I tell her to meet me at Tlaquepaque. I don't know when I'll be willing to leave my house again, so I might as well make it count.
I'm standing in front of my mirrored dresser, arranging a ponytail at the crown of my head, when Owen walks in. He's freshly showered, his hair damp.
He wears only shorts, and the sight of his strong shoulders, the V-shape of his body as it narrows to his waist, makes me acutely aware of my pulse. He walks up behind me and I turn in to him. My palms run the length of his chest, up his shoulders and down his arms. "Too bad I don't have more time," I murmur.
He raises an eyebrow. “Is that a challenge, because I can be fast.”
My deep throaty laugh follows me out to the hallway. “Call me if my mom wakes!” I call over my shoulder.
Turning, I see Owen frowning like a puppy dog, “So, no to the quickie?”
If sex were an Olympic sport, Owen and I would win a gold medal.
* * *
"This place is stunning,"Livvie says appreciatively, looking up at the Tlaquepaque architecture. "People keep telling me I need to come here, but I never got around to it because I spend all my time sitting in that musty old bookstore. I've been missing out."
Her enthusiasm makes me happy. "It's my favorite place in Sedona."
"I can see why."
"So," I begin, "is it too early for Mexican food? I know you woke up about an hour ago, and they don't have breakfast items. There's a little cafe, too. It probably has more breakfast-type items."
"Breakfast," Livvie instructs.
I take Livvie through the village toward the cafe. She spends most of our walk looking around, stopping to point out brightly-patterned tiles when they appear on the sides of the buildings, or the ornate iron work. She's as taken with this place as I am.
We step through an ivy-covered archway and into the square where the Secret Garden Cafe sits. "There," I point.
"Of course it's adorable," she says, throwing up a hand. Her gaze moves left as we walk toward the restaurant, eyes roving over to an empty store.
"An empty space. Hmmm…" She drums her fingers against her lower lip. "Interesting."
"What about it?" I ask as we step into the cafe. We're seated at a table for two outside, under a tree. We're in direct view of the empty storefront with theFor Leasesign.
Livvie orders a cappuccino, and I ask for water. I've had enough coffee for today. She leans forward, her hands clasped on the menu lying on the table.
"Look at how packed this place is. Way more foot traffic." Her eyes squint, one corner of her mouth stretching toward her cheek.
I'm starting to feel like she's talking in riddles. "What are you getting at, Livvie?"
"My gran’s bookstore has so few customers I've considered taking off my clothes and standing naked in the window. I wouldn't have to do that if my bookstore were, gee I don't know,here."
"Great idea," I tell her, sipping at the ice water that's just been set in front of me. "You could get a little espresso machine and even have a live poetry reading or stand-up comedy thing."
My marketing hat is on and I have to rein in the ideas or I’ll go overboard.
Livvie’s eyes light up. “Yes. Yes. And Yes.”
“You should call the number on the sign,” I encourage her. I know how much it means to her to save her grandma’s family store.
She grabs her phone and dials. I love her East Coast get-it-done attitude. If there was anything I learned to like while I lived out there, it was their tendency to make things happen. No hemming or hawing in NYC.
Which makes me think of Jeanne. After my mom collapsed while I was talking to Jeanne, I sent her a text the next day telling her that my mom had taken a turn for the worse and I wasn't going to be available to speak. I said thatI'dcallherif I ever changed my mind. I've already told her no, but she thinks I'll capitulate, and I'm not sure how to make her see otherwise.
Livvie begins talking into her phone, and I turn my attention to her side of the conversation.
"…great, and what's the monthly rent?" The tip of her tongue slides out of her mouth, resting on the center of her upper lip as she listens. "Please send all the information to my email. I'll go through it and get back to you."
