Page 8 of Beauty Beneath the Sorrow
I turn, holding my cup in one hand and hers in the other.
Her eyes bounce from mine to the hot beverage. Still clutching it in my hand, I stand in front of her for a beat before extending my arm.
Lina pulls her bottom lip between her teeth while keeping her eyes trained on me. Reaching out to take her cup, her fingertips accidentally brush against mine. I don’t release it right away. Instead, I let them linger.
“Lina,” I say, caressing the softness of her skin with my thumb.
Her cheeks flush, but she doesn’t pull back. “Captain Hernandez.”
Lina’s smile alone threatens to bring me to my knees. Hell, I’m surprised it hasn’t brought this entire airport to its knees. I watch airline employees and passengers gawk at her when she walks by. A rumbling fire of jealousy kicks up every time I witness it.
“How are you?” I ask, my voice comes out deeper than I intended.
“Thank you,” she drawls, finally taking the cup from my grasp. I let my hand fall and watch as she brings the rim to her red lips.
“Of course.” I sip my coffee, but our gaze remains connected over the tops of our cups.
“Going to Albuquerque?” she says it more like a statement than a question.
“I am.”
“Hey, Carter,” Avery greets as she walks up, taking the space at Lina’s side.
I smile. “Nice to see you, Avery.”
My eyes capture Lina’s once again. “I guess I’ll see you around then, Lina.”
The tops of her cheeks flush, and she quickly darts her tongue out to lick her lips. “Yeah. I’ll see you around.”
I give them both one quick nod, flash Lina a half smile, and then head toward my gate. The entire way down, I feel like I’m walking on air.
Chapter Three
Lina
Iwalk up to a high-end sushi restaurant to meet my dad and his new girlfriend, Bristol, whom I’m meeting for the first time. She’s twenty-four, and from what I’ve seen on social media, she uses way too much lip filler and contour. I’d like to say that she’s dating a man twice her age for his money, but my dad is notthatwell-off. He lives comfortably, owning multiple properties and investments, but he’s no billionaire.
My dad and I just recently reconnected. I’ve had almost no relationship with him most of my life. Once he retired and moved back to Arizona, he wanted to see me. At first, I was apprehensive, but my curiosity to get to know the man who’s my father overpowered my sense of rejection. The last time I saw him, I was two years old. I have no memories of it, and the only proof is an old photo of him hugging me when he was dropped off at the airport after enlisting in the Navy.
The hostess takes me to a table toward the back. It’s casual seating with oversized leather chairs around a low circular table. I’ve never been fond of sushi. Something about eating raw fish and all the potential bacteria still in it grosses me the hell out. And my dad would know if he knew me. But I’m sure Miss Lip-filler suggested it. I’ll probably end up getting somethingsafe, like chicken teriyaki.
I stare over my dad’s shoulder at the tall, thin brunette behind him.
“It’s good to meet you,” Bristol says, leaning across the table for a friendly hug.
I extend my arm to shake her hand instead. Her eyes are wide, possibly expecting a warmer welcome from me.
“You too.” I flash a quick smile and sit down. She and my dad exchange awkward glances before returning to their seats.
“I’m glad we were finally able to do this,” my dad comments.
“Yes. We’ve been trying for a couple of months, right?” Bristol adds, clutching my dad’s arm with both hands.Ugh.
I grimace, swiping sparkling water off the table. I chug it, secretly hoping it’s alcohol but also being let down that it’s not.Is it too early for a martini?
He rubs the tops of his thighs nervously. He wants this to go well. I would like that, too, because I want my dad to be happy, and I’d love for him to finally have a partner. From what I’ve heard, he’s spent most of his life flexing in and out of multiple women. I know he’s never married. I can’t imagine it would be easy to find someone when your life is spent traveling all over the world.
He started dating his current girlfriend over the summer, and apparently, she’s the one. He’s been trying to get me to meet her for some time, but I’ve been avoiding it at all costs. It’s no use getting to know another one of my dad’s girlfriends when she won’t be around long anyway.
