by Leah Atwood
Chapter Fourteen
Hurried footsteps sounded behind her. “Lana, wait!” Arturo’s voice made her whirl around.
She did her best to keep the tears at bay. “It’s all right. You don’t owe me anything. I know you have practice tomorrow and the game on Sunday. I understand.” Just like she’d understood when Michael would leave for photo shoots and she’d wait for him, his loyal girlfriend. Only later she’d found out he’d had other loyal girlfriends on the side.
Arturo reached her in several strides. “I have to go. That’s my life. My career.”
Michael had said the same things. She had a sense of déjà vu. No, she couldn’t allow herself to think that way. Arturo was a decent man.
She breathed in deeply of the cool night air. “I know. But why did you make all those promises? To deliver the presents? To go buy a dog?” She’d even started to hope they could spend Christmas together.
A small smile curved his lips. The lips that she still wanted to kiss.
“We can do all those things. Just a little later. Lana, I don’t want to leave like this.”
“I don’t want you to leave like this, either.” In fact, she didn’t want him to leave at all. She might be too far gone already.
But he had a point. He had a great career far away from her, and he’d been open about it from the beginning. It was she who didn’t want to listen to logic.
“I’ll be back before you know it.” The starry sky reflected in his eyes.
Why did she have to find this guy so irresistible? Somewhere between him cooking a sugar-free breakfast for his grandpa, buying a mountain of Christmas presents and then wrapping them, and repairing the old furniture to give as gifts, she’d glimpsed a beautiful soul.
Lord, what should I do?
Maybe Arturo would be back soon, but then he’d be gone again. She couldn’t live on such an emotional roller coaster. Not again.
“Are you at least going to be back for Christmas?” Her voice came out in a whisper.
Dylan and Kelly had invited her, as well as Mari and Grandfather De La Vega, but she’d had illusions of spending Christmas with Arturo, his grandfather, and Evelyn. She shouldn’t have.
The bright lights and the reindeer figures in the front yard seemed to be mocking her. Was she naïve to think that her childhood Christmas wish for love and family would finally come true?
“I’ll do my best,” Arturo said.
She straightened her back. “I’m sure your grandfather would want you to be here for Christmas.”
Never again would she beg a man to spend Christmas with her. The previous year, Michael hadn’t cared anyway, and he’d ditched her for some kind of a big party, angry that she’d been too sick to accompany him. Just like the times in her childhood, when some of the foster families hadn’t been keen on celebrating this wonderful holiday, and she’d spent it alone.
Wrong.
God had been with her.
God would show her the way.
She just needed to pay attention and listen.
She climbed inside her car and took off. On the way home, she glanced in the rearview mirror. Sure enough, the red truck followed her.
When she parked in her driveway, Arturo didn’t leave. Instead, he parked at the curb.
The rest of the evening they spent on her back porch, drinking hot chocolate, looking at the stars, and talking. She stored away every precious moment, for the time when… No, it was best not to think about it.
“Lana, I love Grandpa dearly. But I have another reason to want to be back,” he said, looking into her eyes.
“And that reason would be?” She tried to sound coy while her heart rhythm became a staccato.
“You.” His eyes were shining in the dim light. “I think it’s pretty obvious that I’m very attracted to you. You’re kind, generous, caring, smart, not to mention gorgeous.”
“Do mention it,” she said modestly while her heart sang.
He chuckled. “And most importantly, you make the best apple pie in the world.”
“You only had a tiny bite.” She swatted his arm playfully. “Hmmm, most importantly?”
“No. But it’s a big plus. I happen to have a sweet tooth, even though I have to suppress the cravings. It’s been years since I met a woman who knew how to bake at all.” He stroked her face with his fingertips. “Lana, I don’t want to sound overconfident… but I sense there’s some attraction on your part, too.”
“I think it’s pretty obvious that I’m very attracted to you. You’re kind, generous, caring, strong, not to mention handsome. And most importantly, you make the best baked fish in the world.”
He laughed. “Most importantly?” he asked, mimicking her.
She batted her eyelashes at him. “I happen to love seafood.”
“I forgot to add funny to the list of your fine qualities. I’ve never met a woman like you.”
“Thank you. I forgot to add smooth talker to the list of your fine qualities. I’ve never met a man like you, either.” Michael hadn’t even come close.
“But you know what I truly find the most important about you?” He leaned to her. “You’re a woman of strong faith. I have a lot to learn from you.”
Her eyes widened.
God, I’m listening.
“I’m still learning, myself. I’ll help you in any way I can. You can be a man of strong faith.” She thought about all the good things he’d done recently. Going to church. Praying. Reading the Bible again. About all the things he’d done for others. “In some ways, you already are. Maybe we can go to church together on Sunday?” Pain flickered in his eyes, and she caught herself. “We can’t. You have a game on Sunday.”
“We’ll figure something out,” he whispered.
She liked the sound of the word we.
“I’m not leaving Rios Azules,” she said quickly. “Even if you ask me to go with you. Which you didn’t.” Now she felt foolish.
“I would ask. You know, when I’m with you, I don’t have to be stronger, faster, and tougher than anyone else. When I’m with you, I can just… be.” He shifted closer to her and paused when his lips were mere inches away from hers, as if giving her time to change her mind.
Her heart was beating furiously. But she didn’t move away. Instead, she leaned to him and let his lips find hers.
Her heart melted, and she became wonderfully light-headed. It was as if bright lights lit up inside her, illuminating the simple truth.
And when later she waved good-bye to Arturo, she had to acknowledge that truth.
She wasn’t approaching the point where her heart could be broken again.
She was past it.
* * *
Every minute of Lana’s Friday, Saturday, and Sunday was busy with something, be it attending the church service, working, cooking for Grandfather De La Vega, or helping Dylan and Kelly with shopping for presents and taking care of Dylan Jr. Lana did her Christmas shopping, too, delighted that finally she had people to shop for. Being on call for the weekend, she had to answer calls and rush to her patients when the wound vacuum stopped working or the catheter got clogged. And she was happy to provide taste-testing services in regard to new seafood items on the menu Mari wanted to introduce to the public by Christmas.
All in all, Lana didn’t seem to have time to even breathe.
And still, she missed Arturo with every cell in her body and every particle of her soul. The only thing that helped her was that he called several times every day. She pushed away her disappointment that he hadn’t made it to the Sunday service and prayed for him as often as she could.
She’d never been so eager for the weekend to end…
On Sunday afternoon, Lana, Mari, Kelly, Dylan with his boys, Evelyn, Lady Grace, and Grandfather De La Vega’s veteran friends gathered to watch the game at his place. Friendly chatter filled the room, and the scent of chicken wings, provided by Mari’s restaurant, lingered in the air. Soon a buttery aroma was added to the mix as Lana made popco
rn in the microwave and passed hot paper bags around.
Dylan had brought several chairs, but still every seat was taken, the living room filled to the brim. Everybody quieted down as the game started. She took a deep breath, wishing she knew more about football than the basics.
She wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but she cared more about Arturo not getting hurt than about his team winning the game. Her heart was in her throat just as she glanced at the formations. Some of the players on the defense looked like giants who could lift a truck with one hand.
She said a prayer for Arturo, pouring her heart and soul in every word.
Then excitement took over, and she was glued to the huge TV screen, screaming and pumping her fist in the air when a pass was made or yardage gained.
She didn’t even notice how the play in the third quarter happened, but Arturo was running with the football. He crossed the line of scrimmage, ran through the tackle, sending his opponent to the ground as if he weighed nothing. Everybody around her jumped to their feet, hands in the air, yelling, “Go, Arturo, go!”
Dear Lord, please help Arturo.
Arturo leaped into the air over another defense player who was in his way, and her jaw dropped. Like an arrow, he dashed forward. But when a huge player, who looked like he could stop a train, charged at him from the right, she blinked furiously. She couldn’t watch this. She just couldn’t.
“Touchdown!” the people around her screamed, and the floor seemed to shake under her feet.
She released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding and dared to glance at the screen. Arturo was already in the end zone, holding the football, his posture victorious in the close-up. The crowd in the stadium went berserk.
People around her hugged, laughed, and congratulated each other, obviously ecstatic. As she joined the celebration, she felt that way, too. But then bothersome thoughts wormed into her mind.
Football was Arturo’s passion, and he was obviously extremely talented. Would there ever be a place for her in his world? And with all the possible injuries, could her heart survive the fear of him getting hurt?
In the next quarter, the opposing team scored a touchdown, so the mood dimmed. But then the Houston Storm scored two touchdowns, both due to passes from the quarterback to the wide receiver, Brandon Carmichael.
The air was filled with exhilaration when Lana helped Mari and Kelly clean up after the game.
“I miss Arturo. Badly,” Lana admitted as she rinsed dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. “It’s not enough to see him on the screen, especially when most of time I worry he’ll get injured.”
Mari took the bag out of the trash can. “The question is, what are you going to do about it?”
Lana raised her chin. “I don’t know. I’ll have to come up with something.”
Chapter Fifteen
On Monday morning, with her supervisor’s permission, Lana rearranged her schedule to make Grandfather De La Vega’s visit her last one of the day. Hopefully, Arturo would be there by then.
Her heart squeezed in her chest when she drove to Grandfather De La Vega’s home late Monday afternoon.
Lana pulled up to the ranch-style house. Before she could form a rational thought, she put her vehicle in park and dashed toward the house. The door squeaked open, and Arturo caught her in his arms at the front porch. He lifted her and whirled her around. Deliriously happy, she wrapped her hands around his neck and breathed in his woodsy scent.
She was dizzy, and her head was spinning, and she loved it.
“That’s the homecoming I’m talking about.” Arturo laughed. “I’m incredibly happy to see you, too. You have no idea how much I missed you.”
She leaned in for a kiss, and for a moment everything else stopped. Only the two of them existed in the world. She lost herself in the sweet sensation of his kiss.
A car honking down the street brought her back to reality. Reluctantly, she pulled back. “We might have an audience. We’d better go inside.” Besides, she had a job to do, and that didn’t include kissing her patient’s grandson.
“Okay. I couldn’t help it. Not my fault you’re so irresistible.” He winked at her, making butterflies flutter their gentle wings in her stomach again.
She ached to ask how long he was going to stay but decided against it. She’d just cherish every moment with him and think about nursing her own wounds later.
They stepped inside the house, and her eyes widened.
There were subtle changes in the living room, including a hill of presents under the Christmas tree, as well as several tables and chairs wrapped with a large red bow. A third sock hung above the fireplace with “Lana” embroidered on it in red letters.
She turned to Arturo. “That’s a lot of presents. And thank you for thinking of me.” She gestured to the third sock.
He smiled sheepishly. “Grandpa’s idea. Mostly. Speaking of presents, what time do you finish today?” He lowered his voice. “Are you still willing to go choose a dog for Grandpa?” He fished the phone out of his pocket and showed her several pictures of dogs. “How can you say no to those eyes?”
She sighed as she glanced at the pictures. “I can’t. I’ll need to change from scrubs into street clothes. Give me about…”
“Half an hour.”
“Exactly. By the way, where is my patient?”
“How is my favorite nurse?” Arturo’s grandpa entered the room. Even though he was leaning heavily on his cane, it was still an improvement over the walker.
Lana gave him a soft smile. “I’m happy to see you’re doing better.”
Grandfather De La Vega beamed.
When she wrapped up the visit, Arturo walked her to her car and carried her medical supplies bag. After placing the bag inside her car, he traced her jawline with his fingertips. Butterflies danced a tango in her stomach.
“You were going to think about visiting me in Houston,” he said. “How about next weekend?”
“I’d love to. But just for a visit. I’ve looked for the place to belong for a long time. I’ve finally found it in Rios Azules. People accepted me here with no questions asked. I feel God brought me here for a reason.”
“I understand.”
“I know I can be a nurse anywhere. But I don’t want to lose what I’ve found here. Remember you said you needed to belong? I belong here. I’m afraid I won’t be able to find it again.” She gathered her willpower and climbed inside her car. “I have to go to my next patient.”
“Lana, it goes without saying I want to spend Christmas with you. Will you do me the honor…?”
She smiled warmly. “I’ll be here.”
“I can’t wait to see you again.”
“Likewise.” The problem was she didn’t want just several evenings with him. She wanted a lifetime.
So she prayed for a miracle.
* * *
Tuesday afternoon, Arturo slowed down while turning the corner and glanced at his passenger to the right. Actually, two passengers, as Lana was petting a year-old German Shepherd named Rex sitting on her lap. The endearing expression on Lana’s face was priceless. Arturo could look at her forever, but he forced himself to look away to pay attention to the road.
It was getting tougher and tougher to stay away from her, and talking on the phone while in Houston just hadn’t been enough. He was drawn to her with an incredible force, and he didn’t know how to break that invisible bond. Nor did he want to.
Lord, what should I do?
Arturo glanced in the rearview mirror. Travis and Dylan Jr. played with their puppy. Dylan Jr. looked infinitely more excited than Travis, probably because he was younger. Arturo was surprised his friend had allowed Travis and Dylan Jr. to get a puppy, but he figured Dylan had a soft spot when it came to his children. Arturo turned his attention back to the road.
“Is everybody okay with Christmas songs?” Lana asked.
“Yes!” Dylan Jr. answered enthusiastically. Travis didn’t say anything.
“S
ure.” Arturo nodded.
She turned up the radio slightly. “Look at that house!” she exclaimed a moment later. “Aren’t the decorations gorgeous?”
He looked the way she was pointing. She seemed as excited about the lights as some women he’d met had been about diamonds.
Lana seemed so easy to please, and she saw beauty everywhere. He hadn’t paid attention before how attractively the town had been decorated with snowmen and tree branches, or to the tall, gorgeous tree in the middle of the town’s square. Or how delicious an apple pie could taste. Or how wonderful a kiss could be. Now he saw an amazing world he’d been missing out on.
She wasn’t just a spring of fresh water that cleansed his soul. She helped him see things differently.
“I missed you. So much,” he whispered. He hadn’t expected the force of the longing that had swept him in Houston.
“I missed you, too.”
He glanced her way and caught the expression of contentment in Lana’s eyes as she stroked the dog’s fur.
And then it hit him. Lana wanted a dog of her own. Not just that. From the snippets of their conversations, he knew she wanted a home and a family of her own. What he couldn’t give her. Not in Rios Azules.
A vice squeezed his heart as he turned onto the street leading to Dylan’s house to drop off the boys. She deserved all those things. It might be too selfish for him to expect her to be happy with a few dates here and there. Was he any better than Michael, who’d strung her along for a long time?
Lord, please help me do the right thing.
Arturo’s fingers wrapped tighter around the steering wheel. He’d find the way to make this work. Lana was too precious to him to let her go. He glanced at her and caught the concerned look she sent to Travis. To think about it, Travis hadn’t seemed his usual easygoing self lately. The puppy had cheered him up, but not for long.
“Is everything okay, Travis?” Lana said.
The teenager mumbled a monosyllable answer that was difficult to interpret. Then his phone beeped.
