Page 26 of Rafa's Convenient Wife

Lola glowered at him. “You know I need the flowers for the seeds, right? Like the whole point is to finish the season with viable seeds for next year. If you steal the flowers, I don’t have seeds. If you open the hoop house and pollinators get inside, they could mess up the colors I’ve been breeding. That’s four years of work down the drain.”

Beto seemed to suddenly grasp how serious his theft was. “I’m sorry. I’ll work off my debt to you. I’ll help at harvest time.”

“Oh, sure. Like I’ll be able to get you off that boat of yours anytime soon.”

“I haven’t been onLa Sirenitain weeks.”

“Because she’s in dry dock having repairs done,” Rafael interjected.

“You’re not helping,” Beto grumbled. Turning toward Sky, he said, “You’re his wife. Make him behave.”

Sky chortled. “I’ve been his wife for less than two hours. I haven’t learned that skill yet.”

“Don’t,” Lola warned with a smack on her brother’s arm again.

“Don’t what?” Beto made a funny face at Jasper, who laughed around his pacifier. “Your Tia Lola thinks she’s George Foreman.”

“You know exactly what you were about to say,” Lola said. “And it was probably something our nephew shouldn’t hear.”

“You hear that?” Beto continued to mug for Jasper’s amusement. “Tia Lola thinks you’re too immature for my jokes.”

“He’s not even one!”

“He will be soon.” Beto glanced at Sky. “What are we doing for his birthday?”

Sky didn’t have an answer. She looked to Rafael, who seemed just as bewildered. “I think Maddie had started a Pinterest board with ideas, but I don’t...” She swallowed hard as the anguish of losing her sister became all too real again. “I’m not sure we should?”

No one else in the circle seemed to have the answer to that question either. They all exchanged uncertain glances. Eventually, Lola said, “Maybe we should wait? Do something after his actual birthday? When an appropriate amount of time has passed?”

“What’s an appropriate amount of time, Lola?” Beto asked a bit unkindly. “This isn’t the Victorian Era. We don’t have proscribed mourning rituals anymore.”

“You know what I mean,” Lola argued. “He just lost his parents. Throwing a party seems wrong.”

“He doesn’t know that.” Beto wiped away the drool gathering on Jasper’s little chin. “He doesn’t know they’re gone.”

“He does,” Rafael said solemnly. “I can tell at night.” His voice was suddenly husky, and he glanced away for a moment. After clearing his throat, he said, “He looks for them. He can’t tell us that he misses them, but I think he’s wondering where his mama and papa are.”

Sky blinked rapidly, but she couldn’t stop the tears that burned her eyes. They spilled onto her cheek, and she swallowed again, trying desperately to silence the sob that threatened to escape. Rafael had sensed what she had, that Jasper wanted his mother and father. The two voices he had known since birth—before birth even—were no longer near him. The faces he had seen first were gone from his little world. The love and comfort of Jaime and Maddie had been taken away from him.

“I’m sorry, Sky.” Beto hurriedly apologized. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I shouldn’t have even asked about the birthday party.”

“It’s okay, Beto.” She wiped at her cheeks. “You’re right to ask. We can’t deny Jasper his milestones because we’re so sad. I don’t want him to look back on photos from this time and feel only sadness. I want him to know we loved him so much that we still celebrated his life, the life his parents wanted.”

“That’s a beautiful way of describing it,” Lola said, in tears herself. “I think we should celebrate his life and theirs.”

As the discussion turned toward the logistics of a party, Rafael placed his hand on the small of her back. The intimate touch soothed her raw nerves. She craved his strength and warmth, and slowly, she moved closer to him until she leaned into him for support, and his arm wound its way around her waist. His hand remained on her hip, a solid reminder of his protection and comfort.

When they moved into the formal dining room for the meal, Rafael kept his arm around her. What would have been so strange now felt so normal.He is my husband. He’s supposed to touch me.

What if he wants to touch me?

Liketouchme?

Thoughts of their illicit assignation in the garden on that steamy night six years ago wouldn’t leave her alone as they sat down to eat. Being back here in Mexico had awakened all those buried memories. She could practically feel his lips on hers. She could still taste him. She could feel his skin under her lips and teeth.

Stop it.

You’re grieving.

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