A Night to remember : Book 2

Chapter 16

****Kira****

3 years later....

"I feel better, so much better. Thank you doc for taking all the ouches away..."

I lay half of the morning lounging on the couch listening to the soft voice of my baby girl and out of tune voice of Christie singing the theme song to her favorite cartoon: Doc Mcstuffin.

I've had a long gruesome night volunteering at the children's hospital which began almost 2 years ago. It's been 3 whole years of the girls and I living like bachelorettes.

Softly I feel little fingers caress my cheek.

"Mommy!" she whispers near my nose . Her fragrant breath of fruitloops passes it and instantly I am having a craving for that sugary cereal.

"Hmmm," I answer.

"Mommy! Get up its time to go to see the Pandas," she shook me.

Slowly I open my eyes and peered into identical familiar gray eyes round with innocence and alert with joy because of a promised trip to the zoo. I watch her lovingly explain what's today for the 5th time.

"Maximiliana baby can mommy sleep just one more hour?" I beg her.

She gives me this mousy smile and shakes her head.

"Why mi vida?" I watch her impatiently sway back and forth.

"Because we want to go to the zoo and you are all out of milk and I think Percy ate Oscar," My eyes bulge open at the smooth baritone Spanish accented voice of my co-worker Antonio looking at me and holding Christie's Persian Cat Percy up as he licks his sopping wet whiskers then paws and meows.

With a groan, I look over to the now empty fish bowl and shook my head.

There went Miliana's 3rd gold fish.

I watched as she reached up and grabbed Percy out of his hands and ran with him out of the living room.

Then my gaze settled on dark brown eyes that looked at me with a somewhat shy smile.

He slowly edges close to the couch and sits down beside me as I sit up. We stare at each other for a while. Internally, I exhale at my luck. For the past 2 years I've met some interesting people. I haven't dated anyone per say or been romantically involved. but for some reason I have a platonic friendship with him that he tries so hard to get more out of it. but I shoot him down gently all the time.

But stubbornly he won't take no for an answer.

Who is he? You ask.

Antonio Escobar...

A very gorgeous and very single good looking Cuban hottie that will twirl any girls toes...

Unfortunately, for me I have kept him at arm's length. Despite Christie's persistence that I give him a chance, I simply can't move on from Max. I simply can't. Yes. I should move on, I know because of the email. But... There is this feeling in the pit of my stomach that keeps me from making that move.

Don't get me wrong, though he is very attractive, he has been an awesome friend and I've made it clear that I have no intentions of leading him on.

But in his mind that's not an issue. He reaches over and sweeps my hair behind my ear. I swallow hard because the gesture like always leads to the attempt to start something which gets me nervous.

I quickly bat away his finger playfully as he chuckles, then I stand to get some distance.

He slowly stands and reaches softly for my fingers to stop me.