Page 28 of Yours, For Now

"I try to keep my heart active," I replied. "I play fútbol twice a week. Sometimes on the weekend, for tournaments."

"Enrique does too!" Miguel jumped in. "What league are you in? The Latino one?"

"We're all in the same league." I left Lina's hand to drink more water, though I wished it was wine. "I see him around, especially during tournaments— we play on different teams. I also see Lucía sometimes."

"Yes, yes." Miguel drank from his glass. "Her boyfriend is on one of those teams."

"Have you been there to cheer Gabe on yet, hija?" Iris asked. "It's amazing how the two of you have orbited each other for all these years, families in the same circles, yet you're only dating now."

"It's all thanks to this project Lina came up with," I said. "Spending time together, driven by the same goal…"

"It's changing things," Lina added.

We exchanged another look. This time, the mix of humor and defeat in her eyes reached over the walls I had inadvertently built around me and her family. It made me want to wrap her in a blanket and let her cozy up in a safer place, where we could sit by the fire and focus on our goals in peace.

"Let's talk business for a bit." Edgardo's words interrupted my reverie and brought me back to the present. "You did that presentation for us last week. I brought Miguel so we can talk about it together."

"I'll go ask for dessert and coffee while you all talk about work." Iris went into a door I assumed was the kitchen.

"Should we help take everything to the kitchen?" I asked, but Edgardo motioned with a hand for me to stay sitting.

"Tah, no." Iris showed up again, another woman by her side, the latter wearing what seemed like a uniform. "Just be a guest, tonight. We have people to help us."

Iris and her companion moved around us, picking up dishes and glasses from the table and taking them to the kitchen.

Miguel turned serious, losing his teasing smirk for once. "Edgardo and I talked for a long time about this idea of yours. It's not a simple project."

"It isn't." I frowned. I considered taking Lina's hand in mine again, but regardless of my impulse, I couldn't justify it this time. My original message of teamwork had been passed on, or not. I focused on the conversation instead, and gazed between the two older men. "But we strongly believe that a strategic partnership would strengthen both our businesses."

"And it's not only doable," Lina added. "It's smart. This could benefit both our companies, and help Martínez and Associates grow."

"The numbers suggest that, yes," Edgardo flattened a hand against the table linen. "But it could stretch us out. I don't know if Miguel or I can tackle something like this, so we had to think hard about it."

"I can do it," Lina tried. "I can run the project."

"Maybe it'll be the thing that brings Enrique back," Miguel said.

"I can do it." This time, Lina's voice echoed tight in the space.

"We believe it can be done, yes." Edgardo nodded. "We're saying yes, Lina."

My eyes whipped to Lina, my heart beating faster at Edgardo's agreement. I wanted to check with her, celebrate with her, somehow. But she stared at her dad, eyes still and attentive.

"You are?" Lina's tone changed one-hundred eighty degrees. It had softened, and hesitation threaded through it for the first time.

"Yes." Edgardo's eyes shifted between Lina and I. "We'll supervise you, hija, but yes."

"Yes!" Lina hugged me in a blur of movement. Her perfume hit me, almost making me dizzy with the surprise of it. The smell was citrusy and not at all sweet, but it seemed like dessert, or a prize for surviving the worst of dinner. She grabbed me by the shoulders. "We're doing this!"

I couldn't help it, I surrounded her with my arms and brought her close; I squeezed her and kissed her cheek.

She blinked twice. I smiled.

"Let's celebrate with coffee, what do you say?" Iris said, and the moment broke.

I had been good most of the evening, and managed to keep my eyes away from Lina's neckline. Discipline was a common aspect of my life, but it had been hard to resist when all I wanted to do was feast on the sight.

Right before leaving, my strength broke. With my stomach full and chest light after getting her family's approval for our project; and with us facing each other by the door, it was a little too easy to let my sight drop. And the sight was indeed glorious.