Chapter Twenty
Adrián
The sweltering heat surrounded me immediately when I stepped out of the airport in Miami.
Time had accelerated the instant Gen and I decided to move forward with our lives together. The visa process, from all we had gathered, could be a swift or lengthy one. Expecting months, we had filled out the paperwork, secure in the time we had to make the needed changes in our lives to join them successfully.
I hadn’t been expecting less than two months. I received the invitation to the embassy a month into the request, which set a chain of events that brought me to this hot Florida morning waiting for Gen to pick me up.
My chest vibrated with mixed emotions, just a tiny sample of the myriad of physical reactions since I got the visa. Pain to say goodbye to my family and Villa Bonita, and not sure when I would return. Chills with excitement as I packed, imagining placing my clothes next to Gen’s. Indigestion as I dealt with Julín’s cold shoulder. Nostalgia-filled goodbyes with my friends and family. When I traversed the security checkpoint to go to my gate, my throat closed up, and I could not look back to see them all waving one last time.
The exhaust of vehicles burned my nose, as droplets of sweat trickled down my back, and I tapped my feet to the invisible music in my head that had kept me together through the walk out of the airport.
A white car beeped loudly startling me out of my fog, blinding lights flashed in the darkened underground arrival area, and then a door popped open.
“Hey! We gotta move fast. Let me open the trunk.” Gen jumped out of the car in a whirl of cream clothes, sleek hair, and smiles. She threw her arms around me, immediately settling a question that had moved in, niggling in the back of my mind.
Was this the right move?
My chest expanded, taking in her familiar scent of cinnamon and honey and her softness soothing all the turmoil inside. Yes... this was the right move. I had left a crying Claudia and a pissed Julín behind for a worthy reason. This was why I had to trust that Villa Bonita would be okay and that Julín would thrive without me there. I had to trust because holding Gen close felt as right as I had felt in a long time.
“Okay, let’s go,” Gen whispered in my ear, and I entered her vehicle, finally excited for the future.
White, beige, and pink.
An abundance of the first, contrasted with the second with splashes of the third. I took in my new home, an apartment on the fourth floor of a small building in an area she had described as nice but not like “nice nice,” but that to me felt way more than what she described.
I wandered to the living area with its comfortable seating, with a pink throw over beige furniture. The coffee table had an assortment of travel magazines and hidden behind the main sofa I spied fuzzy slippers, which made me grin. Her kitchen opened up to the living area, and the dining room stood right by the window, with an open plan that made the space feel larger than its reality. Gen stood by the door, watching me with apprehension, and I winked at her.
“I got the mortgage when I became director. It was a bit out of my range but... I fell in love with it when I walked through that door,” Gen said proudly.
“It’s beautiful, love,” I said, meaning that.
Everything in the space screamed Gen. She had pictures of her with her mom, assortments of prizes declaring her best team member or best manager, showing her progression to the top. Her kitchen was oddly bare of any fruits or produce on the counters, and when I peeked at the fridge, I found oat milk, eggs, bacon, and a few packs of salads.
The space smelled just like her, and there were books about building your career, being an effective leader, and much more.
Then right in front of the sofa was a large flat-screen TV.
“I bet that TV sees you asleep more than you see it on.” I chuckled, and she laughed.
“No lies. Damn. You know me too well.”
“I do...now show me the bedroom, Preciosa.” I smirked at her and she rolled her eyes but gestured for me to follow. I took off my sneakers and gladly trailed her.
“This is my...our room.” She gestured as we entered the large chamber with a king bed in the middle of more beige, this time mixed with lavenders and pinks. A sizable dresser and mirror sat on one side and on the other the bathroom door and a small bookcase filled with more books about hospitality and success. A comfortable fussy white chair sat in a corner with a big blanket on top.
“Wow, you really like pink, huh?”
“I didn’t envision myself living here with anyone else, so I leaned into my design side.” She interlaced her fingers and started cracking her knuckles. Shit, we were back to the nerves. I got it. I felt nervous as hell too, but it was to be expected. After dropping my backpack I crossed the large bedroom to her, taking her soft hands in mine.
She blew a sigh of relief, our gazes connecting.
“Missed you,” she whispered.
“I missed you too,” I said, pressing my body against hers. Her cream pencil skirt and silk blouse taunted me, a package ready to be opened to reveal the beauty that lay within.
“We should redecorate, make the space ours,” she whispered calming my thoughts before they were even a concern.
“We have time, we can do it slowly.”
We stood close, our breath matching as we relearned each other through touch, sight, and sounds. Our mouths met in a relaxed exhale, reminding me that we no longer had to rush because we had forever. Our tongues intertwined, and her taste traveled straight to my growing erection. Maneuvering by feel, I guided her toward the bed, where we collapsed in a tangle of limbs, passion building, without breaking the kiss. Gen moaned and attempted to throw a leg over my hip; then as if water had been splashed over us, she parted in a frustrated groan, scrambling up to stand.
“I have to go back to the office,” she whispered, looking down at me, while my hard dick strained inside my jeans.
“What?”
“Yeah, I have to go back. We have a staff meeting this afternoon that I can’t miss. But I’ll be home early.”
It took a second to register that she had plans to return to the office. I had flown in early, and this was technically lunchtime, but I had assumed...
“Oh, don’t look like that, you know I would have stayed, but this meeting is...it’s important...” Shaking off my disappointment, I nodded, flipping my perspective. This would allow me time to settle and unpack. Get myself comfortable and familiar with the area. Take a walk around the block. Yes, this was okay.
“Come here,” I growled, standing to gather her close, my hands full of her abundant ass.
“I’m gonna let you go, but tonight...” I bit her neck, and she threw her head back, moaning, her hips pressing against my groin. I couldn’t help myself; I trailed kisses down her chest into her cleavage, getting lost in her velvety skin.
“Tonight Mom’s coming for dinner, but after yes...”
It was my turn to jerk back, causing Gen to whine in disappointment.
“Your mom?”
“Yeah, we...we’re having dinner with her. I figured you could meet her the first night. Then in the next few days, you can meet Gino.”
I had no qualms about meeting Gen’s mom. None, but she’d curated this image in my mind with her love and her complaints that had me feeling a certain way about having to do this meet and greet the first night I arrived. I wanted time to get used to us, in our space, before anything else. But her mom was important, and I understood that.
“Alright. Okay, you want me to cook?”
“Nah, that’s why I’m coming home early. To cook and for us to have a little time before she arrives. I’ll be home at four, and dinner is at seven.”
“Now you’re speaking my language.” I pulled her close again and made sure she left to work with a significant incentive to return.
Genevieve was late. Dinner with her mom was set for 7:00 p.m. It was 6:15 p.m. and she hadn’t arrived nor texted. Once I’d realized around 5:15 she wasn’t on her way, I’d ventured out to the supermarket a block away, buying some simple ingredients to get dinner going. An hour later, I had diced peppers, garlic and had a pot of rice on the stove. Oil spattered hot in a frying pan, ready for the sliced plátanos I had for the tajadas and I had a salad of lettuce, tomato, and cucumbers sitting on a plate.
The shrimp had been way more expensive than anything I had ever paid for in Panamá, but I wanted to impress Lissette, hoping to make her fall in love with my cooking. Her approval wasn’t necessary to me; Gen’s need for that approval was what fueled me.
The smell of shrimp al ajillo sizzled on the pan as Gen finally made her entrance at 6:45, throwing her heels to the side as she padded into the kitchen.
“Oh my God, I’m so so sorry, I didn’t realize I left my cell in the car, and by the time I realized, I couldn’t leave the meeting, which ended up running so much later than expected.” She sighed getting right next to me. “What do I do?”
“You can set the table and pull the plates and cups. The food is almost ready. You told me your mother was punctual so...”
A knock stopped my words.
“Yup. You were right about that. I love that you remembered.” Gen kissed my cheek quickly, then sped to the door. I pursed my lips and girded myself for the upcoming hours. I followed at my own pace as Gen opened the door.
“Mom, hi,” Gen said as a woman taller than Gen with the same dark brown complexion entered the room.
Lissette Raymond was imposing; I could see where Gen got that aura of command and self-assurance she usually exuded. But where Gen was often vulnerable around me, Lissette currently showcased an impenetrable shell.
“So, this is the young man you have decided to marry impulsively?” Lissette glided into the house, not bothering to remove her heels, until she posted up right in front of me. An aggressive, simmering energy emanated from her, and I realized this night would not go as Gen expected. I gained nothing from antagonizing Lissette, so I kept my calm, unwilling to match her intensity.
“Mrs. Raymond, I’m glad to meet you finally. Thanks for coming tonight,” I greeted her, extending my hand. No hug would be coming, so I didn’t try.
“Mmm-hmm, I come whenever I like. This is my daughter’s apartment,” she claimed and put down her purse on one of the sofas.
“Mom.” Gen’s forceful reminder made Lissette smile, then as if she hadn’t just come into the apartment with fighting words, she sat on the seat at the head of the dining room table.
“It’s alright.” I squeezed Gen’s arm as I walked past her back to the kitchen to finish serving the dinner.
This would be a long night.
We ate silently for a few minutes after a begrudging “this is good” from Lissette.
“So, young man, what are your plans now that you’re here?”
I’m unsure what exactly I’d done to earn her skepticism. But I’d promised myself to keep the peace, so I was honest. I sat across from Gen, whose frown was so loud, I could sense it whispering her displeasure in my ears.
“Not certain yet. I want to find a job that provides me balance to continue to grow our relationship healthily.” I extended my palm to Gen, who grinned apologetically and placed her hand on mine.
“Mom, Adrián owns a small business in Panamá, actually two. They are both...growing, but they are still both his, and together we’re working on ways of expanding them from here too,” Gen explained. Well, that was news to me. She helped set up ads, which had helped get more bookings in Villa Bonita, but I hadn’t realized she wanted to be more involved. It warmed my heart, but the skeptic in me wondered if this was to appease her need for constant success. I wanted the business to provide for my family, while she was using words like expansion. I squeezed her hand in acknowledgment, tucking in my concerns for another day. We had time. We had plenty of time.
“Oh yes, that little motel he has on the beach? Isn’t it just your family house and you rent some rooms? That won’t be enough to maintain a household in this country. As you know, Genevieve works hard, so I want to ensure you plan to do the same.” Lissette stared at me with a challenging glint in her eyes.
“Whatever plans Gen and I have, they are ours, and as long as Gen is good, then we are good.”
Gen’s nervous laughter hit me like a warning bell. She slid her hand away from mine and focused on her meal.
“You know, I had another great meeting today, speaking about expansion. We reached out to the architect company in Panamá where A.D. Nicholson used to work, we’re hoping they reach out to him.”
Fuck. Of all things, this was what she segued with? This whole dinner was a disaster. I should have told Gen before proposing about my relationship with the Tropics, but something continued to block me, and I seldom ignored my gut. There was still healing to be done, for the wrongs I had wrought, but it was my past, and I should be able to tell it at my pace.
When I had proposed to her, I had wanted to tell her before, for her to understand me even better, and now with it dangling over us, I knew it was time. It allowed Gen to make decisions if she needed to.
I hoped she understood my hesitation in telling her because sometimes, her goal-oriented hunger came out and made me wonder if she would ever comprehend the steps I took to move on from tragedy.
But it had to wait until we were on our own, this night needed to go well, for Gen’s sake and even for Lissette.
So I stayed chill, polishing my shrimp, the savory flavors flooding my mouth, making me think of home. I kept my shit together while Gen and her mother discussed A.D. Nicholson and how it would a boon for her career to find him.
“Tropics wants to retain him for exclusive work. The numbers they’re thinking...unprecedented.”
My heart skipped at the kind of money I could make again...but no, there was a reason why I had left that side of my life behind. Look at Gen, she barely had any balance. The Tropics wouldn’t be a suitable environment for me.
I pushed myself with no help from anyone, no boss needed to ask me to work late, or do more, I believed in hard work. However, when Gen told me stories of how additional responsibilities had been added to her plate post accepting the job, it raised a flag. How could I explore a future with this company where I could keep a balanced life, if this was common practice?
“Mmm-hmm. I hope you find him. It would be such a windfall for your career. See, young man. When I ask about plans, this is what I mean. Gen is very successful. She deserves someone who matches that energy. I would know. Her father was another man who thought love and vibes would fill our pantry. So, while I worked hard, he just...did odd work here and there...needless to say it didn’t last long. And I don’t regret it one bit.”
At this point, my mood had grown from curious annoyance to feeling disrespected. I stared at Gen, who glared at her mom then turned an apologetic gaze at me.
“Mom, that is unfair. This is not like my dad. And you forget he was an artist. You knew it when you got with him, and he asked you to...” Gen took a deep breath and then shook something off.
“Mom, I’ve got an early day tomorrow, and it is Adri’s first day here. Maybe we do brunch another Sunday, huh?” she said gently, and I wondered if this would be how it would always go. If her mother’s personality would overpower our need for unity as a couple.
“Babe... Adri, I’m... Shit, that was bad. I’m so sorry.”
Gen’s mattress felt like pure heaven underneath me after one of the most challenging days in my life. I stared at the ceiling, arms crossed behind my head, wearing basketball shorts as Gen sat up with her laptop on her legs, wearing a cute pink tank top and shorts that made me look twice when she got in bed.
In the span of fewer than twelve hours, I’d said goodbye to my kin and country, had walked into uncharted territory, and was greeted by hostility and a lackluster welcome. I tried my best to give Gen grace. She couldn’t control her mother. I understood that, but why, if she knew what Lissette was on about our marriage, had she invited her to the apartment on our first night together under the same roof? None of it made sense.
“What exactly are you apologizing for?” I asked, and she tensed next to me.
“Well, my mom can be an asshole, but she’s like that at first. She’ll warm up.”
“Gen, I...listen, I can’t lie. Your mom was rude and disrespectful, and she doesn’t even know me. But my main worry is not that. I didn’t have any high expectations from her, but you...well, last I knew, we were both grown. Why does she have such a hold on your life?”
“Excuse me?” The temperature on her side dropped by several degrees. Shit, I was messing this up.
“Look, I get it. I was close to my parents. Shit, you can see I’m close to Claudia, but there is this hold she has on you...”
“Like Julín on you?”
“That’s not fair. I’m here, am I not?”
“And I’m in this too! Why would you...ugh.” She shoved her laptop off and stomped off to the bathroom. A few minutes later, she returned with a full-body onesie, white with pink bows scattered all over, and I stared. That shit looked...fuck, I was mad right now, but that onesie looked sexy on her. And it was such a contrast, I loved that she could show me all her facets.
“Uhhh...what just happened?”
“Well, this—” she pointed at herself “—is what I really wear at night when I’m by myself. I was embarrassed and, also I thought we would have sex, but if we are gonna fight on the first night, I need all the comfort I can get.” She threw her hands up.
“I don’t want to fight, Gen. I’m...this is a lot okay, I just... I truly don’t want to argue.” I sighed and stood up, helpless to her magnetism. Her eyes brimmed with sadness, and I wanted to erase that look, even if I needed my own balm for my feelings.
“So, this is what you wear to bed?” I asked, ghosting my arms around her hips.
“Yes...” she whispered.
“It’s sexy as fuck,” I murmured in her ear and loved how she trembled. Now that we were touching...it was easier. The soothing calmed me.
“How can we navigate your mom so that we fulfill your needs but respect my boundaries?” I asked, my hands full of her ass, itching to do more, but my mind needed reassurance, that, and my heart.
A heavy sigh wracked through her body, and she pressed a soft kiss right above my nipple, making me shiver.
“Stop playin’,” I chastised her.
“How can I when you feel so good?” She burrowed deeper into me, waking my lower body up as I met with her soft goodness.
“We need to talk...”
“Yes, I know.” She sighed and pushed back from me. My dick protested the lack of her softness, and I concurred, but if we were going to move forward, we needed these conversations.
I took her hand and brought her back to my side of the bed, settling her on my lap, her long legs surrounding my sides.
“Dad asked Mom to move when I was really young. She is very picky with what she shares, but it seems he wanted them to move back together to Panamá with me. She was spooked but considered it, but then he changed his mind last-minute. Left without us. Broke her heart. I remember some of this because I had to go to my grandma’s house before she passed because my mom was severely depressed. Lost her job, her first manager job, and had to be institutionalized...” She sighed again. “Once she was out...it was like...a switch was flipped. Her career and I were her only focus.”
“Wow, I’m sorry, Preciosa, that must have been hard on her and you.” My chest caved to know her mother had endured such challenging times. And Genevieve, she might have been young, but to see her mother navigate those difficult periods on top of her dad leaving...
“It was...and she still deals with depression. Structure, goals, challenge...they keep her centered. It’s her defense mechanism.”
“Damn.”
“Yes, which is why it is the way it is with us... I get that it seems a bit dysfunctional, but it allows her structure. And I’m driven too... I was young, but I remember how it felt not knowing what the next meal would look like while she clawed her way back to normalcy. I...don’t ever want that for myself.”
“I get it.” I pressed a kiss on her forehead, then another on her lips, tasting the uncertainty there.
“And I get her concern about you having work...”
It was my turn to sigh. I had that concern too; just the prices at the supermarket had jolted me to the true reality of living here. I couldn’t have expected her to carry the load on her own—and hadn’t—but my work with the transportation company would maybe be enough for a utility bill or two here.
That didn’t cut it.
“So, let’s accelerate getting married.”
“Are you sure? We have the ninety days. We can plan a little celebration in a couple of months...”
“We need the marriage certificate for me to get a work permit.” This whole process was maddening. I wanted to be a true partner to her, and carry my own load, but I depended on Gen for every step of creating a life here. There was no path that didn’t include her sponsoring my way forward.
“You’re right...okay, okay, let’s do it.” Gen’s watery smile told me this wasn’t her vision, but we knew this process would be rocky. I’d figure out how to make it up to her. I would.
“There is something else you need to know.” After everything she’d just shared with me, I couldn’t keep her in the dark anymore. A metallic flavor flooded my mouth, and my stomach cramped up. I squeezed her hips in the reassurance of how real she felt on top of me. She snuggled closer, clearly exhausted but willing to listen.
“I...know A.D. Nicholson...shit, there is no way to ease into this. I’m A.D. Nicholson. Adrián David Nicolas.”