Even after a long plane trip, she was so full of energy she easily matched his stride and could have kept on running when he stopped. When he bent over to rest his hands on his knees, she noticed an elastic bandage on his right calf. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to push you into running farther than you wanted to. Why didn’t you mention you’d hurt your leg?”
“No, it’s fine. It’s a cut that’s almost healed, but this is my second run for the day.” He took a deep breath and straightened up. “You wanted to hear about Rafael. He grew up a street kid, a Gypsy who probably stole more than he ever paid for. He idolized my father and begged him for advice. When my father grew too ill to leave the house, he still welcomed Rafael’s visits and shared his expertise. Rafael toured bullrings in Mexico last winter and has fought here in Barcelona, but now he plans to attend medical school.”
“What? Maggie hasn’t mentioned it. Isn’t that a wild change of career for a matador?”
“Indeed, but he has a cool head in an emergency, I’ll give him that. I just don’t think Maggie, or any of us, knows enough about him.”
She took a step closer and lowered her voice. “Should we hire a detective?”
“I did, but he didn’t discover anything we didn’t already know.”
“So you don’t like him, and I think he’s pushing Maggie into a hasty marriage she might soon
regret. Is that all we’ve got to work with?”
He shrugged. “I know it isn’t much. Ask him to talk about himself, and he’ll probably tell you what Maggie would rather you didn’t know.”
“Fine, I’ll do it at dinner.”
Cooling down, they started back to the house, and he walked with a slight limp. “Do you always just jump right in?” he asked.
“Life is short. I don’t see the point in brooding over things. I just get them done.”
“What are you studying in school?”
“Kinesiology. I’ve taken an extra course every semester so I’ll graduate this winter. I hope to coach women’s sports. I’ll probably have to begin as a high school coach to gain experience before moving up to college teams. I’m already working as a personal trainer on the side.”
“Maggie and I have thirteen-year-old twin sisters who model. Have you ever considered modeling? You’ve got the shape designers love.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m tall and built like a coat hanger, but I can’t hold still long enough to pose.”
Santos halted abruptly. “I didn’t compare you to a coat hanger.”
Libby slowed down. “No, but you were thinking it.”
“No, I wasn’t,” he protested sharply.
Libby laughed. He was so handsome a frown didn’t diminish his looks. His lean, muscular build didn’t hurt his cause either. She reluctantly recalled Maggie’s advice. “It’s fun having a brother. I always wanted one.”
He caught her arm and turned her toward him. “I’m Maggie’s brother, not yours.”
Startled by the fire in his eyes, she jerked free and sprinted away. She hadn’t meant to provoke him, but if that were an example of his hot Spanish temperament, it no longer mattered how attractive he was. She’d seen enough to last her until she flew home.
The curved balconies on the Aragon’s beach house dripped with magenta bougainvillea, making it impossible to miss. Maggie and Rafael were seated on the patio, and Libby walked up from the shore to join them.
Maggie leaned forward to look down the beach. “Where’s Santos?”
“He couldn’t keep up,” Libby replied. She smiled at Rafael. “I hear you’re going to medical school. Will you fight bulls on the weekends?”
“No. I was lucky enough to be offered a full scholarship, and I’ve fought my last bull. I’ll take you to see Santos on Sunday. He’s very good, if not his father’s equal.”
“Thank you. Are you coming, Maggie?”
“No, I’d root for the bull, and I don’t want to see anyone get hurt.”
Julian, the chef’s shaggy-haired helper, brought Libby a glass of iced tea on a silver tray. She thanked him and waited until he’d returned to the kitchen to speak. “How many servants are there?”
Maggie counted on her fingers. “There’s Mrs. Lopez and a couple of maids; the chef and his two helpers; Manuel, who takes care of the cars and sees to the grounds. I think that’s it.”