Foreword

"Fran! Aren't you about packed yet?" Renee stood back to survey the mountain of luggage. Ye gads, she thought. It's only a two week Christmas vacation. She hugged herself. It was two weeks of freedom from the high school classes she taught. It was two weeks away from this manless town.

"Fran! Hurry up!"

"Coming." Renee's roommate came into the room mumbling around the hairpin in her mouth, pinning her honey blonde hair back with both hands.

"Just think, Fran! Two whole weeks in sunny Mexico." Renee did a little pirouette and clicked her fingers. Her long, black pony tail swirled through the air behind her.

"Right you are, sweet. And with that sunshine maybe we'll meet up with a smooth talking Casanova or two. He WAS Mexican, wasn't he?"

Ruefully, Renee shook her head. "Spanish."

"Oh, well," Fran finally got the hairpin in place, "maybe he has some Mexican descendants. I hear he did get around."

Renee hugged Fran. "Stop talking about men all the time, silly. There are other things in life."

Fran adjusted her skirt, straightened her stockings, looked at herself obliquely in the mirror. "If you say so, Renee. But let me know when you find it..."

"It's better than teaching school!"

Fran laughed. "You said it that time. If I never see another English class, I'll end my days in peace."

She was interrupted by the urgent honking of a horn.

Renee peeked through the blinds. "It's the cab, Fran."

"Well? Don't just stand there. Lure the driver in. Somebody's got to carry the bags."

Chapter 1 »