A date? Beautifulwoman?
Heat rushed into Mia’s cheeks. “Um … I …Date?”
It wasn’t like her to get flustered by male attention. Then again, she’d never really gotten male attention—not the kind she’d wantedanyway.
Joaquin glared at his cousin. “She didn’t know it was a date. I was working up to that. Now you’ve ruined the surprise. This is Ms. Starr. She was Elena’s commanding officer her first year. You got a table for us,man?”
“A table for you,primo? No. But for you, señorita... Thank you for all you’ve done for our Elena. Followme.”
Mia found herself seated in the back in a private alcove, golden light from luminaria flickering across the tile tabletop. Not sure what to say or do, she tucked her napkin into her lap. “Adate?”
“I can’t tonight,” Joaquin teased. “Tonight, I’m having dinner withyou.”
Mia laughed. But then she saw it, and her breathcaught.
Attraction.
It was there in hiseyes.
5
Joaquin could tell that Mateo’s teasing had embarrassed Mia. Her cheeks had flushed pink, and she had looked away. Now she seemed unable to meet hisgaze.
Joaquin pretended to read over his menu. “Everything is good here—the empanadas, the enchiladas. The tamales are an old familyrecipe.”
A server wearing a colorful skirt and a white peasant blouse brought glasses of water, a basket of chips, and a bowl ofpico de gallo, her long dark hair pulled back in a braid. “Can I get you any drinks to startoff?”
Joaquin saw Mia studying the drink menu. “Try a paloma. It’s kind of like amargarita.”
Mia looked up. “Okay.Sure.”
“A paloma for you, señorita. How about you,señor?”
“Make it twopalomas.”
The server disappeared with their drink order, leaving the two of themalone.
“Exactly how many cousins do you have?” Miaasked.
Joaquin thought about it. “Forty-one. No, forty-two.”
Mia’s eyes went wide. “Forty-twocousins?”
“First cousins,yeah.”
“Wow.” Mia gave a little laugh. “I have five cousins—three on my mother’s side and two on my father’s. When did your family come to theUS?”
Joaquin bit back a grin. “We didn’t. The United States came tous.”
Mia’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What do youmean?”
“My family has been living in Colorado since before this was a state or even a US territory. After the Mexican-American war, the border shifted south, making the San Luis Valley part of the United States. As my grandma likes to say, ‘We didn’t move. The border moved overus.’”
Mia’s lips formed an embarrassed O, color rising in her cheeks. “Sorry. I just assumed… That was stupid ofme.”
He reached over, gave her hand a squeeze, the heat that arced between them startling him, making him reluctant to draw his hand away. “Don’t worry about it. But, hey, now it’s my turn to ask an awkwardquestion.”
There was a hint of amusement in her eyes. “Is that how this works—one awkward question excusesanother?”