.

and she relished the lack of distractions to get caught up on nonpriority tasks.

      But on Tuesday afternoon Amalia got a call at work from Rafael Sandoval.

      Without any greeting, he spoke in clipped words. “You have to fly with me starting in the morning. We leave at dawn. Pack light, and for heaven’s sake bring sensible clothes.”

      “What are you talking about?” Amalia squeaked.

      “The bet, what else? The festival ended at noon today. Vicente and I are almost equal in points. The rest will be decided on the long jump.”

      “I’m not going. You have your teammate,” she protested.

      “It’s you or Teresa, and she’s made it clear she won’t step foot inside the basket again. I’m not forfeiting this bet because of some collusion between you and Vicente. You’re the other candidate Vicente allowed me, so I say you will come. Be here no later than five-thirty. Your bag goes with the chase team and you come with me.”

      “No!” Amalia exclaimed.

      “I’m in no mood to argue. Be there!” He hung up before she could respond.

      She quickly called her boss’s cell phone. He answered on the second ring.

      “Amalia, is there an emergency? Have Benito handle anything that comes up.”

      “Rafael Sandoval just called and said I have to go with him for the next stage because Teresa won’t. I can’t go, Stefano. I have Jose to think about and work to do here and—” She hated to harp on her fear of heights, because that would make her seem foolish. But it was real.

      Stefano laughed. “Hot damn, I may win after all. Either you go or he has no assistant in the basket. Automatic forfeiture. Man, I can’t wait to have him give me that check at the BBA.”

      “Find someone else to pair him up with.”

      “Hey, I did. Teresa Valesquez. If she can’t stay the course he’s out of luck. He had two choices, and I only got one. He can’t complain.”

      “Just so you know, I’m not going.”

      “If you say no, so be it. It’s good news for me.” He rang off, leaving Amalia feeling odd. He didn’t care how he won, as long as he did. It seemed unfair that if Teresa refused to go, Rafael would have to forfeit the race—and the money for a charity of her choice.

      Amalia felt restless all evening. Even Jose picked up on her fidgeting and challenged her to a video game. She agreed, mostly to take her mind off Rafael’s reaction tomorrow when she didn’t show up in time for the liftoff. He’d be mad. She shivered. Furious, more like it. Still, what could he do to her? She didn’t work for him. If her boss hadn’t suggested the insane idea, Rafael Sandoval would probably not even know her name or be able to recognize her on the street.

      It wasn’t her fault. She had never agreed to the stupid plan her boss had devised. Rafael couldn’t expect a stranger to drop everything just to accompany him. She had her own responsibilities.

      Still, it was hard to fall asleep. Finally dropping off, she felt she slept for ten minutes before there was a banging on the front door to the flat.

      She sprang out of bed and raced down the hall, almost colliding with her brother when he came from his room, both scrambling to don robes.

      “Is it a fire?” he asked, following her to the door.

      “I don’t know. Maybe a neighbor needs help.”

      Throwing open the door, Amalia stared in astonishment at Rafael Sandoval. He appeared to loom over her, dressed in the black-and-red jumpsuit, his hair tousled and his eyes flashing.

      “You’re not dressed and, I expect, not packed. The shuttle buses stopped running now that the festival is over. I came to get you.”

      Jose greeted Rafael as if his awakening them in the middle of the night was a normal occurrence.

      “I told you I’m not going,” Amalia reiterated stubbornly.

      “Going where?” her brother asked.

      “Ballooning—on the long jump,” Rafael said. “And yes you are. I’m not losing this race on a technicality. Get your stuff.”

      “Wow, how cool. You get to go with Rafe in the hot air balloon?” Jose said, turning a beaming face to Amalia. “You’re so lucky.”

      “I’m. Not. Going,” she repeated slowly. Were they both deaf?

      “Amalia, you have to. What a great chance this is. Tell me all about it when you get back. How many people get this chance? You have to go.” Jose was clearly excited. Why couldn’t he be the one to go, instead of her? Perhaps she could suggest that to her boss?

      “Yes she does have to go. If you convince her, I’ll give you a ride when we get back,” Rafael said, checking his watch. “You have ten minutes before we leave. Unless you want to travel the next few days in your pajamas, you’d better get going.”

      Amalia studied his implacable expression for ten seconds, then turned and walked back to her room. She was not going! Slamming the door behind her, she switched on her light and sat hard on the edge of her bed. If her boss and Rafael Sandoval thought she could be ordered about to fit into their feud, they were wrong.

      “I can’t leave Jose,” she yelled.

      She could hear the two of them talking in the living room. Didn’t her brother think it totally crazy that a man would show up in the middle of the night to abduct his sister? She looked at her clock. It was almost five. Rafael had better get to the launch site or he’d miss takeoff himself.

      She crossed her arms over her chest. Dare she go back to bed with him still in the flat? Not that she could sleep. Her blood pounded. Her heart raced. For one insane moment she actually considered going off for a week with Rafael Sandoval. Ha. It was likely, if she didn’t die of fright on ascension, she’d deck him the first chance she got. She was amazed Teresa had lasted all four days without injuring him!

      Jose knocked on her door. “I brought you one of my duffel bags and a backpack,” he said. “And I can manage myself while you’re gone. I’m almost eighteen. Besides, Rafe said he’d have his housekeeper come to cook my meals. How cool is that!”

      “I can cook your meals,” she said, annoyed Rafael seemed to think he could get everyone to jump to his commands by a snap of his fingers.

      The door banged open and Rafael stood in the opening, seeming to fill the space. Jose stood beside him. Both looked at Amalia.

      “I’m serious. If you don’t come willingly, I’ll bring you however I can. You will be on that balloon for the next seven days,” Rafael said levelly.

      She glared at him. “I’m afraid of heights.”

      “Oh, yeah, I forgot about that,” Jose said.

      “So sit in the bottom of the basket and keep your eyes shut. You now have five minutes left until we leave.”

      CHAPTER THREE

      AMALIA fumed as she sat in the passenger seat of the sports car. Rafael ignored her as he quickly sped through the almost empty streets. She wasn’t at all happy—with either Rafael or Jose. Why did men band together whenever it suited them? She’d expected better of her brother.

      “There will be coffee and food at the launch site. I don’t want to stop before that,” he said at one point.

      She ignored him. Hunger was the least of her worries. The closer they drew to the field, the more anxious she became. He could not be seriously planning on her joining him.

      Of course he was. She wouldn’t be in the car if he weren’t.

      “What happened to your girlfriend?” she asked, surreptitiously wiping her palms against her pants. Her fear