It was the voice of a police officer, speaking through Alberto's phone to verify his claim of knowing the girls. He was arrested on his way to meeting up with the girls and it was all a mistaken identity.
"Please accept my unreserved apologies. I was caught up in an identity mix-up but I am fine now, thanks to the power and weight your name carries around here", Were Alberto's words. He added. "I am just a block away, I'll be there in five".
Just before he made the call, he was lost in thoughts with so many questions as to why the twins were pampering him so much.
As he thought about it, "It seems like I am beginning to have a soft spot for these girls?" he queried himself.
When he walked in and headed for the private area, many who were in the restaurant were taken aback by him.
They murmured amongst themselves, "How could this be the man that these glamorous girls have been waiting for? He doesn't even look sophisticated they analyzed. Others smiled and just thought how lucky he was.
On seeing the girls, he lost his breath for a fraction of a second. The look on his face was so satisfying that the girls forgot they were angry with him.
"You girls look exquisite and exceptionally beautiful" he blurted out with strong emotion as he swallowed hard. "I am honored to be your friend," he paused, then added, "Please do accept my apologies" as he pulled a chair for himself.
The fact that the girls looked like the love of his life made his heart melt every time he was around them. Maybe that's the attraction because he still loved Gabriella and would do anything to have her.
But here he was amid two Gabriella replicas. He must be the luckiest man on earth he thought to himself.
Many times, he wanted to tell them about Gabriella, but either the words wouldn't come, or he would simply just lose the courage, or something would distract them.
Of course, the twin sisters were drop-dead gorgeous when it came to their beauty, but today, they looked timeless; he could swear he saw twin Venuses.
When dinner was done, Eva gave some excuses that she needed to go and then hugged Alberto, kissed him goodbye, and uttered casually, "Good luck."
When she hugged her sister, she whispered into her ears, "Don't go gentle on him, and be aware that I'll be waiting for all the details- everything." She stressed.
As Emma and Alberto walked to the car, all she could feel for him was pity. She felt like he was so easy to manipulate. She told him, "We are taking a little trip in my father's private jet for a surprise I wanted to give you."
While Alberto was feeling admiration for Emma and her sister, Eva was feeling a sense of remorse on her way home. She felt guilty for setting everything up. "It's too late now," she tried to hush her thoughts.
She could imagine what her sister would do to him, and she wished she could deliver him from the menace. "It's not your fault," she reassured herself again.
On the plane to Monterey Regional Airport, on their way to Big Sur, Alberto though tipsy from the too much wine that the girls made him drink, started thinking.
What could be this gift that we'd had to drive, fly, and then drive again just to get to it, he wondered?
Just to make sure their being alone together on the plane wasn't awkward, he tried to engage her in small talk. "The weather looks perfect today. What do you think?
"Yeah, you could say that," she answered with a smile.
"This jet is totally insane," he continued.
"Really? It's the least of 3 private jets Dad owns," she responded with tact.
"You girls must be the luckiest kids on the block, to have such a generous father"
That hit her in a way that she's never seen before. Hmmm! You could say that" she responded with a note of partial agreement.
But at the back of his mind, he is neck-deep in confusion. As much as he likes the mysterious nature of their trip, he is just blown away by such opulence.
It was his first time flying but he couldn't tell her. Being with them had given him so many first experiences, the feel of it was beginning to appeal to him a lot.
He was jolted from his thoughts when the hostess came to inform them that they had arrived.
Finally, they were at the Post Ranch Inn hotel. The way she was welcomed showed him that she was VVIP.
"A hotel?" He questioned. "Yes, your gift is here. I wanted it to be private."
"Wow! This must be a big surprise then. Can't wait to get my hands on the gift." Both locked eyes and smiled.
As they walked into their room, he felt his head spin a bit. But he steadied himself because he knew this wasn't the time to lose composure.
After they had settled into the room, "I need to freshen up" he reported and quickly dashed into the bathroom.
While in the shower, Emma moved around the room with practiced ease, lighting the fireplace and adjusting the music to a low, sensual hum. She placed a bottle of wine and two glasses on the table, her eyes briefly lingering on the corner of the room before her lips curved into a small, unreadable smile.
When Alberto emerged from the shower, he stopped short. The room had transformed.
The fireplace flickered, its golden light casting shadows that danced across the walls. A low, sensual hum of music filled the air, blending seamlessly with the faint pop of the wine bottle Emma now cradled.
She turned slowly, her eyes locking onto his. "You clean up nicely," she remarked, her voice dripping with amusement.
He swallowed hard, a sudden wave of heat rising to his cheeks. "What's all this?" he asked, his voice faltering.
Emma's lips curved into a smile. "A gift deserves the perfect setting, don't you think?" She poured two glasses of the Massandra Sherry de la Frontera 1775 bottle of wine, offering him one.
He hesitated. Something about the way she looked at him made his pulse quicken. It wasn't just the wine or the ambiance—it was her. She radiated a quiet confidence that unnerved him.
"Relax," she said softly, her voice coaxing. "You'll like what's coming next." "Come sit with me was her request as her whole body oozed with seduction.
But as she spoke, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking into a trap—one he wasn't sure he wanted to escape. He knew he couldn't say no. So he asked, "How about we get to the gift part?"
"Patience, patience," was her answer to his escape antics. "We will certainly get to the gift part soon. But for now, relax and enjoy the chill." She added philosophically.
When she noticed that he wasn't making any advances and he was becoming too tipsy. I'll be back in a jiffy" she said and went into the shower.
She returned with a towel wrapped around her, finding him lying on the bed with his legs on the floor. Without a word, she climbed on the bed beside him and began to kiss him, their eyes locking in a silent understanding.
As the atmosphere thickened, she let the towel slip to the floor, revealing the quiet confidence in her movements. Alberto placed his hands gently on her waist, pulling her closer. The energy between them shifted, the air charged with unspoken tension as time seemed to pause.
But just as their lips were about to meet, a loud, and unexpected knock shattered the moment. The sound echoed like a thunderclap against the intimacy of the room, pulling them both out of their trance.
Emma froze, her eyes widening slightly, but she quickly masked it with a coy smile. "Must be room service," she said with an air of nonchalance, though Alberto noticed the faint tremor in her voice.
"Room service at this hour?" he questioned, his words slurred but sharp enough to carry suspicion.
The knock came again, more insistent this time. Emma straightened, wrapping the towel back around her body. "I'll handle it," she said, her tone unusually firm as she strode toward the door.
Alberto sat up, his head spinning not just from the wine but from the sudden shift in the mood. Something felt off—too off to ignore.
Emma cracked the door open, and a hushed conversation ensued. He couldn't hear what was being said, but the tension in her posture was unmistakable. She was trying to keep her voice low, but Alberto caught snippets:
"...not here... I said tomorrow... no, he doesn't know..."
Her words were like a puzzle missing crucial pieces. His stomach warped with unease.
When she finally closed the door, she turned back to him, her face a perfect mask of calm, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of something he couldn't place—fear? Regret?
"Who was that?" he asked, his voice steadier than he felt.