Chapter Ninety-One

Standing in front of the mirror, Richie dipped his fingers into the pot of hair mud and rubbed his hands together.   Leaning in close to the mirror, he ran the product through his hair and finger-combed his hair across his forehead.  Turning his head this way and that he gave it one last comb through and wiped his hands on the towel he had dropped on the dresser.  Picking up his shirt from the end of the bed, he slid his arms into the sleeves and buttoned the last few buttons.  At the sound of the door behind him opening, he drew his gaze up, watching her reflection in the mirror. 

She had gone to the hotel spa/salon and had her hair done that day.  She reached up and pulled the clip from her hair.  She had a side part today and soft waves framing her face and flowing down her back.  Her sundress was pink and the halter left her shoulder bare.  Between the beaches in Greece and Barcelona the sun had given her a golden tan and teased out the freckles across the bridge of her nose and across the tops of her smooth shoulders. 

He was glad he had asked her to come with him for the month.  He liked having someone to share the mundane, day-to-day touring nonsense with.  But more, he was glad not to be alone anymore.  He was having fun again, without the aid if booze or pills.  He liked showing her the different cities, different countries, what little they had time to see, and seeing her reactions to the places she had never been.  It was a far cry from when he had had Denise with him for a week or Ava for a short time. They had been so used to seeing and doing everything that they found little joy in the experience.

He gaze slid back to her face.  He hoped Stephanie didn’t end up as jaded as some of the women in his life.

Moving away from the mirror he sat down on the bed and pulled on his socks.  Reaching for his shoes, his eyes landed on the pair of long, tanned legs coming his way.  Her toes, painted a shimmery, coppery red, stopped just in front of him.  He dragged his gaze up from her pretty painted toes, along the length of her legs, taking in the flare of her dress around her hips, the swell of her breasts over the sweetheart neckline, stopping at the sweet smile that graced her shiny pink lips.

He raised his gaze higher before retreating.  Her smile was there in the pretty green and brown kaleidoscope that was her eyes.  They had both been more than a little broken when they had met, but slowly, they were becoming whole again.  He felt better than he had in years and he knew it was because of this woman standing before him.  Reaching for her arm, he gave a gentle tug and pulled her to stand between his knees.  “You look beautiful.”

She dropped the shoes that dangled from her fingers and cupped his face, lowering her mouth to his for a quick, light peck of a kiss.  “Thanks.  Lupe is a miracle worker.”

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it, rubbing his lips lightly across the soft skin there.  “She only enhanced what you already had, Sweetheart.”

She felt her cheeks heat with the compliment.  “Thank you.”  She fingered the ends of his hair.  “Where are we going again?”

After wandering the Ramblas and making their way through the Mercat de San Josep La Boqueria and then the Gothic Quarter of Barri Gotic, he would have liked to have stayed in for dinner, but he been out-voted by the band and his girl.  “Just down to Enoteca for dinner and then maybe to the Club Lounge or Arola, depending on the crowds.”

Stephanie shifted and sat down on the bed next to him.  “Thanks for going.  I know you would have preferred to stay in after the full day we had today.”

“I don’t really mind, Sweetheart.”  He really didn’t he thought as he pulled on his shoes.  He was just happy that she was enjoying herself.  He was doing his best to keep that sad, haunted look out of her eyes and if that meant being a little extra tired in the morning, so be it.  He wanted nothing more than to see her happy.

Stephanie slipped her sandals on and stood, holding out her hand to him.  “Are you ready to go?”

He took her hand and stood, “not quite yet.”  He dug in his pocket, not letting go of her hand.  “I got you something today.”

“What?”  She shook her head.  “No.  Why?” 

He smiled.  It was cute the way she got so flustered.  “I know you heard me.  Yes.  And as for the why, I owed you.”  Before she could say anything he slipped the bangle over her hand and onto her wrist.  The pink gold bracelet had a row of channel set diamonds in the center and was a perfect match to the pink gold links of her watchband.

She looked down at her wrist and back up to his face.  “You owed me?  I don’t understa-” her voice trailed off as she remembered the flight to Turkey.  She smiled at him.  “You won at poker, didn’t you?”

He chuckled and nodded his head.  “That I did, Sweetheart.  And you told me to buy you something nice if I did.”  He picked up her wrist, “nice enough?”

She leaned up and pressed her lips to his.  “More than, Rich.  It’s beautiful.  Thank you.”

Wrapping his arm around her shoulders he handed her her wrap and her small clutch purse.  “You are more than welcome, baby.  Let’s go before Davy starts blowing up my phone wondering where we are.”

~

Tico was the first to spot them as they made their way to the terrace.  He stood and took Stephanie’s hand, kissing the back of it.  “We were beginning to think you two were going to stand us up again.”  He raised his head and winked at her, “you look lovely, absolutely worth the wait.”

Stephanie felt her cheeks heat at the compliment.  “Thank you, Tico.  As much as I’ve enjoyed being ‘just one of the guys,’ I was beginning to miss my girly side.”  She sat in the chair that he pulled out for her.  “Though I have to admit, it certainly is easier and less time consuming to be a guy.”

The guys all laughed and Richie picked up her hand, linking their fingers together.  “Well, Sweetheart, I for one will forever be grateful that you are indeed a woman.”

She pressed a smiling kiss to his cheek and picked up her menu.  “So, gentlemen, what’s good here?”

When they had eaten their fill of the fresh Mediterranean fare, they sat in the balmy evening watching the boats and finishing off a bottle of wine.  “Did you know” Stephanie said to no one in particular, “that all the sailing events in the 1992 Olympics were held here in this port?”  The hotel restaurant overlooked Port Olympic and they could see the boats coming and going while they ate.

David looked surprised, “really?”

She smiled and finished the last sip of her wine.  “I wondered about it, so I looked it up. They built it specifically for those Olympics.”  She looked out over the water, “it really is beautiful.”  She dug into her small purse and pulled out her cellphone and snapped a picture.

Richie slid his arm around her, snagged her phone from her fingertips and handed it to David.  “Here man, take our picture.”  He pulled Stephanie close “the view can’t hold a candle to you, Sweetheart.”

David made a face, “you two make my teeth hurt.  I think you gave me a cavity.”

Stephanie threw her napkin at him.  “Just take the picture already, we can find you a dentist later.”

David handed her back the phone after taking their picture.  “Beautiful, smart and witty, and yet you ended up with him.”  He shook his head, “I don’t get it.”

They all stood and made their way out of the restaurant.  “It was the dimple” Stephanie said to him, “couldn’t resist it.”

Richie nudged him from behind, “you’re married, again, what’s your problem?”

David smiled at his friend, “nothing man, just trying to figure out how you always end up with the best looking woman in the room.”

“That’s easy” Richie said as he took Stephanie’s hand, “I’m the best looking guy in our group.”

Their laughter rang through the hall as they made their way to the Club Lounge.