“Are you taking this seriously, or are you just quotingForrest Gump?”
“Mr. Officer, you ever hear about the shrimp business? Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbeque it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sauté it ...”
I quivered with laughter, but suddenly a bolt of hot anger came over me. “Dammit, Dusty. You can’t quote Forrest Gump in the interview tomorrow! Do you not understand the stakes of this? If we mess this up, I’m going back to Spain and this whole plot is for nothing!”
“I understand, Cat Dog. You don’t have to worry. I got this. We got this. Trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong before, in the history of our marriage?”
“We’ve known each other less than five days.”
“Exactly. We’ve got momentum. Good night.”
He hung up, and a vague feeling of dissatisfaction hung in the space between Dustin and me. I remembered that fairy tales weren’t real and that guys like Dustin LeBlanc probably never fell in love.
Although this weekend, I swore I saw glimpses of a man who at least had a few shades of kindness within him.
Maybe the elevator version of him—my first impression—was correct after all, and all the drinks and the novelty of the weekend had clouded my judgment.
I put my phone on silent and started the Willow Winters romance novel I had just one-clicked. When my phone flashed, I made a mental note to somehow curb my phone addiction. But I saw there was one more text from Dustin and I couldn’t resist looking.
El Hubs: Buenas Noches, Mi Amor.
The text was accompanied by a quite gratuitous photo of him. He was either all sweaty or had just gotten out of the shower, and was leaning on his hockey stick.
I swallowed slowly. The more I tried to resist the effect he had on my body, the more he overcame me.
Another text came in.
El Hubs: You still there?
Cat: Yeah.
El Hubs: You’re mine tomorrow.
Cat: (thinking face emoji)?
El Hubs: You know what I mean. Sleep tight :)
Something coiled inside me and heat was building between my legs. I thought I needed a rest tonight, but now I needed relief. I felt my insides flip because Iwasn’t this girl.
Dustin’s voice was gruff but with a light undertone, and I could hear it in my head as I slipped out of my panties and got comfortable. After all, tomorrow was a big day, and I needed a clear head. My romance novel slipped to the ground, still showing the cover on the kindle screen.
Dustin could have been the model.
CHAPTER 16
CATARINA
When you’reworried about getting kicked out of the country, your perspective changes vastly about what you find important in your life. The last week, every day I had thought about so many lasts—some sillier than others.
Will this be the last time I’ll sneak out during the afternoon to eat at Subway?
Will this be the last time I’ll throw a dollar to that panhandler who says ‘have a wonderful day’ to every single person who passes by, whether they give him money or not?
On the way to pick up Dustin LeBlanc, aka El Hubs, at the airport, my mind swirled with anxiety but also hope. Because thiswouldn’tbe the last week I was in the United States. For all of the joking around Dustin did, I had to admit he was a smooth operator when he needed to be.
He came out of the airport’s sliding doors right as I pulled up.
“Cat Dog!” he said as I got out and opened the trunk for him.
