Heaven
Chapter One

By Jordan Grace
Copyright © 2008

The line of cars stood frozen in the scorching sun. Catherine checked her air vents to make sure the tepid air was the best she could hope for. It shouldn’t be this much trouble just to meet her girlfriends for lunch. After finally admitting to herself that she wasn’t going anywhere, she tried to chill out with her favorite classical radio station. She envisioned herself in Mexico, far away from the congestion of Chicago.

She couldn’t believe she was actually moving to another country. Heaven, Mexico was so small, it wasn’t even listed on most maps. She’d considered it a sign from God when she’d happened upon the ad in her local paper requesting American teachers interested in teaching in foreign countries. She’d signed up immediately. The ranch town was so far from her structured city life. It would be a challenge just to get through the day without her creature comforts, but it was exactly what she needed. She’d immersed herself in the Spanish language and the Mexican culture. Now, finally, she was ready to escape her past and begin a new life.

The loud blare of a horn behind her jolted her out of her reverie. Her friends were waiting for her at their favorite restaurant. She felt a twinge of sadness when she realized that this would be their last meal together in many months. Still, she greeted the two women cheerfully. She didn’t want to add to their worries by looking too sad.

Michelle and Samantha greeted her with warm smiles. The trio had been best friends since first grade. They’d nicknamed themselves Charlie’s Angles, and they certainly looked the part with their long blond hair and trim figures. They were also teachers, and both friends were happily married with two children. Catherine hadn’t been so lucky in love. They knew all the drama she’d been through, but they didn’t know how deep the pain of losing her fiancé went.

“How’s the packing going?” Sam asked.

Catherine rolled her eyes. “I never knew how many things I had until I tried to stuff it all into three suitcases,” she lamented. “I want to take as much as I can because it’s not like I could just run down to the local K-mart and stock up on supplies.”

“You know, it’s not too late to change your mind,” Michelle teased. “I don’t know if you’re the type of girl who can survive without your daily mocha.” They all laughed.

“Seriously, though, Cat, are you sure this is the best way to get over Jack?” Sam asked.

“If I knew how to get over him, I would’ve done it by now,” Catherine admitted. “It’s been a year since he stood me up at our wedding. I wish he’d been man enough to tell me he didn’t love me anymore, instead of keeping up a charade and tearing out my heart in front of my family and friends.”

“But this is so not you,” Michelle stated.

“I don’t want to do me; the old me got me nowhere but lonely and heartbroken. I don’t know what I’m doing, but everywhere I go in this city reminds me of Jack.”

“There’s a lot of places between here and a small town in Mexico,” Sam pointed out.

“I know, but I’m not turning back now. For once in my life, I’m embracing the unknown.”

Two days later, Catherine was on a plane headed to her new life. For a few indescribable moments, she felt as if she’d actually died and gone to heaven. She stared down at majestic mountains, a gentle waterfall and sporadic bursts of summer colors from wildflower patches and native birds.

The plane dipped suddenly, jolting Catherine back into the mind-numbing fear that had gripped her from the moment she’d laid eyes on the ancient relic at the airport in Mexico City. Her pilot had assured her it was safe, but she still wasn’t quite sure.

What am I doing here, she asked herself. Her pilot seemed unconcerned, and Catherine tried to calm her fears. When the tires finally touched the tarmac, she sighed with relief.

The school’s principle, Maria Castro, met her at the airport and offered to give her a tour of the town. In terms of population, Heaven was miniscule, but when she took in the sheer size of her new oasis, Catherine was overwhelmed by its vastness. It took an hour to drive from the airport to the schoolhouse, during which time Maria chatted non-stop while Catherine tried to listen and soak up the sight of mountains that seemed to stretch into heaven and green pastures dotted with sunflowers as far as the eye could see. The pastures were also sprinkled with grazing cows and horses.

Heaven was already casting a tranquil spell on her. Away from the loud roar of the city, her mind had slowed down. She was more concerned with enjoying the ride than getting to her destination. Life should be about the journey, she told herself, as a soft, contented smile spread across her face.

When Maria finally pulled up in front of her new, rented home, she gasped. The log cabin surrounded by large trees looked so tranquil. Eagerly, she stepped down from the truck and followed Maria up onto the small porch. Maria allowed her to precede her into the cozy interior. Her living space consisted of three rooms, a combined kitchen and living room, a bath with the quaint look of elegant, nineteenth century appeal, and a bedroom with a small wrought iron bed that Catherine knew would fetch her a pretty penny among the antique lovers in Chicago.

The room also contained a small armoire and a Queen Anne chair. The wooden floors creaked under her feet. Catherine guessed that there were a lot of little quirks in a house with age, and she was looking forward to discovering them all. She turned to Maria with a big smile.

“I think I’m going to like it here,” she stated.

Maria’s smile broadened. “I knew you would. It was very nice of Mr. Martinez to let us use it free of charge.”

“Mr. Martinez?”

“Ambrosi Martinez. He has a ranch right outside of town. He owns most of the real estate in the area. Nice man, but…” Maria’s voice trailed off with her thoughts.

Catherine wanted to ask questions but didn’t want to seem nosy. As an outsider, she wanted to create a good impression. In time, she would learn more about the people.

After Maria left, Catherine made two quick calls to Michelle and Sam to let them know she had arrived safely and that the town was more than she’d expected it to be. Her first priority was to scrub her new home from top to bottom. She’d brought her own cleaning supplies from Chicago. For Catherine, everything had to be above squeaky clean for her to feel comfortable. Halfway into scrubbing the wooden floors, the therapeutic effect of cleaning began to kick in. Catherine sometimes wondered if her high came from the cleaning fumes or the peace of knowing that her personal space was sanitized.

It was only after she moved to the bathroom and discovered that there was no hot water that her euphoric state abruptly ended. Instantly, she panicked. She couldn’t take a bath in the tub until it had been scrubbed to her liking and washed with scalding hot water. She noted that the old-fashioned tub did not have a shower. The thought of sitting in the old tub sent shivers down her spine. She went to the kitchen and dialed the office number Maria had left for her.

“Martinez Realty,” a pleasant voice answered in Spanish.

“Hello, my name is Catherine Nolan. I am Mr. Martinez’ new tenant. I have no hot water in my bathroom. Can you get someone to come look at it for me?”

The woman hesitated. “I don’t think the plumber can come until Monday.”

“It’s Wednesday, I can’t wait until Monday. Isn’t there anyone who can look at it right now?”

“I will try to locate the plumber,” the receptionist promised.

Catherine understood things took a little more time here, but she wouldn’t feel at ease until the heater was fixed. She’d been a very sickly child and had also endured childhood leukemia. Her home had been hospital clean. She was healthy now, but the fear of germs was still a big concern. She heated some water in a big pot she found in the kitchen and set about cleaning her bathroom with renewed vigor.

She was headed for the kitchen to put on another pot for her bath, when a knock sounded at the door. She wrapped her hair into a bun, as she headed for the door. She peeked outside without removing the security chain. The man on the other side of the door was without a doubt the most beautiful human being she’d ever seen. He looked like he’d just stepped off the cover of a romance novel. His dark brown hair flowed in lazy waves down to his shoulders. His green eyes were fringed with lashes so long and thick that they rested on his high cheekbones as his gaze slid down her body. His aquiline nose and full sensual mouth had a decidedly masculine flair. His tall frame, encased in a pair of skin tight, faded jeans and white tee-shirt, radiated strength and sexuality. Catherine felt totally vulnerable standing there wearing nothing but her bathrobe.

“Si?” she asked.

“Plumber,” he explained simply in a deep voice. She removed the chain and opened the door. He stepped inside and immediately dominated the room.

“You called about a problem with your water?” he asked her.

She moved away from him. His muscular body was covered in a thin layer of mud. His cotton tee was covered in sweat stains, yet the aroma of his body was pleasantly earthy. Her delicate nostrils flared, as she inhaled him. Her reaction to him surprised her. It was the first time in a year that she’d felt something other than disinterest in the face of male sexuality. Instead of shrinking away, her body craved closer contact. The feelings ripping through her were powerful rather than debilitating. The slow, deliberate burn in his eyes echoed throughout her body. Her breath caught in her throat, and her skin became flushed. She felt a pool of moisture between her legs. Something about him made her want him, despite his appearance.

“I don’t have any hot water,” she said, as she pulled her robe tighter.

“And this is necessary because?” he asked.

“It’s necessary because I want it, and I’m willing to pay for it,” she told him angrily.

He scratched one side of his face, his fingers leaving a dirty imprint on his skin. “Ms. Nolan, here in Heaven, people are happy just to have clean water. Hot water is a luxury most of them cannot afford.”

“Well, where I come from, it’s a basic necessity,” she told him.

He laughed. “I don’t know why a woman like you would choose a place like this in the first place.”

“A woman like me?”

His eyes turned hard. “I know women like you. You come here with your fancy clothes and pampered way of life, and you expect everyone to please you.”

Catherine’s mouth hung open in surprise. “You’re pretty forward for a plumber,” she said. The second she heard her words; she knew they sounded derogatory, which was not the impression she wanted to convey.

The man’s eyes narrowed, and a nerve began to throb in his strong jaw. He turned and walked outside. Catherine followed him to the side of the house and watched him inspect the heater.

He shook his head and stood up. “This one’s too old. I can get you a heater in about a month, Ms. Nolan.”

“A month? Why so long?” she asked.

“Because I do not go to Mexico City until the end of the month. I will pick it up and install it as soon as I can. In the meantime, enjoy the cool showers. They’re perfect in the summertime.” He reached out and caressed her cheek. “You will need it after dreaming of me tonight.” His smile told her he couldn’t care less about when she got hot water.

His soft touch burned her skin. “I hope the people here are not half as rude and obnoxious as you,” she told him angrily.

“You think I’m obnoxious? Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black, as you Americans like to say?” he asked.

Catherine’s eyes turned fiery with anger. “Don’t assume to know anything about me,” she said through clenched teeth.

“I know you want me.” He ran his index finger down her neck. Catherine shuddered at his touch.

“I detest you,” she said.

He gave her a knowing smile. “So, you are spoiled, uptight and a liar.”

She watched, as his head lowered towards hers, but she was helpless to stop him. His mouth crushed hers. Even as she struggled against him, a part of her responded to his lips. Her body sent out a silent cry when he pulled away from her.

“I hope that was enough heat to last you until the end of the month. If not, there is a lot more where that came from.” He wiped the taste of her off his mouth and left.

Ambrosi sped off in his old truck. He couldn’t believe his behavior. But, something about her had touched a nerve in his heart and his loins. It had only taken a few seconds in her presence to see traces of his ex-wife. With her cool blond looks and pampered air, Catherine was the ghost of Gloria come back to haunt him. His deliberate hostility towards her was an involuntary action, as had been his attraction to her. In this aspect, she differed from his ex-wife. He’d never seen that kind of fire burn in Gloria’s eyes, at least not for him.

Gloria had been nothing but a spoiled young woman wanting to rebel against her parents. She’d presented herself as someone who cared about him and his culture. But, after the novelty of his ethnicity wore off, Ambrosi was faced with the devastating reality that they had nothing in common. She had disrespected him and his traditions in every way. Her cheating had been enough to destroy him, but her ultimate betrayal was taking his child away from him. That had sent him out of his mind. He hated that she had used him as her escape. He’d seen the same lost look in Catherine’s eyes. They were all escaping something. But, he wasn’t about to be used like that again. He would stay away from Catherine as much as possible.

Catherine decided to pay Mr. Martinez a visit. She wanted to introduce herself and make sure his rude plumber had ordered her water heater. It was such an inconvenience having to heat water on the stove. Martinez Realty, located in the center of town, was surrounded by five buildings under various stages of construction. The receptionist took her to the construction area and pointed out a tall, muscular man in tight jeans and a hard hat. As she got closer, Catherine found herself staring into the face of the man whose kiss still lingered on her lips.

“Mr. Martinez?” she asked in shock.

He smiled. “Catherine, it’s so good to see you again. What are you demanding now?”

“Why didn’t you tell me who you were?” Catherine asked.

“Would it have changed how you felt about me?” he asked.

“That’s not the point. The point is that you presented yourself as something that you are not.”

“I don’t think I did, Ms. Nolan. I presented myself as a plumber, and whenever my regular plumber is busy, I help out where I can. I don’t present myself as anything more than a hard working man.” He reached out and caressed her cheek. “Would you have been nicer to me, if you’d known I was rich?”

Catherine slapped his hand away. “You’re despicable! Maybe it’s because of your money you think you can treat people however you want. But, I won’t allow it.”

“Then maybe you should run back to the States and stop using us to solve your problems. The last thing we need down here is another spoiled, American woman.”

He walked away from her, leaving Catherine wondering what woman had hurt him so badly to make him despise her so much.

Needing a diversion from Ambrosi and the quiet of her new home, Catherine called Maria, who invited her to go horseback riding the following afternoon at a ranch on the outskirts of town. The ranch was vast with acres of green pastures and horse trails. A ranch hand met them at the stables and was in the midst of introducing them to their horses when Catherine noticed a beautiful black stallion a few stalls down.

“I think he’s a little more than you can handle,” said a deep voice behind her.

Catherine turned to face Ambrosi.

“Can’t I have just one day without you?” Catherine asked in annoyance.

“Then perhaps you should keep off my properties,” he said.

“You own this ranch? It figures.”

Ambrosi smiled. “Well, I better get back to work. You ladies have a nice time and be safe.” He tipped his cowboy hat and walked away.

Catherine tried not to stare at his firm behind, but it was such a beautiful one, she couldn’t help it. “How can someone that beautiful have such an ugly attitude?” she asked Maria.

“Mr. Martinez is not as bad as you think. He’s done so much for the community,” Maria told her.

“Yeah, now he thinks he owns everyone and can talk to them however he wants,” Catherine complained. “Well, I don’t have to take that from him.” She walked over to the black stallion and caressed his nose. “Hey, good looking, feel like taking me for a ride?”

“That’s Mr. Martinez’ horse, miss,” the ranch hand told her. “He’s the only one who can control him.”

Catherine gave him a saucy smile. “I’m sure I can manage. I may be a city girl, but I’ve been riding since I was five. Saddle him up, please.”

The ranch hand gave her that same look Ambrosi had, as if she was a spoiled brat who would soon get what was coming to her. She wanted nothing more than to wipe the smirks off their faces.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Maria said, as they trotted out of the stable area.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Catherine assured her. She felt confident after loosening the reins. The beautiful animal stretched out into the wind, its powerful legs quickly lengthening the space between Catherine and Maria. When she tried to slow down, though, he refused to heed. Instead, he picked up speed in protest. Real fear replaced the triumph she’d been feeling. The horse was playing by his own set of rules, and all her years of training couldn’t control him. Suddenly, she heard someone coming up behind her. Glancing quickly over her shoulder, she saw Ambrosi desperately trying to reach her.

For once, she was happy to see him. She could only hope he reached her before she was thrown off and injured.

Ambrosi grabbed her around the waist and pulled her off the runaway animal. Catherine’s heart was beating so fast, it was painful. She’d never been so terrified in her life. When his horse finally came to a stop, she couldn’t even move. Every inch of her body trembled with relief.

Suddenly, Ambrosi’s hand came down sharply on her upturned behind. She yelped in pain and surprise. Five more spanks followed in rapid succession.

“What the hell are you doing?” she shouted.

“Saving your life, you crazy woman. Midnight doesn’t like strangers. You’re lucky you didn’t break your neck!”

Catherine slid down the horse and stared at him. She could understand his anger. She’d been stupid to take his horse. But, he’d punished her like a child. She wanted to strike him, but the look of fear in his eyes told her how close she’d come to serious danger. Her knees buckled, and she sank to the soft grass. Maria rode up beside them.

“Take her back to the stables,” Ambrosi ordered and took off behind Midnight.

Maria silently helped Catherine up off the ground and onto her horse. Catherine could see that the older woman was angry with her. She got behind Catherine and deliberately trotted back to the stables. Catherine tried to apologize, but Maria interrupted her.

“I thought you were different. We don’t need another American woman here to disrupt our lives, especially Mr. Martinez’.”

“What woman has you all so leery of American women?” Catherine asked in frustration.

Maria sighed. “You are a new teacher here, and if the children and parents are going to accept you, then you have to earn their trust before you earn the right to our most beloved community member. He may seem difficult at times, but he really is a good man. Otherwise, it will be ‘the blond bitch’ all over again.”

“The blond bitch?” Catherine asked.

“Ten years ago, Mr. Martinez fell in love with a blond, American woman, who, as it turned out, only loved his money. When she became pregnant, we all hoped she would change, but she didn’t. Gloria wasn’t much of a mother, so Andreas did it all himself. He loved their child more than his own life. So, it almost destroyed him when they found out that she had cancer when she was only two. Her cancer was very aggressive. Gloria insisted on moving back to the States, so that she would have access to the best doctors. But, no matter what they tried, she never seemed to get any better. They struggled for three years, and then Andreas insisted that they move back to Mexico to try some alternative treatments, and it seemed to be working. They spent one month here before Gloria took the child and went back to the States. This time, she didn’t even tell Andreas that she was leaving. Of course, he followed them. Three months later, they brought her back to bury her.”

Catherine wiped the tears that flowed down her cheeks.

“Everyone here felt that Gloria was responsible for her death. Now, that may not have been true, but she had no respect for our medicines and beliefs. I’ve seen our herbs do amazing things. She spent most of her time insulting our culture and people, instead of trying to understand us. She treated most of the people here as if they were beneath her, so you can understand why Mr. Martinez would be reluctant to trust another American woman.” 

Catherine couldn’t stop thinking about Andreas, and how she’d unknowingly hurt him. The next day, she hitched a ride out to his ranch after his secretary informed her he wouldn’t be in the office. His front door was ajar. When no one answered her calls, Catherine walked in. Right off a spacious living room, another door revealed the flash of color from a TV.

To Be Continued...

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