Page 23 of Sombra
Hombre. That’ll be fun. More time with Kim. I can show her my Spain. Now, instead of filled with dirty images, my mind glimpses the places I’ll take her.La Alhambra, of course.La catedral.El Sacromonte.Anywhere in Spain, really. Anywhere she wants to go. And in every place, I see her holding my hand, kissing me, laughing in the sunshine.
Dios. I’m gettingahead of myself. I table these fantasies, along with the one about taking her to my casita and tying her to my bed.
Pretty sure that isn’t going to happen. Yet.
My mother’s eyes cut to me. “The estadounidense is very pretty. Does she interest you, Tavo?”
I swat at the air, not wanting to answer, but she’s very astute. Why did I think I could hide anything from her? She’s abloody mind reader.
Before I can respond, my brothers barge in catching the tail end of my mother’s words, banging the old kitchen door shut behind them and heading for the cabinets.
“Is the American my age?” Antonio pours himself milk and dumps in powdered Cola Cao, clanging the sides of the mug with his spoon. Loudly. He likes his cocoa cold. Weirdo.
I glare at him. “Leaveher alone. She just got here. She doesn’t need you jumping all over her.”
He holds up his hands like he’s fending off a bull. “Whoa. I think you like her.”
“Tavo already has a woman.” Guillermo sits at the table, his arms crossed over his chest. His tone is off. Is he pissed at me? Is it because I’ve been brushing him off about the farm?
“I don’t,” I say quickly. My mother’slips flatten.Mierda.
“You do. What about you and Sonia?” Guillermo’s issuing some sort of challenge. One I’m not gonna pick up.
“Me and Sonia, nothing.” For real.Nothing.
Now my mother’s the one with arms crossed over her chest.
“I thoughtyouliked Sonia,” says Antonio turning to Guillermo. “But she obviously likes Tavo better.”
Guillermo’s hands are now fists.“She’s been stuck on Tavo forever. She says she’s too old for me,” he mutters.
Ah. I didn’t know my little brother had it bad for our neighbor. No wonder he’s pissed. If they got together, it would solve everything, but apparently no one else goes along with that idea.
Antonio drains the last of his glass. “I like older women. Sonia’s, what? Twenty?”
I nod.
“Well, youcan’t have her. If she’s not Tavo’s, she’s mine.” Guillermo stands and turns to me. “Can I check the pH levels of the irrigation water?”
“Yeah. Go.” I shoo him off, Antonio at his heels still teasing him about his crush on Sonia. I call after Antonio, “And stay away from the American.”
“Do not encourage Guillermo. She doesn’t want him, and that will break his heart,” my mother whispers.
“I know. I know.” I sigh. But what about my heart?
My phone buzzes in my back pocket with a text. Mi madre bows out and leaves the room, and I check it. It’s from Trent Milner.
¿Mañana? ¿Bar Marueco?
I run my hands through my hair, thinking of my James Dean friend. I met him a little over a year ago when he came to Spain last summer to findla profesora, Danika Anderson.Trent was the first American outside of relatives I ever got to know. I was so jealous of him, with the white T-shirts and the Levis and being an Army veteran.
But he and I became good friends after that summer. We continued with the same classes last year, both studying to become interpreters. Normally, he speaks Spanish to me, and I answer in English, then we each fix the other’s language.I’d never be able to talk to Kim as well as I do without the extra year of practice with Trent.
I text him back.Yes, tomorrow. I have the American student with me.
Bien, nos vemos,he responds.
Ridiculous butterflies run through my stomach. Ridiculous because it’s not like I’ve never been out with my friends before or to Bar Marueco. No. I’m just excited I get to have a datewith Kim Brown.
