Page 32 of Midnight Surrender to the Spaniard

‘Pink for a girl,’ Sebastián said, and as she looked up he nodded to the sky.

It was true—the sky was every shade of pink and lilac.

Why did he have to go and be so nice?

He put their two glasses on the white balcony ledge and took a picture of the blazing sky, then sent it to his brother.

Sebastián raised his glass. ‘To her health!’

‘To her health,’ Anna replied, and they clinked glasses. ‘Oh, and congratulations, Uncle Sebastián.’

‘Thank you. Congratulations to you too...’ He rarely paused in his English, but she heard him do it for a second. ‘Aunty Anna.’

‘Thank you.’

She took a breath and decided that she could at least make polite conversation with him, for the sake of Emily’s new baby girl. She would have to whenever they saw each other in the future, and she decided she might as well start practising now.

‘I’m glad I’m nearby. At first I didn’t know if I should turn around and go home.’

‘You and Emily are close?’

‘Very.’ Anna nodded. ‘Since we were little. Our parents were friends.’

‘Were?’

‘Emily lost her parents.’

‘That’s right.’

‘They died around the same time I fell out with mine, so...’

‘You fell out with your parents?’

She nodded, but didn’t elaborate, rather wishing he hadn’t picked up on that.

‘Why?’

‘That’s rather personal.’

‘Fine.’ He shrugged easily letting it go. ‘Are you ready to order?’

She stared again at the menu, but still had no idea what she wanted.

‘The mussels are incredible here,’ he prompted kindly.

‘Sounds lovely.’

They certainly looked incredible. It was a huge bowl of mussels, in a creamy white wine sauce waiting to be mopped up with crispy bread. And although their conversation was rather tense and awkward, Anna had a favour to ask.

‘Can I ask you to take a photo of me? To send to my daughter?’

‘It would be my pleasure.’

He took her phone, and she was so glad she’d deleted the picture of that quote!

‘Smile,’ he told her, and she tried. ‘As if you mean it?’ he suggested. ‘Anna, please smile as if it’s not me sitting opposite you.’

She laughed at that, and he captured the moment.

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