emotion. They would be helping each other.
“If the development goes through, the house is rubble,” Callie said. “I understand.” These people seemed kind and simple. What had the Morenos done to Grandma Lucy to earn her lifelong enmity?
“Very well,” Fernando said. “We will grant an extension.”
About to say something, Luc simply shrugged.
His mother turned to Callie. "I hope you can stay for lunch, Señorita Patterson."
"Please call me Callie. And thank you for the invitation, but I have to get back and arrange for the first phase of the restoration."
"Can you not spare one hour for some food? You will work with more vigor after a good meal."
Callie smiled in spite of her growing discomfort. "My Great Aunt Hattie would have agreed with you. She didn't hold with skipping meals."
"She was a smart woman." Dorotea nodded emphatically. "So, you will stay and eat. Then you will return to your work."
"I caution you," Fernando said. "Even the most casual of meals are special occasions to my wife. She believes they turn strangers into friends and friends into family. And she doesn't often accept no for an answer."
Callie turned to Luc. "Will staying for lunch inconvenience you?"
"Not nearly as much as your staying in the valley will."
Mrs. Moreno clicked her tongue. "Where are your manners, hijo ? And how is it that you turn away from my table without so much as a single bite?"
"What are you serving, Mamá?"
" Camarónes grilled with lime."
He bowed, kissed her hand and helped her to her feet. "If you've gone to the trouble of grilling shrimp, how can I refuse?"
"How indeed?" With a chuckle, she motioned to her husband and to Callie. "Come. Everything is waiting."
Dorotea seated Callie opposite Luc, which proved only marginally more comfortable than sitting beside him. Every time she looked up from her plate or turned from his parents during a lively conversation she found his gaze on her, examining, probing, even at times admiring, an expression she'd seen before and still found disconcerting coming from an enemy. And although it was exactly what Gram would have wanted, Callie suspected she would never have understood the excitement humming through her granddaughter’s body. When several subjects had been thoroughly discussed and discarded, Fernando said, "Do you miss New York?"
Callie thought for a moment and shook her head. "I miss the friends I made there. I'm looking forward to seeing them when they come out to work on the house."
"Work?" Dorotea asked. "I thought someone from this area had the job."
Callie barely had time to wonder where Mrs. Moreno had gotten her information. "J.D. Connor and her husband are handling restoration of the structure and systems, but my friends will be decorating the interior."
Dorotea gave her son a brief glance tinged with concern, then turned to Callie again. "These friends — do you trust them to do a professional job? Sometimes such arrangements prove unwise."
"They're professional interior designers. We met when they hired my firm to do their advertising. The Crew, that's their company name, was my first account when I set up shop in New York. We've worked together for eight years and have been friends for nearly that long."
Dorotea nodded. "And you went to New York from...?" She tilted her head to one side as she waited with a questioning look and a lively curiosity sparkling in her eyes.
" Por Dios, Mamá," Luc interrupted. "You're as subtle as a sledgehammer. Maybe Call — Miss Patterson doesn't want to tell you her entire life's story the first time you meet."
"I'm just interested, Lucero. You haven't brought a young lady home in a very long time."
Callie could have sworn Luc squirmed in his seat, but whether he had or not, his discomfort was unmistakable.
Chapter Five
"I didn't 'bring her home'," Luc said. "She and Papá needed to talk business."
Luc glanced at Callie who seemed to be fighting a smile.
“If the development goes through, the house is rubble,” Callie said. “I understand.” These people seemed kind and simple. What had the Morenos done to Grandma Lucy to earn her lifelong enmity?
“Very well,” Fernando said. “We will grant an extension.”
About to say something, Luc simply shrugged.
His mother turned to Callie. "I hope you can stay for lunch, Señorita Patterson."
"Please call me Callie. And thank you for the invitation, but I have to get back and arrange for the first phase of the restoration."
"Can you not spare one hour for some food? You will work with more vigor after a good meal."
Callie smiled in spite of her growing discomfort. "My Great Aunt Hattie would have agreed with you. She didn't hold with skipping meals."
"She was a smart woman." Dorotea nodded emphatically. "So, you will stay and eat. Then you will return to your work."
"I caution you," Fernando said. "Even the most casual of meals are special occasions to my wife. She believes they turn strangers into friends and friends into family. And she doesn't often accept no for an answer."
Callie turned to Luc. "Will staying for lunch inconvenience you?"
"Not nearly as much as your staying in the valley will."
Mrs. Moreno clicked her tongue. "Where are your manners, hijo ? And how is it that you turn away from my table without so much as a single bite?"
"What are you serving, Mamá?"
" Camarónes grilled with lime."
He bowed, kissed her hand and helped her to her feet. "If you've gone to the trouble of grilling shrimp, how can I refuse?"
"How indeed?" With a chuckle, she motioned to her husband and to Callie. "Come. Everything is waiting."
Dorotea seated Callie opposite Luc, which proved only marginally more comfortable than sitting beside him. Every time she looked up from her plate or turned from his parents during a lively conversation she found his gaze on her, examining, probing, even at times admiring, an expression she'd seen before and still found disconcerting coming from an enemy. And although it was exactly what Gram would have wanted, Callie suspected she would never have understood the excitement humming through her granddaughter’s body. When several subjects had been thoroughly discussed and discarded, Fernando said, "Do you miss New York?"
Callie thought for a moment and shook her head. "I miss the friends I made there. I'm looking forward to seeing them when they come out to work on the house."
"Work?" Dorotea asked. "I thought someone from this area had the job."
Callie barely had time to wonder where Mrs. Moreno had gotten her information. "J.D. Connor and her husband are handling restoration of the structure and systems, but my friends will be decorating the interior."
Dorotea gave her son a brief glance tinged with concern, then turned to Callie again. "These friends — do you trust them to do a professional job? Sometimes such arrangements prove unwise."
"They're professional interior designers. We met when they hired my firm to do their advertising. The Crew, that's their company name, was my first account when I set up shop in New York. We've worked together for eight years and have been friends for nearly that long."
Dorotea nodded. "And you went to New York from...?" She tilted her head to one side as she waited with a questioning look and a lively curiosity sparkling in her eyes.
" Por Dios, Mamá," Luc interrupted. "You're as subtle as a sledgehammer. Maybe Call — Miss Patterson doesn't want to tell you her entire life's story the first time you meet."
"I'm just interested, Lucero. You haven't brought a young lady home in a very long time."
Callie could have sworn Luc squirmed in his seat, but whether he had or not, his discomfort was unmistakable.
Chapter Five
"I didn't 'bring her home'," Luc said. "She and Papá needed to talk business."
Luc glanced at Callie who seemed to be fighting a smile.
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