Page 51 of Chris

“That’s the most important one, you know.”

“I know.”

Valeria wanted to know what they talked about—so badly. What was it the man said to her daughter that had her frowning and sad, but then had her smiling like the entire world watched and loved her in the next second?

The sight was sweet, really.

Maria didn’t take to strangers, but especially not men. Valeria blamed that on the fact there hadn’t been a lot of men in her daughter’s life when they stayed on the run for the last few years, but also because the man who should adore and treat her well made it his mission to ensure she saw his vile treatment of her mother. Her mom—someone she loved more than anyone else in the world. Her little girl with a heart of gold wouldn’t soon forget that, Valeria knew.

For whatever reason though … Maria liked Chris.

“He’s good with kids,” Abril noted at her side, “and she’s not even his, huh?”

Valeria let out a sigh. “Hmm.”

“And stop staring, Val. You look like a woman who has found something she likes.”

Well, shit.

She averted her stare.

So much for avoiding him.

Not that it mattered, and her attempt to look away didn’t last for long, either. Chris stood, after giving Maria a one-armed hug and a kiss to the top of her head, and looked their way again. She sensed his gaze on her, even though she was trying to make it seem like she was looking out at the land beyond him, and not at him.

“Have a good day, ladies,” he murmured.

That was it.

He walked off.

The confusion, and heaviness in Valeria’s heart became worse. This—whatever was happening here—would lead nowhere good.

She was sure.

The next evening found everyone on the ranch celebrating a successful smuggle run into Texas that had been touch and go for a good month or more due to changes at the ports of entry. Valeria wasn’t interested in the flowing alcohol, or the laughter of her husband’s men that filled their house, and spilled out into the backyard where they had gathered in a large group.

She hung back on the rear porch of their home, forgotten by Jorge as he swallowed back more whiskey, and laughed at whatever the man next to him had said. It wasn’t like she would complain about his lack of attention, but that wasn’t what bothered Valeria at the moment.

Other things stuck to the back of her mind like sticky tar, dark and thick, promising it would stay there forever unless she handled it, and soon. Chris. And his little show the day before with her daughter.

For whatever reason, it wouldn’t leave her mind. Like his kiss that day in the stables, or that whenever he was within visual distance of her, he stared at her when no one else did.

All bad things.

And yet, good, too.

Even if it was crazy and dangerous. If Valeria were a smart woman, she would tell the man to stop. To leave her be and go his way.

Except he’d said something to her in the stables …

He came here for her.

What did that mean?

This might be one of the few times she would be able to deal with the thoughts that plagued her, so she decided to at least try. Now or never because it was likely she wouldn’t get another chance soon.

And Chris came to Jorge’s impromptu celebration. He hung back like she did, but never stepped in on their conversations unless they invited him, or otherwise.