goes the paperwork?”
Mateo smiled and motioned for her to sit in the chair in front of the desk. “It is going well, if you count working on the newsletter as paperwork.”
“You write the mission’s newsletter?”
“Sometimes. Carlos and Maria also write it, depending on who has free time and can think of something interesting to tell the mission’s supporters.” Mateo leaned back in his seat with a creak. “How are the stairs coming along?”
“I made it almost halfway up before Paul gave me a reprieve.” Kayla studied him, seeing no sign that he was injured or angry with her. “I decided to take advantage of the break to come see how you’re doing. You were still limping pretty badly the last time I saw you.”
Mateo raked his fingers through his hair. “Kayla, you don’t need to worry about me. I am fine. My leg hurts sometimes, and then I limp. It is nothing new and nothing that needs to be worried about.”
“Random pain that causes a limp is something to worry about.”
“I think...” He lowered his gaze for a moment then met hers once more with a somber expression. “I think it is time I show you something. Then maybe you will understand.”
“What?” Certain he could see her confusion, she stepped closer to the desk. “What is it you want to show me?”
“Have you been in the common room in the dormitory?”
“I didn’t even know there was a common room. I’ve been too busy to do much exploring.” Why would he want to show her the common room now? She couldn’t figure out how it could ease her concern about his leg.
Mateo rose and rounded the end of the desk, his limp slightly better than before. “Come with me. It is time you see it.”
She stayed by his side as they headed for the back of the mission. Maria paused in her work as they entered the kitchen.
“Taking a break?” she asked.
“Yes, Kayla has not yet seen the photos in the dormitory,” Mateo said, his gaze intense.
A big smile lit up Maria’s face, and she gave Mateo a hug. “It is good you are showing her.”
“Maybe.” He stepped back with a sigh. “I will finish the newsletter when I get back.”
“Take your time.” Maria patted his cheek in a motherly gesture. “This is more important.”
He nodded and took Kayla’s hand, leading her out the back door. Her mind raced as she pondered the exchange she’d just witnessed. Apparently there was more to these photos he wanted her to see than just entertaining the volunteers. But why did both Carlos and Maria looked thrilled to pieces that she and Mateo wanted to spend time together when they weren’t working? Perhaps they’d noticed the strong friendship that could easily blossom into more, but it didn’t make sense that they would be so happy about it. They knew as well as both she and Mateo that she would be leaving Colombia and returning to her life in the United States all too soon.
Mateo opened the door of the dormitory, and Kayla stepped inside, glad he still held her hand. His gentle grasp helped alleviate the nerves threatening to take over as she waited to find out why he seemed so anxious about showing her some photos that had likely been seen by nearly everyone who had ever stayed in the dormitory.
As they walked down the hall toward the front of the building, she gave his hand a squeeze. “You know, you don’t have to look so worried. Seeing a few photos hasn’t scared me yet.”
“There is a first time for everything,” Mateo said, glancing at her with a ghost of a smile.
Kayla laughed. “What is it with men? Paul just told me that same thing just a little while ago.”
“I assume it had nothing to do with photographs.”
“No, oddly enough it had to do with him noticing the friendship you and I have.” She blushed under Mateo’s questioning gaze. “He’s convinced you and I are developing a romantic relationship, even though he knows I don’t have romantic flings that last for only a couple of weeks.”
“I also
Mateo smiled and motioned for her to sit in the chair in front of the desk. “It is going well, if you count working on the newsletter as paperwork.”
“You write the mission’s newsletter?”
“Sometimes. Carlos and Maria also write it, depending on who has free time and can think of something interesting to tell the mission’s supporters.” Mateo leaned back in his seat with a creak. “How are the stairs coming along?”
“I made it almost halfway up before Paul gave me a reprieve.” Kayla studied him, seeing no sign that he was injured or angry with her. “I decided to take advantage of the break to come see how you’re doing. You were still limping pretty badly the last time I saw you.”
Mateo raked his fingers through his hair. “Kayla, you don’t need to worry about me. I am fine. My leg hurts sometimes, and then I limp. It is nothing new and nothing that needs to be worried about.”
“Random pain that causes a limp is something to worry about.”
“I think...” He lowered his gaze for a moment then met hers once more with a somber expression. “I think it is time I show you something. Then maybe you will understand.”
“What?” Certain he could see her confusion, she stepped closer to the desk. “What is it you want to show me?”
“Have you been in the common room in the dormitory?”
“I didn’t even know there was a common room. I’ve been too busy to do much exploring.” Why would he want to show her the common room now? She couldn’t figure out how it could ease her concern about his leg.
Mateo rose and rounded the end of the desk, his limp slightly better than before. “Come with me. It is time you see it.”
She stayed by his side as they headed for the back of the mission. Maria paused in her work as they entered the kitchen.
“Taking a break?” she asked.
“Yes, Kayla has not yet seen the photos in the dormitory,” Mateo said, his gaze intense.
A big smile lit up Maria’s face, and she gave Mateo a hug. “It is good you are showing her.”
“Maybe.” He stepped back with a sigh. “I will finish the newsletter when I get back.”
“Take your time.” Maria patted his cheek in a motherly gesture. “This is more important.”
He nodded and took Kayla’s hand, leading her out the back door. Her mind raced as she pondered the exchange she’d just witnessed. Apparently there was more to these photos he wanted her to see than just entertaining the volunteers. But why did both Carlos and Maria looked thrilled to pieces that she and Mateo wanted to spend time together when they weren’t working? Perhaps they’d noticed the strong friendship that could easily blossom into more, but it didn’t make sense that they would be so happy about it. They knew as well as both she and Mateo that she would be leaving Colombia and returning to her life in the United States all too soon.
Mateo opened the door of the dormitory, and Kayla stepped inside, glad he still held her hand. His gentle grasp helped alleviate the nerves threatening to take over as she waited to find out why he seemed so anxious about showing her some photos that had likely been seen by nearly everyone who had ever stayed in the dormitory.
As they walked down the hall toward the front of the building, she gave his hand a squeeze. “You know, you don’t have to look so worried. Seeing a few photos hasn’t scared me yet.”
“There is a first time for everything,” Mateo said, glancing at her with a ghost of a smile.
Kayla laughed. “What is it with men? Paul just told me that same thing just a little while ago.”
“I assume it had nothing to do with photographs.”
“No, oddly enough it had to do with him noticing the friendship you and I have.” She blushed under Mateo’s questioning gaze. “He’s convinced you and I are developing a romantic relationship, even though he knows I don’t have romantic flings that last for only a couple of weeks.”
“I also
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