“I’m so sorry about that. Rowan has a mind of her own when she’s excited.”
“It’s okay,” Maria said, casting about for something witty to say that might get her an introduction. What had Rowan said? Stacie…that was who she was talking about, something about her mother not being able to come today.
Stacie turned her attention towards Bianca and Maria felt like she could think again.
“Josie asked me to come here and pick up some spices. Here’s the list she made for me,” Stacie said, sounding unsure of what she was actually looking for. She pulled a piece of neatly folded note paper from her back pocket and held it in front of her. Bianca took it and wandered off, muttering to herself as she dug through her supplies. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to jump in front of you.”
Maria jumped, so intent on trying to figure out how to start a natural conversation she wasn’t ready for the other woman to speak first. “No, no. You’re fine. I was just trying to decide on buying this or not.” She held up the deep burgundy dress in front of her.
“It’s tie-dyed.”
“I love tie-dye,” Maria said, hugging the dress to her in mock horror. Who didn’t love tie-dye?
“It’s not my style,” Stacie said, then added almost grudgingly, “The color does look good on you though.”
Maria smoothed the dress against her and swung her hips a bit to see how it flowed. She had to agree, the color did look good against her. She looked up, a pleased smile playing along her lips. How could she not buy it now? Bianca chose that moment to call out to Stacie and she stepped towards the other woman’s voice and into a beam of sunlight, passing close enough to her that Maria could smell the clean scent of the soap she used. Maria gasped. She knew this woman, as surely as she knew herself.
Not my type. Maria argued with herself. Stacie wore practicality and logic on her sleeve like a badge of honor, the exact opposite of what she looked for in a woman. Caught up in her own thoughts, Maria missed the first part of their conversation. Now the words were starting to filter in.
“I am sorry, Senora, but I do not have this for your friend.”
“Is there anywhere else I can find this…?” Stacie looked down at the list, “uh, Hopi tea?”
“It would be difficult here, perhaps if you came back next week,” Bianca suggested.
Maria cleared her throat. “I have some.”
“Usted es una curandera?” Bianca asked, reverting back to Spanish. She sounded surprised.
“Si,” Maria answered, then switched to English. She tapped the paper hanging limply in Stacie’s hand. “I study naturopathic medicine. This is a medicine for the kidneys. Your friend, she is sick?”
Stacie blanched, her eyes darted towards Rowan but the little girl was busy examining some trinkets and not paying attention to the adults. “No. I don’t know. Yes, but not seriously. I thought this was just a tea she prefers.”
Maria could feel fear taking ahold of Stacie, could practically hear the pounding of her heart in the rhythm of her pulse as it jumped along her neck. The woman jumped when she touched her on the arm, intending to reassure and calm her. “I’m sorry. It is probably something minor, I shouldn’t have alarmed you.”
“You didn’t.”
She studied Stacie’s face keenly. Half of a healer’s job was reading their patients, and Stacie was broadcasting a greater amount of distress than she should be over a minor ailment, despite her denial. “This friend, she is special to you?”
“Very. We grew up together.”
“And Rowan? She is your daughter, too?” Maria asked, surprised at her boldness.
“What? No, she’s my goddaughter. Josie is happily married.” Stacie shook her head, her brow wrinkling as she drew down her eyebrows. Inquisitive brown eyes full of questions locked onto hers. “I’m not sure why I’m telling you all this.”
Maria let her hand slip away, reluctant fingertips trailing along the smooth skin until she was forced to drop her arm or make it too obvious how much she was enjoying even that innocent contact.
“Perhaps we will find out together,” she suggested, pausing just long enough for the other woman to think about what she meant, then added, “Since we need to meet again.”
She scribbled her phone number down on the back of the list. “Call me this afternoon. I’ll bring the tea.”
Stacie stared down at the paper for a second, then very carefully folded it into a smaller square before stuffing it into her front pocket, pushing it as deep as it would go. “I will.” She paid Bianca for her purchases and called out to Rowan. “You ready to go home?”
“Can we still get ice cream?” Rowan asked. “I want to get some for Momma.”
“Of course,” Stacie said, then nodded in Maria’s direction. “It’ll take me a couple of hours, but I’ll call you when I get home. Just let me know how much it’ll cost and I’ll pay you.”
“Nothing. I won’t charge her for it.”
“But that’s not right.”
“Actually, it is. But if you insist on paying something, I will accept your company for dinner.”
That stopped Stacie in her tracks. She leveled that measuring gaze on her once again. This time Maria noticed a small mote of gold floating near the iris of her right eye. It distracted her. “Are you asking me out on a date?”
“Will you not call me if I said yes?”
“No.”
“Good,” Maria said. “I suggest you hurry, then. Dinner is as six sharp. I hope you like Mexican?”
Stacie’s eyebrows climbed high on her forehead. Before she could say anything, she was tugged away by a very insistent little girl who had one thing on her mind. “Come on, Stacie. You promised me ice cream.”
Maria tried not to laugh at the much taller woman being dragged out into the world by a child not even half her size. She had seen how Stacie’s eyes
