Topic > your toes in the fine white sand of the Mexican beach. After everything that had happened to her in the last few months, escaping to a tropical paradise seemed like the perfect way to relax and find a way to return to some sort of normality. Watching the tide, Catrina thought no one could blame her for wanting to get away for a while. Earlier in the year, Cat's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her entire family was terrified that she wouldn't make it. Luckily the chemotherapy had done its job and the cancer was firmly in remission. As if that wasn't stressful enough, Cat had come home one night after taking her mother to a chemo session to find her apartment trashed. Thieves had broken in and taken many of her valuables, including a diamond necklace that had been in the family for three generations. Then she discovered that her ex-boyfriend, the man she thought was the love of her life, had eloped with his secretary. When her friend Sarah suggested a girls' week in Mexico, Catrina jumped at the chance to bury her problems. She'd thought the combination of sand, waves, and half-naked men would work to lift her spirits. So far, for the past two days, all she had gotten was the sun burning her nose as she watched all the happy newlyweds at her resort. Sarah had neglected to mention that the all-inclusive hotel she booked was a romantic resort for couples. Not exactly the perfect environment to forget your pain. A male voice interrupted his thoughts. A few lounge chairs to her right, a handsome blond man in a bathing suit was ordering a margarita from the cabana waiter. To his surprise, he appeared to be alone. Cat took a peek to her left…the center of the card…at the gift shop." Cat rolled her eyes as her friend exited the bathroom. "I'm surprised you didn't get a free stay from them," she shouted to Sarah. "The day isn't over!" Sarah responded in a sing-song voice. After bathing and taking a nap, Sarah helped Cat get ready for her dinner date. Even though Catrina had a limp, Her leg felt a little better. When she asked Sarah what she planned to do during the evening, her friend told Cat not to worry, "You remember that handsome Italian businessman we met at checkout -in?" Cat remembered: Antonio Barbieri was probably the only other single man in the hotel besides Patrick. “He's taking me around town. So if I don't get back before morning, well, you'll know I've really been through a beautiful night.” After warning her friend to be careful and keep her cell phone with her, Cat went down the stairs to meet Patrick.