Page 91 of Harper's Holiday Romance

“I’ll get him some food.” I left my place in line for the marquesita and moved to the taco food truck.

“Can I have a plate of meat for the raccoon, please?”

The chef didn’t understand a word I’d said. Clearly he’d not seen the commotion.

“Chicken?” The chef asked.

“Sure.”

Billie left Sarah as the last woman standing in the queue for the marquesitas.

“You’re not supposed to tell him you want meat for the raccoon.” She laughed.

“I don’t like lying.” I shrugged. The chef made me a taco with chicken and veg. It smelt unbelievable. I placed the plate neatly by the side of the bin for when the racoon clambered its way out.

“He loves it, look.” I beamed. “He loves a taco.”

A member of staff for the hotel wandered by, witnessed the racoon, and said, “Please don’t feed them.”

I turned away. “Has he gone?”

Billie laughed. “Yes.”

“I hate getting told off.” I flushed. “He enjoyed it though, and that’s all that matters. What should I call him?”

I was making a habit of naming my Mexican pets.

“Julia,” Sarah said.

“That’s not funny.”

“No, Julia. She’s coming this way.” Sarah tried to be discreet, but she was about as discreet as a whale in a household fish tank.

“Oh, fuck. What do I do? Hide me. Hide me.”

I could tell by Billie’s face it was too late to get away now. So, I turned and embraced the discomfort.

“Hi, Julia,” I said sweetly.

“Hey, erm, can we talk?” She acknowledged Billie and Sarah with a smile. I nodded.

God, she looked beautiful. How? Why? Couldn’t she just have one off day? One day where she had a giant piece of food stuck in her teeth, or a big bogey stuck up her nose, dandruff in her hair, a clump of mascara on the top of her eyelid, anything. I would’ve taken absolutely anything.

Give me a break.

We passed the elevators, rounded a corner, and ended up at the back of the hotel on a piece of unused wasteland. There was a pathway through the centre, flanked by the less attractive palm trees and three or four benches. I didn’t know it existed, but it was peaceful. I followed Julia’s lead in taking a seat on the second bench. I wasn’t sure what was wrong with the first one, but that wasn’t important.

“Is everything okay?” she asked casually.

“Uh-huh.” I was a terrible liar.

“Why haven’t you text me back today?”

I shrugged. “I didn’t see the need.”

Julia’s eyes narrowed. Her jaw hung open loosely. I could see the sting in my words as she recoiled, and I instantly felt bad. I needed the conversation to be over. There was no use in talking about my feelings with someone I would never see again in two days’ time.

“Oh. Right. Okay.” She rubbed at her forehead. “I thought we had something here.” She gestured back and forth between us.