Miami Hot: #1 (Miami Heat Series) (31 page)

“Lucas’ jet was already on it’s way back, but he wants to come too, so he’s coming to pick us up in a few,”
Conrad told her.

Moira
nodded then went to get a glass of orange juice from the fridge. Conrad got back to his call and Moira watched him as she stood against the fridge drinking her orange juice. A little over five minutes later, he was motioning to her. He took her hand as they took the elevator to the first floor. As they got into Lucas’ limo and pulled away, Moira noticed a couple of SUVs follow them out. She probably should start getting used to this, she thought to herself.

“
Conrad told me about what Sere found when she got home. I’m sorry for the pain she’s going through, but any man who does that to a woman he’s in a committed relationship with doesn’t deserve her,” Lucas said to her.

“Thanks Lucas. You’re right. George certainly doesn’t deserve Sere. I bet he thought she was coming back home on Sunday. Who knows how long this has been going on and she wasn’t even aware of it,”
Moira cried out with heat.

Conrad
squeezed her fingers. “She has you, so she’ll be okay, baby.” He lifted their joined fingers to his lips.

Moira
squeezed back in acknowledgement. The rest of the ride to the airport was silent until they were seated in the jet. Moira leaned back and rested her head on the head rest. She got an extra pillow from the hostess. Conrad encouraged her to go and sleep in the bedroom, but she declined. She lay back and as the plane took off, she dozed.

Conrad
gently shook her awake as the jet descended into Orlando. She brushed her hair and touched up on her lip gloss. Three SUVs were waiting for them as they touched down. Conrad helped her down the stairs and into the SUV. They drove off as soon as everyone was buckled up. They quickly made it to The Orlando and Moira was surprised that Sere was in the penthouse suite. She found her lying down on the couch with a box of tissues next to her. She woke up as she heard the door opening.

“Oh honey,”
Moira said as she walked up to a tearful Sere. “Are you really going to keep crying over that loser?”

“Oh, God. You’re right. Why am I still crying?” she wailed.

“It hurts?”

“Not really. But finding them in our bed took me for a shock.”

“Yeah, that was tacky.”

Sere sn
ickered. “At least he could have gone to the girl’s place or booked a cheap motel,” she hiccuped.

“Maybe the girl is married or has a boyfriend at home too,”
Moira suggested.

“Bastard. You
could be right.”

“He doesn’t deserve you.”

“Damn right, he doesn’t,” Sere said angrily.

Moira
laughed. “I brought muscle. You want them to go beat him up?” she asked.

Sere laughed. “Oh God,
Moira. Thanks. I really needed to laugh and not feel sorry for myself.”

“A beautiful girl like you doesn’t need to feel sorry for herself. Come back to Miami and you’ll have men falling all over themselves at your feet.”

“You’re my friend so you are biased. But I think I do like the idea of coming back home. Miami has always been home to me,” she said. “But I don’t know how soon I can do it. I’d have to talk to my old boss and see if I can transfer.”

“In the meantime, how about you tell me everything from the beginning,” she said.

“Okay, let’s get comfortable then. But didn’t I see Conrad come in with you?”

“Yes, and Lucas too. I guess they made themselves scarce to give us some privacy,” she told her. “They came to support you. Whatever you need. We should probably go and pack your things from your apartment. If we can’t take you to Miami tonight, then I’ll have
Conrad put you up here until you can move.”

“Oh,
Moira. You are making me cry again,” she wailed.

Moira
smiled. “As long as they are happy tears, you can cry all you want.”

“Yes, they are. I’m done with sad tears over George. He’s been calling me since I was in the cab coming over here. Saying how sorry he is. It was a momentary lapse of judgment on his part, and that it won’t happen again.”

“Was this the first and only lapse, or has it been going on for a while?”

“My gut tells me it’s not the first time,” Sere replied. Then she went on to tell her the full complete story.

“I’m sorry for what you’ve been going through. If you think you can work it out, then maybe you should try. Either way, I’ll stand by you,” Moira said.

Sere squeezed her hands. “No, I’m done. Going over it with you just now has cleansed me and shown me what I didn’t want to believe all along. I want to come back to Miami, not because I’m running away, but because I feel that’s where I need to be right now. If it means I’ll have to take a leave of absence in the meantime, I will. But I don’t want to stay here a second longer than necessary.”

“Okay. Just don’t rush into any decisions.”

“No, I’m not. I think I’d like to go and collect my clothes now. Just clothes, I’m not taking anything else. And my car.”

“Okay, let me call the boys and we can be on our way,” Moira said. “Go clean up in the bathroom over there,” she told her pointing to it.

As Sere walked over to the bathroom,
Moira went searching for Conrad and Lucas. “Hi,” she said when she found them.

“Is she okay?”
Conrad asked.

“Yes, now she is. We need to go and collect her car and clothes from her apartment. She’s moving back to Miami, but is not sure if her old boss will allow her transfer.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Lucas said. “But if she wants she can always come and work for me. Good accountants are hard to come by,” he added.

“Really? You’d do that for her?”
Moira asked in wonder.

“Yes, honey. She matters to you, so I would. Besides I know she’s good at her job. Sam told me she does his taxes,” he said laughing.

“And did he tell you how he messed up the previous year’s taxes before she took over?”

Lucas chuckled. “Yes he did. He says he dreads talking to her when the tax season gets close.”

Moira laughed. “Yeah, she can smell errors from miles away. I think she’s ready,” Moira said when she heard movement from outside. She walked back into the living room with Lucas and Conrad beside her. They both took her into their arms and promised to help her with whatever she needed.

“Thank you,”
Moira heard Sere say to each one.

She took her friend’s hand and they walked out of the penthouse, into the waiting elevator and down to the
first floor. When they got to the apartment, both Conrad and Lucas’ bodyguards held George outside as she and Sere packed in peace. George had pleaded to Sere as soon as she opened the door, surprised to see a whole troop of people coming inside. Sere had looked the other way and marched into the bedroom. They filled three suitcases with clothes and still had many more not packed. Sere doubled up trashbags and they threw clothes inside until they were done. She packed her cosmetics in her travel bag, and made sure she hadn’ left anything behind, then they both walked outside and found the bags already loaded into the SUVs outside.

“Let me have a word with George before we leave,” she said to
Moira. “I’ll be fine,” she quickly inserted when she saw the worried look on her friend’s face. Sere went back indoors and George followed her. “All I just need to say to you is that you are a piece of trash. When you decided to cheat on me, the least you could have done was not do it in our bed. Our bed, George? Seriously? How twisted is your mind?”

“I’m sorry Sere. Please forgive me, I promise never to look at another woman ever again,” he begged.

Sere snickered. “There are some things I can forgive, but I’m sorry I can’t forgive you about this one. Maybe if it had happened in some cheap motel. But in our bed? That’s just unforgiveable. How am I supposed to ever sleep in the same bed, and the same apartment ever again?”

George grimaced and opened and shut his mouth like a fish. “We
could move, baby. I’ll talk to the leasing office…”

Sere walked towards the door. “You can forget it. Forget about me. I’m out of your life for good. I’m just glad the apartment was in your name when I moved in. I’m not taking anything, even some of the items we bought together.” She looked at him with pity. Whether he was really sorry, Sere
couldn’t tell. Her emotions over the whole issue were still a little high. “Take care of yourself,” she threw at him as she shut the door. Conrad took her car keys and gave to one of the bodyguards who drove her little Honda Civic back to the hotel.

“Let’s have dinner and then decide if we are returning to Miami tonight or tomorrow,”
Conrad said.

“Thank you. I thin
k I can eat something now,” Moira told him. She took Sere’s hand and they walked together back to the SUV’s parked just below the stairs leading from the second floor where Sere’s old apartment. They sat in the back row seat and quietly held hands.

When they got to The Orlando, they had dinner. Sere tried to eat, but her appetite wasn’t fully back yet. Maybe in another day or two,
Moira thought to herself. She, herself, also ate little. She saw the worried look on Conrad’s face and was thankful when he didn’t comment. They all agreed to go back to Miami that same evening.

Chapter Thirty

The next morning
Moira was up early and because she was worried about Sere, she kissed Conrad good morning and went to Sere’s bedroom. She found her still asleep and crawled into bed beside her, then instantly fell asleep. A couple of hours later Sere woke her up as she tried to get out of bed.

“Morning Sere,” she yawned to her.

“Morning. I know you are worried about me, but you didn’t have to leave Conrad’s bed to come to me.”

“
Conrad is a big boy. He’ll be fine. It’s you I’m not sure about,” she replied.

“I’m fine now, and I know it’s going to get better. I’m glad you came for me, because if
you hadn’t I’m not sure if I’d have allowed George to suck me back into his life or done something worse.” Sere moved closer to Moira and hugged her tightly. “Thanks for being my friend, even though you have just come out of something yourself. I’m not sure if I’ll ever want to move for a guy again.”

Moira
frowned. “Don’t say that. Maybe one day you’ll meet a better man and you can’t judge him based on what George did.”

“I don’t know
Moira, but I guess I’ll take it one day at a time,” she turned and got out of bed. “You think Conrad will be okay if I made the use of his pool today?”

Moira
grinned. “I’m sure he’d love to play nursemaid to both of us all day. How about breakfast after we shower and then spend the day at the pool?”

Sere walked into her bathroom. “You just said the majic words, my friend. See you in a few,” she said smiling back.

Moira got out of bed too, and walked back to the master bedroom. She passed Conrad who was in his office, then back tracked. “Hi,” she said and sat in his lap.

Conrad
opened his arms wide when Moira motioned for his lap. He pulled her to his chest and sat holding her for a few minutes. “Everything okay with Sere?”

“She’s getting there.”

“Okay. So what are your plans for the day?’

Moira
smiled with delight. “I was hoping you would be kind enough to feed Little Bo Peep, her mother and her godmother. Then spend the day with us by the pool. But if you’re busy…”

“Never too busy for you baby,” he told her, kissing her forehead. “How hungry for food are you, because I
could help wash your back.” Conrad took her mouth and held her head back. “Because we have another hunger we need to feed.”

Moira
whimpered with need. “Conrad!” She sighed and kissed him back. “I need you, but we have a guest.”

“I know.”
Conrad looked at her with heat in his eyes. “Later baby,” he said and stood up, dropping her legs to the floor. When she was steady, he guided her out of the office. “Is it okay if I invite Lucas and Sam?”

Moira
nodded. “I’ll be right out. I need lots of bacon,” she said and closed the master bedroom door. She didn’t bother washing her hair since they intended to spend the day swimming. She took a quick shower and wore her two piece bikini set, then put on a short summer dress on top.

Sere was already being fed by
Conrad when she walked out. Moira was glad to see that Sere’s appetite had returned and so had Little Bo Peep’s. As promised she ate the majority of the bacon. The fat didn’t bother her. Infact the greasier it was the more she liked it. She took the fat that Sere removed from her slices and gobbled them up.

“Baby, I’m sure its the pregnancy, but are you sure all that fat is good for the baby?”
Conrad asked with worry on his face.

Moira
smiled. “I don’t know, but this is what my body is craving, so that’s what I’m eating.” She looked at the last pieces in the center of the table with regret. She was full and hoped she didn’t sink to the bottom of the pool. She ate the last piece of her egg and dropped the fork onto her plate. “Now, I need a few minutes of sleep. I feel so lazy, I’m not sure I can go back to work tomorrow,” she said with a frown.

“You know you can always quit work and stay home fulltime,”
Conrad said with a smile.

Moira
laughed. “Yeah, but let’s not go there.” She got up and took her plate to the sink. She felt rather than heard Conrad behind her. He pulled her back to his front and rubbed her tummy slowly. They both turned as Sere walked to open the door after someone had knocked.

“It’s probably Lucas or Sam,” he said and dropped his head
to steal a kiss from her. “I’m glad you are back. I really missed you, baby.”

Moira
wove her fingers into his hair. “I know. I missed you too.” She looked ahead and saw Sam walk in. “We have company,” she told him with a quick kiss. “Maybe later?” she asked.

Conrad
groaned. “You can bet on it,” he hissed and squeezed her against him before he released her. “Morning Sam. Breakfast?” he asked.

Sam nodded before he greeted his sister. He was wondering why Sere was still around. He thought she had left yesterday but then assumed his sister had managed to talk her into staying.

“You’ll find us out by the pool,” Moira said to Conrad and Sam as she pulled Sere outside. “Here, let me do your back, then you can do mine.” Moira took the sunscreen and liberally rubbed it onto Sere’s back. When she was done, Sere did the same to her back, then they both sat rubbing their arms, legs and fronts. “I’m going to lie down for a little while. Digest all that food I gorged down, then I’ll join you inside the pool,” she told her friend.

“I’ll just swim a couple of laps then join you. I’m sorry, I think I’ll just die if I don’t try the pool, like right now,” she said and walked over to the deep end and dived in.

Moira smiled in happiness and relaxed happily on the pool lounger. She slipped her sunglasses on and looked right up to the cloudless sky. It was perfect. A perfect day. Soon enough it would be crazy hot to sit outside in the direct sun all day. At that time, she would have to move towards the shade, but they intended on spending the whole day outside.

π

“Did your sister tell you about our little trip to Orlando yesterday?” Conrad asked Sam.

Sam looked at
Conrad in confusion. “You went to Orlando to drop off Sere, yet she’s still here?”

“No, Sere went back but things didn’t work out. It’s so fucked up,” he said. “That’s Lucas,”
Conrad said as another knock sounded. “Can you open for him please?”

Sam
stood up and opened the door for his boss. He cocked his head when he realized Lucas was a little unsteady.

Lucas laughed. “I’m fine. Just got rudely woken up, that’s all.” Lucas walked into
Conrad’s kitchen and helped himself to his hangover ingredients. He took one long swallow and pronounced himself alive. “Okay, so where’s the breakfast?” he asked.

“Take a seat, while I fill Sam on the activities from yesterday,”
Conrad told him.

Lucas grimaced
. “That was one fucked up afternoon and evening.” He took a seat next to Sam, wondering if it was too late to go back and beat the shit out of Sere’s ex..

“Sere left Miami according to plan, but when she walked into the apartment she shared with her boyfriend, she found him fucking another woman.”

Sam choked on his coffee. “Sorry,” he said coughing. “Please tell me you’re joking?”

Both
Conrad and Lucas shook their heads.

“So she called
Moira, in tears, obviously. Moira couldn’t even hear half of what she was saying, but at least she was clear enough to dispatch the fact that she had walked in to find…” Conrad waved the spatula in his hands, then added food to the two plates in front of him. He pushed them towards the two men.

“His jet was already on the way back, and
Moira intended on going there anyway, so we took my jet and flew to Orlando. Moira had asked her to take a cab to The Orlando, so at least we knew she was safe and sound.” He took a sip of his coffee. “We don’t know the whole story, but Moira does. Anyway, after a while we headed over to her apartment where they packed her clothes and one of the guards drove her car back to the hotel.

Sere made up her mind to move back to Miami, so we came back with her last night. Her car will arrive sometime tomorrow with one of Lucas’ employees coming to Miami.”

“Well, I’m glad she’s rid of him. I never liked that guy,” Sam swore. “Since she wasn’t Moira, I couldn’t really say anything. But I did warn him that if he ever hurt her, he would have to deal with me.”

“Well, if we had known, we would have taken you with us.
” Lucas laughed. “I know there was a time in my life when I screwed around. But never before I broke it off with the previous girl.”

Conrad
touched his jaw and more laughter errupted. He smiled sheepishly. “Don’t remind me of that day in my office,” he said rubbing his jaw as if it still ached.

Sam grinned. “You got off lucky because at least you loved my sister,” he said. “Now this George character is more of a user to me. So I just hope he doesn’t come sniffing for her. if he does, then I may need you two to put your billions together and bail me out.”

“The bodyguards roughened him up some, so it may be a while before he does. If he even has the guts, that is,” Lucas told him.

Conrad
took the used plates and washed them in the sink. “Let’s go and join the girls outside,” he said after he had cleaned the kitchen. “Grab a beer each,” he told them as he poured orange juice into two tall glasses.

π

Moira wrote a little note for Sere. She promised to try and leave work early so they could swim later that afternoon. And hoped Sere would make good use of the full service hotel like amenities provided. She was glad Lucas had promised to offer her a job if it didn’t work out with her old boss. She picked up her bag and joined Conrad by the door. He drove her to work, and even walked her into the empty kitchen. Moira had to shoo him away so she could work.

She quickly got back into her old ways of doing her job. She looked at the menu her team had written for Monday. She was mixing dough for muffins when Jeff Best walked in.

“Oh my God, Moira!” he said hugging her. “You nearly scared me to death.” He grinned at her. “Welcome back.”

Moira
grinned back. “Thanks Jeff. How has it been?”

He lifted his eyebrows. “We survived. But although I’m genuinely glad you are back. I’m more happy about the fact I won’t have to get up at ungodly hours of the morning anymore.”

Moira roared with laughter.

“Trust you to be honest. Thanks Jeff. But seriously have you guys been okay?”

Jeff nodded. “We have. Stu helped a lot. Although whatever we made was never as good as yours. We used the same ingredients, so I’m not sure where we went wrong sometimes.”

“Give me a week to settle down and we’ll look into that. In the meantime, how about you an
d me wow today’s breakfast crowd? I have a few recipe secrets up my sleeve,” she told him.

“I say we fill the cafeteria and keep them coming for more,” he said grinning at her.

After that, they got into a rhythm. Moira set the ingredients aside and started the mixtures, and Jeff took over using the cake mixtures. As the first group of Ford Kitchen employees walked in a little after 6:30am, word quickly spread about the return of Moira. By the time the first group of breakfast hungry King International employees walked through the doors, the kitchen was filled with tantalizing aromas. People lined up to buy the usual eggs, sausage, bacon and hash browns, and then walked further down the line and just couldn’t resist Moira’s temptations. She sat close to the end of the line giving samples and people couldn’t resist asking for more to buy.

As the crowd thinned she went back and made another batch, then left Jeff making another as well. With the eight o’clock crowd, they were swamped. They ran out close to nine, and
Moira had to promise to make more the next day. Keep them hungry for more, Moira said under her breath.

After that she went back into the kitchen and started preparing for lunch. “Hi, Vinny. Christi,” she said. “Sorry, I
couldn’t greet you properly back there. It was like a madhouse.”

Vinny Pacheco and Christi Sanchez both hugged
Moira.

“I’m glad you are back,” Vinny told her.

“Me too,” Chisti agreed. “I really missed you.”

“Everyone has been asking about Memorial day. They were hoping you would make some treat like Valentines day,” Vinny said.

Moira chuckled. “Yes, I have something planned. We can talk about that end of the week,” she told them. “For now, let’s see how we can feed the lunch crowd. And hopefully bring the house down.”

“We tried, but it was never the same,” Christi said forlo
rnly.

“Don’t worry about that now. We have less than two hours before lunch is served. I need each of you on a different station.” They all moved in sync.
Moira moved around making sure the ingredients were correct. As the first crowd walked in for lunch, they had several cakes cooling. Jeff and Vinny were making the icing for the chocolate cake. The rest were being served bare. Christi was preparing more fruit cups.