Chapter 14
When I wake up the following morning at the sound of my alarm, a throbbing pain is waltzing through my head.
It feels like Snow White’s seven dwarves are trapped inside my skull, trying to pick-axe their way out.
My eyes are burning. I try to blink away the annoying feeling, but it won’t budge.
With a loud groan, I pull myself up and rub my face as images of yesterday flash across my retinas.
Some memories are a bit blurry—unsurprising since I was pretty fuzzy in the moment, too.
One thing I do remember is the man who tricked me into accepting that brownie.
I knead my pounding forehead. He called it his special homemade brownie.
You’d think I would have figured out that unsubtle riddle within the context of the location we were in, right?
Way to be naive, Eva, I mumble to myself, pushing the covers off of me. I plant my feet onto the red-brown floor tiles that feel cool to the touch, then shuffle over to my little kitchen and open the fridge. Last year’s storm left behind a massive stain of water damage on the wall.
Before long, the room is filled with a delicious smell.
As soon as my crêpes are ready, I use my very best professional-chef-worthy pouring technique to douse them with so much syrup that it streams out of the rolled-up pannenkoeken when I bite into them.
I continue to stuff the sweetness into my mouth with a gratified groan as I mentally prepare for the workday ahead.
Mia looks exactly the way I feel. There are dark shadows under her bloodshot eyes and she can’t stop herself from dramatically yawning every so often. She tosses back painkillers for the second time this morning as she presses her palm into her forehead.
Abuelo and Abuela’s eyes ping-pong between the two of us.
Did you two go out partying last night? Abuela asks curiously.
I shake my head as I fill a glass with water and chug it in one go.
Google says you’re supposed to hydrate the morning after.
Yesterday was my first experience with cannabis and I was instantly as stoned as Seth Rogen at a bong factory.
Considering my throbbing head and the snippets of embarrassing memories coming back to me now, I should probably keep it to that one and only experience moving forward.
Mia mumbles an incoherent reply as she grabs a quinoa salad from the counter and heads outside.
I follow in her footsteps, not really in the mood to confess to our grandparents that Mia and I—two full-grown human adults—were stupid enough to accept candy from a stranger.
Walking onto the patio, I see Juan and Felix settling into a lounge sofa for their daily dose of breakfast smoothie. When I enter their field of sight, their faces both break into huge grins.
My former babysitters harmonize their greeting. Good morning, Eva. How are you feeling today? They both erupt in laughter when I give them a grouchy glare.
Not today, please, I nearly beg, pulling my notepad out of my apron pocket. Your usual? I lift my eyebrows in a questioning expression.
Hmmm... I’m not sure, Juan says, tapping his chin with his finger. I might want something a little less healthy today. I could go for a brownie.
Nice one, boys. Ha. Ha. Ha, I grumble, rolling my eyes. I should have seen this coming.
I’m kind of in the mood for a hot dog, actually, Felix teases. I think there’s still a piece caught in your hair, Eva. Startled, I run my fingers through my hair. Of course there’s nothing there. I totally washed my hair this morning.
So, that’s two Turn Up The Beets, then? I conclude, writing the order down on my notepad. Both men look at me in surprise.
No, no, no! I’m sorry! Felix rushes to reply, pulling a disgusted face. I’ll have a That’s Bananas, please.
Make that two, Juan adds. It’s still criminally offensive to me that you guys added beets to a smoothie, but what do I know.
I pass the order along to Beatriz, who’s on smoothie blending duty behind the bar today, before I head back outside.
Turning toward the entrance, I freeze when I see Elias stroll onto the patio in his workout gear.
His dark eyes lock onto mine and his messy hair is stuck to his forehead.
The corners of his mouth twist up into a sexy smile as he tilts his head to the side.
Emilia. Where is Emilia. I frantically look around, hoping to pawn this uninvited guest off on her, but I can’t seem to find her.
I reluctantly drag my feet on my way over to Elias, whose grin just continues to grow. I don’t get it. Why is he looking at me like he just told me a killer joke, but isn’t quite ready to reveal the punchline just yet?
Morning, I say. What are you doing here?
Elias wipes his face with his wrist band and shrugs. I just finished a run and felt like a healthy smoothie. Oh, and I wanted to make sure you were feeling okay after that flood of flattery you sent me yesterday.
I gape at him, flabbergasted. I’m sorry, flattery?
Yep. Not that anything you said was particularly far-fetched, though, he chuckles. I especially enjoyed the compliment that my ‘rock-hard ass could perfectly cut a 24-carat diamond.’ Extremely flattering. What was worrying is that you were the one sending the messages.
I blink a few times and trail him with my eyes as he wanders over to a table overlooking the water. Purrito is lounging on one of the chairs and lets out a contented snort, rolling onto his back when Elias sits down next to him.
My blood rushes through my body and I feel my cheeks go bright red. What on earth did I do yesterday?
I thought you’d maybe sustained a brain injury, so I’m kind of relieved to see you walking around here, alive and well.
I scoff, which only seems to amplify his amused expression.
I mean, to see you walking around at all, that is, he corrects himself. The alive and well part looks like it might be up for debate based on your appearance today.
I toss him death glare. This is the moment I’m supposed to ask him what he’d like to drink, but my mouth is entirely glued shut. When I’ve stood silently for about a minute, he continues.
Okay. Well. I think I’m in the mood to try one of those ‘they taste so incredible that you’ll pee yourself in ecstatic delight’ smoothies that you mentioned yesterday. He picks up the menu from the table. Any recommendations?
I finally regain control of my body and open my mouth to reply. Son Of A Peach, I suggest without hesitation.
Elias blinks, then bursts into laughter again.
I deserved that one, he chuckles. But I don’t love peaches.
He studies the menu carefully. I think I’ll tryyyy.
.. His gaze slides from the menu up to my face.
... the Cutie Pear. I believe that’s the smoothie you recommended yesterday.
He winks at me and lays his menu back down on the table.
I stifle a swear on my way inside, then snatch my phone from my pocket and open up the Elias thread.
An obscene string of words spills from my mouth as I scroll through our conversation and discover gems like, If you were a smoothie, you’d be a Cutie Pear.
Elias replied, wondering if I was okay, and at the bottom of the thread is a little red telephone indicating that he tried to call me.
I let out a groan, wishing I could crawl into a hole and die of embarrassment.
I’m not sure I can muster the courage to back outside, but I don’t exactly have a choice.
Beatriz tosses Elias’s smoothie ingredients into the blender and flips a switch on the appliance. She pours out the smoothie into a glass and adds it to the tray that has Juan and Felix’s drinks already on it.
On shaky legs, I walk back onto the patio, place the double smoothie order down on the men’s table and walk on to Elias, who is staring out at the waves, sunken deep in thought.
I put his smoothie down in front of him and I’m about to run away so fast that I might qualify for an Olympic medal when he looks up at me.
Thank you.
His smile is wide and I give him an affirmative nod. Right before I turn around to leave, he stops me again.
Eva?
I give him an inquisitive look. Yeah?
Elias leans back a little and lets out a flirty chuckle. What are my odds of dropping dead of unexplained heart failure after drinking this smoothie?
I look at him confused before understanding sinks in and I quirk my mouth to one side. I mean, I don’t hate you quite that much, but I also wouldn’t recommend giving me any ideas. It would be a shame to deprive the world of your diamond-cutting ass.
Elias’s grin is off the charts and he takes a sip of his smoothie.
Purrito does a big stretch before hopping onto Elias’s lap.
Traitor. His face lights up as he pets Purrito’s head.
It’s almost impossible to fathom that this is the same man I had a fierce argument with in his office just a month ago.
I soften a little and notice how Elias’s arm muscles tighten while he laughs and cuddles Purrito. A photo of this scene wouldn’t look out of place on a calendar in a student housing common room with an overview of everyone’s birthdays written into the date boxes below.
Maybe he can sense that I’m studying him intently, because he looks up at me again. His lips are slightly parted and his dark eyes sparkle.
I see. This explains the restaurant’s sudden popularity, he jokes, immediately returning his attention to the fluff ball. This kitten is committing high treason and—judging by his little grunts—he’s not even a little bit sorry about it.
My mouth curls into a grin. Just wait until you dig into that smoothie.