Spanish Disco. Erica Orloff

      

      ERICA ORLOFF

      is a transplanted New Yorker who now calls South Florida home. She is a writer and editor who has worked in publishing for over a decade. She is the coauthor of two books of humor writing, and the coauthor of The Sixty Second Commute about the home office phenomenon, as well as two books for children, including The Best Friends’ Handbook, aimed at empowering teen and preteen girls. As an editor and ghostwriter, she has worked behind the scenes on many publishing successes.

      Erica despises the “c-word” (cooking) and likes to write on her laptop, poolside. She presides over a house of unruly pets, including a parrot who curses as avidly as she does. She loves playing poker, a game she was taught by her grandmother, and regularly enjoys trying to steal her crew of wonderful friends’ money playing five-card stud.

      

      Spanish Disco

      Erica Orloff

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      To my parents, Walter and Maryanne Orloff.

       And to the memory of Robert and Irene Cunningham.

      Acknowledgments

      I would like to thank my wonderful, beloved agent, Jay Poynor, for always believing in me and my work. You are friend, cheering section, critic, confidant, and family.

      To my father, Walter Orloff. I am a writer because, first and foremost, you are a terribly interesting character. Second, you are the father in chapter thirteen who challenged me to read well beyond my years. All I am is because you challenged me.

      To my mother, Maryanne Orloff, who bears no resemblance to the mother in the pages herein. My love of reading stems from your love of reading. Thank you for taking me to the library in second grade, letting me sign out seven books on a Friday and taking me back on Monday to sign out new ones.

      To my sisters, Stacey Groome and Jessica Stasinos, and to my girlfriends, Pammie, Cleo, Nancy, Kathy L., Kathy J., Lisa, JoAnn and Meredith…for your friendship and support. To Kathy Levinson, in particular, for tolerating my trips to New York (and giving me a place to stay) with my over-the-top fear of flying. You are my personal “flying shrink.” Thanks to Marc Levinson, as well—same reasons. And to Pam Morrell, especially, thanks for believing I am “winsome.”

      To the members of Writer’s Cramp: Pam, Gina, Becky…and Josh.

      To the members of my women’s book group, for your friendship (and great food once a month).

      At Red Dress Ink, thank you to Margaret O’Neill Marbury, for your insight and wisdom and belief in this book. And to all the people at Red Dress who made this book possible.

      To Alexa, Nicholas and Isabella. Thank you for giving me a reason to breathe.

      To my godmother, Gloria, and to my cousin Joey D., because I always promised you I would mention you in my book.

      To the late Viktor Frankl. I live because of your philosophy.

      To anyone I’ve somehow left out. You know I’m not that organized, so please forgive me.

      And finally, to J.D.

      You know all my secrets, even the ones I share with no one else, and you know all my pain and joys. And though I often want to kill you, you make me laugh every day.

      Contents

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Chapter 9

      Chapter 10

      Chapter 11

      Chapter 12

      Chapter 13

      Chapter 14

      Chapter 15

      Chapter 16

      Chapter 17

      Chapter 18

      Chapter 19

      Chapter 20

      Chapter 21

      Chapter 22

      Chapter 23

      Chapter 24

      Chapter 25

      Chapter 26

      Chapter 27

      Chapter 28

      Chapter 29

      Chapter 30

      Chapter 31

      Chapter 32

      Chapter 33

      Chapter 34

      Chapter 35

      Chapter 36

      Book Group Questions

      

      1

      “H ello, Buttercup.”

      Most people panic that a jangling phone at 4:09 in the morning is a death call—the one in which a cop is about to tell you he’s found your sibling or mother or father plastered like a bloody possum on the pavement of I-95. Instead, I uttered his name like a curse: “Michael!”

      “Yes, darling, it’s me.”

      I reached in vain for the lamp.

      “I don’t suppose there’s any point in asking if you know what time it is.”

      “What would David have for breakfast?”

      “Breakfast?”

      “Because I think eggs indicates a surprising lack of concern about his health. After all, his wife has been nagging him for years about his cholesterol. His smoking. And this could be his lone act of defiance. His way of telling the world to fuck off, as you, my dear, would so eloquently put it.”

      “Or he could merely like sunny-side up and a side of bacon, Michael. Is it that important what your character eats for breakfast?”

      My fingers found the little pull-chain on my bedside lamp. I squinted and reached for the glass of warm bourbon and water I keep on my nightstand for conversations precisely like this one.

      “Vitally.”

      “Michael, you know I am not at my best until a good, solid six hours from now. And that only after a pot of coffee. Can’t this wait?”

      “Be a love,” he said, his English accent trying to charm me through the phone line. “Greet the dawn with me.”

      “Greet the dawn? Michael, I don’t want to greet the dawn with you. I don’t want to greet noon with you.”

      “Impossible! You don’t want to enjoy the splendor outside your balcony with me? Your favorite author?”

      “Favorite is not—most definitely not—the word that comes to mind right now.” I sighed. “Those acknowledgments better drip with praise.”

      “To my dream editor, the love of my life, Cassie Hayes, without whom this book would not