Free The Heart of a Stranger by Sheri Whitefeather Page A

detail.”
    He crossed his arms. “This is ridiculous.”
    She uncrossed hers and smiled. “Come on, be a sport. Give a girl a thrill.”
    â€œDrop it, Lourdes.”
    She kept her gaze directly on his. “No, really. Don’t you want to discuss how to teach a stallion to mount a phantom mare? Or better yet, how to funnel his penis into an artificial—”
    â€œOkay, that’s enough.” Juan’s face flushed. “You made your point.” He stood and unstraddled the bench. “And I’ve got work to do.”
    As he walked away, she realized what she’d done. Suddenly she wanted to call him back, to apologize, but she didn’t know what to say.
    She’d embarrassed him, punished him for being attracted to her. A man who’d just told her she was beautiful. A man who couldn’t remember the last time he’d made love.
    Â 
    As Lourdes tucked her daughters into bed that night, she couldn’t stop thinking about Juan. He hadn’t shown up at the house for dinner, but she couldn’tblame him. Her behavior this afternoon had left them both feeling awkward.
    â€œMama?” Paige said. Nina was already asleep, but the younger twin seemed troubled, as preoccupied as Lourdes.
    â€œWhat is it, baby?” She sat on the edge of Paige’s bed and drew the blanket around her.
    The little girl looked up with big, sad eyes. “How come Juan doesn’t like us anymore?”
    Lourdes stroked her daughter’s tawny hair. She knew exactly how the child felt. “He still likes us.”
    â€œThen how come he didn’t come over?” Paige’s tiny lip quivered. “I colored him a really pretty picture. And I couldn’t give it to him ’cause he wasn’t here.”
    Lourdes’s chest constricted. Apparently Paige still had a crush on Juan. “He didn’t know about your picture, honey. And he called Cáco and told her not to set a place for him at the table. He didn’t skip out on us. He just decided to stay home.”
    â€œHow come?”
    Because of me, she thought.
    â€œDoes he have food at his own house?” Paige asked, worried that Juan had missed dinner altogether.
    â€œYes. Cáco shopped for him when she shopped for us.”
    â€œWill you give him my picture, Mama?”
    â€œOf course, I will. I’ll give it to him first thing in the morning.”
    â€œNo. Tonight. Right now.”
    Lourdes sighed. Sweet, sweet Paige. “It’s late, honey.”
    â€œNot for you. You’re a grown-up.” The four-year-old held her favorite toy, an old ratty pony she’d hadsince she was a baby. “Please, Mama. It’s the best picture I ever made.”
    Her breath rushed out. She hadn’t intended to contact Juan tonight. “All right. I’ll take it to him.”
    Paige popped up and reached under a puzzle box on the nightstand. She produced the masterpiece in question, a depiction of the sun and the moon and a scatter of stars. “Amy helped me.”
    â€œIt’s beautiful.” Lourdes could see that Amy had guided Paige, instructing her carefully. But even so, it was still Paige’s creation. Some of the stars were bigger than the moon, and the sun had a lopsided smile.
    â€œDo you think Juan will like it?”
    â€œI’m sure he’ll love it.” Lourdes blinked to keep herself from crying.
    What would happen when Juan went away? When he returned to his old life?
    â€œâ€™Night, Mama.”
    â€œGood night, baby.” She rose and tucked the blanket around her daughter again, adjusting it gently.
    The child cuddled the pony, then peered up at her. “Are you gonna kiss him?”
    Her heart went haywire. “What?”
    â€œYou know. Kiss him.” Although Paige made a silly smacking sound, her voice was as mature as the look in her eye. “’Cause if you want to, it’s okay.”
    â€œOh,