Fresh Temptation

nodded along as Esteban switched between the two languages, telling her the story of this island. The best she could understand, there was a village on another island nearby, but Esteban stayed here where he had worked as Victor’s groundskeeper for the past two months.
    “So sorry,” Esteban said. “You would not talk to me. I call you, you hang up. You change your number. I visit your house, they say ‘she not here.’ And next time, police take me away. I had to leave the city. So painful to me, losing you. I was desperate. I meet with Victor. He forgive me for my,” his eyes darted around as he searched for the correct word, “ indiscretion with you. He give me job far, far away from the city.” His full lips formed a distinct frown; his hand went to her hair. “Away from you, like you want.”
    Alexis felt the warmth of his fingers as they weaved into the tendrils around her ear. She swallowed, hard. “I see.”
    He gently shook his head. “You want to go?” He glanced at the driver, who stood close by waiting for a signal to stay or leave. “You may go somewhere. He take you to boat. I know nice people on other island where you stay. I arrange. You leave tomorrow.”
    Alexis was slightly dizzy, overwhelmed by the shock of the situation, and the decision before her. She remembered how painful it was to ignore Esteban, but she had convinced herself it would lead to a future with Victor. She forced herself to forget Esteban, and it was easy once he stopped pursuing her. But now, she knew why he stopped. She told herself at the time that it didn’t matter, that Esteban was crazy for stalking her for weeks after she told him it was over. After recent events, she felt a twinge of sympathy.
    His gorgeous face and rock hard chest were framed by an endless blue sky. He was sexier than ever, but he was so sad. His eyes dropped to the sandy ground below them, only looking up when she finally spoke.
    “Esteban.” Several large tears ran down Alexis’s face. “I will stay here, with you.”
    His face lit up. “Yes? With me?” He quickly signaled at the driver to leave, then took both of her hands in his. “Oh, mi amor . You make me so happy.” He chatted on, extending his arm behind him, speaking in a frantic line of broken English that Alexis could barely follow. After a little while, he stopped and said, “ Perdona . Too much talk. Few visitors. Lonely sometimes. But now,” he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it, “you are here.”
    Alexis wiped her tears away as Esteban hooked his arm around hers, escorting her into the house as he rambled on about the fish he caught this morning that he would later cook for dinner. If I can handle these rustic surroundings, maybe I’ll stay longer than a week.
     
    * * *
     
    Six Months Later
     
    The music started. Tom took a deep breath and glanced down the wide aisle between the pews at the church, his trembling hands folded in front of him.
    The best man—his son, Gregory—patted his father on the back and whispered near his ear, “Don’t look so nervous. I got a guy waitin’ in the parking lot if she tries to run.”
    Tom smiled. He was grateful to his son for easing the tension. He felt like such a fool for being so anxious. A few minutes earlier, he had looked at his reflection in the mirror and laughed at the old man staring back at him. White hair, white mustache, all very neatly groomed. Wearing a tuxedo that—in his mind—was meant for a fresh-faced man half his age. But today, Tom felt like a giddy young man as he waited not-so-patiently for his blushing bride.
    It was a small wedding of exactly fifty-five guests, to be followed by a reception in a hotel ballroom a few blocks away. Originally, Patty only wanted to elope, but planning the wedding gave her something to do on the weeks when Isaac and Cara weren’t around. As of two weeks earlier, they were living with her again, and Patty was thrilled. But now that Tom would be moving in with Patty, Cara and Isaac were planning a move to Manhattan to live with Victor and give the newlyweds their privacy.
    Patty stood in the back and watched Marcy walk down the aisle in her lime green chiffon dress—a dress that Marcy was skeptical of at first, but today she looked gorgeous. The color brought out Marcy’s hazel eyes and looked beautiful with the thick chocolate-colored curls that hung down her back. Patty was determined to find a man for Marcy, and soon.
    Cara turned around and gave