to see you. And Linda's not my date. I haven't seen her in years."
"Then why didn't you ask me to come with you?" She shot back, hating herself the minute the words left her mouth. How could she be so stupid as to reveal the depth of her need, the depth of her attachment?
He released her shoulder and rocked back on his heels. His features were a mixture of confusion and stunned disbelief. His gray eyes searched her face.
Finally, he shook his head. "I didn't ask because I thought you didn't want us to date. But that's why I'm here because I knew you'd be here. I wanted to see you and see how Pura's bazaar turned out." He scratched at the stubble covering his chin. "She talked about it enough."
Natalia didn't know what to say. He'd honored her request but had still sought her out. Did his actions mean what she thought they did? And was she ready to test the water again after getting thoroughly scalded? Or was any possible relationship with Esteban doomed from the start, overshadowed by a lifetime of friendship and tainted by her fear of a rebound romance?
"Coming to the bazaar together wouldn't have been exactly a date," Natalia said.
"Okay, then what would you call it?"
She shrugged. "I thought it would be nice if all of us, Pura and you and I, came together. The bazaar was all Pura talked about last night at supper." To drive home her argument, she added, "And we could have used help setting up. There are never enough volunteers for these things."
He narrowed his eyes and said, "So you needed an extra hand, that's why you wanted me to come."
Detecting the hurt in his voice, she felt a spurt of shame. Was that how it seemed to him? By not admitting the real reason she wanted him to come, she'd relegated him to just another pair of strong arms and broad shoulders. But that wasn't the whole truth. No, she'd wanted Esteban to ask her to the bazaar. And because Pura would be going with them, it had seemed an innocent way to go out---like a date but not quite. But she hadn't thought about how Esteban would feel, all she'd considered were her own insecurities.
She took a deep breath and tried to smile to lessen the tension. "I'm sorry, Esteban. I didn't mean it the way it sounded. I wanted you to ask me out to the bazaar."
"For a play date, Natalia, with your chaperone along"
" Sí ." She dropped her gaze and wished she could burrow into her collar. She knew her neck was turning red, and she prayed she wouldn't blush.
"What about a real date, Natalia? How about just you and me?"
Sucking in her breath, she considered. Was she ready to start dating again? And in particular, would she ever be ready for ... Esteban?
"That's why I came looking for you," he said. "I have some good news, and I wanted to share it with you. Last night, I didn't offer to bring you and Pura because I didn't know if I would be back from Albuquerque in time."
"You went to Albuquerque today?"
" Sí, I have a baseball agent there. I needed to talk with him in person."
A thrill of excitement sent tingly sensations down her spine, banishing her embarrassment. "Does your agent have anything to do with your good news?" She knew how much baseball meant to him, and how long and hard he'd worked toward the goal of going pro.
A wide smile split his face, his white teeth brilliant against the coppery tones of his skin. Nodding, he said, "The Kansas City Royals are interested. They're going to send a scout out this month."
She jumped up and down and clapped her hands. "That's wonderful news, Esteban!" She took a step forward, thought better of it and stopped.
As if he'd read her awkward movements, he said softly, "I don't think a celebratory hug is out of the question, do you?"
She stepped into his open arms. " Claro qué , no," She settled into his familiar embrace with a sigh. Being held by Esteban felt so right, as if she belonged with him. With his strong arms around her and her nose pressed against his muscular chest, she inhaled that
"Then why didn't you ask me to come with you?" She shot back, hating herself the minute the words left her mouth. How could she be so stupid as to reveal the depth of her need, the depth of her attachment?
He released her shoulder and rocked back on his heels. His features were a mixture of confusion and stunned disbelief. His gray eyes searched her face.
Finally, he shook his head. "I didn't ask because I thought you didn't want us to date. But that's why I'm here because I knew you'd be here. I wanted to see you and see how Pura's bazaar turned out." He scratched at the stubble covering his chin. "She talked about it enough."
Natalia didn't know what to say. He'd honored her request but had still sought her out. Did his actions mean what she thought they did? And was she ready to test the water again after getting thoroughly scalded? Or was any possible relationship with Esteban doomed from the start, overshadowed by a lifetime of friendship and tainted by her fear of a rebound romance?
"Coming to the bazaar together wouldn't have been exactly a date," Natalia said.
"Okay, then what would you call it?"
She shrugged. "I thought it would be nice if all of us, Pura and you and I, came together. The bazaar was all Pura talked about last night at supper." To drive home her argument, she added, "And we could have used help setting up. There are never enough volunteers for these things."
He narrowed his eyes and said, "So you needed an extra hand, that's why you wanted me to come."
Detecting the hurt in his voice, she felt a spurt of shame. Was that how it seemed to him? By not admitting the real reason she wanted him to come, she'd relegated him to just another pair of strong arms and broad shoulders. But that wasn't the whole truth. No, she'd wanted Esteban to ask her to the bazaar. And because Pura would be going with them, it had seemed an innocent way to go out---like a date but not quite. But she hadn't thought about how Esteban would feel, all she'd considered were her own insecurities.
She took a deep breath and tried to smile to lessen the tension. "I'm sorry, Esteban. I didn't mean it the way it sounded. I wanted you to ask me out to the bazaar."
"For a play date, Natalia, with your chaperone along"
" Sí ." She dropped her gaze and wished she could burrow into her collar. She knew her neck was turning red, and she prayed she wouldn't blush.
"What about a real date, Natalia? How about just you and me?"
Sucking in her breath, she considered. Was she ready to start dating again? And in particular, would she ever be ready for ... Esteban?
"That's why I came looking for you," he said. "I have some good news, and I wanted to share it with you. Last night, I didn't offer to bring you and Pura because I didn't know if I would be back from Albuquerque in time."
"You went to Albuquerque today?"
" Sí, I have a baseball agent there. I needed to talk with him in person."
A thrill of excitement sent tingly sensations down her spine, banishing her embarrassment. "Does your agent have anything to do with your good news?" She knew how much baseball meant to him, and how long and hard he'd worked toward the goal of going pro.
A wide smile split his face, his white teeth brilliant against the coppery tones of his skin. Nodding, he said, "The Kansas City Royals are interested. They're going to send a scout out this month."
She jumped up and down and clapped her hands. "That's wonderful news, Esteban!" She took a step forward, thought better of it and stopped.
As if he'd read her awkward movements, he said softly, "I don't think a celebratory hug is out of the question, do you?"
She stepped into his open arms. " Claro qué , no," She settled into his familiar embrace with a sigh. Being held by Esteban felt so right, as if she belonged with him. With his strong arms around her and her nose pressed against his muscular chest, she inhaled that
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