But she was starting to think that she liked Enrique.
Chapter Eleven
Enrique could still taste Carolina on his lips, but regret hung heavily in his soul. Not for the kiss; no, definitely not. He’d enjoyed her hot little mouth. But he hadn’t realized that she’d never been kissed before.
And now he felt guilty for taking that moment from her if he had no intention of starting a real relationship with her.
It was her first kiss.
Not that it didn’t mean anything to him. He felt a spark between them. And there was something else. Something deeper.
But Enrique rarely stopped at a kiss. Kisses for him usually began the night, not ended it. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d just enjoyed the simplicity of a first kiss.
It made him want more.
Ugh, Ramón was right. Enrique should’ve been more careful with Carolina.
But it was too late now. What was done was done. And it hadn’t completely been his fault. She had trapped him into a fakerelationship. And now he had the possibility of partnering with her farm. And Tiburón could pursue Blanca. After Christmas, Enrique would return to San Diego, and she would go back to her life.
He arrived back at the vacation home. Ramón, Julieta, Tiburón, Jaime, and Rosa were gathered around the firepit on the deck. Enrique greeted them, grabbed a beer, then sat in a bright blue Adirondack chair and took a swig.
Jaime threw a twig at him. “Hey, José, you can change now.”
Enrique looked down at himself and realized he remained wrapped in scratchy brown wool. “Yeah, I forgot I was even still wearing this. It’s been a long night.”
Julieta swiveled her chair closer to his. “Las Posadas was fun. Different than the other ones I’ve been to. This one was smaller and less opulent and had more of a traditional vibe, probably because it is such a small town. I liked it. What did you think?”
“It was cool. But Carolina was a wreck.”
Rosa warmed her hands up over the fire. “Really? Why?”
“Her dad was supposed to be there, but he ended up in the hospital. He has a blood clot in his lung.” Her father looked like a man who’d lived a hard life. Anyone who spent their years tending to crops hadn’t had an easy road.
Rosa shuddered, despite the heat. “Oh no, that’s awful. He must have been the member of the congregation we said prayers for earlier.”
“Perhaps it’s from working the fields,” Enrique mused. Now that was a real reason to consider sustainable farming—not just so he could achieve a green-star rating on their restaurants, but to truly make a difference on an individual scale.
To save someone’s life.
Maybe that was why Carolina was so passionate about environmentally friendly products and creating a safe work environment—she’d seen the effect that dangerous working conditions could have on people firsthand.
Tiburón stoked the fire with a stick. “That sucks, man. I worry about my tío. That’s exactly what happened to him—respiratory issues from the fields.”
“Yeah, I worry, too.” He turned to Ramón and Jaime. “We should visit Tío Jorge.”
Jaime’s brow raised. “Yeah. We haven’t seen him since we were boys.”
Ramón nodded. “It’s been way too long.”
Julieta shook her head. “Field workers have so many medical problems. Many of their children have health problems also.”
“Yeah. Carolina has worked in the fields her entire life, too.” He paused. He didn’t know if he wanted his family all up in his business, but he could really use some advice. “I took her to the hospital after the party to see her father... and he thought I was her boyfriend. He actually asked her if I was, and she said yes.”
Ramón spit out his beer. “And you corrected her, right?” He looked at Enrique, who shook his head slowly. “Enrique, Señor Flores thinks you’re dating Carolina? What were you thinking?”
Enrique exhaled. “I know. Then Señor Flores started grilling me. He basically thinks I’m scum because of Dad. It was all so fucked-up.”
Jaime exhaled, blowing up his bangs. “Maybe you should’ve taken your own advice about not dating one of Señor Flores’s daughters.”
