Right Where I Belong

by Krista McGee

  “You have a beautiful home, Spencer.” Natalia smiled at him.

  “This is nothing.” His smile widened. “We’re renovating a mansion right on Tampa Bay. It’s going to be spectacular. It should be ready by homecoming.”

  “That’s where Brian Younger worked this summer, right? He told me about it.”

  “He just helped with the demolition.” Spencer’s smile faded. “I think it was good for him to spend his summer doing something constructive for a change.”

  “You mean other than being involved in ministries at the church?” Addy leveled her gaze at the young man.

  “Forget about him. Tonight is about us. Come on and dance.” Spencer held a hand out to Natalia.

  “No, thank you. I don’t know these dances. I’d rather watch. I think Lexi would like to dance, though.”

  Spencer looked at Lexi. Finally, Natalia thought. His eyes widened. “Lookin’ good, Lexi.”

  Her face split into a grin. “Thanks.”

  “I’d better get back to the party. Sure you don’t want to dance, Natalia?”

  She wanted to walk out right then. “No, I don’t believe I will.”

  He shrugged and made his way back to his friends. Those boys glanced from Natalia to Spencer and back again.

  “I’m so sorry.” Natalia saw Lexi deflate beside her. That girl was crushed. But she smiled and grabbed Addy’s and Natalia’s arms.

  “There’s a chocolate fountain over there.” Lexi pointed. “I love chocolate fountains. Let’s go.”

  “Addy!” Several girls intercepted Natalia and her friends.

  “Tiffany.” Addy smiled. “Nice to see you.”

  “So I’ve never gotten to hear the whole story about your TV show and the president’s son, and I have been dying.”

  A chorus of “me too’s” followed, and Natalia could tell Addy felt trapped.

  “You guys go ahead.” Addy waved them on. “I’ll catch up later.”

  “Ah, the trials of being a star.” Lexi laughed as the pair walked to the chocolate fountain.

  “Is it very hard for her?” Natalia picked up a strawberry and held it beneath the flowing layers of chocolate.

  Lexi took a bite of her chocolate-covered banana. “Hard, yes, but totally a God-thing.”

  “A God-thing?”

  “You know, something you aren’t looking for and don’t expect but ends up being amazing.”

  Natalia thought of her move to Tampa. It wasn’t something she was looking for and she certainly didn’t expect it. The amazing part hadn’t come yet, though.

  “Lexi?” A boy in jeans and a purple shirt stood over them. His brown hair hung straight over his forehead, and his hazel eyes were wide. “You look great. W-would you like to dance?”

  Lexi peered at Natalia, who winked her permission.

  “Are you sure? I hate to leave you.”

  “I’ve got the chocolate fountain.” Natalia smiled. “I’ll be fine.”

  Natalia bit back a laugh as Lexi stood to join her partner. The boy was at least four inches shorter than Lexi. But as he led her onto the dance floor, neither seemed to mind.

  “Nobody sits alone at my party.” Spencer walked up to Natalia and folded his arms across his chest. “And they sure can’t look bored. Come on, I’d like to introduce you to my dad. He’s in the library.”

  Natalia knew she wasn’t being given a choice.

  Spencer opened the sliding glass door that led back into the white room, then opened a door at the side of the room. The library was just that—wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bookcases, hardwood floors, leather couches and chairs.

  “This is lovely.” Natalia breathed in the smell of luxury. She missed that smell.

  “Thank you.” A small Hispanic woman stood up from one of the couches. She was very thin and incredibly beautiful. Natalia was sure parts of that woman’s face and body had been enhanced by a doctor. But that wasn’t unusual among the wealthy. Her own mother benefited greatly from the plastic surgeon’s “magic,” as she called it. “I’m Gabriella Adams, Spencer’s stepmother. You must be Natalia. We’ve heard so much about you.”

  Mrs. Adams’s perfume was sweet and strong, and Natalia’s eyes watered as she leaned in to greet the woman. “You have a lovely home. It is very kind of you to host this party.”

  “Anything for our boy.” A man Natalia assumed was Mr. Adams stood. He was almost as wide as he was tall, and Natalia marveled at the disparity between husband and wife. Mr. Adams stuck out his hand and Natalia shook it. “I did a little research on you, Natalia. Your father is Oscar Lopez, correct?”

  The surprise on Natalia’s face must have shown because he continued immediately. “Don’t look so worried. I’ve been planning to expand my business into Europe. I could use some advice from someone as knowledgeable about international business as Oscar Lopez. He’s a legend.”

  Natalia stood still. She was sure one positive aspect of moving to Florida was that her identity could be her own. She’d spent seventeen years as “Oscar Lopez’s daughter.” Five thousand miles away, and I’m still living in his shadow.

  “Who knows.” Mr. Adams lit a cigar and sat back down.

  “Maybe we can even get you over to Spain to do an internship with Mr. Lopez, son. Wouldn’t that be impressive on your résumé?”

  Natalia gazed over and horror spread across Spencer’s face. She knew that look. That was something her father would say, and something she would hate hearing. Maybe she and Spencer had more in common than she thought.

  “I need to get back to my guests.” Spencer grabbed Natalia’s arm, harder than necessary, and led her back into the white room. Once the door to the library was shut, Spencer stopped. “I’m sorry about that, Natalia. I didn’t introduce you to them because I wanted to work for your father. I didn’t even know anything about him.”

  The embarrassment on his face was genuine and, for the first time, Natalia felt sorry for the young man. “It’s all right. My father would have probably done the same thing. He used to negotiate business deals when we’d go on vacation.” Back when we actually went on vacation together.

  “With anybody, right?” Spencer laughed. “The guy in the suite next to yours? On the same snorkeling expedition?”

  “Exactly.”

  “I hate it.” Spencer sat on the white couch and Natalia joined him.

  “I used to wish my father was a postal worker or a bus driver.”

  “I wanted Dad to be a lawn guy.” Spencer laughed.

  “Really?”

  “Sure.” Spencer’s eyes lit up. “We have crews come and take care of our yard, and they’d always bring their kids. It seemed like so much fun.” Spencer cleared his throat. “Of course, they barely make enough to pay the bills, so it was silly to think that.”

  “I don’t know.” Natalia looked back at the library door. Like her father, Spencer’s dad didn’t come through to make things right or talk about what happened. “I have been reading through Proverbs, and there’s an awful lot in there about how it’s better to be poor and happy than rich and unhappy.”

  “I’d like rich and happy.” Spencer laughed. But Natalia could see the sadness behind his eyes.

  “Hey, man, you gonna come out and join your party?” One of the boys from the senior class poked his head in the open sliding glass door. Noticing Natalia sitting beside Spencer, he smiled. “Oh, excuse me. I guess you’re working on a party of your own.”

  Natalia rose, upset at this boy’s suggestion. “I’d better go find my friends.”

  Spencer’s eyes were sad. “Sure. I guess I’d better go too.”

  Spencer followed his friend out the door. Spencer’s life wasn’t as perfect as he’d like everyone to believe.

  Chapter 24

  So what’d you think about chapel?” Brian plopped his Spider-Man lunch box beside Natalia and opened it.

  The cafeteria was buzzing, and Natalia was still trying to take in all she had heard that morning. Students talked
about last year’s mission trip to Costa Rica. The pictures and the stories were so moving. She longed to be part of what they were doing there. “It was great.”

  “But?”

  Natalia nibbled at her sandwich. “I’ve never been on a mission trip. I’m a little scared.”

  “Perfectly normal,” Brian said, his mouth full of Fritos. “But don’t let that stop you.”

  Spencer nodded toward her from the other side of the cafeteria. She returned it with a wave.

  “He’s going, you know.” Brian didn’t sound excited about that.

  “He’s not as bad as you think.” Natalia watched Spencer sit with his friends.

  “You had a good time at his party?”

  “Sure.”

  “Natalia, it’s all right if you like Spencer.” Brian’s eyes searched hers. “Shoot, if I were a girl, I’d probably have a crush on him too.”

  Natalia’s heart hurt at the expression in Brian’s eyes. “I don’t like him. But we do have a lot in common. I think we could be friends.”

  “Seriously.” Brian played with the lock on his lunch box. “It’s okay.”

  “I’m not interested in Spencer or in anyone. I’m not going to date.”

  “In high school?”

  “Ever.”

  “What?” Brian’s eyes were wide.

  “The Bible talks about how some people are called to be single.” Natalia’s voice sounded more confident than she felt. “I think I’m one of them.”

  “Why?”

  Images of Maureen sprawled out on the couch crying and pictures from e-mails her father had sent with him and Fiancée Number Four parasailing in Fiji filled her mind. That’s why, she wanted to say. But she couldn’t.

  “I’m sorry,” Brian said. “Nothing wrong with being single.”

  Natalia gazed at Brian, his crystal blue eyes so caring. His adorable crooked smile and the red curls that always seemed to have a mind of their own. “Nothing wrong at all.”

  Lexi and Addy sat across the table from Brian and Natalia. Lexi was disappointed that Spencer didn’t notice her at the party. When Natalia returned from the library with Spencer, Lexi’s face had fallen. Natalia tried to tell her new friend that it meant nothing. And Lexi enjoyed the evening, dancing and joking with the other students. But Lexi’s hair was back up in a ponytail today, and her face was once again makeup free. Natalia was sure the new clothes Lexi got were relegated to the back corner of her closet.

  “You’re going on the trip, right?” Lexi asked, spearing her Parmesan chicken.

  “I was just talking to her about that.”

  “Great minds think alike.” Lexi smiled at Brian and stole a roll from his plate.

  They would be perfect together. They’re both fun, they love God, they’re down-to-earth. Natalia had hit on a great idea. So why do I hate the thought of Brian dating another girl? He’s not mine. He can’t be.

  “I was too scared to go last year.” Addy looked up from her plate. “But I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and going this year.”

  “It’s amazing,” Lexi said, her mouth full. “Not to mention we get a whole week off school.”

  “And the teachers don’t give us homework that week.” Brian winked.

  “But Costa Rica . . . I don’t know.”

  “Says the girl from Spain.” Lexi eyed Natalia and everyone at the table laughed.

  “Pray about it,” Addy said.

  “But pray for an answer soon.” Brian nudged her shoulder. “The last day to sign up is Friday.”

  The entire lunchroom turned toward the sudden sound of a door slamming and a teacher yelling.

  Maureen.

  “I said Friday, and I meant Friday.” Maureen’s normally soft voice was turned all the way up. The door leading from the cafeteria into the senior hallway was open, making it even more of a spectator sport.

  Mumbles rolled out from the offending student.

  “I don’t care about your volleyball game,” Maureen continued to shout. Mrs. Stevenson stood from the teacher’s table and rushed into the hallway. “If you don’t turn that paper in, you won’t even be on the team.”

  Natalia watched, along with everyone else in the high school, as Mrs. Stevenson put an arm around Maureen and guided her into Maureen’s classroom. Karen, the girl Maureen had been scolding, walked into the lunchroom.

  Natalia excused herself and headed outside. Too many eyes were on her—some sad, others angry. She had to get away.

  The door opened and Spencer entered. “You okay?”

  Natalia nodded, willing herself not to cry. “She has been having a hard time lately. She didn’t mean it. Maureen is normally a very nice lady.”

  “I totally know what you mean.” Spencer sat next to her at the picnic table. “My stepmom gets really angry when she’s stressed. Last week she had a fit at the maid because she washed the sheets with the wrong detergent. You would have thought poor Maribel had committed a crime the way Gabriella was yelling at her.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s fine.” Spencer waved his hand. “She was just worked up about the party. Whenever we have one, she goes into Nazi mode. But then it’s over and she gets back to normal.”

  Natalia wished things were that simple with Maureen. They’d been back for over a month, and Maureen’s depression had only worsened.

  “How about if I take you out for ice cream after school?” He leaned toward Natalia. “To cheer you up?”

  “Thanks, Spencer.” She smiled. “I have to work on that history paper, though.”

  “I could help you.” His brown eyes locked on Natalia’s.

  “I had better work on it by myself. I typically don’t study well with others.”

  “That’s because you’ve never studied with me.” Spencer’s perfect smile seemed genuine. But Natalia knew she would be needed at home.

  The bell rang, signaling the end of their lunch period. “I need to get to speech class. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  As Natalia made her way back to class, she saw Karen sitting with a group of friends. Some were girls from Spencer’s party, girls who had made her feel very welcome. Those same girls were now looking at her like she had the plague. She understood. Their friend was hurt. By my stepmother.

  The walk to class seemed to take forever. Maybe I should go. School hasn’t even started in Spain. I could fly back this weekend and still make it in time for the first day of school. Carmen would be thrilled.

  The more she thought about it, the more right the whole idea seemed. She had come here and helped Maureen make the initial transition. There was nothing more Natalia could do. She obviously wasn’t really helping her stepmother. And that was the whole reason she had come.

  If I’m not needed either place, I would much rather not be needed back home. Spain, here I come.

  Chapter 25

  Thank you, Brian.” Victor placed the hard hat on his head and grabbed a hammer from the toolbox. “This job is very fun. I like to tear down buildings.”

  Mr. King had offered Brian weekend work gutting an office building in St. Petersburg. With James back at school, Mr. King needed another worker. Victor was still looking for a job, and Brian was glad to put his name in as James’s replacement.

  “I’m happy to help.” Brian pulled a nail from the drywall. “We have to get all of these out, then we get to do the fun stuff.”

  Victor stood beside Brian and worked quietly. For about a minute. “Natalia, she look very sad last night.”

  Brian had been trying to get that girl out of his head all day. Thanks for ruining that, man. “Her stepmother is having a hard time. Natalia is the kind of person who wants to solve everyone’s problems. I think she’s frustrated she can’t make Mrs. Lopez feel better.”

  “You think about her a lot?” Victor smiled at Brian.

  “Why would you say that?” Brian didn’t think he was that obvious.

  “You like her.” Victor tapped his head. “Victor knows.
I was a young man once. Long ago. Pretty girls, they get stuck in your head.”

  “Natalia is just a friend.”

  “A pretty friend you like to think about.” Victor wrenched a nail from the wall.

  Brian shook his head. “She’s not interested in me.” Brian thought back to yesterday, when Spencer followed Natalia out to the picnic table. Brian had stood to do the same, but he was too late. The pair sat there until the bell rang. Natalia was probably pouring her heart out to Spencer. She didn’t need Brian.

  “She look at you.” Victor turned his brown eyes toward Brian. “I see it. When you don’t look, she does.”

  Brian pulled harder than necessary and fell backward, the nail flying across the room. He landed on the hard concrete with a thud.

  “You okay?” Victor held out a hand to help Brian up.

  “Got a little carried away.”

  “Thinking about Natalia.” Victor winked.

  “All right, men.” Mr. King returned from his midmorning coffee run. Brian was sure the man downed a gallon of the black stuff every day. Brian, on the other hand, had given up on it the first day. “Looking good in here. Let’s see if we can’t get this drywall down by nightfall, huh?”

  Brian glanced around the room. There was a lot of work ahead of them. The three worked steadily until lunch, when Mr. King treated them to sub sandwiches and chips. Brian was putting the last bite in his mouth when a familiar voice drifted in.

  “Diversify your portfolio. That’s the key to wealth management, son.” Mr. Adams waddled in, Spencer behind him. Both men were dressed in jeans and button-down shirts.

  “Mr. Adams.” Mr. King stood, wiped his hands on his pants, and held it out to the elder Mr. Adams. “I didn’t expect you here today.”

  Brian exchanged a tight-lipped smile with Spencer. “I didn’t know this building was yours.” Or I might not have agreed to work here.

  “I’m having it renovated as an investment property,” Mr. Adams said. “We’ll fix it up and rent it out. Great location. I’m sure we won’t have a hard time finding a renter.”

  “Of course.”

  Spencer walked up to Brian. “Nice hat.”