A Kachina Dance Read Online Free PDF Page A

sit?”
    “Outside.”
    “ Hun h ?   It’s so hot out.  Don’t you like the AC?”
    “OK , inside , but let’s sit over there in the corner.”
    “OK, you want to get the drinks?”
    “No.” He moves to the table on the far side of the room and sits facing the wall .
    I look at him for a secon d then go and pour two drinks. The manager makes some small talk about enjoying our stay . I move to the table quickly , sit, and see Jay ’s troubled face .
    “Jay, wh at’s the matter? You don’t seem like yourself.”
    “I feel uncomfortable. I don’t come to hotel s or motels with p r etty women like you especially o n this side of town. I don’t belong here.” He takes a swallow of his drink and begins tapping his leg up and down in a nervous movement .
    I look at him with my mouth open. “Whoa, is this…are you telling me that this is an ethnic thing?”
    He hunches his shoulders and leans forward and talks even softer than usual. “What I’m sayin ’ is I only stayed in motels 3 or 4 times in my life and they were very rough places. Nothin ’ nice like this. I see the looks you’re gettin ’ from guys . Even the m anager keeps coming on to you. You ’ r e beautiful and here you…”
    “Wait, you neve r said I was beautiful before. You just said a moment ago I was pretty.”
    “Aw, that’s because I felt awkward. From the first day I saw you on my tour I thoug ht you were beautiful and so dar n intelligent. I told you I’m not good with words , it takes me time to say what I want.”
    “Do you pick up a lot of women on your tours?”
    “No,” he says emphatically, “you happen to be the only one . I usually stick to my own kind, it’s safer. Eastern er s are generally too aggressive, too impatient and rude for me .”
    “Why did you ask me out?”
    “Well, truthfully, at first I thought you were annoying, asking so many questions. I tho ught you just wanted attention. But it didn’ t take long to realize you knew more than me . Some of your ques tions made me stop and think.” He laughs and takes a drink. “ Kate , I don’t go out much anymore. After the d ivorce I kinda ’ kept to myself. Friends would try to fix me up but it never worked out. I never expected any of this to happen. By the end of that first night at the diner , y ou were all I could think about . Now you’re all I’v e been lovin ’ since. ”
    I reach for his hand. “It’s been an extraordinary week and you are an exceptional man . Have you ever taken a look at yourself in a mirror?   You’re quite a handsome guy . I see a lot of women giving you ‘the look’ too, you know. You are so buff in your jeans and tees strutting around so cool. And with that coy smile you look so sexy .
    He shakes his h ead and gives me one o f his li ttle smile s , “Come on, sexy , cool, handsome…what was the other…oh, buff, you’ve got to be joking.  If women are looking at me the y’re wondering what the hell you’re doing with me .”
    “ Stop right there, mister. ” Now I’m annoyed. “ I’ve dated a good deal but never found anyone I cared enough about to continue a rela tionship. Many of the guys I’ve met we re artists or work in the museum field, too. To be honest, many of them went out with me just to see if I could further their career s since I have c onnections working at A MA. Whatever the reason, I found their egos unquenchable . You are so different. You have a softness that extends from your eyes, to your voice, to your hands. You speak from your heart. It’s a rare quality, Jay.”
    He shrugs hi s shoulders. “It’s easy to be with you.”
    I squeeze his hand. “ It’s easy to love you. Don’t be uncomfortable, yo u belong here just as much as I do .”
    He looks down at the two empty glasses. “Hmm, I guess you want me to get us more drinks.” He gives his half smile and winks for the first time . He goes to refill our glasses and I grin.
    ***
    Now San ta Fe is a lively city with gaily