Kiss Me, Lynn (18 page)

Alex came around to the other side of the bench so he could sit next to her and hold her
close.

<><><><>

Those who had hiked to the Inca Bridge returned first. Alex went to talk to the guide.

“Wow!
What a hike!” Sharon sat down next to Lynn. “Have you been here the whole time?”

“Yes.
We’ve been talking.” She hesitated. “I got a post from Dad on Alex’s phone. Mom is still in the ICU. They’ll be watching her closely for the next twenty-four hours.”

Sharon’s expression changed immediately.
“So what does this mean for you and—”

“
Dad told me to enjoy the rest of the tour.”

Sharon nodded.
“We’ll be back in Cusco tonight”

“Yes, and
back to Lima in the morning.”

“So you’re going back?”

“What else can I do? As soon as we get back to Virginia, I’ll have to arrange a flight to Santa Fe.”

“You could change your flight from Houston to
Santa Fe instead.”

“I guess I could.
It would certainly be less expensive to pay the fee than to pay for another flight booked less than two weeks ahead of time.” She stood and walked away a few paces, then came back and sat down again. “I just wish they could tell us what’s happening!”

“Maybe we’ll hear some really good news tonight.
That she’s awake and trying to get out of bed and clean something.”

“Maybe.”

“You don’t have to live through this alone. We’re all here for you. So is Alex.”

“Tomorrow
, we’ll leave. I may never see him again.”

“Positive thoughts, remember?”

<><><><>

The group who’d gone to the Sun Gate returned a while la
ter, elated, but extremely tired.

Vicki and Sheila looked like they’d been on a super roller coaster.

“The view from the Sun Gate is extraordinary!” Vicki said. “I tried to imagine what it would’ve been like, approaching Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail from that gate in the mountains for the first time. Astonishing! It’s so surreal, it would be like entering Heaven.”

Sheila
agreed. “It looks exactly like the pictures! I like this up-close view a lot better, though. Wow. Is that ever beautiful!”

“I couldn’t agree more.”
Lynn tried to imprint the view in her mind. She had a dozen photographs now, but closing her eyes and remembering actually being here would always be better. Photographs couldn’t capture the full majesty of the surrounding mountains, or the feeling of being almost on top of the city below.

Alex came up beside them.
“It’s almost time to start back. Take lots of pictures in the next ten minutes!”

Lynn’s chest felt tight at the thought of leaving this magical place.
Somehow, she had to come back someday.

On the way down, Lynn had no difficulty keeping up with the group or getting her legs to coopera
te. No rubbery knees this time.

When they re
ached the bus, she got on sadly. When Alex sat down next to her, he slipped his arm around her shoulders.

“We will come back,
A
mor
. You will see. There’s no need to be sad about leaving. I promise we will come back—just the two of us—and we can sit on the bench the whole day, if that’s what you want.” He brushed the hair back from her face and kissed her cheek. “I’ll bring cushions for us to sit on.”

Lynn didn’t answer.
She couldn’t. She wanted to believe him…

Chapter 1
9

In the village, they boarded the train to return to Ollantaytambo. Everyone in the group contributed money to two envelopes—one for Alex and another for Rudolfo—their tips to thank them for such an excellent job on the tour. The fat envelopes were sealed and names written on the front. Sharon handed Rudolfo’s envelope to him and he bowed, grinned, and said, “
Muchas gracias, Señoritas!
”

Lynn handed the other envelope to Alex, which was even fatter, since he’d been their most impressive guide.

Alex said nothing when he took the envelope. Instead, he stood in the aisle among the ladies, held the envelope in front of him, then kissed it noisily! Everyone laughed and clapped!

He tucked the envelope into his pocket
, then sat down next to Lynn again, still grinning and nodding his appreciation.

Lynn snuggled against him with her arm beneath his and their fingers laced, and rested her head on his shoulder on the way back.
Her thoughts tangled in her mind—her mother’s surgery, what she could be facing now, and how much she wished her parents could meet Alex. She smiled when those thoughts changed to memories of seeing him the first time in Lima at the hotel, peering at him through the closing elevator doors, the first time he kissed her hand, and how she’d grown to love him in only a few days. They’d progressed from holding hands to making love since she’d arrived in Peru. Could it be infatuation instead of love? Was it nothing more than a vacation fling? She frowned. No, not a fling. Much more. Her feelings—her love—for Alex had grown deeper every day, bringing her joy and happiness she’d never known. He’d become part of her. She looked up at him and found a quizzical expression on his face.

“What is it,
Amor
? What are you thinking?”

“How much I love you.”

Tears appeared in his beautiful eyes. He kissed her forehead before closing his eyes and stroking her hand, squeezing her fingers, and leaning farther toward her. “One more night…” he whispered.

One more night…

<><><><>

In Ollantaytambo,
they boarded the tour bus to drive back to Cusco. Lynn sat in her usual place, feeling lonely, as though part of her were missing. Alex sat up front. She noticed he looked rather lonely, too, but, of course, he was “on duty” again, pointing out places they passed and answering more questions on the way back to Cusco. Even though they’d become “special friends,” he’d never neglected his duties as their guide.

They
arrived at the Costa del Sol just before dark. Some had different rooms from their previous stay, but Sharon and Lynn were assigned to the same room as before. Lynn watched to see where Alex was staying, but he lingered in the lobby after she and Sharon left to go upstairs.

They took showers—a necessity after all those stone steps!—and dressed in the clothes they’d brought for “dressing up.”
Lynn wore her black jeans with the “sparklies” again, but chose a turquoise knit top with long sleeves this time. When she’d bought the necklace for Alex, she hadn’t shown him—or anyone else—the matching necklace she’d bought for herself. She put it on, and it brought her a wave of happiness, seeing how the turquoise stones matched the top.

Lynn had worn her hair pulled back into a long ponytail
every day, with her hat on top to shade her face from the sun. The sunburn she’d brought back from Caral had healed and turned into a lovely tan. After shampooing her hair in the shower, she used the dryer to fluff her hair over her shoulders. This would be her last night with Alex. She wanted to look special for him.

She and Sharon went downstairs, straight to the urn of hot water and the bowl of
Coca leaves in the lobby. They were back at an altitude of 11,000 feet, which sapped energy quicker than climbing a thousand stone steps.

She
still didn’t see Alex. He must still be in his room. But then, he appeared at the door of the hotel leading to the street. He’d had a shower, too, and fluffed his thick black hair, just as she’d fluffed hers. He wasn’t wearing his hat. He also wasn’t wearing his “tour guide clothes.” His jeans were darker than those he’d worn during the day, and his white shirt was unbuttoned several inches from his throat.

“Ladies, you look very beautiful
.” He gave them both a kiss on the cheek. “I really love your necklace,
Amor
. A wonderful surprise.”

“I didn’t see you go to your room,” Lynn said softly.

“I don’t have a room here this time,” he admitted. “I went home. That’s where I’ll be tonight.”

For him, t
he tour was over.

“Will we see you tomorrow?”

“Of course. I couldn’t let you leave without saying good-bye.”

His words pierced her heart.

The others came down, declaring they had to have cheeseburgers and fries, Peruvian-style, to compare to burgers in Virginia.

Lynn gave Alex an impish grin.
“Know what I’d like to have tonight? Those incredible shrimp skewers at the Museo del Pisco. And a strawberry Pisco Sour. Or two!”

They all agreed that sounded
better than burgers! They walked two blocks to the plaza, then across to the Museo where Sergio was delighted to see them again. He escorted them to the basement to the same oblong couches with the table in the center where they’d sat the first time.

Lynn motioned to Sergio to take her order first.
“I want five skewers of shrimp.”

“Five?”

“No, make it six, so I can share. I may want more in a little while.”

“Whatever you say!
Shall I bring you a strawberry Pisco Sour?”

“Yes
, please!”

Sergio took orders from the others, who studied a menu before ordering a dozen different tapas to s
hare, including shrimp skewers.

Sharon ordered two skewers for herself.
“I can’t trust her to share. She loves shrimp more than anyone I’ve ever known!”

Spread out around the table, their
conversation got louder and louder, thanks to the vivacious live music filtering down the stairs from the main floor. Alex sat in the curve of the padded couch with Lynn leaning back against him and his arms around her.

Lynn appreciated
so much how accepting everyone had been about her relationship with Alex. Whenever the others saw the two of them together, their expressions displayed only delight and approval. If any of them had come to Peru expecting a fling with their guide—other than Sharon, of course—they’d given up on the idea almost immediately.

W
as Lynn ready for commitment? The more she thought about being with Alex in a committed relationship—or married, as he’d hinted earlier—the more she loved the idea of being with someone she could truly count on, who loved her for who she was, who shared her love of history and sharing history with others, and who clearly loved his mother!

Lynn’s thoughts left the group and centered on her parents for a moment,
and how her mother might face a normal future again, if only… She banished those thoughts. Tonight she would celebrate! They’d come to Peru not knowing what to expect, and tomorrow they’d leave with memories that would enrich their lives forever.

Alex
fingered Lynn’s necklace lovingly. Wearing matching necklaces reminded her of college, when couples who weren’t ready to be engaged became “dropped.” A “drop” was a necklace with a pendant bearing the logo of the school. “Dropped” meant “engaged to be engaged.” Lynn loved the idea that she and Alex had actually gotten close to making that big decision. But living thousands of miles apart made it impossible—another thought she put aside in favor of celebration.

Alex reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
“E-mail,” he said, glancing at the name of the sender. “From your father.” He handed her the phone.

Lynn couldn’t hide what she felt when she read the post.

Sharon and the others had stopped chattering and fallen silent. “What does he say?”

“
Mom hasn’t responded the way they’d hoped after the surgery. Dad will let me know in the morning if there’s been any change. It could be another twenty-four hours before they’ll know for sure.” She handed the phone back to Alex and took a deep breath with her eyes closed, taking “two steps back.”

“So, we have to keep celebrating this amaz
ing tour we’ve just completed!” Sharon declared. “Your mom would never forgive us if we didn’t have one more Pisco Sour and drink to her recovery.” She reached for her glass and drank the rest. “Sergio! Bring me another! And another strawberry for my friend!”

Lynn drained her glass then told Sergio, “Fill ‘er up!”

Sergio asked the others if they also wanted refills, which several did, then went up the stairs happily to fetch them.

Alex pulled Lynn closer and whispered, “You are very brave,
Amor.
Your mother would be proud.”

“I just have to keep my mind occupied with positive, happy thoughts.”

Alex raised her hand to his lips, then gave her a sweet smile. “I think I can help you with that.”

<><><><>

Laughing and talking on the way back to the hotel, everyone agreed they’d chosen the perfect way to say good-bye to Cusco and to all the wonderful places they’d been and sights they’d seen. They were going home with bags of gifts, hundreds of memories, and thousands of photographs, which they promised to share with each other.

Alex and Lynn walked near the back of the group, holding hands, bumping their shoulders occasionally, and stealing kisses
even when they knew the others might be looking.

Once they were back in the hotel, the others disappeared quickly, knowing they wouldn’t get nearly enough sleep
to get them through the long day of travel ahead of them. They might actually be able to sleep on the flight from Lima to Houston.

Sharon was the last to head upstairs
, but before she left, she pulled Lynn off to the side. “I’m spending the night in Barb and BJ’s room tonight. Our room is all yours.” She smiled at Alex over Lynn’s shoulder.

“Are you sure?”

“Their room has two beds. They were happy to let me bunk with them. Give me five minutes to get my stuff from our room…”

Lynn smiled her thanks,
then returned to where Alex was standing by the door, getting ready to leave.

“You don’t have to go home,” she told him.

“I was hoping you’d come with me.”

“
Sharon won’t be in our room tonight.”

His eyes—and his smile—widened.
“Are you sure?”

“
A gift to us.”

They
waited another ten minutes, wandering through the courtyard where they’d danced, and where they’d kissed the first time. Then, they made their way up the wide stone staircase to the second floor, then around to Lynn’s room. She unlocked the door, and they slipped inside. Sharon had turned down the covers—expertly, Lynn thought—and left some Pisco-flavored chocolates on the pillow. She’d stashed all of her clothes and other stuff in her suitcases in the closet so the room looked perfectly beautiful.

“Alex, I need to tell you something.”

He took off his jacket and laid it neatly on the back of the chair by the dresser. “I hope it is something happy.”

“I can’t stay in Cusco with you.”

He ducked his head and looked away. “I understand.” He gathered her into his arms, kissed her hair, her temples, her lips.

“Let me finish,” she told him gently.
They sat on the edge of the bed. “I came here to tour Peru, to see Cusco and Machu Picchu, to gather information and photographs to make my unit on the Inca come alive for my students.”

“You are an excellent teacher.”

“I didn’t expect to fall in love.”

His eyes widened.

“I have no idea what will be expected of me once I get home. So the choice about whether or not I can stay has been made for me, simply because the future is completely unknown to me right now. And there’s very little chance that my mother will wake up and be able to get on with her life as it was before.”

Alex nodded.

“I’ve loved meeting you, getting to know you, and…falling in love with you.”

He brought
her hands to his lips.

“I love you, Alex.
I want to be with you more than anything. But I can’t right now.”

“You could see your mother,
then come back.”

“I don’t know that for sure.
I may not know for months. I can’t ask you to wait for me. I may not be able to come back for a long time, and that isn’t fair to you.”

“
I have been half a man until you came into my life. But now I have found the best part of myself, someone who loves all the things I love—Peru, Cusco, Machu Picchu, the history of my country, and sharing what I have learned with others. How can I say good-bye to the best part of myself?”