another. He returned the sheets to the file and closed it. It was better not to love anyone than to wreak havoc in their life with loving promises that couldn't be kept.
Maybe Ana had been the perfect woman for him. He'd never trusted her past the dimensions of a bed, and now that his father was dead, whatever intrigues she'd continued with him were over. She would have other men, though, and he didn't care enough to fight for her. He sat alone with his thoughts and his aching leg, and wondered what he'd forgotten to plan for the funeral.
The twins lured Fox into their room. "Mother's agreed to let us stay for two nights, but after the funeral, we might not be able to come back until we're eighteen."
He sprawled across the bed. "Why would you want to come back? There's a fine beach, but Carmen won't miss you or any of us. Neither will Cirilda. Why would you miss them?"
Connie sat down cross-legged on the rug. "We'd miss you, Fox. Won't you miss us?"
He looked up at the ceiling fixture, a misshapen blown-glass bubble in blues and greens that resembled a stranded jellyfish. The one in his room was a yellow sun. He liked his better. "I might, but I'll go back to school soon and won't come back. There's nothing for me here."
Perry sat beside him on the bed. "We could meet you here."
He laughed. "What about your modeling career? Won't you be too busy flying around the world to remember me?"
Perry smiled knowingly and reached for his hand. "Give us something to remember."
Fox sat up. "Call me in five years." He left the room before they could stop him, but he had to put his hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter until he was safely inside his own room. There were boys at school who would brag about having twins until their hair turned gray, but Perry and Connie were just little girls, and he wasn't interested.
Perry leaned against their door. "I thought it was worth a try."
Connie rose and went into the bathroom. "It wasn't. Did you really expect him to rip off his clothes and ask who wanted to be first?"
"No, I already knew it would be me."
Connie splashed her face with cold water to hide her tears. "You can have him."
"I intend to." She stretched out on the bed where Fox had been lying and felt his heat. "He's always liked me better anyway."
Connie bit her lip and for the first time in her life, wished she'd been born an only child.
Chapter Eighteen
Tuesday morning, a telephone call from Santos again woke Maggie. She'd left her cell phone on the nightstand and grabbed it before the musical ring could jar Rafael awake. "How are you? Do you need another ride to the hospital?" she whispered.
"No, my leg's a lot better. I called to let you know you need to leave for the ranch right away. I'm taking Cirilda and Grandmother to the Tibur Hotel in Zaragoza. It's close to the Basilica. The twins will be with their mother. Fox and I will meet you at the ranch."
"Are you able to drive?"
"Yes, and Cirilda can take a turn if I need a break. I'm serious, Magdalena, go now; the traffic is already heavy on the freeway."
"Thank you, we will."
Rafael hugged his pillow. "What is it we're doing now?"
He looked resigned to doing whatever she asked, which was so endearing she leaned over to kiss him before she explained. "You convinced me I need something new to wear before we go to the ranch. I found a nice boutique near the beach house, but that's too far to go just to shop."
"It's not far at all."
Forty-five minutes later, Maggie was in the boutique's dressing room, trying on a long-sleeved black dress. The manufacturer claimed the faux-wrap garment's poly-spandex wouldn't wrinkle. She thought the classic style was appropriate and stepped out of the mirrored room to show Rafael.
"I think this will do," she said as she turned for him.
He nodded. "It's rather severe, but it looks good on you."
"Anything would look good on you," the clerk exclaimed. "You have a beautiful figure."
"Thank you."
"Change your clothes," Rafael suggested. "I'll get the dress."
"Let's not go over that again," she begged wearily. "Please, don't let him pay."
The clerk laughed. "Whenever a man is in a generous mood, you should simply say, 'Thank you.'"
"That's undoubtedly sound advice for others, but not for me."