Author's note: thank you everyone for the reviews; since a few people asked me the question already through PMs, perhaps others will be interested in my answer: I have no idea how many chapters this story will have but quite a lot, that's for sure.
Chapter seven – Routine
"Oh no." Double regret. Maura winced at the words she had let escape and at Marina's presence by the pool. Of course, Jane didn't miss any of it.
"An ex? Am I supposed to play the protective wife?" The Italian blushed before her own mischief. She hadn't meant to blurt out the wonders that hadn't left her since the day before and her so-called casualness hadn't sounded very sincere either to say the least. In a word, she had just failed.
The scientist's eyes widened in what looked like a pure mock of horror. Clutching to her large straw hat that the wind threatened to take away at any moment, she shook her head vehemently. "No!" Her eyes looked down in defeat. "I dated her brother. For a while. Nothing glorious nor worth to be mentioned here. But she knows what kind of job I have and that is a slight problem considering our current status."
Jane didn't insist. Her previous verbal mishap had been enough for the day. Not that Maura would get offended by her implicit assumptions but still, the result of such daring behavior wasn't to remember.
She had embarrassed herself and probably her friend too in the process.
The swimming-pool area was crowded. Dozen of women had gathered around to attend the contest – or better said – to admire ten contestants plunging in transparent waters before emerging back completely wet in rather suggestive bikinis. All that at the rhythm of blaring music that reminded more of Jamaica than of the Dominican Republic. Looking for a spot that would still be available and as far as possible from Marina, Maura squinted her eyes at the place. Only a couple of stools were left at the bar.
She slid a hand on her friend's back – the other one coming to a rest on Jane's lower stomach – and kissed her cheek tenderly.
"If you look for me, I will be at the bar chatting with Rosa. ¡Suerte!"
With a satisfied smile, Maura looked at Jane go away for a greet-and-meet with her opponents. Lisa and Guadalupe were there also, in full chat with another couple. The lunch had been pleasant but frustrating. Cavanaugh would be disappointed, they hadn't learned anything that they didn't know already.
Only a couple of details that Guadalupe had shared. And yet, nothing relevant for the Tyler Case.
"May I offer you a drink?"
A high-pitched voice made the medical examiner turn around. A young woman in her early twenties sporting an impressive tattoo on her arm was smiling at her enthusiastically.
Pleased, Maura nodded and followed the girl to the bar. Her complexion was even fairer than the honey blonde's and the rainbow bikini she had chosen contrasted oddly with her natural paleness. Yet her smile was charming.
"I know you're married. Don't be worried, this isn't some freaky plan of some sort. My girlfriend's taking part in the contest too. She's the one with the baby blue bikini." The girl motioned at a woman by the pool who was stretching her arms as if she were ready to compete for the Olympics. "My name's Hannah. I'm from Chicago."
Maura smiled and introduced herself before ordering two Cuba Libre. "You prefer to stay in the stands to cheer up your girlfriend too?"
Hannah rolled her eyes and shuddered. "Like I have any choice. Charlotte's competitive like there's no tomorrow so if I want to keep these vacations drama free then I know better than to take part in the same contest as her!"
A whistle caught the crowd's attention. Miranda – the swimming instructor and fitness manager – approached a side of the pool and began to clap in her hands to get more clamor from everyone around. She turned to the contestants and winked at them.
"Please choose your line, girls. Two lengths, freestyle. Where are the girlfriends? We need some cheerleaders, over here!"
Cocktail in hand, Maura reluctantly approached with nine other girls. The applause of the vacationers reminded her of the night of their arrival. Note to herself: next time Jane felt the urge to sign up for a contest, make sure to not be around to avoid embarrassing situations.
The whistle pierced the air again and all of a sudden the cheering of dozens of hysterical women covered the smooth reggae coming from the bar speakers. Maura laughed. She was having fun, after all. It was like one of Jane's softball practices except her attire and surroundings had drastically evolved to something more exotic.
As much as some of the swimmers seemed to be rather athletic, the Italian's workout condition quickly widened a gap between her and the others and under the clamor of the club members – after two rather effective lengths – the detective stepped out of the pool to rise her fists in the air. Barely breathless.
Maura rolled her eyes and took a sip of her Cuba Libre. Jane was grinning like a child, celebrating a victory over an event that had been highlighted by a cruel absence of real competition. Typical.
"Oh!" Her surprise died in a gasp as she felt two hands grab her waist to lift her in the air. She hadn't seen her friend approach, lost as she had been in her contemplation of the crowd. Jane made her twirl around – her wet body molded against her bare one – and planted a furtive kiss on her lips before running back to Miranda for an improvised ceremony of some sort.
Dumbstruck by the gesture, Maura remained still – slightly lost balance as her feet hit the ground again – and stared blankly in front of her. The sarong she had tied around her waist was now wet and clutched to her hips; drops of water slowly sliding down her chest before the sun had a chance to absorb them properly.
...
"When I suggested an evening in, I wasn't thinking about a telenovela marathon." Sat on the bed, Jane crossed her arms on her chest and sighed loudly as the television program resumed.
"You have spent the last thirty minutes zapping from a network to another complaining that nothing was worth it. At least this soap opera makes you work on your Spanish. You keep on using "ser" instead of "estar". Believe me, this kind of mistake can be confusing." Before her friend's silence, Maura turned the television off and rolled on her side to look at the brunette who was sitting next to her. "The social board game lounge is opened until midnight..."
New whine of discontentment.
"You are worse than a child of three, Jane Rizzoli. What do you want, exactly?" Annoyed, the blonde got up and went to pour some water in their tea kettle. The boiling sound soon filled the room.
"I want a beer."
Maura stopped the kettle with a snap of her finger and rose her hands in the air. "Perfect. Then let's go to the bar and have that beer."
Jane made a face and squirmed on the bed. Obviously, she looked reluctant at the prospect of moving out of their room. The scientist bit her lips to repress any comment she might regret at some point and forced a smile to curl up her lips. "What is it now? Is the bar too far for you? A two-minute walk by a lagoon... Tough...? ... Just because you have won a rainbow bikini doesn't meant that you have to parade around wearing it, if it is what bothers you."
The Italian rolled her eyes and dragged herself out of bed only to stop by the bathroom door to play with the knob. "What is it that in Boston you only swear by being literal and that here you are the queen of sarcasm? I don't know. I guess I'll call the room service instead. Do you want some shrimps? I'm dying for shrimps."
"Why not. But if we aren't going out then if you don't mind, I'm off for a bubble bath. The salt of the ocean is having a very bad effect on my epidermis..."
Twenty minutes later, a soft knock pushed Maura to open her eyes and – head leaned backwards against a bath pillow – she looked at the door then smiled. "Yes?"
"Are you submerged in enough bubbles for me to come in?"
Jane's question had been asked softly and made the scientist laugh. She cast a glance down at her body before sitting up slightly. "Yes, I am. Although it would be fine if you wanted to enter even if I were... Less covered."
The door opened and the detective came in, tray in hand. "Yes but that's because you're half-French. I am not. I don't go around naked as if it were the most common thing in the world."
"This is a cliched about French culture. As a matter of fact, not a lot of women go topless on beaches there. And men aren't allowed to walk down the streets of a seaside resort without wearing a shirt on either."
Jane discarded the towels from a small teak table and brought it closer to Maura before putting the tray on top of it. She settled on the floor next to the tub and opened a bottle of wine to pour some in a glass. "I thought you would prefer that to a beer to go with the shrimps. They assured me it was one of the best wines they had here..."
The scientist smiled, obviously touched by the attention. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."
Yes. Jane Rizzoli could be the most annoying person on the planet and yet at the same time the sweetest one Maura had ever met.
