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Montoya hesitated a moment. “You may want to reconsider.”
“Now I’m going to be the bait?” Alejandro asked.
“It’s a thought.”
“Good-bye, I need to finish my dinner.” He slid his phone into his pocket. “Where were we?”
“What does it matter? Does Montoya want you to ride around the city until René Charles comes after you again?”
He shrugged. “That doesn’t mean I’ll do it.”
She pushed her plate toward him. “I’m not hungry.”
He pushed it back. “You should eat all these nutritious vegetables to have a healthy baby. Do you want to work on names?”
“Names?” She put her head in her hands to smother her laughter. “You’re like some crazy amusement park ride tonight, one of those with buckets of people whirling in circles and barely missing each other.”
“Is that bad?”
It took her a moment to become serious. “You’ve lost your father and become CEO of the Ortiz Line, which is a huge responsibility, and you’ll have to postpone becoming an architect. Your stepmother may order a hit on you, and someone’s following you, apparently with bad intentions, when you ride your bike. You’ve got problems coming at you from all directions, and you want to work on baby names?”
He looked puzzled. “Does it strike you as an inappropriate time?”
“Inappropriate, inopportune, and flat-out crazy.” She picked up her empanada and took a bite.
His eyes widened. “Now you’re questioning my sanity?”
“No, you’re so normal it’s frightening. You’re as steady as the Rock of Gibraltar, and all I can do is hang on while the world disintegrates around me.”
“Eat so you’ll have the strength.”
She took another bite. “This is awfully good. The vegetables are crisp, and the crust is flaky.” She took several more nibbles. “I can’t get used to the idea of having a baby.” She looked into the living room. “My home would be small for the two of us, and it’s much too small for three with all the things babies need.”
“A crib, a stroller, what else?”
There were only crumbs left on his plate, and she was full with half an empanada. She placed the remaining half on his plate. “We had a big lunch, and I’m full.”
“Thank you. I forgot a highchair. What else does a baby need?”
“Toys.”
“We’ll buy a toy chest. I’ll take the little guy to work with me if he’ll be in your way here.”
“Fatima will take care of him, or her. It’s not that, Alejandro. I’m simply overwhelmed with the thought of caring for someone else.”
“Ice cream will make you feel better. Calcium is soothing.”
“It won’t make me feel any worse. There should be more of the meringue cookies. I’ll make coffee.”
He finished the empanada and got up. “I’ll handle it.”
She sat back and attempted to fold her napkin into a rabbit, but gave up. “You’ll make a wonderful husband.”
“Thank you,” he called from the kitchen. “You’ll make a wonderful wife. I brought butter pecan tonight. I hope you like it.” He returned with generous servings for both of them.
“I love it.” She hummed as she swallowed a spoonful.
“Back to making plans…”
