New Beginnings Read Online Free PDF

expected him to be promoted, but what could be better than that? Of course, only a year ago he’d been promoted to detective, which had been exciting enough. “Is it larger than a bread box?”
    He chuckled. “It’s not that kind of surprise.”
    “Okay, Mr. Police Detective. What have you got up your sleeve this time?”
    He’d been even more worried about her surgery than she had. Ever since, he seemed to be walking around with a grin on his face, his footsteps as light as those of a ballroom dancer.
    “I’ve been talking with Margo Battles.”
    Elena’s forehead puckered. The name sounded familiar but she couldn’t quite place—
    “Margo at Worldwide Travels in downtown Deerford.”
    Why would he be talking to a travel agent?
    Her heart lunged in her chest. Her face flamed at the same time shivers skittered down her spine. Her mouth opened but she couldn’t get out a single sound.
    His grin broadened and his dark eyes shone with excitement. He held out what appeared to be two airline tickets.
    “Where…?” Breathless, she stammered. “Where are we going?”
    “To Málaga, Spain, querida. We’ll be there in time for the flamenco competition.”
    Elena screamed. She tossed aside the velvet cape and threw herself at Cesar, landing in his lap. They were going on her dream trip to the Andalusia region of Spain, her ancestral home.
    “Easy, love.” He laughed while he held her tight. “Don’t hurt yourself. I don’t want to have to take you back to the hospital.”
    “But how did you…? Can we afford…? You already bought the tickets?” Her heart thundered so loudly, she was sure the neighbors would call to complain about the racket.
    “I bought the tickets, and Margo has made all the hotel reservations for us and arranged for us to attend some of the competitions.”
    Recently returned home from school, Izzy came running into the room. “Buela, are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?”
    “Oh, sweetie, no. Tito is taking me on a wonderful trip, that’s all.”
    “Can I go too?” she asked.
    “Not this time, little one,” Cesar said. “It’s a special trip for me and your grandmother.”
    The child’s smooth forehead puckered. “Where are you going?”
    Elena tugged Izzy up beside her. “We’re going to fly all the way across the ocean to Spain.”
    “I’d like to fly,” Izzy persisted.
    “I know, honey. You’ll get to fly sometime when you get older,” Elena assured her. She glanced at Cesar. There would be new clothes to buy. A new suitcase. Surely there’d be plenty of time for all the necessary preparations. “When do we leave?”
    “On the twenty-sixth.”
    “The twenty-sixth?” she gasped. “Of this month?”
    He looked very proud of himself. “I didn’t think you’d want to leave on Christmas Day. So we have to fly out the day after Christmas if we’re going to be there for the beginning of the flamenco competition.”
    Stunned, her mouth wide open, she pushed herself back to the recliner and collapsed. How in the world could she possibly be ready for a trip of that magnitude the day after Christmas?
    Rafael strolled into the kitchen. “What’s up?”
    “Tito and Buela are going on a trip.” Izzy produced a pouty lower lip.
    “Yeah? Where are you going?” Rafael got a gallon of milk out of the refrigerator.
    “Your father is taking me to Spain. To see flamenco dancers.”
    “You’re going to have a dance lesson too,” Cesar promised.
    “Hey, that’s great, Dad.” Rafael poured himself a glass of milk and put the rest of the gallon back in the refrigerator. “You’ll have a great time.”
    “You don’t seem very excited,” Elena said.
    He cocked a brow. “I’m not going, am I?”
    “Not this time, Son,” Cesar said.
    Shrugging, Rafael strolled out of the kitchen.
    Elena snorted. “Well, I’m excited. I can hardly wait to get on that plane.” Even if it did mean the Christmas holiday would be abbreviated and extra frantic.
    Eleven days after