The Other Marlowe Girl (Marlowe Girls) Read online

  “I’m drunker than I realized. Will?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m leaving my car here tonight.”

  “Good idea,” Will called back.

  “Is it going to be here tomorrow?”

  “Come before work. I won’t tow it, but I can’t make promises for other people. I’ll leave a note in the office though,” Will said.

  “Thanks, man,” Enrique said.

  “No problem,” Will said.

  “Let’s go.” Enrique put his arm around me.

  I felt the heat in my face as the blood rushed under my cheeks. I had no idea why, but I was blushing. I never blushed, and it wasn’t like this was the first guy in the world to put his arm around me. Not even the first hot guy. Wow! I’m really off my game.

  As we walked out the door, Enrique was standing to my left with his arm tucked around my waist. Daniel still leaned up against the wall to my right. So much for a buffer. I kind of thought that he wouldn’t say anything with Enrique beside me, but I was wrong. He grabbed my arm. “We need to talk.”

  My breath hitched. “Let go of me. You’re hurting me.”

  “Now.” Enrique growled.

  “This doesn’t involve you,” Daniel growled, but he let go of my arm.

  Enrique pushed me to his other side using the arm that was hooked around my waist.

  “Is that who you owe money?”

  I sighed. “Maybe.”

  “You wanna tell me about it?”

  “Not really.”

  He chuckled. “Fair enough.”

  We stepped outside the glass doors of Cosmos into pouring rain and hail. October in Texas was usually warm enough you didn’t need a jacket, but the hurricane season came late this year, and this rain was frigid. My teeth chattered together. Enrique took off his jacket and hung it over my shoulders. I clung to the seams at each side with my hand, pulling it closed across me.

  “It’s not very warm. It’s more cosmetic than anything,” he said.

  It was very sweet though. No one had given me their jacket since high school, and that was a show. “Thank you.”

  “De nada.”

  A row of cabs stood between us and the parking lot. “You don’t need to walk me to my car in the rain,” I said, sliding his jacket off.

  He pulled it back up. “Kammy, I haven’t seen your friend leave yet, and there is no way I’m going to leave you alone in a dark parking lot after that.”

  “Why? You don’t even know me.”

  “I have this cousin, Nikki. She’s almost like a little sister—she’s such a pain—and I would want someone to walk her to her car… Are you sure you don’t want to take a cab? You had a few drinks.”

  “I’m fine, thanks. And I’m not going far.”

  “Most wrecks happen a block from home.”

  “I’m okay. Really.”

  “Where are we going?” he asked as we walked through the wall of yellow cabs to the parking lot.

  “White Camaro at the very back.”

  “It would be at the very end.”

  I laughed. “You really don’t have to walk me. Just get in a nice warm cab and go home.”

  “Not happening.”

  “Then get wet.”

  “It’s too late for that.”

  He was right. We were both soaked from head to toe, or in my case, stiletto sandal. The way the water poured down over us, we were basically swimming. The hail hadn’t stopped either, and now it was getting bigger.

  “This day keeps getting worse,” he moaned.

  “What’s wrong? I mean aside from the torrential water, ice, and wind? I thought you were doing better.”

  “I need to take a cab home.”

  “I can drive you.”

  He laughed. “That’s not the problem.”

  “Then what is?”

  “My car is going to get beat up out here all night.”

  “Sorry. Have your friend drive it home.”

  “Will? He might if I pay him, but he won’t leave for a while.”

  We arrived at my car. “Here we are,” I said. I stepped closer to the door, but I made no effort to get in, because what had started out as a really bad night, I was enjoying now.

  “Get in the car, so you’re out of the rain,” he said.

  “Okay.” I pulled his coat off and handed it to him.

  I opened the door and sat down in the driver’s seat. Before I could close it, Enrique placed a hand on the door frame and leaned down. “I want to see you again. That’s the real reason I walked you to your car.”

  Too bad. He had me convinced good guys still existed with that story about his cousin. “No cousin Nikki?” I teased.

  “Cousin Nikki is very real, and I don’t like for her to walk around by herself at night. I wouldn’t lie to you. I just needed time to get the courage to tell you I. Want. To. See. You. Again. You shot me down pretty hard in there.”

  “So you were hitting on me?”

  “I was not hitting on you! You do look familiar. Give me your phone.” I took my phone out of the pocket of my skirt and handed it to him. He punched numbers in and handed it back to me. “Call me tomorrow, please?”

  “I’ll call you. Maybe.” I smiled.

  He grinned. “I’ll answer. Maybe. Do you think that guy is going to try to follow you?”

  I really hoped not. Katia’s parking lot was a hike from the apartment, and I wasn’t sure I could outrun Daniel with the rain and heels.

  “Probably not.”

  “If you have a problem, call me. I can get rid of him.”

  “You just met me. You know that, right?”

  He shrugged. “I’ll lay off. Sorry.”

  I wasn’t really asking him to. I was more confused than anything. Why put so much effort into a girl he didn’t even know? “Goodnight, Enrique.”

  “Buenos noches.” The way his accent hung over the words was more intoxicating than the margaritas I’d swallowed earlier.

  Chapter 3

  Enrique turned to walk away, and I stuck my key in the keyhole and flipped the ignition. Nothing happened. I tried again. Still nothing. Seriously? I hope this car is not crapping out on me. That’s all I need. It was my gift for high school graduation, and that was some years ago. But I always got the oil changed and did the maintenance. Well, my dad did, but still.

  I got out of the car and lifted the hood. I saw a bunch of stuff that went in cars like wires and dirty metal. Gross. I checked the oil and water. They were both full, and that was about the extent of my automotive know-how. I called Katia, maybe she could come get me.

  “Katia’s phone. Katia’s busy,” a guy said.

  “I need to talk to her. It’s an emergency.”

  He groaned. “Emergencies are buzz kills.”

  Tell me about it.

  “Kammy, what’s up?” Katia asked.

  “I’m stranded at Cosmos. Could you pick me up?”

  “No can do. I’m on the island.”

  “The island? Galveston?”

  “Crystal Beach.”

  “What are you doing on Crystal Beach? You said I could crash. You know the situation.”

  “Those boys next door have a key. Just knock on the door. You can still crash.”

  It was after two a.m. No way was I knocking on some stranger’s door to get Katia’s house key, assuming they’d even give it to me since I was obviously not Katia. I was going to have to go to my sister’s tonight, which was just as bad as going home—to my parents. Except I was mad at my parents.

  And either way I had to figure out something under this damn hood, because I was sure Tiffany would not come pick me up. She’d just call my dad and tell on me like she did in Mexico. If I were her big sister, I’d take care of her. So I stood hunched under an open hood in frigid rain, looking at wires and dirty metal, trying to figure out which piece of this I needed to do what with for my car to start. A horn honked beside me, and I jumped, hitting my head on the hood. I looked up as Enrique
stepped out of a yellow cab.

  “I was leaving, and I saw you out here. What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know.”

  He took his phone out and used the glow for a flashlight. He picked up a wire laying on top of the battery and let it fall. “Someone’s disconnected your battery cables, and I don’t think I can re-connect them in this rain.” He laughed. “Not to mention I’m so drunk I’m not sure I’d do it right anyhow.”

  I sighed. Daniel. And he’s probably still around.

  “Get in the cab.”

  “I’ll get my own cab. Thank you though.” I’m pretty sure you don’t want me to call you now.

  “Kammy, I’m not drunk enough to think it’s coincidence that some guy grabbed you on the way out of the bar and your battery cables are disconnected now. I’m going to make sure you get home okay.”

  I found a really nice guy on the way worst day to do it. OMG! I’d kill to be Tiffany. For a day, just one day. What would Tiffany do? Surrender. “Thank you.”

  “Where are we going?” Enrique asked once we were inside the cab.

  “3300 Pond Point Crossing.”

  “That’s my brother’s house! I know why I’ve seen you. You were at the wedding.”

  Great. No chance I’ll be seeing Enrique again. “Yeah, I was there,” I said flatly.

  “How do you know Tiffany?”

  “She’s—she’s my sister.”

  “But you weren’t in the wedding, or at the rehearsal dinner.”

  I gave a curt laugh then bit my bottom lip. “I didn’t know there was a rehearsal dinner.”

  “Riiight,” He drew the word out as if he were suddenly coming to a realization. “Because you married her boyfriend. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  “OMG! I cannot believe she told you that. Yes, I married her boyfriend who she never cared about, and believe me I got the worst end of the deal. He was a freakin’ skater boy. A skater boy! Can you see Tiffany with a skater boy? And Luke is exactly what she needed, so I don’t even know why she’s still on that. God! I wonder who else she told. Does she just go around talking about me?”

  “Hey, hey, calm down. She didn’t tell me anything. Can I ask you a favor?”

  “Go for it. I figure I’m obliged.” I leaned back against the tattered seat.

  “You’re not obligated to do anything, but please don’t mention that I know.”

  “Because she trashes me and doesn’t want me to know it? Even better. Gutless beyotch.”

  He laughed. “Don’t mention it because Tiffany didn’t tell me. Luke did, before they were married, because he thought it was the reason he had such a hard time getting close to her.”

  “They looked pretty cozy to me when we left Cancun.” I crossed my arm. For some reason, talking about my perfect big sister could always set me off.

  “The first time he proposed, she turned him down.” His words were quiet this time.

  “I didn’t know that.”

  “No one does.”

  “Why would she do that? She loved him. It was obvious. She let Luke get to her in a way my sister doesn’t let anyone get to her.”

  “He felt she didn’t trust him enough to make that commitment. She even tried to break up with him, but he wasn’t letting her go. So you can see how if either of them knew I mentioned it, it would cause a problem for me.”

  “That’s so sweet. Of course, Tiffany would get a guy like that while I got the skater boy.”

  “Tiffany had the skater boy first.”

  She wasn’t stupid enough to marry him. “Right.”

  His gaze met my eyes and never faltered. “Look, I have to ask, are you divorced?”

  “Why do you care? Yes, I’m divorced. Just like your brother predicted, Emmett had an affair.”

  “Kammy, what happened between you and your sister is between you and your sister. I asked if you’re divorced, because I told you I plan on seeing you again. If you had a husband, it would complicate that.”

  “Why do you want to see me again? It makes no sense. You have it together, and I think it’s obvious that I don’t. And now you know my beautiful, sordid past. What exactly are you hoping for?”

  “Dinner and a movie.”

  “Why?”

  “Marlowe girls have a certain charm. My turn to ask a question. Why did my brother give you relationship advice?”

  “Relationship advice?”

  “You said he predicted your ex-husband’s affair.”

  I sighed. “I think that was supposed to be more of an insult than advice. He cheated on Tiffany, so he would cheat on me.”

  “Oh. Luke didn’t mention that.”

  My cheeks filled with heat. Why leave any details out, Kammy?

  “Kammy, I really don’t care about that. It was years ago.”

  “Marlowe girls have a certain charm, so you’re hoping for someone like my sister?”

  “If I were hoping for someone like your sister, I would have put you in your own cab.”

  “Because I’m that bad.”

  He laughed. “You need a shrink. I would have put you in your own cab, because you’re that different and it’s obvious. I’m not into good girls.”

  “So, I’m that bad.” I slid away from him, closer to the door.

  “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant. I like girls that assume you’re hitting on them because you say they look familiar. I like girls that say “maybe” when you ask them to call you.

  “Bold.”

  Enrique nodded as the cab pulled up to the gate of Tiffany’s subdivision.

  Crap. I forgot about that.

  “Do you have a code?” the driver asked from the front seat.

  “I’ll get it.” Enrique stepped into the rain and punched numbers on the keypad.

  Luke’s brother had the code. I didn’t.

  The massive black gate slid apart. Enrique climbed back in the cab and we drove past it.

  Enrique scooted closer to me in the seat. “Do you know why Will quit serving me tonight?”

  “No.”

  “I broke three shot glasses. I was drunk and pissed. Every time I thought about mi papá or Luke, I’d take a shot and throw it at the sink. A few times I missed.”

  “If Luke were my boss, I’d quit.”

  “I’ve thought about it more than once, but it’s my company, too.”

  “No, it’s your dad’s.”

  “It is, but it will be ours. As in mine, Luke’s, and Toni’s, so why should Luke run it? It’s not my fault that he’s older so by default graduated sooner and has more experience.”

  “Toni is your younger brother?”

  “Sí.”

  “Imagine how it feels to be him.”

  Enrique laughed. “The point is everyone does stupid shit. It’s okay. Quit being so hard on yourself.”

  It was the out that Tiffany and our parents were never going to give me. My friends supported me when I married Emmett, but it wasn’t because they thought I was right. It was only because we partied together.

  “You’re very nice.”

  The cab pulled up to the curb in front of Tiffany’s house. Enrique leaned forward. “Keep the meter running,” he said to the driver. He opened the door, stepped out of the car, and when I moved toward the open door, he took my hand and helped me out. A first.

  “Thank you.”

  “De nada.” He walked me to the front door. “Kammy, there is one thing I have to ask you, but I didn’t want to do it in the cab.”

  “What?”

  “The guy from the bar, are you doing something illegal?”

  I hung my head. “Yes, but I didn’t realize how much so until it was way too late.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I did something illegal that I didn’t think would be this big of a deal to keep him from killing someone else and me in the process. If I had it to do over again, I think I’d let him kill the jerk. Enrique, I know I’m not the kind of girl guys like you dat
e. You’ve been very nice, but there is no reason to get mixed up with me. I—I didn’t go to the bar to meet a guy tonight. I went to Cosmos to kill time until Katia got home, which turned out not to matter because she went to Crystal Beach instead of going home.”

  “I wasn’t at the bar to pick someone up tonight, either. I promise.”

  “Because you’ve outgrown bar chicks, and that’s what I am.”

  “There is more to you than that. And I’m in Cosmos once a week. This is the first time I’ve seen you there.”

  I went once a week too, but usually on Friday nights.

  “We’ll talk about this more tomorrow. I don’t want my brother to see me out so late.” He placed a hand on my cheek and pressed his lips against mine. My mouth parted and so did his. The taste of Enrique filled me with desire, but I’d learned enough from Emmett that I knew I didn’t want whatever chance I had with Enrique to start out like this. Using more self-control than I knew I had, I pulled away from him.

  I put my fingers on his lips. “Not until the fifth date.”

  “For a kiss?” he whined.

  I nodded.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “That was easy.”

  “I’m man enough to take no for an answer. Am I allowed to peck you?”

  “On the cheek.”

  He leaned down and pecked my cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Enrique, there is something you should know.”

  “What?”

  “You didn’t want Luke to know you’re here, but I don’t have the gate code.”

  “Ahh. Don’t worry about knocking then. It might wake Lucía up.” Lucía was my—our—niece. Enrique pulled his keys from his pocket and unlocked the door.

  “You have a house key?”

  Neither of us said anything, and finally he spoke. “I should go, but can I take you to dinner tomorrow night?”

  “I’d like to see you again.”

  “Done.” He headed back for the cab then spun around to look at me. “Hey, Kammy?”

  “Yeah?”

  “If I take you to dinner then drop you off and pick you up again before the movie, does that count as two dates?”

  “Maybe,” I smiled as I opened the door.

  Enrique gave me a wave and started for the cab again.