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“I bet you wouldn’t have been so sour on the surprise if we’d known to invite Verónica Bosch-Vallverdú to the party,” Danilo added with wiggling brows.

Charlotte’s eyes widened. She couldn’t believe how easily he’d just thrown that out there. How accepting they were.

Would her mother have been like that? Charlotte’s chest ached. She’d never get the chance to find out.

“Okay, enough teasing,” Paz said as she picked up her co ee cup. “What are the plans for today? I was thinking Charlotte would like to see the Christmas markets. There’s that nice one right across the Cathedral. And maybe a little stroll along La Rambla after lunch.”

“What do you think, Charlotte?” Danilo asked. “And don’t look at either of these bullies,” he joked. “I know you just sat through a long flight. Do you feel like doing the tourist tour of Barcelona, or would you rather hang around here and

relax? I’ll give you some intel. Those cousins of hers,” she pointed at Alex, “are party animals. They’ll keep you up all night.”

“Oh, Papi. Come on. We’re in our forties and fifties now,”

Alex protested. “None of us has that kind of stamina anymore.”

Heat flushed Charlotte’s face at the thought of Alex’s stamina. She hoped her parents thought it was from the fireplace to her right. “I’d love to see the city,” Charlotte blurted.

Paz slapped her knees before she stood. “No time like the present.”

CHAPTER 37

DANILO HADN’T BEEN EXAGGERATING about Alex and her cousins.

They’d started the evening at Casa Milà, another one of the Gaudí architectural masterpieces. The enormous building looked like it had been carved out of solid white stone by Jurassic-sized ants. Multiple twisting spires grew out of the top like soft-serve ice cream.

The structure would have been impressive enough on its own, but as soon as the sun set, a live chorus sang ancient Christmas music while a colorful light show was projected on the spires and curved walls. Despite the increasing chill in the air, Charlotte watched in rapt attention.

When it was over, the whole group, Alex’s parents, three cousins, two spouses, and a handful of kids took cable cars across the water to a restaurant atop what Charlotte initially thought was a water tower. Perched above the ocean, Charlotte ate ten courses of the fanciest food she’d ever seen.

Hours later, after the longest dinner known to man, Charlotte was ready to head back to Casa Leon and sleep. To her surprise, Danilo and Paz took the kids and said their good nights.

Instead of home, they went first to a bar on the beach.

After dancing for so long Charlotte lost the feeling in her feet, they wound down to a modern cabaret that had a speak-easy vibe.

“I haven’t danced like that in years,” Lidia said as she rubbed her trouser-covered calves. She was the first to dive into the red velvet booth curved into a half-moon shape along the wall and near an empty stage.

Martica and her husband slid in next to her. “Don’t your elephants on Amboseli like to dance?”

“Oh, all the time,” Lidia agreed, “but they have four left feet.”

“I like to see that Kenya has done nothing to help that dad humor you’ve always been so proud of,” Vera said as she followed her husband into the booth. An acquired Australian accent joined her milder Spanish one. “That’s why you’re fifty and still single.”

“I’m single because I’ve got too many things to do to be tied down by a man. Plus, who needs chest hair and raised toilet seats,” Lidia countered. “Leave me to my wildlife.”

Martica laughed. “La Alejandra doesn’t have that problem, does she?” When she turned to Alex and Charlotte, who were the last two in the booth, her red hair bounced around her shoulders. “A twenty-year old hottie like this—”

“Don’t talk about Charlotte like she’s not here, Martica. I know you’re jealous that I don’t have old balls to contend with,” she looked at Martica’s husband and tapped his hand,

“no o ense, tio.”

“Vale, tia. The old boys aren’t where they used to be,” he admitted with a tip of his head, earning a hearty laugh from

the others.

“That’s what I want for Christmas,” Lidia decided as she reached for the jug of sangria that had been brought to their table and filled her glass. “A young lover with tight ba—”

“If anyone mentions testicles one more time I’m going home!” Vera, her severe blonde bob unmoving, shouted in Spanish, earning strange looks from the other patrons waiting for the show to start. “I don’t get nights away from my kids very often, and if I can’t get a break from gross-out humor I might as well get some sleep.”