Northwest Romantic Comedies: Boxed Set Books 1-6

by Lia London

  “It’s beautiful, Antonio. Thanks so much.” She tried not to sound breathy and girlie, but the kind gesture overwhelmed her with gratitude. “Okay, well, I guess you boys need to get your own tree now. Thanks for bringing this to us.”

  “Aren’t you going to decorate it?” Emilio’s big, chocolate eyes looked incredulous.

  “Like I said, I don’t have any ornaments yet. You can come back and help me when I get them, maybe.”

  “Didn’t you have a tree last year?” he pressed.

  Zaira didn’t want to talk about last year. She and Gabriela had been freshly abandoned, and she’d spent most of the month cramming for exams and crying into her hot chocolate. There had been no lights or Santa or Christmas cheer. “I didn’t have space for it,” she lied, hoping her tone would encourage Emilio to drop the subject.

  “Then you need to do it right this year,” said Emilio, matter-of-factly. “Why don’t you and Antonio go get some stuff for the tree. Carlos and I can stay with Gabi.”

  “But I—”

  “Guys, she’s got a life that doesn’t involve us every waking second,” said Antonio. “Besides, you have homework.”

  Zaira swallowed a lump of disappointment. Antonio clearly didn’t want to spend any extra time with her. The tree must have been the boys’ idea.

  “We’ll have time,” said Carlos. “At least go get the stuff. We can put it up another day.”

  Antonio sighed and questioned Zaira with a smile. “It’s up to you. The hardware store here doesn’t have much, and the prices are bad, but we can run down to Newport to the Walmart there, if you want.”

  Zaira’s jaw dropped. “There’s a Walmart in Newport? When was somebody going to tell me that?” Living on a tight budget, she needed to know where the discounts were. The Oregon Coast might be gorgeous in its rocky, forbidding way, but the tiny towns weren’t cost-friendly for full-time residents. She jiggled her foot and eyed the way Gabriela fingered the tree’s lowest branches. No doubt the toddler would be chewing on the evergreen within a few minutes. Glancing at the clock on the microwave, she made a snap decision.

  “Antonio and I can go, but we’re taking Gabi with us, so you can get home and do your homework.”

  “Aw, but Z!”

  “Aw, but C and E,” she mimicked their whiny tone. “This way, I won’t be worried about Gabi eating the tree, and I can learn how to get there.” She held a finger up to Antonio. “I’m driving. Car seat,” she pointed to Gabi, “and car sick.” She pointed to herself.

  Antonio let out one of his adorable silent laughs. “Okay. It’s a deal.”

  It’s almost a date, thought Zaira. Bringing Gabriela along would help her stay focused on her true priorities. Otherwise, Antonio’s ready smile and generosity might lure her into that dangerous romantic zone where she’d blundered so badly in the past.

  ***

  Forty-five minutes later, Zaira eyed the odometer. “Okay your idea of ‘just down the road’ and my idea of ‘just down the road’ are not the same, Mr. Seneca.”

  “Is it my fault you drive the speed limit?” teased Antonio. “Seriously, though, we’re like two miles away now. It’s super close.”

  “I’m driving the speed limit because I’ve got precious cargo on board, and because this is a windy road with crappy lighting and two lanes.”

  “At least the deer aren’t jumping tonight.”

  She cast him a side-ways glare. “Are you kidding me?”

  “Yes, I’m kidding you. The deer are a problem when you’re heading inland. On the 101, it’s more likely to be an otter or a sea lion.”

  Zaira muffled a groan of frustration, which made Gabriela squeal in the back seat.

  “Do you like it when your mama sounds like an elefante?” asked Antonio, reaching back to tickle Gabriela. “Hey, Z, do another animal noise.”

  She turned, meaning to glower at him with her best mommy scowl, but his whole body stretched before her as he reached to the back seat. It almost looked like he’d opened his arms wide for a hug, and she suddenly ached to respond.

  “What are you—”

  “Whoa, eyes on the road, Mami!” he called, rattling the plastic toys hanging on Gabi’s car seat.

  Her focus snapped back to the white lines whipping by. She didn’t need a boyfriend.

  Definitely not.

  But his reflection in the rearview mirror was totally enticing. Wouldn’t it be heavenly to curl up in Antonio’s big, strong embrace for a moment or two? It might soothe some of her stress.

  “Come on,” he urged. “A horse, or a duck, or something.”

  “Huh? Oh yeah. Animal noises. Moo moo!” she said without much effort.

  “No, no. Cows don’t sound like that. Haven’t you been up in Tillamook and seen all the dairy cows there?” He faced front and drew a deep breath. “Moooaahhhh! Mooooahhh!” he bellowed.

  Zaira snickered. “That’s very impressive. I didn’t realize you were trilingual.”

  He tapped his forehead. “I’m good at languages, remember?”

  “Do another one,” she coaxed, flipping the windshield wipers to high speed.

  Gabi giggled and made her own mooing noises from behind them.

  “She likes the cows,” said Antonio, flashing his grin. “Moooaaahhh! Moooooaaaa-ay-ay-ay! Turn right here!!”

  “What?” Zaira swerved uncertainly. “Augh!” Steady in her new lane, she backhanded him. “Give me more notice than that, stupid.”

  He slapped his chest. “Ow, I can’t believe you called me stupid. That hurts coming from you.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean? And where’s the Walma—? Oh, I see it.” Now navigating with confidence, she hastened to add, “You’re not stupid.”

  He gave her a half-smile in response and exhaled. “Maybe compared to you I am. I don’t have a college degree or anything.”

  “You’re plenty smart enough. Why didn’t you go?” She pulled into the parking lot.

  “No time. I’ve got to take care of the boys.”

  She nodded and found a spot near a cart rack. “You’ve been single parenting for quite a while, huh? Longer than me.”

  Zaira turned off the car, and for a moment they both stared out into the rain.

  When he broke the silence, his soft voice reached into her soul. “It’s hard, huh? A heavy responsibility.”

  She nodded slowly. “Kind of life-consuming. You can’t chase after any of your own dreams because everything is about taking care of them.”

  “Yeah. I’m glad you got your nursing degree, though.”

  A smile of satisfaction settled on her lips, and she hazarded a long look at his profile. “And I’m glad you won enough money to buy the house across the street.”

  “Maybe we can help each other out.”

  “You already help me so much,” she said, her voice hoarse with unexpected emotion. For the first time in a year, she didn’t feel utterly alone. Why had she ever thought he would be a distraction? He’d been nothing but a blessing so far.

  After the dark highway, the bright lights of the Walmart Christmas decoration display lifted Antonio’s mood. He offered to push Gabi in the cart and tag after Zaira wherever she went so she could examine prices and product details. They parked at the end of one aisle beside a small tree decked out with lights that slowly twinkled and faded in and out. Even in the glare and commotion of the store, Antonio found it calming. Without thinking, he nestled lower, resting his chin gently on Gabi’s head, and the two of them gazed at the lights. Her soft curls tickled his neck, and her tiny fingers played with the cuff of his jacket.

  Zaira dropped a box of string lights into the cart, breaking his trance. “Well, you two totally sold this kind of lights to me. Look at you. You’re about to take a nap on your feet. If this will put her to sleep, I’m never turning the tree off.”

  Antonio admired how the sparkling lights created a sheen in Zaira’s damp hair, and his gaze wandered slowly to her ear, her smooth cheek, her keen e
yes.

  “Hello?” Zaira snapped her fingers and waved her hands in front of Antonio. “Are you in there? Did I lose you to some kind of North Pole hypnosis?”

  Antonio jolted awake. “Yeah, North Pole. Sorry about that. Where to next, Santa?”

  “Ho ho ho.” She pointed to a different aisle. “Let’s look for stuff we can put on the tree that doesn’t involve small, chokeable pieces.”

  “So, no hooks needed.”

  “Bay-ba! Bay-ba!” Gabriela sat taller, stretching for a display of snowball ornaments.

  “Bay-ba?” Zaira’s brow twisted into a question mark. “What’s a bay-ba?”

  Antonio shrugged. “Baseball?”

  “Bay-ba!” agreed Gabriela.

  “The boys had some Nerf baseballs they were playing with the other day. Maybe she thinks that’s what these are.”

  “Hmm.” Zaira plucked one from the display tree and examined it. “The hook isn’t connected. It loops through the little hole here.”

  “Can you just stuff it in the tree?” suggested Antonio, taking it from her and plunging it between the branches of the fake, tinsel tree. The snowball ornament teetered and dropped. “Or maybe not.”

  “No, no. It could work,” said Zaira. “The tree you gave me has thicker branches, closer together. I bet we could place them where we want them. It won’t be perfect, but it’ll be safe. As long as we don’t crash into it—”

  “Which means I won’t be invited over to help,” quipped Antonio.

  Zaira laughed. “Yes, you will!” She shoved him playfully but froze as soon as his arms went up to stop her. They stood in a loose embrace, and his heart pounded louder than the piped-in Christmas music. He licked his lips, afraid to move away from her. Wasn’t this what he’d told himself he didn’t need? Then why did it feel so wonderful to be close to this woman? To be shopping for Christmas decorations and talking like normal people. Nothing particularly romantic could happen in a crowded, brightly-lit discount department store, yet he drew closer to hold her. Perhaps even to kiss—

  Whack! Pop!

  A snowball ornament ricocheted off Antonio’s head and bounced on Zaira’s shoulder before their hands instinctively formed a nest of fingers to catch it.

  Antonio exhaled a laugh and admired the way his hands laced together with Zaira’s cradling the white, sparkling ball. “Okay, she’s figured out it’s a ball.”

  Gabriela shrieked with giggles as she leaned further over the edge of the cart to grab another snowball ornament.

  “No, hija!” Zaira switched into Mother Mode and put the decorations back on the display. With a wry grin at Antonio, she asked, “Do we dare get some of these, or am I asking for a plastic snowball fight every day?”

  Antonio shook his head vigorously. “Oh no. Don’t put that decision on me. I don’t want to get blamed one way or the other.”

  Zaira grabbed a 24-count box of the ornaments from the shelf and held them in front of her face, peeking at him with a calculating expression. “I’m trying to decide if the fun will make up for the mess.”

  “Are you afraid it’ll break anything?”

  She gave a dubious pout. “Everything in my house is machine-washable and toddler-proof except the tree.”

  Antonio tried not to think about how oddly sexy she was in her damp hair, half-hidden behind a red and silver box. “Live a little. They can double as her Christmas present. It’ll save money.”

  Zaira tossed the box into the shopping cart with a hearty laugh. “All right. That sold it. Are we done yet?”

  “You’re the boss.”

  “Nuh-uh.” Zaira knuckled Gabriela’s cheek. “She is.” Gesturing with her chin, she started towards the self-checkout lane. “Come on. I’m probably going to need your help with this part. These touch screen things hate me. It’s like I’m a ghost. They can’t read my fingerprints.”

  Without thinking, Antonio took one of her hands in his and lifted it for a careful examination. “Not a ghost. Definitely solid.” A bolt of heat rushed through him as he realized how tenderly he clasped her. Embarrassed, he bit his lip. “You’ve got pretty hands.”

  “Gee, thanks,” said Zaira with a smirk. “If you wear latex gloves five days a week, they stay mostly clean.”

  “Unless you’re cooking with Antonio,” he countered.

  Their hands shifted so she held his up to inspect it. “I see you’re staying out of the kitchen.” She winked. “Just a little tree sap.”

  “What?” He jerked his hand away, wiping it on his sleeve.

  “I’m kidding, A. You have nice hands, too. Now come on.” She pointed at the scanner. “Get this thing to acknowledge our existence.”

  The ride back to Lincoln City proved highly amusing as they sang along with children’s music CDs, and once home, Zaira managed to put Gabriela down for bed in record time. Even so, when she came out of the bedroom, she stopped short, surprised to see Antonio had already wound the lights around the tree in perfectly even loops.

  “You were fast,” she said.

  “So were you.”

  “Yeah, but surely you don’t hang Christmas tree lights as often as I put Gabriela to bed.”

  Antonio smiled. “No, I got lucky. It’s a good tree. Just the right thickness of branches.”

  “It really is a nice one. Let’s see the whole effect.” Zaira turned off the living room light and Antonio followed suit, dousing the kitchen lights. The room fell into peaceful darkness, and Zaira sighed. “It’s like a beautiful starry night.”

  Without words, they both gravitated to a central spot on the couch and sat to admire the tree. The silence stretched on, and Zaira felt months of stress melting away. How could she ever thank Antonio for being such a calming influence in her life?

  “Will you be seeing Gabi’s father during Christmas?”

  The question shot through her like a wintery blast. “What?” She shuddered. “No.” Slouching dismally back, she repeated, “No. Definitely not.” Why would he ask such a thing?

  “You say that like he’s dead … or in jail or something.”

  “Miami.”

  “Oh.” His expression coaxed an explanation.

  “With his new girlfriend. Skinnier. Not pregnant.” She frowned. “Yet. That I know of.”

  “I’m sorry I asked.”

  “No, it’s okay.” It wasn’t okay, but that wasn’t Antonio’s fault. “He’s … not good enough for Gabriela anyway. He didn’t want her, or me once I said I was going to keep her.”

  “Z, I’m so sorry.”

  “You’re not the one who knocked me up and walked out.” Shame burned her cheeks, and she slouched lower on the cushion.

  “You weren’t married?”

  “I thought I was going to be. He talked it up, so I’d think it would happen. I guess they all do when they want some action.” She blinked back tears.

  “Not all.” His voice was so quiet, so gentle, yet it ripped open her heart.

  Letting her head roll to face him, she asked, “You’re nothing at all like the character you played, are you?”

  “I thought we already established that.” Antonio became pensive before shifting his body so his face was inches from hers. “Did you watch from the beginning of the show?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Did you ever see the character I played that was a waiter?”

  “Oh yeah. Back when it was still the regional stuff. You didn’t want to cheat your customers, and you were working to support your little sister or something.”

  Antonio held her gaze and nodded. “You remember well.” He sighed and let his gaze drift to the ceiling. “That was me. I lost my mom to illness and my dad and angel sister to gang violence in Mexico. I came here at sixteen, determined to keep my brothers safe and give them a new life. A safe one.”

  Zaira considered this, struck by the sorrows they’d faced in their young lives. Caressing Antonio’s jaw with the back of her hand, she whispered, “Are they going to be okay over there withou
t you? I’ve kind of stolen you away from them for the evening.”

  “I hope so.” His chin moved, pressing into her hand. “I like being here with you.” His eyes sparkled with the reflected lights of the tree, and she thought maybe they glistened with unshed tears, too.

  “Are we happy, or are we sad, Antonio?”

  He stroked her hair back from her face and cupped her cheek in his palm. “Maybe we are lonely.”

  Her throat tightened. “Is that a good enough reason for us to kiss?”

  “It’s a start.” With exquisite gentleness, he slanted his mouth over hers and placed a soft, simple kiss. Resting his forehead against hers, he whispered, “But we’ll need more than that to go further. Our kids are counting on us not to mess this up.”

  Zaira blinked slowly, both glad and disappointed that he showed better restraint than she did. Her body definitely wanted more, but her brain told her to put on the brakes. She’d been burned before.

  “You’re a good man, A.”

  “I will always try to be.” He smiled, brushed his nose against hers, and shifted to stand. “Would you mind saving the snowballs for the boys to help on Wednesday?”

  “Of course. Buenas noches.”

  Behind her, Antonio slipped out into the night with a soft, “Buenas noches.”

  Chapter 8 ~ Kisses

  It took the next two days for Antonio to talk himself down from the kiss. Just a little, lonely kiss, nothing like the things he’d done on screen or as an eager teenager back in Mexico, and yet it made his whole being ache to think of its healing sweetness. How had he not sensed his own emptiness until now? Was he so full of duty as his family’s provider and protector that he hadn’t recognized his own need for the strengthening power of true friendship…and love?

  Wednesday afternoon crept closer, and with it a quickened pulse. Zaira always arrived shortly before two o’clock, and he’d learned to time his trip to update the bulletin board near her Clinica in time to see her come in.

  All day, he rehearsed different lines he might use to bring up the kiss. Hey, Nurse Vasquez, can you look at my mouth? It feels all funny. Like it’s been zapped by magic. No. Too dumb. Hey, Nurse Vasquez, I think there’s a hole in my heart. Do you know how to fill it? No. Too dramatic.