Page 37 of Twisted Beauty

Liv clutched her camera and looked for something to shoot. She noticed a few buildings with vibrant colors on the walls and headed toward them for a closer look.

On the way, she passed a life-sized sculpture of two skeletons, one wearing a wedding gown and the other dressed in a tux and on his knees proposing.

“Just say no,” she muttered under her breath. She certainly wished she had.

The longer she spent away from Grant, the more things gnawed at her about their relationship. Despite how smitten he’d seemed with her at first, he had a way of making her feel like she was never quite enough. Not ambitious enough, not professional enough, not focused enough. She was always trying to become some better version of herself for him, turning her back on what she really wanted in the process. Kind of pathetic, now that she thought about it.

It was Grant who’d gotten her promoted to lead camera for his field reports. He’d told her it was the perfect outlet for her creative mind. As if her “creative mind” was some kind of disorder that needed to be cured.

He was so much like her parents. How had she not noticed that before?

She stared at the skeletons. Maybe the artist had an issue with marriage too. The whole installation was begging for a plaque that read, Over My Dead Body.

Liv continued toward the buildings, thinking about how insane it was that she’d almost married a man who didn’t inspire even one-tenth of the crazy reaction in her that Matt did.

Though that didn’t exactly justify her complete lack of control at the party last night.

Replaying the whole evening in her head for the umpteenth time, she tried to remember what she’d been thinking. She’d sworn off men, hadn’t she? She’d practically threatened to behead Katie if she tried to set her up again.

Yet at some point she’d decided there was no harm in having a little fun. That just because she didn’t want a relationship didn’t mean she was supposed to be a nun. And she’d only had one beer. One. Unless it was laced with some sort of love potion from Tito’s shop, she couldn’t use it as an excuse.

She was so screwed.

When she saw the look of panic on Matt’s face after she’d ended their kiss, she knew it had been a mistake. Naturally he thought she’d expect something more. What was it with men? As if they were the only ones who could do casual. Hello? Not every woman who jumps you drunk at a party wants to have your babies. God, she’d just wanted a kiss.

No doubt Nate would have been a better choice. He’d been so sweet to her all night, and clearly wasn’t afraid to get close. But she couldn’t do it. Not with her thoughts—and other girlie bits—still reeling over Matt.

She rubbed a hand over her forehead, wondering how to handle it when she saw him again.

Well, she’d just have to stay as far away from him as possible from now on. And a cold shower wouldn’t hurt either. Because, holy crap. That kiss.

She just about bumped into the building she’d been looking for. Good thing too, or she’d have missed it completely. And it was definitely worthy of a few photos. Each wall had a different mural, painted in vibrant swirls of color. The most striking was a close-up of a woman’s violet eyes. Her face, which was streaks of blue, green and yellow paint, disappeared below the water’s surface, while her fingers formed the shape of a heart against her forehead.

Of course.

Was everyone obsessed with love? It sure seemed that way. Maybe she’d explored enough for today.

Feeling drained from the lack of sleep, she left the park and walked back toward town. She was dimly aware of how empty the sidewalks were, if only because she wasn’t having to dodge people left and right like usual.

A gust of wind whipped through her hair and a few droplets of water hit the sidewalk by her feet, darkening the concrete. She looked up to see blackened clouds rolling in from the beach and blotting out the sun overhead. Thunder rumbled in the distance, but it didn’t sound all that far away.

Not good.

No wonder there were so few people out. She hadn’t even thought to check the weather forecast. Her raincoat was still rolled up in the outer pocket of her suitcase and she’d left her camera bag sitting on the bed with all her extra lenses, too heavy to carry around. The bag on her shoulder was made of thin cotton, and not remotely waterproof.

She had no way to protect the expensive camera slung around her neck.

Looking up the street, she realized she was only a few short blocks from El Brujo Loco. She might make it before the skies opened up. And Tito would let her hang out as long as necessary, she was sure of that.

“Please, please, please,” she whispered to no one in particular as she picked up her pace. She probably hadn’t crossed her fingers since she was six, but she did it now. Because she really needed Matt to be anywhere but there. If his reaction last night was any indication, he’d take one look at her and toss her back out into the rain.

Fatter drops started to fall, splashing in an uneven rhythm onto the sidewalk around her, and filling the air with the smell of wet cement. She jogged the last half block to Tito’s.

She pushed open the front door and stepped inside. A bell chimed overhead and she held her breath.

The scraping noise of a chair on the hard floor came from the far side of the shop.

“Liv, mi querida, you come to visit Tito.” He walked toward her slowly, with a huge smile on his face, and she couldn’t help but smile back. She wondered if he made everyone feel this welcome when they entered his shop. What a contrast to his grandson. Who she kissed last night.