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I liked her, I thought, then suddenly shook my head, knowing that wasn’t quite right.
I liked her a lot.
I don’t think it was nerves, but whatever the reason, I woke at dawn and couldn’t go back to sleep. Instead, I went for an early-morning run, then tidied up the condo. After my shower, I swung by the grocery store to replenish the snacks and drinks in my cooler.
Assuming I’d get wet, I threw shorts on over a bathing suit, grabbed a spare T-shirt, and wiggled into my flip-flops. By then it was half past nine and I started for the hotel.
The lobby of the hotel was as grand as the rest of the pink palace, bustling in the morning sunlight. Checking my phone, I noted a text from Ray informing me that I’d be starting at four tomorrow instead of five, which meant I’d be playing an extra hour—no big deal; I responded that I’d be there on time. When Morgan finally appeared, she was dressed casually, a turquoise bikini peeking out beneath a white halter and faded denim shorts. She had a Gucci beach tote slung over her shoulder and a pair of expensive sunglasses perched in her hair.
“Hey there,” she said. “Sorry I’m a little late, but I wasn’t sure what to wear.”
“I think you’ll be fine,” I assured her. “Do you have everything?”
When she nodded, I swept my arm toward the door, and a minute later we were rolling down the long, ramped drive.
“How did rehearsal go?”
“Same as always. Just when I think we’re almost there, Maria notices something else we still need to work on.”
“Where do you rehearse? I haven’t seen you on the beach in the mornings when I’m out for my run.”
“We use one of the conference rooms on the main floor. We’re probably not supposed to, but no one at the hotel has complained yet.”
“So, you’re saying you’re a rule breaker?”
“Sometimes,” she offered. “Isn’t everyone?”
“I wouldn’t have guessed that about you.”
“There’s still a lot about me that you don’t know.”
“Care to share?”
“Only if you ask the right questions.”
“All right.” I pretended to ponder the possibilities. “Tell me about your previous boyfriend.”
“I never told you that I had a boyfriend.”
“Then consider me a good guesser.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Anything. What was he like? How long did you go out?”
She sighed. “He was pre-law, two years older than me, and we met during my freshman year. But I was very involved with music and dance and my classes, and I wanted to hang with my friends, too. He had trouble understanding that. He’d get upset when I wasn’t able to spend as much time with him as he wanted, or he’d suggest that I blow off piano practice or whatever, and it began to irritate me. So after a couple of months I ended it, and that was that. How about you? Tell me about your ex-girlfriend. Or maybe it’s just…girlfriend?” She gave me a sidelong look.
“Definitely an ex,” I assured her, before giving her the brief rundown on Michelle, our incompatible schedules, and her eventual move out of town. While listening, Morgan absently polished the lenses of her sunglasses with her halter, her expression serious.
“Do you regret that it didn’t work out?”
“Maybe a little, at first. Not so much anymore.”
“I never regretted breaking it off,” she said.
“It’s good to know you can dump someone without a care in the world.”
“He deserved it.”
