Page 87 of Twisted Beauty

“Ah, buenos dias, señorita,” Pedro said. He stood at the counter holding a French press filled with coffee, and Liv felt a rush of relief. “You’re the first one up. Can I offer you coffee?”

“Si, muchas gracias. And good morning.” She noticed two more carafes of coffee already brewed and waiting on the countertop. This place was heaven.

Even though they’d eaten dinner in here last night, Liv couldn’t get over how gorgeous the kitchen was. She loved how the ceiling was just the bare red tiles of the roof held up by wooden beams. And that the front wall was all stone, with a rolled garage door hovering above the wide doorway. The partial walls, the floor, the wood-burning stove, and even some of the countertops were all cement, and sandwiched in between were gleaming silver, modern appliances. It was the dream kitchen she never knew she wanted.

Liv ran a hand along the long, wooden tabletop, so worn and smooth it looked like it had seen a lot of love over the years.

“Sit anywhere you like and I’ll serve you.” Pedro carried the French press to the table, which was already set with plates and mugs in several colors—red, blue, green and yellow.

Liv settled into one of the high-backed chairs, and Pedro filled her cup with steaming coffee that smelled rich and strong. Her mouth watered and she breathed in the steam. “Wow, this smells delicious. Thank you.”

She took a sip and sighed. Coffee this good was hard enough to find in the city, let alone a jungle behind a tiny little coastal town. She was officially smitten with Yelapa, and maybe Pedro and his dog too.

Pedro filled his own cup and took his seat at the head of the table. At the foot of the table, Toro sat in another chair like a perfect little gentleman, tilting his head and wagging. Pedro had placed a bowl of something white and frothy in front of him.

“Go ahead, drink up, Toro,” Pedro said. Toro buried his snout in the bowl.

“What does he have there?”

“A homemade puppuccino.” Pedro took a sip of his coffee and settled back into his chair.

Liv giggled. How was this happening in the middle of nowhere? “Well you’re a lucky dog aren’t you, Toro?”

Toro wagged but didn’t lift his head, and the rhythm of his tongue lapping up the liquid didn’t miss a beat.

“This may be the best place I’ve ever been,” Liv said. “Thank you for hosting us, Pedro. It’s all so special.”

Being here, surrounded by friends and nature, felt absolutely magical. Nothing to do with Lita’s pendant either. She wouldn’t believe that.

Still, she’d had the best night of her life with Matt. The best dinner too. A faint smell of steak still lingered near the stovetop, and she pictured the heaping plates of food he’d placed on the table, with grilled asparagus, homemade french fries, and some kind of au jus that was absolutely sinful. Anyone who could make meat and veggies taste that good really had a talent.

“You’re very welcome,” Pedro said. “Casa Ventana has been in my family for generations. I love sharing it with visitors.”

Liv was surprised at how fluently Pedro spoke English, with only the slightest accent. And he switched so fluidly between languages. She had to assume Toro was bilingual too. Probably knew how to sit for a puppuccino in just about any language.

“Well, you’re very fortunate to live in such a magical place. I couldn’t believe the sounds of the forest last night. What’s out there? It sounded like a full-on jungle.”

“Sí, you do look tired. I have earplugs if you need them tonight.”

“Thank you, but I loved it.” She wasn’t about to tell him that the sounds of the forest weren’t the reason she didn’t sleep. Liv took another sip of coffee and let it linger on her tongue.

“Yo también. You’re hearing frogs, ocelots, coyotes, all kinds of animals. Sometimes Toro joins in the howling.” Pedro shrugged. “It can be disturbing for some of the guests.”

Toro glanced up at the sound of his name, licking white cream off his snout, and Liv blew kisses at him.

Pedro got up to grab a metal pitcher of cream and was settling back down at the table when Sebastian waltzed into the room in a pair of short shorts and a loose tank that read Fuck Trump.

“Well good morning, you beautiful people. It smells divine in here. Nectar of the gods divine. Please tell me there’s some left for me.”

“Sí, of course.” Pedro stood up again and emptied the last of the carafe into a mug for Sebastian. He started another batch brewing immediately.

This was the perfect morning, and the open-air room brought all of nature inside while they sat comfortably at the table. A morning breeze rustled through the trees, the air was thick with salt, and birds were still chirping, though not nearly as loudly as they were at dawn. Yet somehow Liv could still hear the silence behind all of it. The whole place felt tranquil.

She watched Sebastian pour cream into his coffee with a flourish. She’d taken an instant liking to him. He was so over the top, so unapologetically himself, and never had a shortage of things to say. And so not what she would have expected in Garrett’s other half. They were polar opposites.

“So, pumpkin, how was your first night in paradise with that hunky man of yours? I certainly hope you made the most of it. I know I did.” Sebastian winked at her.

Liv laughed. “I’m sure you did. We had a wonderful evening too, thank you. Any idea what’s on the agenda for today?”