Page 3 of Twisted Beauty

She looked up at the eyes in the rearview mirror again. “Los Angeles?”

It came out as a question. At this point, it really was one. Considering she’d walked out on absolutely everything she knew, it was one question she didn’t have an answer to.

“Is very nice. My sister, she live there,” the driver said.

The taxi rattled along as they turned away from the coast and traveled through the heart of downtown. Tiny crumbling businesses dotted the streets, mixed in with towering condo complexes, some pristine and others completely gutted. There were so many outdoor cafes and taco stands and a few town squares with multicolored flags strung overhead. The blend of styles struck Liv as so authentically Mexico, she couldn’t wait to get out and explore. She had to stop herself from jumping out of the moving car with nothing but her camera.

Feeling a hint energized by all of it, she decided to try out her Spanish on the driver and ask his name. “Cómo se llama, señor?”

“Fernando.” He sounded pleased. “Habla Español?”

“Just a little. Un poquito.”

Fernando began speaking in long, fluid Spanish sentences and Liv was completely lost. It probably served her right for thinking she could learn enough Spanish to get by from an app. She’d been studying for almost a year now, ever since Katie moved here and started hounding her to visit, but she hadn’t had much of a chance to practice with actual humans. Especially since Grant thought it was such a waste of time.

Grant.

Ugh. His name alone sent a jolt of ice up her spine, and she shivered in the midday heat.

After several minutes, the driver stopped talking and looked at her again in his mirror. Liv hadn’t said a word.

He switched back to his broken English and proceeded to point out landmarks, statues, bars and restaurants, and filled her in on the history of tequila in Puerto Vallarta. It was all kind of a blur. Liv tried to nod and agree in all the right places, but his accent was so thick, she only caught half of what he said, if that.

She wondered if everyone in Mexico was this nice to tourists. Then again, maybe he was just hoping for a big tip. Maybe absolutely no one was what they seemed.

You know you’re the only one for me.

Fuck Grant. Fuck both of them. She didn’t know who to be more angry with. There was a chance she’d gotten serious with Grant too quickly, and for reasons she didn’t want to face right now, but Jillian was supposed to be her friend.

The taxi climbed a steep, winding hill after leaving downtown, and Liv found herself looking out over a cliff toward the ocean below. It was stunning. But she couldn’t help holding her breath, hoping the driver didn’t pick this of all times to swerve around yet another car or pedestrian. Maybe her entire life was falling apart, but plummeting to her death in a beater taxi and sinking into the depths of the Pacific was not at the top of her bucket list.

Moments later, they came to an abrupt stop at a condo complex perched on the edge of the cliff.

“Wow,” she muttered. What an incredible location.

“Estamos aquí, señorita. Welcome home.”

Liv reached for her wallet and sifted through the colorful notes. Pesos were so much prettier than the dollar. She handed Fernando a few bills, hoping she was giving the right amount of tip. Whatever his motives, he’d made the long, harrowing drive from the airport very entertaining. If not a little terrifying.

While Fernando hauled Liv’s suitcase out of the trunk, a faded black SUV pulled up behind them. Liv squinted into the late afternoon glare trying to make out the figures inside when the passenger door swung open and Katie hopped out.

“You made it!” She rushed toward Liv in a blur of blues and purples, squealing. “I got done earlier than I thought. Did you get my text?” She threw her arms around Liv and squeezed.

Liv was thrown back a step, and her carry-on dropped to the ground. She wondered if her bag had fallen with enough force to break her phone. She kind of hoped so.

“Can’t. Breathe…”

Katie released her hold and stepped back, laughing. Liv couldn’t believe how different she looked. She’d cut her blonde hair into a short bob and wore a gauzy purple dress with blue flowers embroidered along the hem. The embroidery matched the blue of her eyes, and she looked happy. So much more relaxed than she’d been in LA.

She didn’t wait for Liv’s answer. “I was afraid you’d get lost. I live so far outside town,” Katie said, bouncing up and down.

“I gave the driver your address. We were bound to get here eventually.” Liv realized the taxi was already pulling away so she raised her voice, “Muchas gracias, Fernando!”

“Buen día,” he called out his window as he made a nearly impossible U-turn in one swooping motion and sped out into the street.

Katie tilted her head. “You got cozy with the taxi driver? He was kind of cute.”

“Seriously? It’s called conversation.” So typical of Katie to imagine a love connection where none existed. Liv smiled through her gloom, hoping her friend’s positivity was contagious.