Page 16 of A Heart Worth Finding
“When in Mexico!” Jessica sang, and pulled free of Jack to skip to the stand.
Above the counter, a black dry erase board detailed the menu in neon markers lit by a blacklight. Jessica perused the options, leaning into her partial fluency in Spanish to decipher the words.
A warm presence appeared at her back, and Jessica peeked over her shoulder at Jack.
“Can you understand any of that?” he asked, leaning close to whisper in her ear.
Despite the balmy night air, she shivered at his proximity. “Of course I can.”
“Of course?” he asked, dubious.
“I’ve taken three years of Spanish,” she said proudly. “I know enough to get us by.”
“Then by all means,” he said. “But I’m allergic to shrimp, so keep that in mind.”
“Noted,” she said, then turned to the man working the register, his wide smile glowing in his dark face under the blacklight.
“¿Pido dos tacos de pollo y dos de carne, una quesadilla con solo queso, dos platos de arroz y dos margaritas clásicas?”Can I get two chicken tacos, two beef, a cheese quesadilla, two orders of rice, and two of your classic margs?
“Si, subiendo enseguida.” Yes, coming right up.
“Gracias. ¿Cuánto cuesta?”
The man quickly tapped keys on his register, and Jessica turned to Jack, who stared at her, clearly impressed. “You continue to surprise me,” he said.
She settled her hand on his bicep and squeezed. “We’re just getting started.”
“Ahh…twenty dollars,” the man said in heavily-accented English.
Wordlessly, Jack handed Jessica a bill, and she passed it to the worker, then stepped off to the side with Jack to wait for their food. When it was finished, they spread out at one of the red-and-white-checkered picnic tables.
“So what’d we get?” Jack asked, surveying the feast.
“Two chicken tacos, two beef tacos, a cheese quesadilla, two sides of rice, and margs!” she said, noisily sipping her drink, loving the way the smooth tequila mingled with the tart bite of the margarita mix on her tongue.
As they tucked into their meal, Jessica studied Jack. She quickly came to realize everything Jack did, he did with intention. The boy didn’t believe in unnecessary words, movements, or emotions. He ate with the same efficiency he’d used to kiss her: straight to the point, but savoring nonetheless. In minutes, his half of their order had been demolished, leaving only stray pieces of tomato, a glob of sour cream, and a smear of hot sauce on his chin.
“You’ve got something,” she said, tapping the center of her own chin.
Jack stuck out his tongue and stretched it down his face, trying to lick it up, but couldn’t reach. Before he could lift his hand to swipe it away, Jessica reached out with her own, mopping it up with her pointer finger then shoving her finger in her mouth to lick it clean.
All the while, Jack watched her, the intensity of his stare never wavering. It should’ve freaked her out, the way he hardly blinked—and when he did, it was slow like an owl. Then she remembered he was a goalie, and that single-minded focus probably made him very good at his position.
“How long are you here for?” he asked suddenly, breaking the moment like a child sticking their finger into a bubble and popping it.
“We head back Friday morning.”
Jack groaned. “That’s only four days. Not even.”
Jessica frowned. “Only?”
“I…” Jack trailed off and broke her gaze for the first time in minutes. His eyes darted around as his shoulders rose and fell, and he slumped forward slightly then straightened his spine again. Finally, he returned those sea green eyes to her, which in the low light strayed more green, almost emerald, than blue. “I guess we have a lot to pack into four days, then.”
Jessica’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, though secretly, she was pleased. “You think I’m spending my entire vacation with you?”
Jack leaned forward onto his elbows, and Jessica mirrored him. “Honey,” he said lowly, “if I have anything to say about it, you’re not leaving my sight until you have to get on that plane to go home.”
The feminist in her, the girl Berkley had taught her to be, wanted to argue with that, wanted to tell Jack in no uncertain terms that he didn’t get to make those kinds of decisions for her.
