Ignite On Contact (Brotherhood by Fire #2) -Jaci Burton Page 0,64
if you were rich?” Rafe asked. “Where would you live?”
She frowned. “What?”
“Just pretend you’re suddenly rich. What would you do?”
“Oh. I don’t know. I’ve never even thought about it.”
Rafe took a sip of his wine, his long fingers seemingly incongruous with the delicate stem of the wineglass. “Come on, Carmen. You’ve never played the ‘what if?’ game?”
“Never. I tend to keep my feet firmly on the ground. Don’t you?”
He shook his head. “Nah. When my brothers and I were homeless, we’d all play the ‘Someday, when we’re rich’ game. We’d tell each other what our dreams were when rich parents adopted us, or when we’d come into some spare money to buy a lottery scratcher that would net us a million bucks.”
“I see. And what were your dreams?”
“When I was a kid? That I’d buy a boat and my brothers and I would sail to South America. We’d fish, and then when we got to the end of South America, I’d buy us a mansion and we’d live there forever.”
She nodded and took a swallow of her wine. “Big dream. Nice one, too.”
“I thought so. What’s yours?”
“I told you I never—”
“So think of one. Right now. If you found yourself suddenly wealthy, what would you do?”
She tried never to think beyond her means. That only set her up for disappointment, wanting things she couldn’t have. But it was just a game, and a game couldn’t hurt her.
“I’d set my grandfather up so he could be comfortable for the rest of his life. A new house, completely ADA compliant so he wouldn’t have to worry about things he couldn’t reach, or the potential for falling. He’d have twenty-four-hour-a-day assistance. A chef, a housekeeper, a nurse’s aide if he ever needed one.”
She poured more wine into her glass and took another sip.
“But what about for you?” Rafe asked.
“I don’t need anything.”
“Need is irrelevant, Carmen. What would you like to have? What are your dreams?”
She’d never talked to anyone about her dreams. Her totally unattainable, ridiculous dreams.
“Come on,” he said. “This is just for fun. Nothing written down. Just between you and me. I told you mine.”
He had. And it had been a beautiful dream.
Their server came, and they placed their dinner order, plus appetizers.
Carmen took another swallow of wine and stared out at the water.
“Come on,” Rafe said. “Let’s hear it.”
He wasn’t going to let it go, so she took a breath and exhaled.
“I’ve always wanted a big house. A big, bright, brand-spanking-new house. Not a mansion or anything, but something I could call my own. Something I could raise kids in. My forever home. Tod and I lived in an apartment. A crap apartment that was built in the eighties and constantly needed something or other repaired. We were saving money for a house that we never ended up buying. Then we got a divorce. After the divorce I moved in with Grandpa, and as you know, the house needs some work—which you’ve done for me, and I so appreciate it.”
“But your dream is to have a new house.”
She nodded. “Someday. Maybe.”
“It’s an attainable dream, Carmen. Unlike a boat to sail to the tip of South America.”
She laughed. “Hey, it could happen. Never discount your dreams.”
“I would like to have a boat someday. I think I’ve outgrown the South America part.”
“So you’re not planning to run away?”
“No. I’m firmly planted in Ft. Lauderdale. Probably forever.”
Hearing him say that made her stomach dance with butterflies, though she had no idea why. He wasn’t hers, and they weren’t a forever couple, so where he decided to plant his forever flag made no difference to her.
Fortunately, their server brought the appetizers. They shared lobster and crab ceviche that was simply to die for.
“I could eat this over and over again for the main course,” she said, glad that she and Rafe had shared an appetizer. Otherwise, she’d have pigged out on this ceviche.
But when Alejandro brought their dinner, she realized she might still be hungry, especially when her branzino was set in front of her. The smell alone made her stomach growl with hunger. And with the rice and vegetables to accompany it, she knew she’d never be able to finish it.
Rafe had the fish stew, and they ended up sharing their dishes.
The flavors were spectacular. Her branzino was moist and delicious, and Rafe’s fish stew was out of this world.
“I’m going to have to try to make that fish stew,” Carmen said after their server had removed their plates.