“You were a devoted husband.” Sara hadn’t been around when Antonio’s mother had suffered a stroke and lingered almost a year before passing away.
“Those were hard times, but I never stopped loving her.”
“Antonio will always own a piece of my heart, José. But I have to think about Dani’s future.” At his confused expression she said, “I don’t want her to grow up without a father.” To be honest Dani didn’t know what she was missing since she’d hardly seen her father the first few years of her life. But Sara wanted more for Dani than to be raised by a single mother. Her years working with sick children and their families had proven that kids with two loving parents fared far better facing adversity than those with only one caregiver.
“Dani has me,” he said.
“Does that mean you’ve changed your mind about living with us in Albuquerque?”
He dropped his gaze.
Sara didn’t push the subject. “I’m not looking to marry anytime soon, but I do plan to start dating again, if the right man comes along.” She resisted the urge to check the window. Cruz Rivera was not the right man, but he was a man who made her pulse race. And he was the first man since Tony’s death who made her think of herself—her own needs and yearnings. It was probably best that he clean up the property and leave. Even if José approved of her desire to date again, Cruz was more than she could handle.
“I will think about moving to Albuquerque.” José shoved his chair back and shuffled from the room. His footsteps echoed in the hallway that led to the bedrooms at the back of the house. Anytime Antonio came up in conversation, the talk drained José and he retreated to his room.
Sara returned to her post by the window. A good portion of the corral had been painted and it appeared Dani had given up helping, preferring to follow Cruz around and talk his ear off. Her gaze homed in on the handyman. His movements were sure and efficient—he’d have the wooden slats painted in record time. The speed at which he worked had her believing that he couldn’t get away from Papago Springs fast enough, which made it all the more interesting that he was still here.
Maybe he has no place to go.
She’d love to learn more about him—where he came from. Where he was headed. If there was a woman in his life.
She knew one thing—he wasn’t sticking around because she did his laundry. She’d offered to wash his clothes, but he’d declined.
Maybe he was still here because of the food. José was an amazing cook. Each night she piled Cruz’s plate high with food, which he ate in the trailer by himself. And each morning she’d find the previous night’s empty plate sitting on the bench by the back door.
It really didn’t matter why Cruz was here. It mattered only that with his help she’d be able to convince José to let go of this place. But by then Sara had a sneaking suspicion Cruz Rivera would be long gone.
Cruz spent Friday afternoon repairing the lean-to for the donkeys and the horse. He’d straightened the once-sagging overhang and set two additional posts in the ground that allowed him to extend the covering, providing more shade for the animals.
“Cruz.”
Wiping his sweaty brow across his shirt sleeve he glanced in the direction of Sara’s voice. Then he almost swallowed his tongue. She wore a bright turquoise sundress and pretty silver sandals with rhinestones. She’d done something different with her hair—instead of her usual ponytail she wore it loose, the long strands falling over her shoulders in gentle waves.
“I’m taking José into Las Cruces to see his doctor.”
“He’s not feeling well?”
“He’s fine. He has a follow-up appointment to check his blood pressure.” She nibbled her lower lip then blurted, “Would you mind if I left Dani here?”
Before he had a chance to object, she rushed on. “It’s a long ride and then a long wait in the clinic. Dani’s watching a video. She shouldn’t be any trouble. She knows to stay in the house and I’ve put the Closed sign in the front window and locked the door.”
“I still have work to do out here.” He hoped she’d take the hint that he’d rather not keep an eye on her daughter.
“Dani will be fine in the house. And I made supper. There’s a casserole in the fridge. All you have to do is put a serving on a plate and microwave it.”
The back door banged open and José stepped outside, wearing a grumpy face. Sara would have her hands full with her father-in-law, so he caved. “Sure. Dani can stay.” He’d finish the lean-to then head inside.
“Thank you.” She spoke to José. “Ready?”
Cruz couldn’t hear what the old man grumbled. Once they drove off, he nailed the final board in place and cleaned up his mess. Toolbox in hand, he entered the house through the back door.
“Dani?”
“Yeah?”
He followed the voice down the hall and poked his head inside the first bedroom. Dani was sprawled across the bed, watching the TV on the dresser.
“I’ll be inside the house fixing the windows. Holler if you need me.”
“Okay,” she said, her gaze glued to the program.
Cruz returned to the kitchen where he’d left José’s toolbox and pulled the note paper from his pocket. Yesterday Sara had handed him a list for the house. The windows in her bedroom at the end of the hall needed his attention. He opened the door to the room and the smell of her perfume washed over him. His gaze zeroed in on the bed’s bright yellow comforter and sheets. His imagination took off and he dreamed of easing Sara onto the mattress and doing things with her and to her that he had no business thinking. He shifted his attention to the perfume bottles and beauty supplies littering the top of her dresser.
Still he hesitated to enter her private sanctuary, not wanting to contaminate it with his presence.
“What’s the matter?”
Cruz glanced down. How long had Dani been standing next to him? Man, the kid was quiet. “I thought you were watching TV?”
She shrugged. “I’ve seen Frozen a hundred times. Have you?”
“No.”
“How come you’re just standing here?”
He couldn’t very well confess that he felt as though he’d violate all that was pure and good about her mother if he entered the room. “I can’t remember which window is stuck.”
“Both of ’em.” Dani squeezed past him, then tried to push the window next to the bed open. She groaned and grunted and her face turned red with effort, then she gave up and crawled onto the bed.
Careful not to touch anything, Cruz crossed the room and set the tool kit on the floor, then tested the window.
“Told you so,” Dani said when the window didn’t open.
Someone had painted the frame with the window closed and the paint had sealed it shut. Using a flathead screwdriver and a rubber mallet, he chipped away at the paint.
“You’re making a mess.”
“I know. Can you bring me a dust pan and a broom?”
“What’s a dust pan?”
“How about a broom and an old newspaper?”
Dani slid off the bed and left the room. After scraping off the layers of paint, he used his muscle to pry the window open.
“You