Chapter 10
An hour later the group was piling out of the SUVs in a quaint mountain town. Veronica looked around in some dismay. "Where are we going to find costumes here?"
Miss Kane merely smirked. "I have both you and your sweet sister covered, you will see when we get to the resort tonight."
"Resort?" Veronica arched an eyebrow, she had thought they were going to a club to celebrate Halloween; there had not been mention of a resort in the itinerary.
"Of course doofus," Lilly smiled at her fondly, "the club hosting the party is at the resort. So we got suites so we could get ready there, and have a place to go to bed when the mood struck rather than having to go back to the casita." Her eyebrows waggled suggestively on this last bit.
Meg turned a pretty shade of pink, causing Miss Kane to laugh and pull the girls into a trinket shop to kick off the morning of shopping.
Veronica was pleased with herself, she had found charming gifts for her sisters and Mac, and managed to stay under her budget. She rewarded herself with a silver charm bracelet, which maxed out her souvenir money. The rest of the girls had moved further down the shop lined street as she stood on the sidewalk, trying to work the clasp.
Suddenly her hand was held in a firm grip and the bracelet removed from her fingers. She froze in a panic and her lips opened to scream, when she realized who it was. Mr. Echolls didn't say a word. Instead he rotated her arm, his fingers tracing an idle circle on her exposed wrist before he deftly clasped the bracelet in place. Just as silently he strode off, catching up with the rest of the ladies in the party and not glancing back. Veronica's lips were still open, her heartbeat had not returned back to normal, and she stared in wonder at the rapidly retreating figure.
The rest of the afternoon passed pleasantly enough, at least as far as Miss Mars could remember when she thought back to the day. There was lunch, scrumptious tamales and margaritas. There was more shopping. There was a visit to a local sloth sanctuary. Yet even the adorableness of the sloths couldn't keep her from stealing glances at Mr. Echolls and trying to figure out his purpose.
After returning to the casita, the group quickly assembled their overnight bags, with renewed excitement over the Halloween party they would be attending. Miss Kane had one of the drivers place several garment bags in the back of the suv limo while the Mars girls were in their rooms. A smirk graced her face, tonight was going to be the start of something epic.
~~~VM~~~
The drive to Sayulita was about an hour from the casita. Veronica now understood why they had procured rooms at the resort, it would be a pain to try to convince everyone to leave at the same time, and even if that was possible, the drive back was just too far for comfort.
Mr. Casablancas wasted no time in cracking into the limos minibar, serving everyone a shot and a bottle of beer. "Nothing like a little pre-game people, drink up! We are going to a costume party. It's why I left the womb."
Veronica rolled her eyes, thinking some things never change.
Louisa Kane-Casablancas was flushed from downing the shot of tequila her husband passed her. "I know, we should play truth or dare on the drive!"
"Please, Louisa, what are we in high school?" Lilly grinned, this could work out to her advantage, but she knew she couldn't look to eager.
Dick handed her another shot, "Down in, Lil, you are more fun when you are drunk…you remember fun right? Something you use to have before you got all snoody on us."
Lilly tried to look contrite, and tossed back the tequila, "Ok, someone dare me then!"
Mr. Echolls gave her a half smile, he thought maybe he could clear his thoughts of a certain pesky blonde by engaging his ex-blonde in the game. "Ok, kiss someone in this limo."
Miss Kane smiled back and leaned forward in the limo as if to bestow him the kiss. At the last minute, she turned her head and placed the kiss firmly upon the lips of Veronica Mars. The car burst into giggles, as Veronica turned a bright shade of pink and pushed her off.
Laughing, Lilly declared, "My turn! Truth or Dare Mr. Echolls?"
"Truth"
"What did you think of Miss Veronica Mars the first time you saw her?"
At that, several people in the limo sought to cover their laughter with a cough, and Veronica turned a deeper shade of red.
"Oh no, I must call foul at that! For I am sure we all knew what Mr. Echolls thought of me, and I am sure my pride cannot stand to hear it yet again," Veronica protested before Mr. Echolls could say anything.
~~~VM~~~
The rest of the ride, and the game, passed without incident, and before they knew it they had arrived at El Lujo Andarrios Hotel y Playa. The bellhops had their bags out, and were leading the group to a set of suites on the beach level.
The bellhop opened the door to the suite that Miss Kane and the two Miss Mars would be sharing. The main living area opened directly onto the white-sand beach, where hammocks and lounge chairs were artfully arranged for their enjoyment. The glittering waters of Bahia de Banderas sparkled invitingly, and the breeze gently stirred their hair. Pressing a tip into the bellhop's outstretched hand, Lilly grinned at her friend's reaction.
"This," said Veronica, "is how everyone should vacation." Spinning around she made quick work of opening the doors into the private bedrooms, each equipped with a fluffy king bed and French doors opening onto the beach front. Back in the kitchen she was delighted to see that the resort had already set up a light buffet of sandwiches and fruit for them to enjoy as they got ready for the party. A turkey sandwich in one hand and a flute of champagne in the others, she proclaimed, "Ladies, I think I might be persuaded to spend the night."
After taking time to relax and enjoy the light dinner, and for quick showers, it was determined they should begin to make ready for the party. Lilly directed the Mars girls into her room, where the garment bags were hanging with care. Dressed in matching thick hotel robes, they dutifully sat at the foot of Lilly's bed, as she began to work on Meg's hair.
Restless, Veronica made to unzip the bags, and Lilly with lightning speed slapped her hands. "No, it is still a surprise Miss Mars, and you must wait a bit more for the big reveal. First, we must do hair and make-up. But if you want a clue, I went for couple themes in the costumes this year, and you, my lucky girl, get to be my better half." Her grin was nothing if not wicked, as she returned to artfully braiding Meg's thick hair.
~~~VM~~~
"I can't go outside in this," Veronica repeated for the hundredth time.
Lilly just laughed, with an enthusiasm she rarely showed in Neptune. "The world is ready for you, Veronica Mars. You don't have to blend in." She strode confidently into the night club and into the VIP area, towards the reserved tables.
Duncan saw the girls first, and after an eye roll at Lilly for her choice for his costume, his eyes were all for Meg. Meg's long blond hair was braided down the side, and a small fascinator, shaped like a cowboy hat was balanced on her head, while golden pony ears sprouted from the side of her head. Her green mask, set off her blue eyes, and her yellow cotton dress was form fitting. The dress was adorned with bright red apples at the hem, and a sweeping pony tail falling from behind. Standing, Duncan moved to her, and clasped her hand, and raised it to his lips. His sister had dressed him as Big Mac, the loveable older brother to Apple Jack.
Mr. Echolls was equally taken back, though he didn't trust himself to stand. While Lilly's costume was breath taking, taken straight from a Victoria's Secret show, her white brassier was encrusted in crystals, and the angel's wings were a snowy compliment to her alabaster skin, Logan burned at the site of Miss Veronica Mars. To Lilly's angel, she had dressed Veronica as the devil. A strapless red satin bandage dress covered seemingly less than her bikinis that he had previously seen her in. The golden flesh, shimmering with a body glitter that made the light of the disco dance across her. A red half mask, covered her face, leaving only rub red lips and brilliant blue eyes visible. Crystalline red horns peaked through teased blond hair, that gave the appearance of having just come from the boudoir. Similar red patent leather heels, increased her pixie height, and gave her an aura of authoritarian sex goddess. Logan wanted to kill Lilly for putting Veronica on such display, and wanted nothing more than to drag her back to his suite and hide her from the amorous eyes of other party goers.
"Hot! Like volcanic hot, Ronnie!" Dick gave a wolf whistle as he caught sight of her trying to hide behind Meg and Lilly. He was dressed as a prison guard, to complement Louisa's rendition of Alex from Orange is the New Black. "This is the best Halloween ever!"
The night became a blur, as they took a group tequila shot and then moved to the dance floor. Unlike in Neptune, Veronica did not find herself at a loss for partners. She moved easily from one dancer to another, not letting herself get tied down to any particular man. She only returned to the table for water, having surreptitiously switched back to water, after the third shot of tequila had her swaying in her heels.
Duncan and Meg danced almost exclusively with each other. Veronica was glad to see the obvious chemistry between them, and hoped for her sister's sake, that tonight would finally bring their relationship to the next stage. However, at one point during the evening, Duncan claimed Veronica for a dance.
Bringing his head close to her ear, he spoke so she could hear him over the music, "Are you having fun? No one is bothering you are they?"
While, Mr. Kane had long since abandoned concern for Lilly's behavior, and had absolute faith in her ability to handle herself, he felt the responsibility of a host for the more naive Mars girls. Meg looked utterly charming as Apple Jack, but as the devil, Veronica was in a class with only a few of the women in the crowded club for sheer magnetism, and he would have been a fool not to notice her effect on the single men around her.
Veronica smiled, never having had a brother, she was touched by his concern. "I am having a wonderful time. Thank you again for letting me tag along."
"I am sure the pleasure is all mine, as our party has never been more delightful since the addition of you and your sister."
Veronica's smile increased knowingly at that, "I am sure it is for the presence of one sister over the other, but I shall not press you to make such a disclosure on a dance floor. But speaking of sisters, who is that dancing with Lilly? He has claimed her more than half the night. Does he not seem a bit old for her?"
Following Veronica's gaze to Lilly, he saw her dancing with an older man, like Veronica, dressed as a devil. Though unlike Veronica, he was more the traditional cartoon version of such, complete with a red cape, and pointed tail. The man's hands never left the expanse of Lilly's skin, and he often pulled her inappropriately close for secret whispers. Lilly would push away and laugh, but continue to dance with him.
Rolling his eyes, for he also was not pleased with the lack of propriety being displayed, for all that it was Halloween and they were in a foreign country, she was still his sister. "That is Big Dick Casablancas."
"Dick's father? Why is he here?"
"Well this is his hotel." Duncan left her at the end of the song, and Veronica pushed back her concerns for Lilly, as another partner claimed her hand.
Logan did not dance. Women continued to come up to him, seeking to tease him onto the floor, or secure an invitation back to their VIP table, or elsewhere. But he rebuffed them all coldly. He was constantly moving along the edges of the dance floor. His eyes never left a blonde devil in red satin.
Veronica was having more fun paying attention to her friends as she danced than to her actual partners. Duncan had returned to Meg, and they danced with foreheads touching, oblivious to the beat of the music, caught in their own slow song. Lilly continued to dance with Big Dick, and Veronica could not spot Mr. Echolls in the crowd. Louisa looked as if she was holding court in the center of a group of lip-sticked sorority girls. Their dancing was provocative and flirty, enticing the younger men in the club to try to separate them from the herd. Each time the young man was solidly rebuffed, and giggles could be heard to ring out over the music, as they expertly closed ranks against incursion. The younger Dick, much like his wife, danced in a group of young co-eds. He was perfectly oblivious to convention and was equally happy when a girl twerked up on him, or he was in the center of a ring, in-expertly break dancing.
Thus, it came as a shock, when her partner suddenly wrapped his arms around her, one hand slipping low on her back, the other pulling her towards the dark veranda. Veronica struggled, but found she was outmatched, and outweighed by more than 100 pounds. His grip was like iron, she could now hear his voice as they moved farther from the dance floor. "Lo hermosa que eres…quiero estar a solas contigo…bebé no me burlan…"
Veronica struggled more, regaining her voice, "Let me go!" She kicked ineffectually at his shins, and moved her head to the side as he bent his head down to hers. Before his kiss could connect, she felt his hands go slack, and his body jerked back away from her.
Logan had lost track of her on the dance floor. He had gone back to their table while Duncan was dancing with her to refresh his scotch. Resuming his position against the wall, he was irritated to see Duncan and Meg dancing in a dark corner, and no Veronica. Restlessly he paced the perimeter trying to catch a glimpse of red satin and golden skin. Then he found her. A swarthy lotherio had his hands all over her and was pulling her to the veranda. He tried to tell himself that he was being ridiculous, and that she was a grown woman, on vacation, and if she wanted a tryst, who was he to judge her. It didn't matter, he followed behind them anyway. He saw how the man's fingers were pinching into her soft skin, and her attempt to kick him away from her. Then all he saw was red.
Mr. Echolls fist made a sickening crunch against the man's face and he went down. He bent over and grabbed the man's collar, lifting him from the floor. He landed several more solid blows on him.
"Logan, stop." Veronica had collected herself, and didn't want Logan to get in trouble on her behalf.
He quickly dropped the man back to the ground and lead her to the other side of the veranda, closer to the doors to the club. "Miss Mars are you quite okay?" He looked at her anxiously as if trying to catalogue every injury done to her. The sounds of Momentary Thing by Something Happens could be heard coming from the dance floor, echoing in the silence between them.
Shook me up I guess, I guess, I guess…
"Quite alright," Veronica said breathily, a little taken back by the incident that just happened.
Stirring me up, yes, yes, yes…
Before she can overthink it, Veronica leaned forward and kisses Logan. Surprised, he stares at her intently. She turned around to go back into the club. Logan gave into what he had been feeling all night, (or if he would admit it, what he had been feeling since he had met her), and grabbed her arm, turning him gently back to him. He lowered his head and placed his lips to hers, gentle yet firm. She gasped against him in equal surprise, and he wasted no opportunity to deepen the kiss. Her arms wrap around his neck for balance, as his settle around her waist.
I'm hooked, I'm hooked, I'm hooked…
Veronica stepped back, her face a picture of disbelief and confusion. "Uhm, thank you again Mr. Echolls."
She turned faster this time, and hurried back into the club. Finding Mr. Kane and her sister, she pled exhaustion and let them know she was returning to her room. Meg made to go with her, but Veronica insisted she stay and continue to enjoy the party.
She shed the dress and stepped into a cool shower immediately upon returning to the suite. Her skin felt like fire where Mr. Echolls held her. Her lips yearned to return to his. She could not reconcile their earlier animosity with the traitorous reactions of her own body. For the first time since arriving in Mexico, she wondered if perhaps she should have stayed in Neptune. She went to bed, still conflicted, but determined to not read more into the kiss than what it was, a thank you for a timely rescue.
~~~VM~~~
The door to Veronica's bedroom opened softly, but Veronica was a light sleeper. Not that she had been asleep, the events from the veranda kept replaying through her head. Blinking her eyes against the soft influx of life, she saw Lilly creep in. Not surprisingly, she was still in her costume from the night before, her blond hair tousled and her make-up smeared. She crawled into bed next to Veronica, not saying a word for a long time.
Veronica was used to having sisters, and while she thought it was odd that Lilly had come into her room in such a state, she also didn't broach the silence. She could wait out whatever the secret was, and provide the appropriate shoulder to cry on if needed. When Lilly did speak, it was softly, "Don't forget about me, Veronica."
"I could never." Veronica didn't understand what Lilly was talking about, but she didn't have to. She merely wrapped her arms around her friend, until she fell into a fitful sleep.
Several hours later, but still well before the rest of the part was awake, Lilly and Veronica were sitting at the foot of her bed. Both had showered and changed into comfortable jeans and t-shirts. "You don't really have to go with me," Lilly told Veronica for at least the tenth time.
"And I have told you, I am happy to go." Veronica was surprised when Lilly had woken up after barely an hour of sleep, and asked Veronica to accompany her to a local cemetery. Tomorrow was Dia de Muertos, and the entire country would spend the afternoon gathering to pray for departed family and friends. The town between the resort and the casita even had a parade, and promised to have vendors plying sugar skulls and marigolds. The group had already made plans to attend some of the celebrations before they flew back to Neptune. But, Lilly had her own traditions for Dia de los Inocentes, and this year, she didn't want to celebrate alone.
The concierge had a driver waiting when the girls got downstairs. They went first to a café for coffee and pastries, picking up an extra box when they left. Next they went to a flower vendor and bought dozens of bouquets of pale pink, yellow, and blue buds. The driver then took them to the outskirts of town. The cemetery Lilly had given directions to was overgrown, and with the exception of obviously fresh graves, seemed like no one had visited it in years.
Wordlessly, Lilly pulled out two pair of work gloves, and the girls silently bent to cleaning vines and trash away from the simple marker stones of children and unwed mothers that called this their final home. Then they proceeded to decorate the graves with the flowers they bought as they drank cold coffee and ate the left over donuts. When they were done, the driver took them back to the resort. It was still early and the somber girls managed to shower and change into fresh clothes before the rest of the party stirred.
The rest of the day passed quietly, and they departed the resort, returning to the casita. Mr. Echolls had studiously eluded Miss Mars all day, even feigning sleep in the limo ride, to avoid the necessity of speaking with her. Mrs. Casablancas, Miss Kane, and the two Miss Mars spent some hours sunning on the beach; and in the evening the gentlemen rejoined their party in the game room. The poker table, however, did not appear. The Casablancas, Mr. Kane and Miss Meg Mars were playing Dominion.
Mr. Echolls was writing, and Miss Kane, never one to miss an opportunity to stir the pot, sat near him, watching the progress of his letter, and repeatedly interrupting him. She had noticed how he had carefully avoided looking at Veronica throughout the day, and how Veronica oft looked at him, with her brows knitted in confusion.
Veronica took up her advanced criminal law book, and was occasionally distracted in attending to what passed between Logan and his companion. The happy and seemingly self-absorbed chattering of Miss Kane seemed somehow out of character, as commended him on his hand-writing, or the evenness of his lines.
"How delighted Miss Echolls will be to receive such a letter! I mean really, no one ever writes real letters anymore."
He made no answer, barely glancing up from the sheets of creamy paper.
"You write uncommonly fast."
"You are mistaken. I write rather slowly."
"I can't imagine that you take the time, it is so much easier to tweet, or post a picture. You know they say a picture is worth a thousand words."
"You know my distaste of posting personal details in public forums." He glowered at her slightly, to reinforce his known ban on any mention of himself to the media, be it paparazzi or Facebook.
Undaunted, and noticing that Veronica had set her highlighters aside, and was paying more attention to them, than to her reading, "Tell your sister that I long to see her."
"I have already told her so once, by your desire."
Leaning over him, she let her hair shield their faces from Veronica, and whispered in his ear, "How can you contrive to write so even?"
He was silent, distracted from his letter, he wondered what Lilly's game was today. She actually winked at him as she pulled back.
"Tell your sister I am delighted to hear of her improvement on the piano, and that I have heard that after her last recital Juilliard would be foolish not to offer her early admission."
"I do not have enough paper to do your praise justice. It must wait until my next letter."
"Oh! Don't bother. We shall see her in January. But do you always write such charming long letters to her, Mr. Echolls?"
"They are generally long; and you know I am always charming," he grinned smugly.
"I think that a person who can write a long letter, with ease, is truly the sign of a superior intellect."
"That is not what Logan wants to be compliment on, Lilly," cried her brother—"because he does not write with ease. He studies too much for words of four syllables, and, don't you remember his inspirational quote a day phone message back in high school? They were entirely to contrived for the situation at hand, to have been easily rattled off."
Veronica couldn't help herself as she watched the old friends interact. She wondered what other surprising things about Mr. Echolls they would reveal.
"My style of writing is different from yours."
"Oh!" cried Miss Kane, "Duncan leaves out half his words, and misspells the rest." Lilly smirked as she shared this bit, for while her brother was as brilliant as their father with computers, a fact he kept carefully guarded, he was by no means a great writer. In high school, she knew for a fact that he would pay underclassmen to write his newspaper articles.
"My ideas flow so rapidly that I have not time to express them—it is like Twitter was designed just for me."
"You are the picture of humility, Mr. Kane," said Veronica, smiling fondly. She had given up the pretense of studying and decided to join in the conversation.
"Nothing is more deceitful," said Mr. Echolls, suddenly irritated at the friendly smile directed at his friend, "than the appearance of humility. It is often an indirect boast."
"Oh, you are a fine friend to call me out Logan. Don't spare my feelings, do share the extent of my deceit." Duncan laughed, he had a sudden suspicion as to why his friend might be so prickly, and if he didn't find the elder Mars daughter so enchanting he might have been inclined to test his theory.
"You are proud of your defects in writing, you think they show a rapidity of thought and carelessness of execution, which if not estimable, is excusable in one so high and mighty. The power of doing anything with quickness is always prized by the possessor, without thought to the lasting effects of such rashness. When you told Mrs. Mars the other day that if you ever resolved on quitting Netherfield Point you should be gone in five minutes, you meant it as a compliment to yourself, that you could conceive and execute such a move with alacrity."
"Stop," cried Mr. Kane, "this is too much, to remember at night all the foolish things that were said in the morning. I thought all the drinking we had been doing this weekend was supposed to make you forgetful. Now you will have Meg thinking the worst of my character, when I had only hoped to impress her with my illusions of mystery."
"I dare say you believed it; but there is no mystery in that you have quiet refused to set down roots or take any firm place in society. Indeed, you seem to let fate drag you from one encounter to the next. If, as you were entering your car, a friend were to say, "Duncan, you had better stay till next week,'' you would not go, and, probably at another word, might stay a month."
"You have only proved by this," cried Veronica, "that Mr. Kane by virtue of his position is at leisure to indulge his friends and host and be hosted with great civility, without feeling the burden to have them conform their schedule to his."
"I am exceedingly gratified," said Kane, "by your converting what my friend says into a compliment on the sweetness of my temper. But I am afraid he will try to make me seem quite spineless."
"Would Mr. Echolls then consider the rashness of your original intention as atoned for by your obstinacy in adhering to it?"
"Echolls must speak for himself." At this, Duncan turned bodily around to once again face the card table and return his full attention to Meg. He felt he done his part as a wingman, for he knew his taciturn friend, and a woman that would not quell to his opinions and engage him mentally was exactly what he needed.
"You expect me to account for opinions which you decide to call mine, but which I have never acknowledged. Allowing the case, however, to stand according to your representation, you must remember, Miss Mars, that the friend who is supposed to desire his return to the house, and the delay of his plan, has merely desired it, asked it without offering one argument in favor of its propriety."
"To yield to the persuasion of a friend is no merit with you. Can you not trust that sometimes you should just do things without question?"
"To yield without conviction is no compliment to the understanding of either. And a true friend would explain without the need for questioning."
"You appear to me, Mr. Echolls, to allow nothing for the influence of friendship and affection. A regard for the requester would often make one readily yield to a request without waiting for arguments to reason one into it. But in general and ordinary cases between friend and friend, where one of them is desired by the other to change a resolution of no very great moment, should you think ill of that person for complying with the desire, without waiting to be argued into it?"
"Will it not be advisable, before we proceed on this subject, to arrange with more precision the degree of importance to this request, as well as the degree of intimacy between the parties?" His dark eyes trapped her blue ones at that, until she looked away, briefly flustered by what she saw reflected there.
"By all means," cried Duncan, momentarily forgetting his resolution to return to the game; "Let us hear all the particulars, not forgetting their comparative height and size; for that will have more weight in the argument, Miss Mars, than you may be aware of. I assure you that if Echolls were not such a great tall fellow, in comparison with myself, I should not pay him half so much deference. I expect that as you are so very small yourself, that he is shocked you haven't bowed down in submission to his stature yet."
Mr. Echolls smiled; but Veronica thought she could perceive that he was rather offended; and therefore checked her laugh. Miss Kane grinned to herself, and thought things were going even better than she hoped.
"I see your design, Kane," said his friend. "You dislike an argument, and want to silence this."
"Perhaps I do. Arguments are too much like disputes. If you and Miss Mars will defer yours till I am out of the room, I shall be very thankful; and then you may say whatever you like of me."
"What you ask," said Veronica, "is no sacrifice on my side; and Mr. Echolls had much better finish his letter, and I, my homework." Mr. Echolls took her advice, and did finish his letter.
Mr. Echolls being through with his letter, and the Dominion game having come to an end, Miss Kane turned on the karaoke machine. She pulled Veronica into a duet of pure 90's gold, The Boy is Mine by Brandy and Monica. Next, Mrs. Casablancas sang with her sister, and while they were thus engaged, Veronica could not help observing, how frequently Mr. Echolls's eyes were fixed on her.
She hardly knew what to think that how he should look at her like that, after studiously ignored her since their kiss the night before. She could only imagine, that she now drew his notice because he was regretting their behavior. The supposition pain her, perhaps more than she would ever admit. So instead she told herself the easy lie, that she liked him too little to care for his approbation.
After putting away the karaoke machine, Miss Kane hooked her computer to the sound system, and soon had the entire house booming like a nightclub; and soon afterwards Mr. Echolls, drawing near Veronica, said to her —
"Do not you feel a great inclination, Miss Mars, to seize such an opportunity of dancing?"
She smiled, but made no answer. He repeated the question, with some surprise at her silence.
"Oh!" said she, "I heard you before; but I could not immediately determine what to say in reply. You wanted me, I know, to say "Yes,'' that you might have the pleasure of despising my taste; but I always delight in overthrowing those kind of schemes, and cheating a person of their premeditated contempt. I have therefore made up my mind to tell you that I do not want to dance at all—and now despise me if you dare."
"Indeed I do not dare."
Veronica, having rather expected to affront him, was amazed at his gallantry; but there was a mixture of sweetness and archness in her manner that made her truly captivating; and Logan had never been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her. He really believed, that were it not for the inferiority of her connections, he should be in some danger.
~~~VM~~~
They were supposed to leave Monday, however, when the morning came, and the group was sitting around the breakfast table, eating bacon and already lamenting the end of the vacation, the casita's phone rang. Duncan excused himself from the table to take the call. Miss Kane poured a round of mimosas for everyone, and thought with satisfaction that her plan for the weekend had gone over quite successfully. She wondered if she would be able to sustain the momentum she had started when they returned to Neptune.
She thought it quite a pity that they had to go back so soon. As if the god of tricksters himself was listening to her, Duncan came back into the room, and made his announcement. The jet was experiencing technical problems and needed a part that wouldn't come in until tomorrow. They couldn't get back to Neptune until at least Wednesday.
Meg and Veronica both looked dismayed. They had to return to work and school. Thinking quickly, Veronica asked to use the computer, saying she could book a flight out of Puerto Vallarta. Duncan looked regretful, "I already had my people try. All return flights are booked solid until at least Thursday. I am so sorry Meg."
Meg blushed prettily that he had been so considerate as to have already checked on their behalf. Veronica spoke up before she could say anything, "Still we could go to the airport and try to get on standby. People always are missing their flights."
Miss Kane knew that a few more days might seal the deal she had been working on, so she jumped into action. "Don't be foolish! Meg, call the station, they know they are lucky to have you and when you casually name drop who you are stuck in Mexico with, they won't even charge it against your vacation time. And as for you Miss Mars, suck it up, one of the benefits about being in grad school, is you still aren't tied down to the man, your schedule is still your own, and I know you, you have already done all the required reading for the week. So pick up your glasses and toast with me! To extended pleasures!"
In the face of Miss Kane's logic, what could they do but toast? The group scattered back to their respective rooms to change into something more comfortable for the beach, each relishing the idea of their unexpected reprieve from returning to Neptune.
~~~VM~~~
Lilly decided to bait Mr. Echolls into revealing something about her guest, by talking of their supposed marriage, and planning his happiness in such an alliance.
"I hope," said she, as they were walking together on the beach that afternoon, "you will give your mother-in-law a few hints on the dos and don'ts of social drinking, when this desirable event takes place, or perhaps a stint in rehab; and if anyone could manage it, I am sure you can cure the younger girls of running after the officers. Finally, if I may mention so delicate a subject, you should endeavor to check that tendency to storm blindly into trouble, which your lady possesses."
Miss Kane was actually serious about the last comment. Her time getting to know the Mars girls, as well as getting fully caught up on the most salacious bits of Neptune history, left her convinced that her friend Veronica was too much of a crusader for justice to pay proper attention to her own safety.
"Have you anything else to propose for my domestic felicity?" Logan was looking darkly directly in front of him, not trusting himself to look fully at his ex-girlfriend. His voice was like ice, and it made Lilly grin, she knew she was pushing his buttons.
"Oh, yes! Do let portraits of your uncle and aunt McCormack be placed in the gallery at Lester House. Put them next to your great uncle, the Supreme Court justice. They are in the same profession, you know; only in different lines. As for your Veronica's portrait, what painter could do justice to those beautiful eyes?"
Logan answered grudgingly, "It would not be easy, to catch their expression, but their color and shape, and the eye-lashes, so remarkably fine, might be copied." He couldn't rid himself of the picture of her eyes from two nights ago. Her face half hidden by the red mask, her eyes appeared even more vibrantly blue, the dark shades of the ocean before a storm. After their kiss, they had been darker still full of desire and conflicted emotions, she had turned away from him.
At that moment they were met from another walk, by Mrs. Casablancas and Veronica herself.
"I did not know that you intended to walk," said Miss Kane, in some confusion, lest they had been overheard. She did not want Veronica to overhear her baiting Logan. She knew that for Veronica she had to take a much different tack, that girl was too skittish by half, and while her friend Logan might crave domestic intimacy, she knew Veronica inherently distrusted all relationships.
"You used us abominably ill," answered Mrs. Casablancas, "in running away without telling us that you were coming out." Louisa was genuinely put out. She found Veronica adorable, but knew there was nothing she could do to act on such impulse. Also, her sister, from who she took the most guidance in how to treat people new to their social circle, was so bi-polar when it came to Miss Mars. At times, it seemed that Veronica had become her best friend, at others, she was just another target. Frankly, it made Louisa's head hurt, so she would rather not deal with Miss Mars at all. Therefore taking the disengaged arm of Mr. Echolls, she left Veronica to walk by herself.
Mr. Echolls felt their rudeness and immediately said, "Ladies, as much as it pains me to admit, there is not enough of me to go around, and why don't we return to the pool?" He tried, unsuccessfully, to disentangle his arms from the Kane sisters.
But Veronica, who had not the least inclination to remain with them, laughingly answered, "No, no; stay where you are. You are more than adequate for these two ladies, and appear to uncommon advantage. The picture would be spoilt by admitting a fourth or transferring it to the pool. Good bye."
She then ran gaily off, rejoicing, as she roamed about, in the hope of being at home again in a day or two. Also, she was happy to return to the casita, she had arranged with her professor to attend this afternoon's class via Skype and she had to make sure her notes were in order.