HANNAH'S POV
Getting to watch a dawn, as night comes into day, the sun rising over the horizon is one of my favorite things to do when I'm working a night shift. That moment when the first rays of the sun hit the earth is otherworldly, one of God's perfect creations. Now more than ever they mean so much more to me.
"You've been staring at that sunrise for an awful long time. Are you okay?" Jada asks nudging my shoulder.
I turn to her with a smile setting my now cold coffee mug down. "Yes, just thinking about Santiago, we watched the sunrise together the day we had breakfast here. It was the imperfectly perfect first breakfast date. God I miss him."
"Hannah he's only been gone three days and will be back day after tomorrow." Jada consoles.
"I know but I still miss him." I pout.
Santiago has been in constant communication with me from the moment that he left texting, calling, video chatting me, sending me photos and videos but it's not the same as having him here. I know that he is having fun with his baby brother and I do not want to rush him but I miss him so much.
"Girl you are whipped." Jada teases.
I grin unable to deny it. "I know."
I've never loved any man as much as I love Santiago.
"It's a good color on you." Jada comments interrupting my train of thought.
"What is?"
"Being in love. You loved Frank but you are in love with Santiago and I've never seen you happier." She answers.
Jada is right. What I felt for Frank seems minuscule as compared to what I feel for Santiago. He's the man I want to grow old with.
"He makes me happy, he adores me and the sex, out of this world." I express the thought of him making my heart beat faster.
"I'd say TMI but I've told you a lot worse about Tom and I. I'm happy that you're happy and in love. You deserve it." Jada says giving me an encouraging smile.
I'm glad that after what I've been through and put my friends through after I lost Darius, they are able to see me healing and happy.
"Thank you. I just wish Darius was here to see what he started." I comment sadly.
Jada gives me a comforting smile and links our hands together.
"He is seeing it, looking down on both of you and showering you with blessings while covering his eyes in the R-rated parts." She chides.
I groan in embarrassment unable to fathom that. "Oh God! I don't want to even think about it if he sees everything."
Santiago and I are very adventurous when it comes to sex. I don't think there's a surface in my house we haven't christened. Even when he was hurt we were still active.
"I was just kidding. Dibs on maid of honor." Jada declares.
I smile at her because the position is hers without even her asking for it.
"You got it. I wouldn't want anyone else though Renee is a close contender. But we haven't even discussed marriage yet except for that one time when he joked that we should get married next year." I reply.
"You never know." Jada smiles.
"I wouldn't mind, I'm ready to become his wife." I declare.
That thought isn't even scary at all. If Santiago asks me to marry him, I will definitely say yes.
"Good for you girl. A girl who knows what she wants." Jada encourages.
"I do know, we both discussed kids and we agreed to wait at least two years before I start popping out some mini us but we can get married, I'm not opposed to that." I explain.
"That's a good plan, enjoying married life first. I wish you two nothing but the best." She says with a smile.
"Thank you Jada." I smile back leaning my head on her shoulder.
Jada sits in silence with me as we continue enjoying the sunrise together each lost in our own thoughts.
Our tranquil moment is interrupted by the pinging of my phone. I retrieve it thinking it's from Santiago since he knows I'm on break right now but instead it's a notification about winning the bid on the food truck.
"I got it." I declare out loud sitting up.
Jada looks at me confused. "Got what?"
"The truck. The food truck that I bid on for Santiago. It's ours. I need to pick it up later." I explain.
"Didn't he ask you you wait for him so he can actually pay for it?" Jada asks.
"He did but if I pick it up today I get a discount and he can always refund me." I grin at her sending a message to the seller that I'll be getting the truck.
It's what Santiago wants and if I wait for him the seller might get impatient and sell it to someone else. It took me lots of research to find one I liked so I can't let it go.
"Do you at least want me to come with you?" Jada offers.
"No need, you and Tom have date night." I remind her.
"I can cancel."
"And have Tom mad at me, no way. I'll be okay." I assure her.
"Okay fine." She relents knowing I'm right.
I once interrupted date night and called Jada with a lady emergency. Tom was mad at me for a month and kept bringing it up. I have no idea what they do on date night that is such a big deal but I do not want to relive that.
"Break's over, let's go." Jada declares five minutes later.
I get up with her, throw away our dirty dishes and walk out of the cafeteria together. Jada walks me to the emergency room before taking the elevator to the pediatric floor.
Now that I am reenergized after breakfast with my best friend, I am able to get back to work promptly.
"So Hannah how's that man of yours, doing any better?" Doris asks me as we are waiting for test results from the lab for our patients.
"Yeah, he travelled to see his brother but he'll be back in a few days." I answer.
"He recovered fast but then again his girlfriend is a nurse. Bet you took real care of him." She teases with a double meaning to her words.
I know Doris is fishing for more information about Santiago but she's not getting anything out of me. I'm just glad neither of the co-workers I went with to FCI for the vaccination remember his face. I am not ashamed of dating a convinct but I'd rather avoid putting my man and our relationship under their scrutiny. Santiago wants a fresh start and as his girlfriend I will do my best to make that possible and that means keeping our relationship matters private that aren't the publics concern.
"I'm a lady, I don't kiss and tell." I retort slyly.
"Come on, you two are so cute together. How did you meet? Maybe I can try that for myself, I've been single to long." She laments.
"My brother introduced us before he died and that's all you're going to get from me." I reply.
"Lucky you, why can't my brother introduce me to one of his hot friends as well." Doris protests.
"Because your brother has slept with half of the women in Phoenix and his friends get to fight over the other half. " I say with a laugh.
"Argh don't even remind me. I hate that I am related to him."Doris groans.
Before we can say anything else I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket. I check to see that it's Santiago calling.
"I need to answer this, can you please pick up my results for me. I'll meet you back at our station when I'm done." I request Doris.
"Is that him?" She whispers and I nod. "Of course you go ahead, ask him if he has any cute cousins."
"I will." I laugh as I walk away to get some privacy.
I make my way to the staircase and its empty as most people prefer the elevators. I sit on the steps and pick the call before it rings out.
"Cesar."
"Mami."
"Hi love, good morning." I greet cheerfully.
The sound of his gruff morning voice is enough to send pleasure chills all over my body. Boy do I miss him, I can't wait for him to get back.
"Good morning baby, sorry to bother you at work but I had to hear your voice." He apologizes.
Rhode Island is three hours ahead of Arizona meaning that they slept in if he's calling me now. But they did have a pretty late night seeing as Diego took Santiago to a frat party. He was trying to get Santiago to have fun but instead he called me and we talked the whole time since it was dead at the ER. Thank God for graveyard shifts.
"It's okay, I was just talking about you actually." I tell him.
"Oh yeah, with you? Jada?" He asks.
"No, well yes, we did talk about you over breakfast and how much I miss you but I was referring to one of my fellow nurses. The one who tended to you." I explain.
"Let me guess, she wants to know if I have any hot brothers or cousins you can hook her up with?" Santiago asks with a laugh.
"How did you know?" I exclaim.
"Good guess plus she wouldn't stop eyeing my junk that day at the hospital meaning she was attracted to me but she didn't make a move out of respect for you." He answers.
I burst out laughing. "I can't even be mad at her, of course women will look at you, you're hot."
"I only have eyes for one woman, you." He declares making me blush.
"So you don't check other women out? Come on you must especially now that you're in a whole different state." I tease.
"Is this a trick question?" Santiago asks.
"No it isn't. I wouldn't be mad if you look, there are gorgeous women everywhere." I assure him.
"Yes this is a trick question. Wait, does this mean you check out other men?" Santiago asks.
"Yes."
"What?!"
"As long as they are fictional." I clarify with a laugh.
"You tricked me." Santiago scolds.
"Just a bit but honestly I am a very secure woman and besides you have all the right reasons to stay loyal and the wrong ones as well, like who my best friends are." I reply.
Santiago sucks in a breath and I know I have him right where I want him.
"Mami I don't need your friends threats to make me stay faithful. I'd be the first one to put a bullet in my head if I ever cheated on you. You deserve a good man, a faithful man who adores you which I do. I'm still working on the good part but I've got the rest locked down pretty well." He reassures me.
"I know Cesar, I never doubted you even for a moment. So what are you boys doing today?" I ask changing the topic.
"Shopping." I hear Diego shout from a distance.
"Cesar, you hate shopping." I remind him.
"I know but Diego needs some stuff and its not so bad when I have company. Might get something for you too." He declares.
I can't help the smile that breaks out. He's always thinking about me just as I am him.
"I love gifts." I whisper.
"I'll bring you one back." He promises.
I think of telling him about the truck but I want to surprise him when he comes back when he finds it in our drive way.
"You boys have fun then, Diego take care of your big brother." I request him knowing he's listening.
"Always." He yells back.
"Take care of me? Boy I'm the one who takes care of you." Santiago retorts.
"Hannah thinks otherwise, right Hannah?" Diego asks.
"Yes Diego." I answer with a laugh.
"Get out of here!" Santiago scolds followed by a yelp from Diego.
"That's child abuse." Diego cries.
"Go!"
"Fine but not because you said so but because Sofia is calling me. Bye Hannah."
"Bye Diego." I respond.
The teasing between the two brothers is great, I am so glad that they haven't lost their chemistry even after three and a half years apart.
"So where were we?" Santiago asks giving me back his full attention.
"You were telling me how I'm the most beautiful woman in the world and how you can't live without me." I tease.
"You took the words right out of my mouth mami." Santiago says playing along.
We talk for a little while longer before I actually have to leave him and get back to work. I do not want to get into trouble.
"You boys have fun, I will talk to you later. I love you Cesar." I conclude the call.
"I love you more mami, take care of yourself." He replies making me smile.
I love it when he tells me that.
"Always."
I hang up, take a few minutes to myself before I get up and go back to work.
The rest of my shift proceeds without a hitch and before I know it i'm in my car driving home at the end of the day. I would love to be going back home to have Santiago waiting for me with a hot meal, followed by a foot rub and some very hot sex but he's on the other side of the country. I console myself with the fact that we will be doing all that soon when he gets back in two days.
When I get home I change out of my scrubs, grab my wallet and leave the house when my uber driver arrives. I can't take my jeep to pick up the truck since I need to drive it back.
When I get to my destination I pay for my uber and walk up to the office of the used car lot. The owner is closing business so there was an auction on all his remaining vehicles and there's not a lot left.
I spot the food truck I'm here to pick up on the way in and I am so glad it looks like it does on the website. She'll need a bit of fixing up but that will be a good DIY project for Santiago, he's very handy. I'll help where I can but I would prefer to sit and watch him work all day sweating under the sun losing layer of clothing after another till his left with nothing but his jeans. Dear Lord, let him come back soon, my fantasies are getting out of hand.
"Hi." I greet knocking on the peeling wooden door.
There's a short, bald man seated behind the desk that reminds me of Denny DeVito, the dad from the 1996 Matilda film. I just hope he won't rip me off like that man used to do to his customers. But he had a lot of good reviews online so unless I'm the first unlucky customer this is a safe buy.
"Come on in." He waves me in pushing a half eaten sandwich aside.
"I'm here to pick up the food truck, I'm Hannah Johnson, I won the bid on it." I introduce showing him my ID.
"Yes, welcome. I'm Bob, yes like the builder. I'm glad you could make it today. See I'm leaving for Florida in two days, me and my old lady are moving to enjoy our sunset years there." He explains.
"That's nice, you deserve the rest." I reply seeing that his business has been open long before I was born.
"Yes it's wonderful, finally get to give her the life that she deserves." He smiles wistfully looking lost in thought for a moment.
His eyes and words and filled with so much love when he talks about his wife. I hope that one day in the far off future when Santiago and I are old and grey after living a beautiful life together we will still be able to say such nice things about each other.
"Listen to me blab on about my life." He apologizes with a chuckle.
"It's okay." I assure him.
"I'll just get the keys so you can do a test drive around the lot and after we sort out the paperwork and pay you can take the old gal home." He says retrieving a set of car keys.
I nod and follow him out of the office. The truck runs smoothly and the back looks great as well. Though it will need a new paint job, new appliances and anything else Santiago will wanna add.
I pay and sign all the paperwork in my name knowing Santiago won't mind and if he does I'll transfer it over to him. The man is true to his word and I get a discount.
"I hope she serves you will." Bob says shaking my hand to conclude the sale.
"I hope so too, she's a gift." I answer.
"Well then the receipient will love her." He answers.
I nod at him and leave his office with all the right documents in hand and the new proud owner of a food truck.
As I drive home, I call Jada to let her know that I've picked her up but we don't get to talk for long as she's running late for her date. I wish her the best and demand for a goddaughter which she cusses me out for. Guess she's not had enough of Tom to wanna add another tiny human to their household. But then again they've only just got married, I'm glad they are taking their time as a married couple. Santiago and I will do the same.
I park the food truck outside the house and stand for a moment to admire the beauty I just bought one more time. Santiago will be pissed but only for a moment that I did this without him which I can handle and then we will celebrate and make plans on how to start remodeling it.
I'm about to head back into the house and call Santiago to hear about his day when a sleek black car stops on my curb and a very distinguished older gentleman steps out in a black suit.
"Excuse me miss, sorry to bother you but I'm a bit lost, this onboard navigation keeps misguiding me and I'm new here. I need help." He requests in a deep Mexican accent.
He reminds me of Santiago's Cuban accent for a moment.
"That happens sometimes, where are you going?" I ask him walking towards him.
"Westview Memorial Hospital." He answers.
"I actually work there and you are definitely lost." I reply with a smile.
"Old age is catching up to me, I'm Artie by the way." He introduces holding his hand out.
"I'm Hannah." I reply shaking his hand.
"Nice to finally meet you Hannah." He smiles widely creeping me out a bit.
"Finally meet me? We just met." I chuckle nervously.
I start looking around but we are the only ones out in the street. Am I about to get kidnapped?
"Yes but I know you. I wonder what he saw in you to make him leave me." Artie comments giving me a once over.
"He who?" I ask confused.
He chuckles menacingly losing the lost older gentleman persona that's replaced by a vicious looking man after blood. Then everything adds up at once like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle coming together. The accent, the name Artie short for Arturo and the fact that he knows me.
"You're Santiago's former boss." I blanch.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
This will not end well.
"Former yes but we are about to remedy that. I came here to see who he left me for and I have to say I am impressed." He grins wolfishly eyeing me.
I feel disgusted.
"What happened between you and Santiago is none of my business but he already paid his debt so you have no reason to be here. Please leave." I request him.
I should be running into my house calling for help but I'm frozen in fear because I know he's packing and one wrong move will get me a bullet to the back of my head.
"Santiago and I will never be done unless one of us in the ground." Arturo sneers.
"Are you in love with him or something?" I chuckle.
He rolls his eyes at me."You are such a child and have no idea what you messed with. You are the only thing standing between me and him so..." He trails off unholstering a gun and I immediately pale.
"Please no." I plead raising my hands up in surrender when he points it at me. "Don't kill me."
"Oh no sweetheart, I'm not going to kill you, at least not yet but I need you to get what I want." He replies.
"What's that?"
I ask frozen in fear as I stare at the barel of his gun. One slip of his finger and I'm gone.
"My best man, so you are coming with me." He answers coldly.
I feel the hit before I see the movement of his arm as he hits me on my temple with the butt of his gun knocking me out cold.
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Bet y'all didn't see that coming did yah??!!
A lot of you requested a baby but the pregnancy trope to end a story is too cliche and overdone so I'm not doing that.. The furthest I'll go is a wedding for Hannah and Santiago but first he has to rescue her... Will he get to her in time or will there be a book two???!!
Thank you for 67K+ reads. The rate at which this book is growing amazes me. I feel so lucky to have y'all.