OCTOBER

Life lessons I need to hear

Oct 14, 2016 Part 11

Weight: 119

Ate: nothing

Drank: A cuban coffee

Sex: Maybe, Maybe Not

Rafe started the car and soon we were out of posh Miracle Mile and headed into Doral, where my show taped in our studio.

The houses were tighter here though still nice. This was the rich Venezuluen exiles part of town, and the good Cuban cafecita’s were less here.

“Can we stop before we get too far into Doral? I want a Cuban coffee.”

“On it.” He nodded and pulled into a gas station. I waited while he went to the window facing the gas station. But my lips puckered the moment I saw the tiny white styrofoam expresso shot he brought me. Rafe was a great guy. I was salivating when he handed the drink to me and he asked, “How’s life pretending to be a Morgan?”

Right. His mother spent her life working for the dead Mitch Morgan and then retired on Peter. Caro, his sister, replaced her mother on the job. I took a shot of the sugar inducing coffee and then as I finished, “Better than just serving them.”

“Pfft.” He said and then sipped his own cafecita. Once he finished he started the car but sounded more serious. “I bet. Caro says you’ve been giving her a hard time.”

Huh? My heart stopped and my eyes widened. Caro was sweet and I liked seeing her when I woke up at Peter’s house so I shook my head. “I don’t mean to. I actually like Caro. She’s the closest thing I have to a sister of my own.”

Rafe patted her arm and then drove his police cruiser back on the street while he said, “Then treat her like that.”

Cars parted for them as I saluted and said, “I will.”

Once upon a time Rafe kept me safe. He was like my favorite teddy bear now that I never wanted to quite give up even if I didn’t glance or call him much. I always knew Rafe was one of the good ones.

He didn’t need directions to take her to work. I relaxed until he asked, “How is your work going?”

I took a deep breathe. Rafe could keep a secret. I lowered my head and whispered, “I have an audition coming.”

He gripped the steering wheel when he said, “I thought you show was guaranteed for at least another year.”

Rafe worried I’d lose my job and have no income. He was sweet though he needed to see that one day marrying Peter guaranteed she’d never have to work.

Acting was good until that happened. But Rafe was always about security which was important so I nodded and confided, “I have an exit clause in 90 days if I want and I’m hoping to stop with the telenovela and break into movies.”

His perfectly white teeth showed in his nice smile. “So it’s for a movie?”

If I’d stayed with Rafe back in high school, I’d have been a pregnant cop’s wife within a year and his mother and sister might have liked me more. But that was a daydream for another day… when she needed to act out a scene where she lost everything.

However my heart raced as I admitted to my other dream I’d never talk much about as I said, “Yes.”

He stopped in front of my work and the nodded at me. “Then congrats. If Peter doesn’t take you out to celebrate, you can join us for beers at Mama’s house.”

He stepped out of his cruiser. I pushed my own door open and the sun breamed on my skin, heating me with this humidity. Then I hugged him and said, “I might. It’s been a while since I went to your home and I miss your mom.”

He put his hands in his jean pockets and met her gaze. “Speaking of mom’s, I heard from yours.”

Huh? She stilled and didn’t care that she shivered like she was cold as she asked, “Did you tell her to leave me alone?”

He shifted his muscular frame. “No, I dropped off some groceries. Her maid quit.”

My entire body stilled. I couldn’t get away from my mother. So I nodded and asked, “Again? She didn’t tell me. I’ll order her another one.”

Rafe met her gaze and asked, “Do you want my mom to find a caretaker for your mother?”

Perfect. Pilar Soliz was a great organizer and hired half of Peter’s staff. She’d clearly do a better job than me. So I kissed Rafe’s cheek and said, “Yes! That would be great. Thank you. I have to get going.”

I headed toward the red painted metal door but then Rafe called out behind me and I turned around as he he said, “Just try to be good Jennifer Gonzales. Remember I’m off to Vegas this weekend for Raul’s bachelor party, but if you need me call. You don’t need to change yourself just to date Peter Morgan.”

“I needed to hear that. Have fun in Vegas Rafe. You need fun.” I flounced my hair over my shoulder and headed inside.

Rafe’s words floated in my mind. What would happen if I just told Peter how I felt? What if he saw  I fit into his life like a pair of custom made tailored pants.

The House of Morgan