“That would be great,” Juliana said.
Baylor had an odd feeling. She was getting used to odd feelings. It seemed that Ana Lia put her more in tune with her emotions, and what she was feeling right now felt a lot like jealousy. All of a sudden, she didn’t want Juliana to get to know Hobie. She knew in her heart that if she said something to her, Juliana would not think about flirting with Hobie. She had a great deal of integrity that way, but would she laugh at Baylor? Mock her?
Baylor gave in to the peer pressure and said nothing. Without so much as a glance at Hobie, she slipped into the side of the booth where Laura sat. Juliana looked about as surprised as Hobie.
“So what brings you to Ana Lia?” Hobie asked.
Baylor was sure that Hobie wondered why she looked so uncomfortable and why she was acting as if Hobie were a stranger.
“I had an incredible urge to see what was keeping my best mate so far from the big city.” Juliana offered that charming grin once again. “I see now what kept her,” she added, never taking her eyes from Hobie’s face.
“So, Jules—do you mind me calling you that?” Hobie asked. “Not at all, love.”
“Where are you from originally?”
“My family moved from London when I was a kid.”
“How exciting. I was there for a conference about eight years ago. I loved it. Where in London are you from?”
Juliana’s smile faltered and she threw a quick glance at Baylor, who already showed the beginnings of a smile.
“Essex.”
Hobie smiled. “Blond hair, blue eyes...so, you’re an Essex girl, are you?”
Baylor snorted, trying to contain her laughter.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist,” Hobie said with a sympathetic smile.
“Don’t be.” Juliana indicated Baylor with a nod. “She just loves it.”
“Well, we better not keep you.” Baylor rose abruptly and the three others stared at her.
“Oh, uh, yes,” Hobie agreed. “We really do have to get going. Jules, will you be staying for a few days?”
“Yes.” “No.”
Juliana and Baylor answered simultaneously. Juliana smiled amiably at her friend.
“As a matter of fact, I’ve just decided that a little time on Ana Lia may be exactly what I need,” Juliana added.
“I hope we’ll be seeing you again,” Hobie said.
“I think I can pretty much guarantee that,” Juliana said, moving aside to allow Hobie to pass.
Baylor and Juliana watched as the other women left. Baylor glanced at her watch and quickly dragged her friend to the counter.
“Geez, mate, where’s the fire?”
“There’s something on TV I don’t want to miss. Oh, and just what the hell was that supposed to be back there?” Baylor demanded as they sat down.
“What?”
“What? You were practically all over her, and you say what!”
“When you say ‘her,’ I take it you mean Hobie?” Baylor looked at her friend with a cynical expression.
“Hey, you’re the one who said you were just friends and now you’re acting like she belongs to you. Which is it, my friend?”
“I, uh, you...oh, shut up and let’s eat.” “Look, Baylor—”
“Jules, can this wait till the next commercial?” Baylor held up a hand, never taking her eyes off the television.
Juliana watched as nearly all activity in the diner came to an abrupt halt. It took a moment or two before she realized that everyone was watching the television. It took a few seconds longer to realize that the actors were not speaking English.
“It’s in Spanish, right?” “Yeah.”
“Do you speak Spanish?”
“Maybe a little. You know, a couple of classes in high school.”
“Seems like a really popular show.”
“Oh, yeah. I’ve been watching it since I got to the island. It’s really addictive,” Baylor said distractedly.
“Does somebody else here translate for everyone?”
“No.” Baylor turned and looked at Juliana as though she had grown an additional head in the past few moments. “Why would they?”
“Oh, I get it, all right, very funny. You’re not serious, right?” “Shh.” Baylor stared intently at the television.
Juliana watched the screen, trying to decipher what was happening. “What are they saying?”
“I’m not sure, but I think the brunette has done something terrible to the blonde, and I think the old guy saw it. Or he knows about it somehow.”
Juliana let Baylor order their lunch, although she grew slightly worried at the sound of duck’s breath burgers and munchers. By the time their food came, Juliana had become involved in the television show herself.
“Who’s he?” she asked, popping another muncher into her mouth.
“He’s the blonde’s lover, but I think he might be gay.” “How do you know?”
“He kissed the brunette’s husband. Of course, that might not mean anything considering the brunette’s husband ended up dead the next day.”
“Could have been the kiss of death.” “Exactly what I was thinking.”
The two women ate their lunch and watched television. During the commercial breaks, Juliana found herself drifting into thought. She loved Baylor like a sister. Over the years, they had often competed for the same women, but with one big difference: Baylor was interested in the conquest, the game, but she had a bad habit of not caring for the feelings of the women she became involved with. More often than not, Juliana would voluntarily give up in a bet with her to save the feelings of the woman involved. She had seen her friend grow unreasonably jealous when it came to someone she was interested in, but it was an envy born of possessiveness and ownership, not true love. Juliana wished that just once her friend might experience the latter.
She also wondered at her own behavior. Had she really allowed herself to be drawn into this world of Baylor’s so easily? She attributed it to Baylor’s ability to lure her into her schemes and dreams. That had been a talent of Baylor’s since they’d been children.
What the hell, Juliana thought. She continued to watch the actors on the screen speak in a language with which she was completely unfamiliar. When in Rome...
“Let me ask you something, Jules.”
Baylor and Juliana sat beside the pool in Evelyn’s backyard, sipping margaritas and talking about nothing and everything, the sort of talk of friends who feel completely comfortable with each other. Juliana splashed her feet in the water, but Baylor’s aversion to open water included the pool. She reclined on a lounger in the shade.
“What do you think of me?” Baylor asked. “I try not to.”
“As a writer.” “Absolutely brill, mate.”
“And what about my books?” “What about them?”
“Don’t play games with me.”
“You’ve been thinking again, haven’t you? I told you years ago not to listen to that old man of yours.”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what?” Juliana rose and took a seat in the chaise lounge beside Baylor. She toweled her legs dry and tried to pretend that she didn’t know what Baylor meant.
“When we were in college, I planned to be such a different writer than I am now. I wanted to write novels that would...I don’t know… make a difference or help people in some way. Instead, I write cheap trash. At the very least, I feel like I’m living a lie. I don’t mind writing straight stories, but straight romance? It’s far from what I know, that’s for sure.”
“That trash made you a wealthy woman. Plus, there is no credence to the idea that writing what you know will produce a better novel.”
“I don’t want to sound ungrateful, to you or anyone. It’s just me, I guess.” Baylor ran her fingers through her hair and let her head fall against the back of the lounge chair.
“Let me tell you a story. Remember when we were in college together? I wanted to be a writer just like you.”