A Second Chance Read online

  He rolled over but found that he was alone in their bed.

  Carlos sat up and looked around the room. His tuxedo hung in the doorway, the rental bag behind it. Kathy’s wedding dress hung on the back of the bedroom door. Really, he thought, those things should have been tossed to the floor in a mad rage. How pathetic was he?

  He climbed from the bed and made his way to the bathroom. The small clock on the counter said it was almost eleven in the morning. He shook his head. Perhaps he’d had more champagne than he thought he had.

  He brushed his teeth, found a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt, and pulled them on. He couldn’t be sure there weren’t people lingering in his kitchen.

  As he walked down the hallway toward the kitchen, he noticed suitcases lined up against the wall. A smile formed on his lips. A week in Hawaii. That would be a well-deserved vacation.

  Kathy was in the kitchen moving about. He stopped and watched her for a moment. There was an urgency to her. She scrubbed the counters and tucked items into drawers. But that wasn’t all he noticed. She was wiping her eyes. She was crying.

  He walked to her, rested his hands on her shoulders. She stiffened under his touch. Gently he laid a kiss on her neck. “Good morning, my wife.”

  She didn’t speak. Instead, she brushed away the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

  Carlos turned her to him. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

  “I’ve made a terrible mistake. I’m so sorry for it too.’

  “What could you have done? Honey, what happened?” He ran his hand over her hair and waited for her to lift her eyes to him.

  “Oh, Carlos. What have we done?”

  “Why don’t we sit down? Let’s have some coffee. I could really use come coffee.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Sit down and I’ll make some coffee.”

  He pulled a chair out for her, and she sat as he busied himself with measuring out coffee and pouring water into the maker. He was fully aware she was sitting at the table tearing apart a paper napkin. On his first day as a newlywed, this was not what he’d expected.

  Carlos made himself a piece of toast and found the bottle of Tylenol. He popped two in his mouth and cupped his hand under the faucet to fill it with water to wash them down.

  Once the coffee had brewed, he poured two cups, sat down with his toast on a napkin, and looked at his wife. He didn’t remember much about undressing and climbing into bed, but he’d slept like a baby. One look at Kathy told him she’d been up all night.

  Her skin was pale and her eyes darkened by tears and lack of sleep. He thought the morning after your wedding was supposed to be a happy one. How was it he was afraid to open his mouth?

  He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Are you feeling okay?”

  She released the shards of the tortured napkin and looked at him. “No. No, I’m not okay.”

  “What did I miss?” He tried to gather her hand again, but she pulled away, setting them in her lap. “Kathy, what is it?”

  “We got married.”

  He gave a little chuckle. “Of course we did. We planned it for months.”

  “No. What I’m trying to say is, we shouldn’t have.”

  Carlos shook his head. “I don’t understand. What do you mean we shouldn’t have?”

  Kathy dropped her shoulders and stood. She paced the floor for a moment and then dropped her hands and looked down at him. “God, this is so hard.”

  Carlos rose to meet her eye to eye.

  She held up a hand to stop him from moving closer to her. “I was being selfish. I should have called the wedding off weeks ago. But I thought it was the right thing to do, to continue.”

  He shook his head. He had no idea what was going on. He stepped another step toward her, but she retreated and walked around the table. She placed her hands on the back of the chair.

  “I’m packed and leaving for Hawaii.”

  “Okay. I’ll go get packed.” He nodded nervously, motioning toward the bedroom. “Is that what’s bothering you?”

  “No. I’m bothered by the fact that you won’t be going to Hawaii with me. I’m bothered that I let this go this far.’

  “Where am I going? Sweetheart, what the hell is going on?”

  “I’m going to Hawaii without you. Carlos, I don’t want to be married.”

  He moved to her, catching her hand before she could jerk it away. “You’re nervous. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “But I do.” She smiled and let out a breath. “It shouldn’t be a problem. The papers haven’t been filed. We don’t have to file the marriage. It’ll be as though it never happened. If they don’t accept that, we’ll have it annulled.”

  “You don’t love me?”

  “Oh, I love you. I love you too much to do this to you.”

  The breath in his lungs escaped him as he focused on her smile. “What have you done?”

  “Stolen you away from the woman you love.”

  It was Carlos that retreated a step this time and sat down in the chair closest to him. Wasn’t she the woman he loved? Kathy was obviously having next-morning jitters. “What are you talking about?”

  “Listen, since the day I met you, I knew your heart belonged to Madeline.”

  Carlos’s shoulders dropped, and he was sure his chin had hit the floor. “Kathy…”

  She shook her head. “For the past year I tried to convinced myself you loved me more than you love her. But I was wrong. So I’m going to Hawaii alone and you’re going to Mexico.”

  He sat before her dumbfounded. The throbbing in his head increased and so did his heart rate. “Why are you telling me this now? What good does it do me now?” The moment the words hit the air, he wished he could retract them, but it was too late. “That’s not what I meant.”

  She smiled and her eyes began to dry. “Oh, Carlos. You’re a good man. Too good to have me as your wife.” She laid a gentle hand on his arm. “You and I were trying to fill a hole. We each needed something. You needed to take care of someone, and I needed you to be there for me. You were.” She moved past him and paced the kitchen. “Madeline needs you too.”

  “Kathy.”

  “No.” She raised her hand to stop his protest. “First, I want you to know I’m not upset. This all comes from my heart. But when I watched you say good-bye to her the other day… When I watched you kiss her…”

  He stood and she backed away. Oh, he hadn’t meant to kiss Madeline. He had to tell her that.

  “Please, let me finish.” She moved again to create space between them. “Carlos, you need to be with her. And I needed a wedding. I got my wedding, and I’m so sorry to say I was disappointed.”

  His brows drew together and his lips pursed. The woman had lost her mind.

  Kathy picked up the towel near the sink and folded it, he knew, to keep her hands occupied.

  “I love you. You’re such a wonderful man. But I think you belong with your family, and I should take some time to find the right person for me.”

  He rubbed the ache in his forehead. Perhaps the champagne still pulsed through his veins, because he wasn’t feeling very steady. “Are you standing here in our kitchen telling me, your husband, that you don’t want to be married to me?”

  “Yes.”

  He threw his hands in the air. “Kathy, it hasn’t even been twenty-four hours. What’s wrong with you?”

  Instead of crying, she began to laugh. “Don’t you see? Nothing is wrong. Except that we don’t belong together.” She dropped her hands to her sides. “Curtis and Simone had more going on last night than we did.”

  He’d noticed that his little brother had his hands all over the French beauty, and she’d been reciprocating. Carlos pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping to release the pressure in his head. “Let’s give this some time. I’m sure it’s nerves.”

  “No. Nerves got me to this point.” She neared him and touched his cheek. “Even I can see that you and Madeline should be together. You love her. It
’s always been her. And she loves you.” She stepped back. “It’s been less than twenty-four hours. That’s a short enough time that we can tear up the marriage license and send back the gifts.” She turned to the kitchen table and picked up an envelope. “I leave for Hawaii in four hours. Then I’m headed to California. I’m going to move in with my sister for a bit and let my life take a new course.”

  Carlos stood silent. He wasn’t sure what to say. This was his wife. He should be stopping her from speaking nonsense, but something was holding him back.

  Kathy handed him the envelope. “I had Judy work her travel agent magic. She dropped this off earlier.”

  Carlos took the envelope and opened it. She’d done what she set out to do, he figured. His stomach began to flutter with nerves at the chance everything was going to be okay. “This is a plane ticket to Mexico.”

  Kathy nodded. “Go get her. Don’t let her go again.” She stepped to him and kissed his cheek. “Wow, I can breathe again.” She held a hand to her chest. “For the past few weeks I’ve known this was the right thing to do. I should have done it then, but at least it’s done now.”

  “I can’t believe you did this.”

  “Call your kids. Tell them you’re going to go get your wife back.” She rested her hands on his chest. “I’m okay. I know you’ll worry about that for a long time. That’s how you are. But really, I’m going to be fine. I’m actually giddy about starting over in California.”

  “I wish I had words.”

  “A thank-you will do.”

  He swallowed back the excitement he felt and tried to sound sincere when he sighed, “Thank you.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Carlos scanned the people in the hotel lobby as the concierge rang Madeline’s room.

  The concierge pursed his lips and hung up the phone. “I’m sorry, sir. No one answers. However, many of our guests spend their days out by the pool. Perhaps you’ll find her there.”

  He nodded. He knew he might. If there was sun and water, there was probably a seat for Madeline there.

  Carlos walked out of the hotel, in the direction the attendant had pointed. There was large circular bar overlooking the pool, with its thatched roof that shaded those who had come in from the sun. He propped his arm on the bar and scanned the many people sitting in lounge chairs by the pool. She wasn’t there. But beyond the pool was a walkway toward the beach, where many more rows of people lay hidden beneath brightly colored umbrellas.

  A man walked up next to him in swim trunks and dark sunglasses. “Looks like you just flew in and couldn’t wait to get to the beach.” The man motioned to the bartender. “Two strawberry daiquiris, please.” Carlos felt eyes on him and turned. The guy gave him a quick nod. “Looking for someone?”

  Carlos’s jaw tightened. He didn’t have time to chat with some man who was on vacation. He was on a mission. “My ex-wife.” The words, after all these years, were still bitter on his tongue.

  “Oh, well, the beach is full of those.” The man laughed. “I’ve been out here most the morning. Maybe I can help you.” He turned around and scanned over the crowd. “What does she look like?”

  Carlos shook his head. He wasn’t in the mood for games. “I don’t know.”

  The man turned back to him. “How long has it been since you’ve seen her?”

  “Not that long.” Carlos let out a grunt of a laugh as the bartender placed the man’s drinks on the bar.

  Carlos twisted Madeline’s wedding ring on his pinkie. He’d dug it out of a box he’d kept buried in his closet. He pursed his lips. It never should have been in the box. It never should have left her finger.

  Carlos looked out over the sunbathers again.

  The man reached for his drinks. “Let’s start with the basics. Is she here with girlfriends?”

  “No.”

  “Tall and leggy? Short and curvy?”

  Carlos finally smiled. “Short and curvy. Italian with beautiful eyes.”

  The man nodded. “What color hair?”

  “Brown.” He shook his head. “Well, wait.” He laughed again, this time with ease. “It was brown until we shaved it off.”

  The man’s expression was priceless, but the memory of the day he, Maddie, and Ed shaved their heads made Carlos smile until his cheeks hurt.

  “I didn’t think this would be so hard.” Carlos turned to the bartender. “Two glasses of champagne, please.” He turned back around. “Okay. She either has a scarf on her head or is wearing a stunning head of red hair.”

  The man turned back around, set down his drinks, and held a hand up to the bartender, stopping him from pouring the glasses of champagne.

  Carlos turned to the bartender and then back to the man. “Is there a problem?”

  The man shook his head and took off his sunglasses. “Not for you.”

  Carlos ran his hand over the back of his neck. “I beg your pardon.”

  The man held out his hand to Carlos. “Corbin. Corbin Mason.”

  “Carlos.”

  “Yeah. I figured.” Corbin put his sunglasses back on. “Madeline?”

  Carlos felt the blood drain from his head. Oh, God, he’d never considered that she’d made plans to travel to Mexico with another man. Suddenly the heat and the sun were getting to him. He leaned his back up against the padded edge of the bar to steady himself. The wedding cake from his wedding was the last thing he even remembered eating, and now it was a solid mass in the pit of his stomach.

  Corbin looked out over the beach. “She opted for the orange scarf today but left the floppy hat in the room. She’s just a little pink from all the sun she got yesterday, but she has a healthy glow.” He nodded toward the ring on Carlos’s finger. “Planning on dropping that ring into her champagne?”

  “Thought had crossed my mind.” He turned to Corbin. “Are you here with her?”

  Corbin smiled. “We met on the beach and have enjoyed each other’s company.”

  Suddenly the strength of the bar wasn’t enough to keep Carlos upright. He sat on the empty stool beside him.

  He wiped the sweat from his brow and thought about what Madeline and this man had been doing together. It wasn’t like her, and he assumed that was the point.

  Carlos tried to swallow down the bitter taste of regret but found his mouth had gone dry. Add that to the heart ache that squeezed his chest, he thought he might just die on that barstool.

  Corbin looked back out over the beach. “In those past few days I’ve learned a lot about our Madeline.”

  Our Madeline. The words struck another blow. This man was trying to kill him.

  Corbin gave a glance of consideration to Carlos and then looked around behind him. “Where’s your wife?”

  Oh, the man did know a lot. They’d obviously spent a long time together, probably wrapped up in each other’s arms—and sheets. Carlos tried to expel the breath he was holding. “She dumped me yesterday morning.”

  “Knew you were still in love with Maddie?”

  Maddie? He’d already begun with the pet names. But Carlos only nodded.

  “Well, then.” He handed Carlos one of the daiquiris. “She’s grown fond of these. I wouldn’t recommend putting the ring in it, though. Perhaps teeter it on the umbrella.”

  “I don’t understand.” This man, who had spent time with their Maddie, was giving him advice? Carlos didn’t know if he should punch him or thank him. Punching him seemed more logical. Had this guy touched her? The thought made him tense.

  “She’ll be very glad to see you.”

  After having met Corbin, Carlos wasn’t so sure she would.

  “These are on me.” He picked up the other drink and handed it to him too. “Give her my best. And good luck to you. She loves you very much, and she didn’t have to tell me specifically for me to know.”

  Corbin gave him a firm pat on the back. “She’s under umbrella thirty-three just over there.” He pointed in the distance.

  “That’s it? You can walk away from her like
that?”

  Corbin put his sunglasses back on his face. “She was never mine. Only for a moment, but never forever.”

  The sun was hot, and Madeline was glad Corbin had talked her into the umbrella. With its shade, she figured she could spend all day on the beach.

  She closed her eyes and let the warmth wash over her. Certainly, the next vacation she took she was going to take with Regan and Arianna. No matter what, they were still her friends, and damnit, she wasn’t going to lose that.

  With her eyes still closed, she felt the presence of someone standing over her and she smiled.

  “I wondered how long it was going to take you,” she said, letting out an airy laugh.

  He didn’t say anything. She heard him set the glass on the table beside her and relax in the lounge.

  Madeline sat up and lifted her sunglasses.

  The shock of finding Carlos lounged next to her in a white linen shirt and khaki pants gave her heart an unnatural rhythm.

  “What are you doing here?” Her skin stuck to the lounge or she would have shot up.

  “Soaking in the sun with your new favorite drink.” He sipped from his and gave her a sideways glance. “This isn’t bad. Corbin said you liked these.”

  She felt the blood drain from her face as she sat up fully. “Corbin? You met Corbin?”

  He sipped from the glass again. “Nice enough guy. I’m not sure I like the thought that he slept with my wife.”

  “He what?” Confusion would be an understatement for what Madeline was feeling now. “Carlos, what are you doing here and where is Corbin?”

  The thin line of a smile on his lips let her know he had something brewing in his head, but then his lips turned downward and he sat up on the lounge.

  “Maddie, tell me you don’t love the man. Tell me that Corbin was a fling and that you didn’t run off to Mexico to be with him.”

  “Carlos, have you lost your mind?”

  “Yes.” He let out a breath. “I can’t stand the thought of another man touching you.”

  The man she really loved was sitting across from her accusing her of having some lustful affair. He had indeed lost his mind. What did he think of her? She let her shoulders drop. Why would it matter? She’d contemplated sleeping with Corbin, hadn’t she?