he was going to waste the sun, sand and surf.
“Too bad you didn’t rent the limo then.” She batted her eyes outrageously at him and he reached for his phone.
“I could have one here after lunch.”
“But that’s not in the schedule.”
He loved that she flushed bright red and stammered a bit. Leaning in, he brushed her lips with a quick kiss. “It is now.”
“I suppose we could pencil it in.” She smiled shyly at him.
“I’ll call your bluff every time.”
“Maybe it wasn’t a bluff,” she said, taking a shaky breath.
He dialed the limo company. “Yes, I’d like a limousine to pick me up in an hour.” Bastien glanced at the menu and read the restaurant’s address off to them. “I’ll need it for a few hours.”
“Bastien, what about your car?”
He shrugged. “I can come back for it.”
“This is crazy,” she said.
“Hey, it’s a bachelor party. It’s supposed to get a little crazy. Spontaneous even.”
