Free In Search of the Past (Stacey and Shane Mcleod, #2) by Rikki Dyson

morning, as Mrs. Nickels cleaned the room she found the note.  She smiled as she read the note.  She shook her head and said to herself; yes pet, I know how it is with us girls and the boys too, as she wadded the soiled sheets to go to the laundry and picked up the discarded cufflinks and hairpins from the floor.
    Stacey was dressed in jeans and a white summer top with white loop earrings. Her hair was down and her sun glasses on top of her head.  She was ready to ride. The sensible part of her thought, alone would be best. She was a little anxious about seeing Shane again after last night, however it couldn’t be avoided.  Stacey walked into the dining room with a smile on her face.  Everyone was there and greeted her, “Good morning.”
    Shane was standing by the buffet pouring a cup of coffee. “Do you fancy a cup of coffee, Stacey?” he asked.
    Stacey thought, to herself, for sure he’s no novice at this, cool as a cucumber, he is. Maybe he needs a nudge. “Yes, please,” she said. As she walked around him to get the cup, she lightly touched his side, just above his belt. His hand shook and the coffee spilled into the saucer. He could hear bells in his head.
    “Stacey the phone is for you,” Andrea said.
    Surprised, Stacey said, “Who knows I’m here?” And went to answer the phone, she once again lightly touched his side and let her hand trail around his back as she walked to the phone.
    Shane could feel his body reacting to her touch, therefore he took is coffee and went to the far side of the table and sat down.  Stacey was just across the room from him talking on the phone. He heard her say, “Let me speak to the owner then. Well, what does he speak?  Then put him on,” Stacey said firmly.
    “Uh, oh, I’ve seen that stubborn stance before, someone’s about to get an ear full,” Shane said to Andrea who was sitting beside him. Stacey was standing with her thumb hooked in the hip-pocket of her jeans. When her voice changed, he said, “What did I tell you, somebody is about to receive some hot choice words.”
    “How do you know?” Andrea asked.
    “Because I received those choice words once,” he told her with a roguish grin. 
    “Oh too sweet, tell me what happened.” 
    “Ask Phillip later, he’ll tell you,” Shane assured her.
    When the non-English speaking owner came to the phone, Stacey said, “Hola senor...No senor...Usted le cobra a la compania rentadora, ellos pagan...Yo, no pago nada...Mire el
    Pa’rrafo cuatro...El contrato esta’ en el compartimento de los guantes.... Mire senor, yo soy Americana...Yo se lo que usted esta’ tratando de hacer... Usted est’a siendo deshonesto...
    Quiza’ yo deberia de llamo a la compania rentedora...Si, Peens que usted lo versa a mi Mantra...audio’s.”
    When Stacey got off the phone, she went to the buffet. “Losing my temper makes me hungry.” She buttered a scone and put blackberry jam on it.  Aunt Letty poured her a cup of coffee and set it on the table across from Shane.
    “What were you speaking, Spanish or Italian?” Phillip asked.
    “Spanish,” Stacey said. “that jerk is trying to double bill. He wants me to pay the towing bill, then he’ll bill the rental company too.”
    Stacey was sitting across the table from Andrea and Shane. “Did you have a good time last night?” Andrea asked.
    Stacey quickly glanced at Shane, then smiled at Andrea. “Yes, it was wonderful,” Stacey said as she took a bite of her scone. “This is delicious, I love blackberry jam.”
    “Elizabeth put that batch up last summer,” Aunt Letty said. “We have wild blackberry vines that grow like weeds.”
    “It’s really good, Mrs. McLeod,” Stacey said. “I think it may even be a little bit better than Mr. Chen’s.”
    Shane grinned at her and asked, “Who’s Mr. Chen?  I haven’t heard that name.” 
    Before Stacey answered, she asked Shane, “Do you want half of this, I can’t eat it all?” 
    “Sure,” he said.
    Stacey