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“I’m sorry. I’m just not feeling up to it.”
He pressed his head against the doorjamb briefly, and then brightened. “I’ll tell them you’re ill and offer to bring you a tray and stay with you. Grandmother won’t care, and it’ll be a good excuse.”
“Thank you, Fox. I’d love to have dinner with you, but don’t expect me to eat.”
“Thanks, you’ve saved my life.”
Half an hour passed before Tomas’s helper, Julian, carried in a tray. Fox followed. “Tomas says soup is best for you. He sent crackers and ginger ale. Will the aroma of the food on my plate upset you?”
“No, come sit here with me.” She thanked Julian and waited for him to leave before she questioned Fox. “Isn’t Santos here?”
“No. He’s gone to his apartment where he keeps all his gear. I could get his number if you want to call him.”
“No, thank you. I won’t bother him, but I wish he’d stopped to tell me he was going home.”
“He did. You were asleep. He knew where you’d been last night and laughed about it. You’ll see him tomorrow.”
She bit into a cracker. It tasted like cardboard, and she washed it down with a sip of ginger ale. The bubbles tickled her nose. “You saw Rafael out at the ranch. Did he look weak to you?”
“What do you mean? Not up to the challenge of a bullfight?”
“Yes.”
“No.” He took a large forkful of baked chicken. “Why didn’t you watch the video if you’re so curious?”
She gave up on the cracker and tasted the cream of chicken soup. It was smooth and delicious. “I can’t bear to watch him face a bull. If he were gored, I’d never forget it.”
He nodded as he chewed another mouthful. “What, the sight of it or losing him?”
She gulped her ginger ale. “Both.”
“Guys get tossed in the air all the time. Sometimes all the bull caught was the seat of their pants and they get up and come right back at the bull. Check the bullfighting videos on YouTube.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No, there are dozens of them.”
“Lord help us.”
He paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. “What are you doing with a matador if you can’t stomach a bullfight?”
“That’s an excellent question, but the man sure can dance.”
He looked at her askance. “Was it love at first sight?”
She shook her head. “No, not at all.” She had noticed Rafael’s scent, though, but no one ever said they fell in love with their nose.
He wiped his plate clean with the last bite of a roll. “Tomas has some lemon sorbet. Do you want some?”
She swallowed another spoonful of soup. “Thank you, but I think I’ll pass.”
Fox stood and then hesitated and returned to his chair. “Dr. Moreno usually doesn’t say more to me than good morning, but today he asked when I’m going back to school. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?”
“Odd how?”
“It could have been a warning that Miguel might not have much time left. It was the way he said it; maybe he was warning me not to go.”
“Could be, but we know Miguel’s not well, and that he won’t get better. Do you have other family?”
