diaries.
Still, there was only so much that Kat could gather from Victoria’s words and Sebastian’s stories, and so one day, as she lay naked and entwined with Sebastian on her small bed, feeling the breeze cool the heat of their skin, listening to the sound of his heart beat in his chest, watching the dappled sunlight dance across her bedroom wall, she looked up at him and sighed.
“It’s time for me to actually see it,” she said. “I need you to take me to a game.”
Chapter Twenty
T he day of the match, Sebastian sat on the terrace of the hacienda with his mother, having cocktails and discussing La Victoria’s chances against the other team. It was an exhibition game and charity dinner, played to raise money for Alejandro’s foundation for inner-city youth.
Pilar was already dressed for the event in a long, acid green tunic and jeweled sandals. Alejandro and Georgia had gone ahead to prepare the ponies.
“ Ay ,” said Pilar, squinting at some dark clouds rolling in over the horizon, “do you think it might storm?”
Sebastian took a sip of his martini. “I have found that one of the benefits of this”—he held up his cast—“is that I do not have to follow the weather report any longer.”
“It’s still your team, pibe . Even if you’re not playing.”
He shrugged. “They seem to be doing just fine without me.”
His mother lifted an eyebrow. “ ¿Celoso? ”
He snorted. “No, I’m not jealous. I’m rather enjoying the break, actually.”
She turned her sharp green eyes upon him. “La Victoria suffers when you’re not on the pitch, hijo .”
He shrugged. “I’m sure they don’t even know I’m gone.”
“You’re the best player they have, Sebastian, whether you want to admit it or not.”
He looked away, not comfortable with the line of conversation. “Now you sound like Papá . Besides, I’ve been keeping myself busy with other projects.”
“ Sí ,” she said meaningfully. “I’ve scarcely seen you these past few weeks.”
He smiled and took another drink. “Apparently there is a whole world out there that is not polo, Mamá .”
She pursed her lips. “So which car should we take to the match, hijo ? Mine or yours or should we call the driver?”
His heart beat a bit faster. He was surprised by the sudden urge to tell her, to come clean, to share how he was feeling. He wanted his mother to know about Kat. “ Lo siento, Mamá. I’m afraid we’ll have to go separately. I must pick up a friend.”
She arched an eyebrow. “A friend?”
“The filmmaker I told you about. Corinne’s daughter.”
She grimaced. “Corinne’s daughter? Oh no, Sebastian. What are you thinking?”
“What do you mean?”
“I absolutely forbid you to date that girl. It’s out of the question.”
He felt himself go cold and still. “I am a grown man, Mamá . I hardly think you can tell me who I can or cannot date.”
She shook her head. “Sebastian, Corinne has worked for us for almost five years now. I would not like to lose her.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I am saying I do not want our housekeeper to quit because my son has toyed with her daughter’s heart.”
“And who says that I’m doing that?”
She lifted an eyebrow at him. “When have you not done that?”
He shook his head. “It’s not that way, Mamá .”
“Oh? What way is it then?”
He felt himself flush. Leave it to his mother to make him feel ten years old all over again. “It’s…different,” he said.
“You like her.” It was not a question.
“ Sí. She’s smart. And funny.”
His mother’s eyes slightly widened. “I do not think I have ever heard you describe a woman in quite that way before.”
He buried his face into his martini glass. “I think you’ll like her, too.”
Pilar slowly nodded, and then took sip of her gin and tonic. “Well, we will see. But if I lose my housekeeper, it will be you who will be making the beds, hijo .”
Chapter Twenty-one
K at had
Still, there was only so much that Kat could gather from Victoria’s words and Sebastian’s stories, and so one day, as she lay naked and entwined with Sebastian on her small bed, feeling the breeze cool the heat of their skin, listening to the sound of his heart beat in his chest, watching the dappled sunlight dance across her bedroom wall, she looked up at him and sighed.
“It’s time for me to actually see it,” she said. “I need you to take me to a game.”
Chapter Twenty
T he day of the match, Sebastian sat on the terrace of the hacienda with his mother, having cocktails and discussing La Victoria’s chances against the other team. It was an exhibition game and charity dinner, played to raise money for Alejandro’s foundation for inner-city youth.
Pilar was already dressed for the event in a long, acid green tunic and jeweled sandals. Alejandro and Georgia had gone ahead to prepare the ponies.
“ Ay ,” said Pilar, squinting at some dark clouds rolling in over the horizon, “do you think it might storm?”
Sebastian took a sip of his martini. “I have found that one of the benefits of this”—he held up his cast—“is that I do not have to follow the weather report any longer.”
“It’s still your team, pibe . Even if you’re not playing.”
He shrugged. “They seem to be doing just fine without me.”
His mother lifted an eyebrow. “ ¿Celoso? ”
He snorted. “No, I’m not jealous. I’m rather enjoying the break, actually.”
She turned her sharp green eyes upon him. “La Victoria suffers when you’re not on the pitch, hijo .”
He shrugged. “I’m sure they don’t even know I’m gone.”
“You’re the best player they have, Sebastian, whether you want to admit it or not.”
He looked away, not comfortable with the line of conversation. “Now you sound like Papá . Besides, I’ve been keeping myself busy with other projects.”
“ Sí ,” she said meaningfully. “I’ve scarcely seen you these past few weeks.”
He smiled and took another drink. “Apparently there is a whole world out there that is not polo, Mamá .”
She pursed her lips. “So which car should we take to the match, hijo ? Mine or yours or should we call the driver?”
His heart beat a bit faster. He was surprised by the sudden urge to tell her, to come clean, to share how he was feeling. He wanted his mother to know about Kat. “ Lo siento, Mamá. I’m afraid we’ll have to go separately. I must pick up a friend.”
She arched an eyebrow. “A friend?”
“The filmmaker I told you about. Corinne’s daughter.”
She grimaced. “Corinne’s daughter? Oh no, Sebastian. What are you thinking?”
“What do you mean?”
“I absolutely forbid you to date that girl. It’s out of the question.”
He felt himself go cold and still. “I am a grown man, Mamá . I hardly think you can tell me who I can or cannot date.”
She shook her head. “Sebastian, Corinne has worked for us for almost five years now. I would not like to lose her.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I am saying I do not want our housekeeper to quit because my son has toyed with her daughter’s heart.”
“And who says that I’m doing that?”
She lifted an eyebrow at him. “When have you not done that?”
He shook his head. “It’s not that way, Mamá .”
“Oh? What way is it then?”
He felt himself flush. Leave it to his mother to make him feel ten years old all over again. “It’s…different,” he said.
“You like her.” It was not a question.
“ Sí. She’s smart. And funny.”
His mother’s eyes slightly widened. “I do not think I have ever heard you describe a woman in quite that way before.”
He buried his face into his martini glass. “I think you’ll like her, too.”
Pilar slowly nodded, and then took sip of her gin and tonic. “Well, we will see. But if I lose my housekeeper, it will be you who will be making the beds, hijo .”
Chapter Twenty-one
K at had
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