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Dylan pulled up another app and began to sweep the ground. “I’m using a Ground Penetrating Radar app that’ll detect water and any disturbance in the ground. It should help us locate the well.”
While he continued messing around with the app, Hollis spotted a sealed-over hole. “Found it,” she announced. Dylan looked up from his phone to see the old well cover and she tried not to smile at his surprised look.
“It’s too early to go down there now. Too many people are still around,” Dylan said.
Hollis nodded. “Want to get something to eat? Then, after the sun goes down, we can come back.”
“Sounds like a plan, Doll.”
Dylan and Hollis walked into a nearby neighborhood and found a busy restaurant. They sat at a table on a large outdoor patio beneath a string of lights and behind them, the sun began to set in an explosion of tropical reds and oranges.
Nearby, couples danced to a band whose energetic and soulful music used conga drums, claves, maracas, piano and other assorted instruments. The sound was bright and Hollis found herself tapping a foot to the beat as she sipped herguava juice.
“You like Cuban music?” Dylan asked.
“I don’t know. I mean, I think so,” she said with a smile. “I’ve honestly never listened to it before.”
“Cuban music hasits principal roots in Spain and West Africa. It’s all about the percussion-- bongos, conga drums, the shell of the timbale drums.”
Hollis tilted her head. God, he surprised her. “You know a lot about music.”
He gave a modest shrug. “Just as it relates to jazz.”
“They have a piano up there,” she said and nudged his elbow. “I’d love to see you play.”
“I don’t think the band would appreciate me taking over. But, maybe someday.”
“So, is this salsa music?”
“There are a lot of genres of Cuban music, but, yeah, salsa is one. You’ve also got Cubop, Rumba, Mambo, the Chachachá….the list is endless.”
“I thought those were dances.”
“The dances developed from the music.”
“Well, aren’t you just full of knowledge?” she teased. But, secretly, she was quite impressed.
As he tried to figure out what was really going through her head, the server appeared with an array of plates. The Creole fusion dishes smelled delicious and they both realized that they hadn’t eaten all day. “Just pass me the vegetarian dishes,” Hollis said with a grin.
Dylan looked over everything. “Here’s some corn soup and there’s the mashed sweet potatoes with pineapple.”
“Oh, I can’t wait to try that,” she exclaimed.
While Hollis focused on the non-meat entrees, Dylan dug into a rice dish with chicken. There were also fritters, vegetables and hot sauce. As they ate, they watched the dance floor get more and more crowded. The bright music poured over them and Dylan found his fingers tapping along the table as though he were playing the piano.
Hollis watched as the music absorbed him. She thought she had Dylan pegged as nothing more than a soldier of fortune. God, how could she have been so wrong for so long about him?
Everything was delicious and they even managed to save room for dessert. As they shared a coconut tart, they both kept their gazes on the dance floor. Dylan looked over at Hollis, saw the sparkle in her eye as she watched, and then stood up.
“C’mon,” he said and extended a hand.
Hollis looked up and blinked. “What?”
He tipped his head toward the dancers. “Show me what you got.”
But, instead of embracing the challenge, she shook her head, eyes wide. “I can’t dance.”
“Me, neither. So, what?”
