Wooed by You

by Sophia Knightly

  "We're not alone," Isabel insisted, her heart rending. "We have each other, and we’re lucky to have a big family who loves us very much."

  Suzie shook her head. "It's not the same. I want Linc to be my papi."

  "I know, sweetie, but we have to go on living the same way we did before Linc." Isabel lifted Suzie onto her lap and hugged her tightly. Smoothing her daughter’s shiny black hair from her flushed face, she wanted to replace the hurt inside her with something to look forward to. “Remember Christmas is coming and you’ve been such a good girl, Santa will be bringing you a wonderful surprise,” Isabel said, trying to smile, though she was close to crying. She could barely keep her voice even when she said, “We’re going to have a big party for our Nochebuena. And you’re going to be in the school play.”

  Suzie’s mouth turned downward stubbornly. “I don’t want to be in the dumb play anymore.”

  “You don’t mean that,” Isabel soothed, drying Suzie’s tears with the paper napkin. “Here, blow your nose.”

  Suzie complied, then got up from Isabel’s lap and slumped in the seat beside her. “I only want to be in it if Linc comes to see me. Call him, Mami. Please,” she pleaded, her eyes beseeching Isabel.

  “No,” Isabel said firmly, the pain in her heart mirroring the pain in Suzie’s eyes.

  Suzie dropped her head on her folded arms and sobbed at the table.

  The following days were rough and the nights unbearable, as Suzie seemed inconsolable. It was as if she’d lost her daddy all over again. She began shadowing Isabel and had trouble sleeping. Other times, she would sit quietly at the living room window, her little chin resting on her folded hands as she kept her gaze glued to the road, wishing for Linc to drive up.

  One afternoon, Isabel was at Olga’s house, planning the Nochebuena feast in the kitchen when Olga cornered her with a frown etched on her forehead. “What are we going to do about Suzie?” she asked.

  “We let time heal her,” Isabel said helplessly. They had only talked briefly about Linc because Isabel had refused to elaborate when her mother had asked what happened, but she desperately needed her advice. “I’ve tried everything to cheer Suzie up and distract her from missing Linc, but she keeps insisting she wants to talk to him. She’s convinced she can make him come back to us.”

  “It’s because she doesn’t know the truth, Isabel,” Olga said reproachfully. “She thinks he left you, when the opposite is true.”

  Isabel hung her head. “I know. I handled it poorly and totally screwed up,” she said, feeling sick about it.

  “Never mind about that now. Answer my question. Do you love Linc?” Olga asked, startling Isabel with the fire in her eyes.

  “You know I do. I think about him day and night. I worry about his safety and pray that he’s okay”

  “I pray for him too,” Olga said.

  “He was always so sweet, generous and loving, yet I broke his heart,” Isabel said mournfully.

  Olga shook her head and made a tsking sound. "This is crazy. Both of you are suffering. Honestly, what difference does it make if you’re together or apart? You are still going to worry about him. You’re still going to love him and miss him, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, but I can’t think about me now. I have to think of Suzie. Time will heal her pain as she grows up. It’s too fresh now, losing Linc after she lost Frank.”

  “But it’s sad that you’re not letting a decent and loving man like Linc in her life. Think of what a good influence he would have on her. Your papi gave you a fine example of how honorable and strong a man should be. He worked tirelessly on his land for us. We all worked together, but he was the leader, always the one with a vision for a better life for us. Even at the end when he could barely walk, he forged ahead.” Olga’s eyes filled with tears.

  Isabel hugged her. “Mami, please don’t cry. I didn’t mean to make you sad. You’ve suffered so much already.”

  “I just want you to be happy. You’re Suzie’s mother and her happiness is your goal in life. But you’re my only daughter, and I want you to be happy too,” Olga said, stroking Isabel’s cheek with a gentle hand.

  "I want to be happy too,” Isabel said, a miserable lump lodged in her throat. “But it can’t happen with Linc.”

  “Isabel, you must be brave. Live life and don’t seek the safe way out. I can’t force you to, but I sure wish you’d try it. That’s something you’re going to have to decide on your own.”

  “I love Linc. I miss him so much it feels like my heart’s been ripped out of my chest, but I can’t go on like this. It’s not fair to Suzie. I have to set an example and be optimistic and strong, no matter how broken I feel inside.”

  “I’ll help you. We’ll make a beautiful Nochebuena for Suzie and the family. You may feel broken now, but the land you love so much will help you heal and grow strong again. It was my salvation when your papi died.”

  The following days, Isabel immersed herself in work and kept an upbeat front when she was with Suzie, playing with her, reading her funny stories and dancing with her whenever she could. Anything to bring a smile to her face. She made a beautiful angel costume for Suzie, which made her want to be in the Christmas play again.

  December was Isabel's favorite month of the year. She loved the way her fruit-heavy orange trees decorated her land with vibrant color. Laden with blossoms, her mango trees promised a bountiful harvest in the summer. And her key lime trees were covered with tiny, abundant white blossoms, some already budding into small green fruit.

  Red and white poinsettias lined the drive to her house, lending a festive ambiance. Sarita and her husband, Javier, had surprised Isabel one afternoon by decorating the outside of the house with sparkling, multicolored Christmas lights. They had also wrapped the royal palm trees bordering her house with thousands of tiny white lights.

  Isabel drove into town with Suzie one Saturday morning and bought a large Christmas tree. Together they headed home with the pine tree hanging out the back of Isabel's Jeep. Using the Christmas ornaments Suzie had made in school and the gold and silver hand painted sand dollars Olga had collected at Sanibel Island over the summer, they decorated the tall evergreen.

  Later that afternoon while Olga stayed with Suzie, Isabel purchased a neon pink bicycle for Suzie. If things had been different, she would have been shopping for Linc. She wondered what he was doing and how he was feeling. She missed his warm embrace and his deep voice, his delicious kisses and wonderful smell, his tender protectiveness and hot lovemaking. She missed every single thing about him.

  Imagining him teasing her, she yearned to kiss the sexy crinkles that formed at the corners of his stunning blue eyes when he smiled. She remembered the strength in his hands and the gentleness of his caresses, the husky endearments murmured in her ear and the way he made love to her as a man overcome with love.

  When Isabel returned home, Olga greeted her at the door with a strange look on her face. "Detective Wilkins is here," she said in a low voice.

  "Oh, no," Isabel groaned, her heart pounding as she went very still. “I was wondering whose car that was in the driveway.”

  Olga pushed Isabel’s frozen body toward the family room. "It must be about Linc."

  Isabel raced to Jenny’s side when she saw the unease on her face. “What’s wrong? Did they get to Linc? Please tell me he’s okay,” she said, sitting beside her on the couch.

  “Relax. Linc is safe." Jenny made a wry face. "I’m going out on the limb here. Linc would give me hell if he knew I came to see you, but I had to.”

  “Why did you come?” Isabel asked cautiously.

  “Because Linc is a decent, honorable man and he wants to marry you, Isabel. I’ve known him for years, and he has never been so in love.” Her even tone held Isabel’s attention. "My husband Rick is a cop too, and we have three kids. We face danger all the time in the line of duty. I stand by my man and he stands by me. All we can do is trust in God that everything will be fine so we can do our jobs. Someone has to."


  “I know, and I’m grateful for it,” Isabel said. “But—”

  Jenny exhaled an exasperated breath. "Don't be so hard on Linc. He took every precaution. It’s a dangerous business and his job is to minimize the risk for all of us. He worked hard on the ops plan, which is a playbook for us cops to know the risks and rescues. Steel is not reckless,” she said passionately.

  "He might not be reckless, but he almost got killed. I can’t get the image out of my mind of him lying in the hospital bed, weak and defenseless. It still haunts me."

  “Try to replace it with an image of the strong man he is,” Jenny said. “His leg is almost fully recuperated. He’s in good shape.”

  “Thank God for that,” Isabel said softly.

  “Steel takes enormous pride in leading our narcotics unit. He’s the best there is."

  "He told me he planned on transferring out once the case he’s working on is resolved. It doesn’t seem fair to ask him to put an end to his hard-earned success in the narcotics unit," Isabel said. Though nothing would have made her happier than to see him transfer out, she realized it was asking a lot from him.

  Jenny gave her a tight smile. "It's his choice, Isabel. Linc is a stubborn, driven man when he wants something…and he wants you.” She hesitated. “There’s something else I wanted to say. I hope you reconsider and let him go to Suzie’s play."

  “You know about that too?” Isabel said, stunned Linc would share so much with her.

  “Yeah, I can hardly believe it myself. Once I got him to open up, it was like a dam had burst forth,” Jenny said with a rueful shake of her head. “It’s hard for a tough guy like Linc to accept help when he’s always the one helping others.”

  Tongue-tied, Isabel nodded. Linc had always helped her and Suzie. He had wanted to make them feel whole and happy.

  Jenny stood up. “I have to leave. Please think about what I said. Here’s my number if you ever want to talk,” she said, handing her a card.

  “Thank you, I really appreciate it, Jenny,” Isabel said, squeezing her hand.

  Chapter 17

  Since the failed buy-bust, Linc was obsessed with tracking down the Figueroa brothers. He worked long hours following and investigating leads, but everything had come up empty so far. Exasperated by the delay in capturing them, he became a bear to work with, driving his co-workers to seek refuge from his quick temper. The only ones he confided in were Jenny and Clay, his closest friends.

  Late one afternoon, Linc received an unexpected phone call. Glancing at the panel, he was thrilled to see it light up with Isabel’s cell phone number.

  “Hello.” His calm tone belied the way his pulse leaped.

  “Hi, Linc,” said a little girl’s voice he recognized as Suzie’s. His heart lifted at the sound of her adorable baby voice.

  Astounded, he said, “Suzie, how did you get my number?”

  “I’m using Mami’s phone. I told Siri to call you, and she did,” she said between giggles.

  “Where is your mommy?”

  “She’s in the garden. Are you coming to my Christmas play?”

  “I said I would, didn’t I?” He had checked the school website and found out the play would be on Saturday evening at seven, but he hadn’t come to a decision about going…until now.

  “Oh, goody. Mami and I miss you so much and—” She stopped abruptly “I have to go. Mami is coming in,” she whispered and hung up before Linc could say anything.

  He stared at the phone and shook his head. If Isabel caught wind of Suzie’s phone call, she wouldn’t be pleased with her little scamp of a daughter.

  Linc suddenly gave a shout of laughter. Suzie was as determined as he to make it work between him and Isabel. Now all he had to do was convince her maddening mother.

  He left his office whistling “Jingle Bells" while he thought of what to buy his two special girls for Christmas. He would have loved to spend it with them and spoil them rotten, but that didn’t seem likely this year.

  The week passed in a flurry of activity for Isabel. For the first time since breaking up with Linc, she felt the faintest stirring of hope for her daughter. Suzie was practicing her lines every night for the school play with renewed eagerness and her mood was noticeably brighter.

  All Isabel wanted for Christmas was for Suzie to be a happy little girl. To that end, she kept everything cheerful and fun as they baked Christmas cookies and little gingerbread men when Suzie came home from school. At night, they’d cuddle up on the couch and watch TV, read stories or listen to Christmas music.

  The new irrigation system was installed and they used it for the first time on Friday, the day before the play. She couldn't help thinking about the promissory note she had signed for Linc’s loan. He was probably hoping she wouldn't be able to pay him back. She wouldn’t know until spring. If they had a good return on their crops, surely she’d be able to secure a bank loan and repay him. If not, she would have to revert to selling some of their land. But she wasn’t going to ruin the holidays by worrying about it.

  Saturday evening, Linc entered Suzie’s school auditorium seconds after the lights were dimmed and the play began. He stood at the back of the room, his height affording him an excellent view of the stage. A blue curtain was draped across the back of the stage and large blobs of cotton clouds were hung on it alongside a big glittering star.

  The play went on for about ten minutes before Suzie entered, playing the part of a little lost angel. With wide eyes and cherubic cheeks, she delivered her lines in a clear, loud voice. She looked adorable in the white and gold costume Isabel had made for her. A gold tinsel halo floated above her shiny black hair and small gossamer wings stretched out behind her.

  Standing center stage, Suzie clasped her hands and spoke her lines earnestly. Linc's heart contracted the second he heard her speak. He hated having to hide so he wouldn’t upset Isabel. Suzie’s eyes scanned the back of the auditorium and when Linc lifted his hand in greeting, her face broke into a wide smile. He wished he could hug her and congratulate her on her performance, but he couldn't do it without disturbing a night reserved for family. The auditorium was filled with parents watching their children perform; parents who would return home with their kids.

  He had never felt so alone in his life.

  On Christmas Eve morning, Tío Pepe arrived at Isabel’s house armed with everything he needed to build a pit for the roasted pig he would prepare for their Nochebuena celebration. With his quick wit and talent for cooking, he was Isabel's favorite uncle.

  Isabel welcomed him with a breakfast of apple pancakes and bacon, and Suzie joined them at the table. An energetic, wiry man, Tío Pepe had abundant, coarse white hair and a thick, handlebar moustache. He was always sharply dressed, with his hair perfectly combed and smelling of good cologne. His wife, Margarita, was his exact opposite, quiet and intellectual, where he was outgoing and sociable.

  Suzie watched him eat, an impish grin lighting her face. “If you grew a beard you would look like Santa, Tío Pepe.”

  His hazel eyes twinkled fondly. “Ay, Suzie! Do you really think I am fat?” he asked, puffing up his cheeks and wiggling his thick white brows up and down.

  Suzie giggled, the carefree sound warming Isabel’s heart. “Nah, I was joking.”

  After breakfast, Tío Pepe worked tirelessly in the backyard digging a pit large enough to roast the pig. He had spent the previous day marinating it in a marinade of cumin, oregano, pimento, sour orange, mashed cloves of garlic and dry sherry. He had stored the suckling pig in his refrigerator until Christmas Eve, when he brought it to Isabel's house for roasting.

  Once the pit was prepared and the fire ready, Tío Pepe placed the pig on the grill and covered it with guava leaves to give it flavor and retain moistness throughout the long day of cooking. While he basted it with more marinade, he told Suzie stories about his childhood in Cuba, liberally embellishing them with amusing anecdotes.

  When the rest of the family guests arrived in the evening, Isabel
greeted them with hugs and kisses and made an effort to be cheerful. She'd spent the day missing Linc as she decorated her patio for the party.

  Suzie tugged at the hem of Isabel's dress. "Mami, when can we open the presents?"

  “We’ll open the family presents when Santa’s helper comes after dinner. But you’ll have to wait for Santa’s gifts in the morning. It's a good thing you took a nap today."

  Armando, Isabel's cousin with a loud, rumbling laugh and a rotund beer belly, had volunteered to dress in a Santa costume and distribute the gifts to the children.

  Tía Elena and Tía Julia arrived with newly permed, silver-tinted hairdos, gushing with delight at the many compliments they received. Isabel couldn't help but smile as the aunts fussed over her.

  Tía Julia said, "Isabelita, why are you so skinny? Haven't you been eating?"

  "I was dieting so I could eat all the wonderful food tonight," Isabel lied. The truth was she had lost weight. Her clothes had begun to get baggy on her since she'd lost her appetite with all that had happened.

  “No diets for you. You're losing your curves," Tía Elena said, clucking disapprovingly. "Tonight you must eat well, Isabelita. I brought you the turrón you love so much." Turrón, an almond nougat confection imported from Spain, was one of Isabel's favorite candies at Christmastime.

  Isabel glanced at Olga, all done up in a royal purple crepe wool dress and gave her a quick hug. ''You look beautiful tonight."

  Olga smiled. "So do you." She glanced at Suzie, who was at another table entertaining the aunts. "I haven't seen Suzie like this in a long time. It feels good to see her happy again."

  Isabel sighed. "I know. It must be wonderful to be a child and forget your troubles in the excitement of a party."

  Olga's sympathetic gaze held hers. "How are you holding up?"

  Isabel gave a half-shrug. "I'm trying really hard not to think about Linc, but it’s not easy.”