Ashley imagined Sebastian saying that with a dismissive wave of his hand. But she wondered if Sebastian didn’t choose the arts because he had to be sensible. He would have known it would have been a financial strain for the family and he acted disinterested to protect his mother’s feelings.
“Well, if there’s one thing I’ve noticed about Sebastian,” Ashley said brightly, “he can do anything he puts his mind to. If he had wanted to be an artist, he would have been.”
“And what is it that you do, Ashley?” Sebastian’s mother asked. “You’re twenty-three? I’m sure you have found your passion by now.”
Ashley knew it was another attempt to learn about her past. She wasn’t willing to share, and not just because of Sebastian’s request. It was unlikely that she would meet Patricia Esteban Cruz again, but she didn’t want to be judged by her parentage.
“I’m still trying to figure that out,” Ashley carefully replied. “What did you want to be when you were twenty-three?”
“Home.” Patricia had a faraway look in her eyes. “I wanted to be home, safe and sound with my babies while my husband was happily painting pictures of sunsets and nighthawks.”
Nighthawks? Ashley frowned. Those birds were indigenous to the keys. She hadn’t realized they were up here on the mainland.
Ashley turned sharply when she heard the piercing squeal of a child’s laughter. She saw Sebastian, sexy and casual in a T-shirt and jeans, at the edge of the beach. The water lapped at his bare feet as he held one of his nephews in his strong hands.
“More, Tio Sebastian! More!” the little boy shrieked as Sebastian tossed him high in the air before catching him. One of his nieces clung to Sebastian’s legs with her thumb firmly planted in her mouth. Ashley noticed the toddler had attached herself to her tio Sebastian the moment they had arrived.
“Ah, my grandchildren are precious to me, but they wear me out,” Patricia confessed as she watched the trio on the beach. “Sebastian is so patient with them. Gives each of his nieces and nephews extra attention. If only he was so patient with his sisters.”
“He’s very good with children.” She remembered how gentle he had been with Clea’s granddaughters on Inez Key. Ashley had been concerned Sebastian would be like most of her paying guests who didn’t want to hear or see children on the island. She recalled how he had found them playing on the beach one day and when he had approached them, Ashley’s first thought had been to protect them. Ashley thought the girls would have been scared or intimidated by Sebastian. But he had surprised her when he had crouched down in front of the curious children and got down to their level.
A smile tugged on Ashley’s mouth as she remembered that hot and humid morning. The scene had been so incongruous with Sebastian’s dark head next to Lizet and Matil, who wore silly hats to protect them from the sun. He had given the girls his full attention, speaking in a low voice as he praised their efforts in building a sand castle.
The children immediately adored him, with Lizet shyly offering her battered pink bucket while Matil danced excitedly around them. Ashley had quietly watched as Sebastian had played with the children. She had been amazed by the gentleness and patience he had displayed.
“He would make a good father,” Patricia declared.
Ashley wanted to reject that idea. Sebastian was a playboy. A good father would be sweet and tender. A family man. He wouldn’t be someone like her father who would destroy a family in his pursuit to have sex with many women.
But Sebastian wasn’t like Donald Jones, Ashley realized with a start. Sebastian cared about his family. Family was his haven, not his burden. He honored his commitments and was willing to put his family’s needs before his. And he would protect his loved ones instead of overpowering them.
Ashley knew she would be included if she was carrying his baby. She closed her eyes and imagined Sebastian holding her close as his fingers splayed against her swollen stomach. His touch would be gentle and possessive. He would not allow anything to happen to them as a family. As a couple.
“Do you think differently?” Patricia asked, jarring Ashley from her musings. “Do you think Sebastian would make a bad father?”