I endured a few minutes of her angry con lessons, with extra emphasis on the perils of falling for the mark. I wanted to point out that I was just keeping the mark happy until the deal was complete, but all the voices in my head reminded me that she was right. "Never fall for the mark," they screamed in chorus with Bea. I really needed to take that advice more seriously, if possible. By the time I got off the phone, I was back to feeling like crap.
And then, just to keep my emotions yo-yoing some more, Alejandro called. I stared at his name on my phone and my mouth fell open. Why was he doing this? I didn't merit so much attention, especially after running away from him last night. If he were any other man, he'd stay clear of me after a stunt like that.
But not Alejandro. "What happened last night? Why did you run away?" The concern in his voice was sincere-I felt it in my gut. Suddenly, my head was spinning in a blurred daze, lost in his kiss, unable to hear the bells of alarm warning me against getting romantically involved.
"I'm sorry. I just couldn't handle a media event that big."
"You're the first woman I've met since I became famous who didn't want to be seen with me. Are you secretly married? In witness protection?"
I laughed. "No and no."
"Can I meet you in private? I have to see you some more."
There it was again. A strange sensation that I'd somehow been dropped into a dream where the world's most handsome and popular musician wanted me. My whole body buzzed at the thought of meeting him in private. "Okay, sure." Oops! Why did I say that? I meant to tell him to leave me alone. What was wrong with me?
"Good. How about right now?" There was a knock on the door of my motel room, and I jumped so high that I nearly hit my head on the ceiling.
"Is that you at my door?" I ground out the words.
His answer came at me from both sides. "Open up, Deborah. Let me in."
I went to the door and looked through the peephole. Alejandro! Wearing a gray hoodie, jeans, and sunglasses. I quickly opened up and ushered him in. "What are you doing here?"
"Obviously, I'm here to see you. I didn't get enough last night."
He didn't get enough? Oh, please! Regrettably, he was right-neither of us got enough last night. I definitely didn't. But nobody ever promised me enough from life, so I was used to it by now.