"I think we're very late for lunch." She gave him a forceful tug, and he followed her into the dining room. Ana and Santos were seated side by side and Maggie and Rafael sat down opposite them. One of Refugio's helpers brought Rafael a roast beef sandwich and a beer, but she didn't ask for anything more.
"Aren't you going to ask me for an opinion on Rafael?" Santos asked her.
"I thought our father was making the decision."
"Yes, but I have an opinion too." He took another bite of his sandwich. The meat was sliced so thin pieces kept sliding out, and he pushed them back between the thick slices of bread. "For today I have one; tomorrow I might have another."
"Tell me what you think tomorrow, then," Maggie asked.
"You two really look alike," Ana mused thoughtfully. "Don't they, Rafael?"
Rafael set his sandwich on his plate and wiped his mouth on his napkin before replying. "Maggie is much prettier."
"Yes, she is, but the family resemblance is strong. Anyone could see you're Miguel's children. I'd like to photograph you together. I plan to work as a photographer when I retire from modeling and am always looking for an appealing subject. I have to go into Zaragoza this afternoon, so we can do it later. Do you want to come along, Magdalena?"
"Go," Rafael encouraged. "You need a dress and shoes for flamenco."
Maggie had pretty dance clothes at home, but it would be nice to have something new she could boast came from Spain. "Do you know a place that sells those?"
Ana had finished her bowl of soup and set the spoon carefully on her plate. "I know where to buy anything even remotely related to fashion."
Santos leaned close to kiss Ana. "We're going to look through Augustin's journals, probably from opposite ends of the house, so shop as long as you like."
When they were finished eating, Maggie went upstairs to get her purse and joined Ana and the men out front. The model drove a light blue Porsche that looked brand new. "What a beautiful car."
"Thank you. It was a gift."
Santos looked up at the cloudless sky, so clearly the expensive sports car wasn't from him. Maggie wondered if it could have been from their father and if Miguel was equally generous with all his girlfriends. The possibility brought an ache suspiciously close to jealousy, which she'd never admit to Rafael.
Rafael walked her to the passenger side of the car and bent down to whisper, "Do you need money?"
"No, thank you, I'm fine."
"Never make a woman ask for money," Santos scolded. "Do it like this." He pulled a couple of large bills from a money clip and slipped them into Ana's hand as he kissed her.
"I thought you just left money on the dresser," Rafael shot back at him.
Maggie leaped in front of Rafael as Santos came around the front of the Porsche in two long, angry strides. Rafael picked her up and set her out of his way. "Your sister's afraid I'll hurt you, because she knows you can't hurt me."
"Stop it!" Maggie shouted with the same authoritative tone she'd used to break up fights in the corridors of Catalina Foothills high. "You two have no better manners than the bulls you torture. Give us the video camera, and we'll take it to Miguel right now. I'm not staying here to watch you scuffle in the dirt, and if that insults you both, I'm glad."
Rafael raised his hands and moved back while Santos curled his hands into fists and glared at him. "I'll take you home. You don't have to ride with him," her brother promised through clenched teeth.
Fox came around the side of the house, took one look at the men's hostile stances and hurried to join them. "If there's going to be a fight, my money's on the Gypsy."
"Wise choice," Rafael answered.
Ana punched Santos in the stomach. "If I'd known you and Rafael were going to fight over Magdalena, I wouldn't have come. It's a good thing I didn't bother to unpack." She started toward the house, her fair curls flying behind her.
Santos didn't glance her way. "I mean it, Magdalena. You're coming with me."
"No, she isn't," Rafael answered.
"I don't want to ride with either of you. I'd ask Ana for a ride home, but I can't leave you two here alone. This is like the story of the man trying to cross a river with a fox, a chicken and a sack of grain."