Page 94 of Love Off Course

I want to argue, but I won’t. If this is a hurdle I need to jump to get to my girl, I’ll fucking jump. No, I’ll fly. It’s what I do best.

As soon asthe pilot touches down at the small airstrip, I’m already unbuckling and grabbing my bags. I can’t believe she came here of all places. Makes no sense. Randall wouldn’t budge on giving me more information, so I bailed and flew out the first chance I got.

The door opens and I drag my suitcase down the stairs. My boots hit the pavement a second before I’m nearly tackled by a smelly ass dog.

“Toro! You missed me!” I squat to scratch behind his ears.

My dog who abandoned me for Alejandro licks my face as though that’ll forgive him for his traitorous ways. I’m grinning, so it apparently works.

“Where’s your new daddy?” I ask Toro.

He barks and takes off running to the hangar. It’s under some serious construction. I walk over to the front, frowning. This has to cost a lot of money—money I know Alejandro doesn’t have.

“¡Viniste a casa!” You came home.

I hug Alejandro and he rambles about the updates he’s doing to his small airport. That soon there will even be a Starbucks. I don’t get a chance to ask him about where in the hell he got the money before he’s dragging me over to his bus that’s also taken on an update. It’s no longer the loud, hot piece of shit it once was. I don’t even think it’s the same one.

We head inside and I soon learn it’s not.

His never had air conditioning. Or a disco ball. What in the hell?

He sees me eyeing the disco ball and laughs in that robust way of his, holding his belly. Then, he dances for me, making me laugh. I settle in a seat and hold on before he takes off. The drive is short. I can’t help but go over all the ways I’m going to convince Sheridan to take me back.

She never texted me back.

When I finally arrived in California, I texted her. An embarrassing amount of times. All of which were ignored. This could all be for nothing. She might have some new boyfriend and doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.

Then why is she here?

I have to hold onto hope that she was good on her promise. That she’d be waiting for me to come find her. Well, here I am, hunting my woman down.

We arrive at the hotel and I bolt out of the bus. As soon as I take in the hotel, I stop dead in my tracks.

More construction.

The first thing I notice is a wooden walkway from the parking area to the front office. I stalk in through the doors—also new—and take in the updates. Everything has been removed and it’s a shell of how it used to be. Men are hanging new drywall and Araceli is bossing them around with Rodrigo attached to her breast.

“What is this?” I demand.

She rolls her eyes. “Long time, no see, cousin.”

“What the hell is going on around here?”

“Ask the owner.”

I growl, already annoyed at her bitchiness. “Where’sMamá?”

“With Eduardo. But she’s not the owner anymore.”

Time slows to a halt. My cousin is smiling wickedly, clearly enjoying my horror.

“What?”

“You heard me, Camilo. She sold it. Fancy rich folks bought it out from her and are fixing it up.”

“No,” I grit out. “Impossible.Mamáwould never sell.”

“Rodrigo ripped this place apart,” Araceli argues. “She didn’t have the money to fix it back up.” Her little Rodrigo pops off the nipple to stare up at her, flashing me in the process.

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