Rehearsal tomorrow at 5:00 for soloists
I let out a low whistle. “Walter has been after that position for a while, but honestly, he isn’t qualified for it.”
Neto frowned. “Do you think he wanted it badly enough to kill Paolo and frame Fred?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. But we need to find out what he’s hiding.”
We ran through our song a few more times, but not because it needed work. We sounded amazing together and we had our parts down pat.
Soveida peeked her head in the door. “Mom says dinner is ready and you don’t have to come unless you want to.”
Neto gave her a thumbs-up. “Tell her we’ll be there in a few minutes.”
I crossed my arms. “Absolutely not. I happen to want your mother to like me,” I said before turning to his sister and adding, “We’ll come now.”
Soveida cast a sidelong glance at her brother. “Thank goodness you found a girl who is smarter than you.”
I smiled but my insides did a little flip. The longer we spent with his family, the more an insane hope crept into my heart. What if I was wrong, and Neto didn’t think of me as a fun diversion while we sang together? Could he actually be interested in me beyond just as a fling?
Ximena took my hand when we entered the dining room, pulling me to the seat next to her. She was seven years old, the caboose of the family by quite a few years. Neto tried to sit to my right, but Soveida flashed him a wicked grin and slid into the chair before he could.
Dinner was delightful, each dish perfectly seasoned and beautifully presented. Though Neto’s family were all unmarked, they’d set the table with enchanted dishware that kept all the food hot throughout the meal. When I bit into a particularly spicychile relleno, I noticed all eyes were on me. A test? I smiled and ate everything but the stem, noting the approval in everyone’s eyes.
Neto’s gaze found mine throughout the meal. At first there was a slight tightness around his eyes as he made sure I was okay, but as the meal progressed and I was able to show him that I was enjoying myself, he relaxed. I even caught him looking at me with admiration a few times, such as when hisabueloasked me a question in Spanish and I responded fluently.
After atres lechesthat was to die for, Neto’s mom packed up a to-go box for each of us and I received another round of kisses from everyone. This family was so comfortable and warm with each other, a huge contrast to the ambitious, high-strung members of the orchestra or the smarmy, scheming socialites that frequented Rosings Park. If I had met Neto’s family first and didn’t know him at all, I’d want them to introduce me to their son just so I could spend more time with them.
The night was dark and clear, and the snow on the ground glistened in the porch light as Neto walked me out to my car.
“You were wonderful with my family tonight,” he said softly.
“That’s because your family is wonderful.”
“Was it a terrible barrage on your senses?”
“No. Your family is a lot, but they weren’t too much for me. I didn’t put the stopper on my ability at all.”
Delight crept over his face. “Really?”
“Honestly.”
“Even the spicy food?”
“Even then. My heightened senses just let me enjoy it more.”
He opened the door for me and I leaned against the frame for a moment, giving him time to kiss me, if he wanted to.
Idefinitely wanted him to.
His gaze flitted between my eyes and my lips. I wasn’t going to make the first move again, this time it was absolutely up to him. He seemed to realize the same thing because a bit of resolve flashed across his face. I felt every ridge of his fingertip as he brushed his thumb over my bottom lip and across my cheek before leaving it to rest in the hollow behind my ear.
Warmth flooded my body as we took a breath in unison and he slowly leaned closer. Just before his lips reached mine, a light shone through a window as a curtain was drawn back. The light was quickly extinguished, but I didn’t need my enhanced senses to know the faces of multiple sisters were pressed against the glass.
“My family is something, all right,” he said, his voice low and throaty. “Goodnight, Anne.”
“Goodnight.”
Almost every house I passed on my drive home was lit up with Christmas lights. The night had gone well. Really well, though the promise of an almost kiss hung over me like an unresolved chord. At what point would I introduce him to my mother?
