Read Online Nacho Figueras Presents by Jessica Whitman - Free Book Online Page B

apartment above the Del Campo barn. She had never seen it anything less than immaculate.
    “My place is not always that messy,” she said defensively. “I mean, maybe I’m not compulsive like you but—”
    He raised an eyebrow and smirked. “It’s always that messy, querida . You live like a teenager.”
    “I’m busy,” she protested.
    “You are,” he conceded, “but you’re also lazy.” He took a mixing bowl down from the shelf. “At least when it comes to housekeeping. And believe me, that is fine. I know you have better things to do with your time. However, if I’m going to make you breakfast, I need a clean work space. Now, where can I find a whisk?”
    “But you didn’t have to clean my bathroom,” she grumbled.
    He gave her the eye. “Oh yes. I did.”
    He marched over to her and kissed her firmly on the mouth. “Now. The whisk?”
    She laughed, giving up. “I don’t have a whisk. Use a fork, you clean freak.”
    *  *  *
    They ate outside on her back porch, enjoying the unusually crisp breeze blowing up from the ocean. Enzo watched Antonia as she took a bite of pancake. She closed her eyes and sighed.
    “Oh my God, you weren’t kidding. These are amazing.”
    He laughed. “ Gracias, niña .”
    She took another bite, a look of pure bliss on her face. “Actually, I think this is the first time anyone has ever made me pancakes.”
    He blinked, surprised. “No. Really?”
    “Really.”
    What about your mamá ?”
    She snorted. “Definitely not.” She reached out and touched his hand. “It was worth the wait. Thank you.”
    He smiled at her and raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “ De nada ,” he said. He tightened his grip, bringing her hand to his mouth again.
    She met his eyes and laughed, snatching her hand away “Oh no. Don’t you start again. I’m starving. I need to eat!” she protested.
    He laughed, too. “All right. Fair enough. We’ll eat first.”
    He watched her clear her plate, dab daintily at her mouth with a napkin, and then lean back with her cup of coffee in her hands, sighing happily.
    “What day are you leaving for the Hamptons?” she asked him.
    “Next Monday. Same as the Del Campos.”
    “Where are you staying this year?” she asked him.
    “I took a studio in Hampton Bays. Nothing fancy, but it’s close to the beach and not far from the farm if the traffic isn’t bad. What about you? Did you rent that little cottage on Shelter Island again?”
    She frowned. “No,” she said. “I called too late. Someone had already taken it.”
    “So what are you going to do?”
    Her face flushed as she shifted and looked away from him. “Actually, Alejandro offered to let me stay on the yacht. They’re bringing it up to get a little work done, but the family will be staying at the main house in Southampton, so he thought I might as well take it.”
    Enzo felt his smile twist bitterly. “Ah, the good ship Pilar , eh? How luxurious.”
    She looked at him. “Don’t,” she said. “Don’t make it like that.”
    “What?” he said, shrugging. “I’m sure all the best farriers stay on yachts, no?”
    Her eyes glittered. “A day ago you would have laughed and told me to enjoy it. Nothing has changed.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “Nothing?”
    She sighed, exasperated. “Okay, some things have changed—but whether I’m staying on the Del Campo yacht or not shouldn’t matter.”
    He frowned and took a sip of his coffee, avoiding her eyes.
    She touched his hand. “Listen. I have an idea. I have to go to New York City first. My mom has a show at a gallery in the East Village. Why don’t you come with me?” She smiled at him. “We could make it a long weekend.”
    He considered this. It had been a long time since he’d been to the city. The last time he had stayed had been years ago, at the Del Campos’ expense, when they had asked him to go up and attend a seminar on some new breeding techniques for the ponies. They had booked him at the St. Regis