Page 36 of Love Off Course

Damian and I jerk apart, both of us wearing matching stares of horror. It’s Camilo’s mom, Rosita. Crap.

“Um, sorry, ma’am,” Damian chirps in his friendliest voice as he opens the door. “Bad habit of my job. I see the potential in everything and want to make it as wonderful as it can be.”

It would be a nice save if it weren’t for her glaring holes into us. Feeling shamed, Estefania and I loop our arms together and try to escape unscathed. And then I hear it.

“Bitch.”

All the fun and playfulness bleeds away as the tequila straps on war boots.

“Excuse me?” My voice is quiet as I tug my arm free of Estefania’s. “Were you talking to us?”

“Not her,” Rosita says, her eyes narrowing as she waves at Estefania.

The barb stings, but it’s one I hear often, even at my own company. I am a bitch. This isn’t news. I’d kind of forgotten I was one while in Mexico. All it takes is hearing the nasty word to light a fire inside me.

Before I can tell this woman off, she storms inside the bathroom and slams the door. So much for hotel hospitality. She can guarantee I’m going to write up a terrible review once I have Internet access again.

“Just ignore her,” Damian urges. “Come on. You two beautiful babes owe me a drink.” The lights flicker again. “Two!”

I’m so warm.

Too warm.

So warm, I’m seconds from pulling off this dumb sweater and hanging out in my black bra. That would get his attention. Camilo. I ignore the fiery jealousy raging through me as he talks to the pretty brunette again. I have no right. We kissed. It was nice. But he is not mine.

I have David.

That bathroom kiss was a silly mistake.

What feels like a mistake, though, is watching Camilo laugh with the brunette and his cousin Araceli who joins them. Araceli is clearly uncomfortable, being hugely pregnant and all, but she cracks up at everything he says as she devours orange slices.

“Where’s her man?” I ask Mateo, also Camilo’s cousin.

Mateo and Nicolás joined our table a while ago and are actually quite funny. They’re both giants and brutish, but they joke around a lot, though I don’t understand a word they are saying when they do it in Spanish.

“Marco?” Mateo asks with a snort. “He works in the next town over. My sister can do better than thatpendejo.”

I’ve learned more about the people who live and work at this hotel in the past two hours than I have in the past two days.

“What about that one?” My tone is light and casual, but Damian doesn’t miss it.

“Yeah, big boys, what about the floozy? Is she gonna try and steal my girl’s man or what?” Damian arches his eyebrow up. “Give us the dirt on the skank in the tight red dress.”

Marco and Nicolás howl in laughter, earning the stares of everyone over at Camilo’s table. I can tell Camilo is curious about what we’re talking about and only half listening to what the skank is saying.

“Ramona is in love,” Mateo mocks. “She loves everyone?—”

“Especially their cocks!” Nicolás finishes. “Right, Toro?”

The damn stinky dog barks on command. Okay, so maybe I do like that beast a little.

“She thinks she’s going to be the one to catchla estrellaand keep him.” Mateo shrugs. “Her best friend is our sister, though we don’t know why. Araceli is a bitch to everyone, including Ramona.”

“Doesn’t seem to be too bitchy to Camilo,” I muse.

Mateo snorts. “That’s because she wants something. You’ll see.”

We all watch as Araceli finishes the oranges in her bowl and then gives Camilo a sweet smile. He rises and absently takes the bowl from her. As soon as he’s gone, her smile falls and she starts bitching out Ramona. I’m no longer interested in them, though. My gaze follows Camilo as he walks over to the fruit bowl on the table and grabs another orange. His head is bowed as he peels it effortlessly.

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