blue and white flowers, almost like a corsage, attached to the lid of the box by some unseen force.
I’m confused! I twirl round expecting the perpetrator to be standing behind me, hopefully with an explanation.
I instinctively give the box a little shake, trying to fathom its contents as well as its origin; Hold on, this isn’t Christmas, I am perfectly within my rights to open my mystery gift, besides the suspense is killing me.
Rushing into my room, giving the heavy wooden door a good push to swing shut behind me, I skip over and leap onto my plush, bouncy bed. Placing the box down carefully in front of me my hands are actually shaking, I love presents. Gently slipping the lid off I’m met with a sea of pale blue tissue paper, one by one I lift each layer out. What I eventually reveal is……….My sandals. Oh what a let down, the staff must have noticed me leave them and delivered them back. They always go the extra mile here; in the UK they would be chucked in a lost and found box, or even just thrown away, but not Mexico. Mexico delivers them back to your door in an exquisite package.
Lifting them out to haphazardly throw them in the direction of my still unpacked suitcase, I catch a glimpse of a gold shine in the bottom of the box, reaching in I pull out a piece of hard white card with a golden boarder of intricate leaves and vines. In black ink, with impeccable looping hand writing, it holds a note -
‘Senorita,
you left your shoes behind by the pool today, I hope it was not on account of me scaring you off. I would be honoured if you would allow me to take you to dinner as way of an apology?
Sincerely Carlos (Room 442)’
Oh my! My hands are shaking and my breathing is suddenly shallow and rapid, it can’t be, it just can’t. The Adonis wants to take me to dinner?? Searching back through my memory I scour the image to see if I remember anyone else around who may have reason to send this; but no, the area was all but deserted and he is certainly the only person I had any kind of exchange with, other than the bar staff, but the note would not make sense coming from them.
Oh Jesus, it’s got to be him. My heart is going 100 miles an hour, what am I supposed to do? I desperately want to ring Caz, she would know in an instance what to do. It’s still early so I could, it will be expensive, but hell I’ve got the money, sod it, I’m calling her!
“Hello?” Caz’s voice is questioning.
“Hi it’s me” I reply cheerily oblivious.
“KATE! What’s happening how is it? Is it hot? Why are you ringing so late?” I’m bombarded with questions.
“Late? It’s only Seven?”
“Seven? Maybe there but it’s gone midnight here!” she laughs back at my obvious mistake.
“Oh Caz I’m sorry, I completely forgot about the time difference, I just called because I need some advice”
“Advice? That sounds ominous” her voice taking on a serious quality.
“Not ominous per say…” I explain my predicament carefully leaving no small detail unsaid.
“My, my, you have been busy” she starts “but I fail to see the issue here?” she states as if it’s so straight forward.
“Fail to see the issue?” I snort “the issue is he is way out of my league for a start, not to mention I haven’t dated in ten years so I wouldn’t even know what to do. It kind of feels like I’m cheating, I am still technically married, and what if he wants, you know…sex” I almost whisper the last part.
“For God’s sake Kate! It’s nothing like cheating, we both know you and Jake are over, it’s always going to be weird moving on at first, but what better way to do it than with a hot holiday romance? And as for the ‘sex’ bit” she whispers it back mocking me, “don’t be so ridiculous, I’ve seen you in a bikini and you rock it, everything is still where it’s supposed to be, not ravished by child bearing stretch marks like me. I would give anything to have your body, seriously you have nothing to worry about in that department.” She is so blunt, I just wish I had her confidence.
“But what if it’s changed, you know, I’ve only been with Jake for so long and he wasn’t exactly the most adventurous