Nacho Figueras Presents

by Jessica Whitman

  Pilar was in the sunroom, wearing a trailing silver robe, her dogs at her feet. She was drinking a martini and reading a book. She barely looked up over her reading glasses when Noni came in.

  “Is he asleep?” said Noni.

  Pilar arched an eyebrow. “I would hope so. It’s nearly ten thirty.”

  Noni sighed. “Things were crazy in the barn today. I thought I’d never get out of there.”

  Pilar nodded. “You miss Enzo,” she said casually.

  Noni blinked, not sure of what to say. Her heart suddenly felt like it was being squeezed.

  Pilar looked up at her and her face softened a bit. “Oh,” she said, “I did not mean it that way. I just meant that he kept things running smoothly. That you are doing his work, too.”

  Noni nodded, still unable to speak. She felt a knot rise in her throat.

  Pilar sighed. “You had better sit down and let me make you a drink.”

  Pilar stood up as Noni sank down in the nearest chair. “I’m sorry,” Noni said, shaking her head. “I don’t know why I—”

  Pilar waved her hand. “You do not have to explain,” she said as she walked over to the sideboard. “In fact, I would prefer you did not.” She freshened up her own drink and then grabbed a cut crystal glass and poured some Jameson in, neatly adding a little glug of water from a gleaming silver pitcher and then handing it to Noni.

  Noni looked at her, surprised. “How did you know this was my drink?”

  Pilar shrugged and sat back down in her chair. “I guess I have attended enough parties with you over the years to know what you drink.” She raised her glass to Noni. “Salud.”

  Noni returned the salutation and took a large gulp. “Thank you,” she said, savoring the warm liquor as it slid down her throat.

  Pilar leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes for a moment. “Max had a good day,” she said without opening her eyes. “He helped me in the garden this morning, and we went for a walk on the beach before dinner. He played in the water a bit.”

  Noni tried to smash down a pang of jealousy that unfurled in her gut. She took another sip. “That sounds like a perfect day,” she forced herself to say.

  “I am thinking that he needs a different pony. And maybe a better teacher. He has a knack for riding, but he will not learn much riding old Tuffy. She can barely make it round the ring. If we really want him to learn, he should have someone teaching him who knows more than I do.”

  “Maybe I could teach him,” said Noni, desperately trying to calculate when she could take that kind of time out of her day. Maybe if she didn’t ever eat lunch…

  Pilar shook her head. “No. That is impossible. You do not need another task in your day. I will find someone.”

  Noni nodded reluctantly. “I guess you’re right,” she said sulkily. And then, appalled at how ungrateful she sounded, she added, “I mean, thank you. Thank you for everything, Pilar. I couldn’t do this without you.”

  Pilar sniffed. “No, I suppose you could not.” She drained her martini and gestured for Noni’s glass. “Let me freshen you up.”

  She crossed back over to the sideboard. “So, I am still confused as to how you know Max. He was your hijastro—your stepson?”

  Noni looked away, avoiding Pilar’s eyes. “Sort of. Jacob and I lived together while Max was still a baby.”

  “And where is Max’s mother?”

  “Dead,” said Noni. “She died not long after he was born.”

  Pilar looked at her speculatively. “Que tragedia,” she said, handing back her drink. “And so you took on another woman’s child.”

  Antonia met her gaze. “I never thought of Max that way.”

  Pilar nodded and sipped her drink. “And then things ended, I presume?”

  Antonia nodded. “Yes.”

  “Did you end it or did he?”

  Antonia looked away again. “He did.”

  “And you were no longer in Max’s life?”

  Antonia shook her head quickly. “No.”

  “Was that your choice?”

  She shook her head again.

  Pilar was quiet for a moment.

  “That must have been difficult,” she said softly.

  Noni shrugged, trying to keep herself calm.

  “But now you and this Jacob…you are…”

  “No. I mean, not yet. Maybe. I don’t know.”

  “Hmph,” said Pilar, sitting back down. “Bad timing. I always thought you would end up with Enzo.”

  Noni blinked. “Always?”

  Pilar delicately lifted one shoulder in a shrug and reached to pet one of her dogs. “That poor chico has been in love with you for years.”

  “Love? No. Why would you think that?”

  Pilar shot her an amused look. “Any woman with eyes could tell.”

  Noni laughed nervously and took a large gulp of her drink. “I think I should go to bed now,” she said, standing up. “I’m exhausted. Thank you for the drink. Drinks, actually,” she corrected herself.

  Pilar gazed at her placidly. “Buenas noches, hija.” She put her glasses back on and picked up her book.

  “Good night,” Noni said as she hurried from the room, still clutching her glass.

  * * *

  Antonia stood outside Max’s room for a moment, feeling torn. She wanted to banish all her thoughts of Enzo before she looked in on the little boy.

  She put down her drink on a hall table and closed her eyes for a moment.

  Pilar had surely been teasing her with her talk of Enzo being in love. Sure, yes, they were good friends. Certainly they had discovered that sex between them was explosive, to say the least. But that didn’t add up to love. Did it?

  What did it matter, anyway? Whatever there had been between them was over now. She had Max to think about. Max and Jacob. She didn’t think she could survive losing this boy for a second time.

  She had made her choice.

  She carefully turned the knob and pushed open the door. Max was staying in the spacious room that Alejandro and Sebastian had shared as boys. They could have had their own rooms, of course—there were plenty of bedrooms in this house—but Pilar had told her they had preferred to be together when they were little.

  Pilar had laughed, recalling how indignant Sebastian had been when the teenage Alejandro had finally announced he wanted his own room.

  The room had obviously not been changed since the boys were young. There were model airplanes hanging from fishing wire on the ceiling. Posters of various Argentine soccer players and polo stars. A bookshelf that ran from floor to ceiling crammed with picture books and comics.

  Max was curled up in one of the two twin beds. It was warm in the room, and his cheeks were flushed a soft pink. He had kicked off his blankets. Noni opened the windows to let in the breeze and then pulled the covers back up over him. She stared longingly at him. Was there ever a more beautiful child? She reached to push a damp copper curl off his forehead but stilled her hand halfway there. She didn’t want to wake him. She turned to go instead, stumbling over his shoes and almost falling.

  “Damn it!” she hissed.

  Max turned in the bed and briefly opened his eyes. “Noni?” he said sleepily. “Is it time to get up?”

  Noni hurried back to the bed. “No, baby, it’s still nighttime.”

  He took her hand. “Will you stay with me until I go back asleep?”

  She felt a thrill of joy to be asked. And then she laughed softly. Max had never liked to sleep alone. “Of course, buddy,” she said.

  She lay down on the bed next to him. He snuggled up against her, resting his head on her shoulder.

  “Good night,” he said, and closed his eyes.

  She felt happy tears well up as she gently pushed back the soft curls from his brow and then dipped her face to his head, giving him a kiss and taking a deep breath of his warm, sweet scent, searching for that familiar baby smell.

  She smiled. Not exactly the same, but pretty damned close.

 
Chapter Twenty-Seven

  David was riding Sadie this morning, the little piebald mare that Enzo had taken out with him the other day. She was a spooky mount, not totally reliable, but fast and agile, and she loved the pitch. David had taken a shine to the horse while watching Enzo ride her and had taken her out several times in the few days since then, using her as a starting mount whenever he could.

  Enzo considered the team as he watched them gallop together across the field. They were definitely getting better. Things were starting to gel. Raj had turned out to be a solid team captain. He had an easygoing nature that everyone liked, but his size and mastery on the pitch made it very clear who was in charge. Lachlan played great defense as number one, and David was only getting better and better as number two.

  Even Mark had improved quite a bit. Though he was still light-years behind the other players as far as his skills went, his excitement about the game and his willingness to spoil his team with the latest gear, the best ponies, and practically anything else they wanted kept everyone in very good spirits, indeed.

  Raj called a time-out and the team handed off their horses to the grooms. Mark took off his helmet and walked over to where Enzo was standing on the sidelines.

  “How’d we look?” he said with a big grin. “Amazing, right? I mean, I can just feel it. We’re gonna kick ass, don’t you think?”

  Enzo laughed. “Well, you are definitely making improvements,” he said. “Lachlan might consider being a little less aggressive about—”

  “When do you think we’ll be ready to play?” Mark interrupted. “I want to play a game.”

  “Okay,” said Enzo. “Against who, exactly?”

  Mark shrugged. “I don’t know. Anyone. How about La Victoria?”

  “La Victoria?” said Enzo. “Well, first of all, they are down a player right now.”

  “All the better!” said Mark. “They’ll have to get some chump they don’t even know for Four.”

  Enzo smiled to himself, remembering when Mark was exactly that chump. “And second of all, the Del Campos are in England right now, scouting.”

  Mark shrugged. “We could fly the ponies out. Meet them in London.”

  Enzo laughed. “Mark, I hardly think there’s reason to do that. I am certain that we could find some perfectly good players to scrimmage with around here.”

  Mark pouted. “I don’t want perfectly good players. I want to try us out against the best. Do you think we could take them?”

  “I think we would grind your little team into dust,” came a cheerful voice from behind them. “And we would not even need a fourth player to do it.”

  Enzo and Mark turned around and saw Pilar Del Campo standing there, smiling wickedly. She wore gray linen slacks, a light blue sweater, and a pair of diamond studs in her ears so large that Enzo thought that even Mark must be impressed.

  “Hello, Pilar,” said Enzo, genuinely glad to see her.

  “¿Como estas?” she said.

  “Bueno. ¿Y tu?” returned Mark.

  Pilar turned to him and laughed. “Who is teaching you español? Your accent is terrible.”

  “My wife,” said Mark cheerfully. “And she agrees with you.”

  Pilar laughed again. “Go away, Mark,” she said, waving him off. “I am still very angry with you for poaching our piloto. Poor Noni has had to work double time all summer because of you.”

  Enzo frowned.

  “He came willingly,” said Mark with a grin. “And Noni can take it. She’s a big girl.”

  Pilar shooed him off. “Andate. I need to talk to this traitor.”

  “Okay, okay.” Mark offered her a goodbye kiss on each cheek, which she calmly took as her royal due.

  She tucked her arm into Enzo’s. “Come, show me the new barns. I hear they’re utterly vulgar.”

  Enzo smiled and nodded. “That is true.”

  He led her across the pitch toward the stable, slowing his walk so she could keep pace.

  “Is Noni really working double time?” he said to her.

  She nodded. “Sí, and it’s all your fault. I still cannot believe you ran off like that.” She shook her head. “Like a scared little boy afraid of a garter snake.”

  He shook his head. “It was just time for a change, Pilar.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Oh, do not bother to lie to me, hombre. I know exactly why you left. And I am right in saying that you were frightened. She scared the living daylights out of you.”

  “Who scared me?” he said, trying to sound casual. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

  “Who?” scoffed Pilar. “That little bruja with Carlos’s eyes. That is who. I think you know the one—that girl you have been in love with since the day you met her?”

  He looked sharply at her. “I don’t know what—”

  “Ay, dios mio, stop. You are really the most terrible liar.” They reached the stable and Enzo pulled the door open for her. “Listen, I didn’t come here just to talk to you about Noni. I actually need something else…”

  * * *

  Noni was examining the front hoof on Alejandro’s favorite horse, Tango, when Pilar and Max came into the barn. Noni’s dogs rushed to greet them.

  “Noni!” shouted Max as he came running to the stall. “Pilar says I get a new teacher today!”

  Noni carefully lowered Tango’s foot back to the ground. “Oh?” she said, looking at Pilar. “You found someone? That was fast.”

  Pilar smiled. “Oh, sí, our little Max deserves the best, do you not think?”

  “Yeah!” yelled Max, romping with the huskies. “The best!”

  Noni grinned at him. “Of course.” She looked back at Pilar. “Who is it?”

  “Me, I’m afraid,” said Enzo, stepping around the corner. He frowned at Pilar. “You forgot to mention that you did not actually run this by Noni first.”

  Noni’s dogs left Max and rushed to Enzo, circling around him and whimpering in excitement as he petted them.

  Pilar shrugged innocently. “I thought it would be a nice surprise.”

  Noni stared at Enzo, her heart in her throat.

  “Pilar,” said Enzo, “you know I would not have—”

  Pilar cut him off. “Okay, muy bien. Max, this is Enzo. Enzo, this is Max. I will come back in an hour,” and she started toward the exit.

  “But—” said Noni.

  “Max,” called Pilar as she walked away, “when you come back up, you may bring Noni’s dogs. They obviously like you and I imagine they are not too happy in the barn. If we keep them away from mis perritos, it should be okay.”

  Noni blinked in astonishment.

  “Have fun with the lesson!” Pilar said over her shoulder as she slipped out the door.

  Noni and Enzo stared at each other awkwardly.

  Enzo shook his head. “She didn’t—”

  “I know,” said Noni quickly.

  “So…,” said Enzo.

  “So…,” echoed Noni.

  “So, where’s my pony?” said Max.

  They laughed. Noni was relieved to have something else to focus on. “Right, yes, fair enough. So, he’s been riding Tuffy, but we think he’s ready for someone a little more challenging. Actually”—she looked at Tango, who was standing patiently in the stall—“Tango might be a good choice.”

  Enzo reached past her to scratch the pony’s nose. “Tango loves to teach,” he said, smiling at the old horse.

  He was standing so close to Noni now, they were almost touching. She took a step back, hyperaware of his presence.

  “You want to ride Tango?” she said to Max.

  “¡Sí!” he answered enthusiastically.

  Enzo laughed. “Has Pilar been teaching you español, little man?”

  “Si,” said Max.

  “Okay, then, muy bien. So, what’s the first thing we need to do before we ride?”

  Max instantly became serious. “Groom and tack up,” he said.

  Noni smiled as she clipped the lead onto Tango’s
halter and handed it to Enzo. “You see? He already knows what he’s doing.”

  Enzo handed the lead to Max, who looked at him with huge eyes. “I get to lead?” he breathed.

  Enzo gave him a nod. “Absolutely. Let’s take this pony to the grooming station.”

  Noni watched them as they walked away together. Her dogs came into the stall with her and settled at her feet.

  She had missed Enzo with a dull, steady ache every moment since he’d left, but suddenly, as he walked away from her, that dull ache twisted into something sharp and unbearable. Just seeing him again, the strong lines of his shoulders, his slow easy smile, the calm, competent way he acted with both Max and Tango, it simply took her breath away.

  I love him, she thought to herself.

  The words shot through her like a bullet. She dropped the small knife she had been holding to trim Tango’s hooves and she felt her knees give way. She grabbed the wall for support.

  “Oh no, no, no,” she said out loud. “This is not good. This is not okay.”

  A passing groom gave her a questioning look. “Está bien, Noni?”

  She tried to straighten up. “I’m…I’m fine, Luis. Thanks.”

  He nodded, but as soon as he had walked on, she slid down the wall and put her head on her knees. Her dogs shoved their noses at her, wagging their tails, worried. Noni felt like she might actually pass out.

  The situation was impossible. Just when she felt like Max might really be back in her life, just when she thought she might see a future with Jacob…

  She heard Max and Enzo laughing together down the hallway and closed her eyes, both savoring the sound and feeling like they were simply making things worse.

  Why did Pilar have to meddle? Noni sat up, suddenly infused with righteous indignation. None of this would have happened if Pilar hadn’t butted in!

  She stuck her head out the stall door and watched as Max and Enzo headed out the back, toward the covered ring; then she scrambled up.