“César survived as well. The three of us survived the crash, but there were four. Don’t you remember, Olivia?” he asked his voice slightly cracking.
I stared at him for a moment, and then turned my attention toward the sight of the sun setting in Pamplona trying my damndest to remember. I leaned back in my chair and tossed the roll onto the table. Who else was there? César was the one that got the door open. Alejandro was the one that met me in the zoo. And Teresa was at the airport. Oh. Oh shit.
My hand covered my mouth in shock. I had always just assumed that we all survived the plane crash completely forgetting about his sister being there. Tears stung my eyes even though I didn’t remember her much. I think it was more because of the look of absolute heartbreak on his face that made me want to cry.
“Let’s talk about something else. She is a conversation for a later time,” he added abruptly. I stole a glance at him and saw him wiping his tears away as well. I couldn’t help but think that if my own insecurities with Mitchell hadn’t taken me to Spain, then Teresa would still be alive.
“You’re probably wondering why we’re in Spain again,” he said conversationally. Actually yeah; the thought had crossed my mind. “We won’t be staying here. I just wanted to come home for a bit. Our destination is Italy.”
I raised an eyebrow and reached for the glass of wine the waitress had set down in front of me. Alejo asked me if I knew what I would be ordering, and I turned the menu to face him and pointed. In absolutely flawless and spine tingling Spanish, he told the girl what we wanted with a charming smile on his face. When she left he turned his attention back to his glass of wine and took a hearty drink.
I reached for my purse and fished my cell phone out. Once I brought the screen to life, I found my contacts and opened up to Cassidy’s name.
APPLE BANK.
I waited for her response. I smiled at the thought of such a silly pair of safe words, but they always got a great reaction out of her and being in Spain without her just felt wrong.
WHAT? OLIVIA WHERE ARE YOU? OH MY GOD! I’LL COME GET YOU!
I giggled. I loved Cassidy like a sister and she was always trying to keep me out of trouble. I looked up at Alejandro and help up the phone.
“Smile, Mr. Castle!” I said cheerfully. He laughed and held up a hand, asking me to give him a moment to regain his composure. “Tick tock! I’ll take it right now if you don’t smile!” He quickly ran his hands over his face and gave me such a big grin that I couldn’t help but laugh after I took the picture.
And there we sat. Two former lovers, laughing like nothing had ever happened. We laughed like there was not a care in the world, like there wasn’t another man that wanted my heart or like I hadn’t almost died to be with him.
Two
I soon found myself becoming serious as those thoughts echoed throughout my mind and I sent the picture to Cassidy with a simple caption. SPAIN. ITALY NEXT.
“Something wrong, Livie? You look so serious all of a sudden,” Alejo remarked.
“No. Not really,” I replied, tossing my phone back into my purse. “I just miss Cassidy is all. I haven’t seen her in a while.”
“How come?”
“Didn’t you know? Cassidy Mendez is like Super Girl! She’s always off to explore and save the world,” I said leaning back in my chair thoughtfully. “I wish I was more like her honestly. Sometimes it seems like she’s trying to save the world and I’m trying to destroy it. It’s weird, but I guess it works.”
Grabbing my glass of wine, I sat there silently until I finished it. Alejandro was quiet too, looking out the window as the sun kept descending over the horizon. I wanted to ask him what he was thinking, but I wasn’t sure if I exactly cared enough to want to know.
“I would think speaking of Cassidy would make you happy and not sad,” he said, still gazing out the window.
“I’m never sad when I think of her. It just doesn’t feel right to be here again without her,” I replied with a shrug. “Anyway, why Italy?”
Alejo turned his attention back to me and smiled, “Because I haven’t been there in a while. Have you ever visited Italy?”
“Nope.”
“Then it’s an even better reason,” he replied cheerfully.
Before I had a chance to ask another no, but really why Italy? question, the waitress returned with our food. I grabbed my fork and knife and cut a tender piece of fish off. I stabbed it with the fork and placed it curiously into my mouth. I still wasn’t sure what he had ordered now other than it was fish, but the flavors were like nothing I had ever tasted before and I was pleasantly surprised.
“¿Es bueno?” he asked with a smile. I nodded and took another bite.
“Super bueno,” I replied putting my fork down. I sipped some wine while he laughed and smiled into my glass. “What about you, Alejandro?” I asked after I set my glass down. “Are you bueno?”
“I like to think I am,” he replied softly.
Unfortunately all I can think of when I see you is almost dying, I thought glumly to myself.