Latitude Zero Read Online Free

remember things.”
    “Oh. Right.” Of course. Perfect to talk to. Because I interviewed people on TV.
    Juan Carlos looked around, even though the only person within possible earshot was one of those EcuaBar volunteers, the redhead girl I’d seen earlier, walking with her basket across the road from us. She stared from afar like a starstruck fan.
    “Can we meet somewhere? And talk?” Juan Carlos asked in a low voice.
    I shrugged, as if meeting him was no big deal. “Sure. I’m around this week. I guess we could meet up somewhere?”
    “Actually, for me it would be better today. This afternoon. Right after the race. Okay?” There was an urgency in his voice that I’d never heard before.
    “This—this afternoon?”
    “The team flies to Bogotá on Friday for the tri-country Pan-American Cycling Tour,” he explained, talking quickly. “We will be three weeks in South America. We will not return to Boston until August.”
    “Can you meet sometime before Friday?”
    “I can’t. I will be busy with trip preparations and meetings.”
    “Sure. Okay. This afternoon.” I massaged one elbow, pinching my skin. Was I betraying Jake by making a plan to talk to Juan Carlos?
    “Do you have your phone with you?” Juan Carlos demanded.
    “Um. Sure.” I got my smart phone out of the saddle pouch strapped beneath my seat. As soon as I turned on the phone it began to vibrate. I saw Jake on the caller ID. I sucked in my breath and hit END before pulling up my contacts list and handing the phone to Juan Carlos.
    “Call me at two,” he said. “We can meet and talk right after the awards ceremony.” He typed on the touchscreen. “I cannot believe my luck, to find you like this today.” He looked up. “Do you have a laptop with you?”
    “A laptop? Why would I have a laptop here?”
    “For work.”
    “Oh, right.” I was “working.” For
KidVision
. “Yeah, I can probably find one.”
    “Perfect,” he said, and returned to his touchscreen typing.
    My heart galloped. Juan Carlos had said he was “happy” to find me. He wanted to talk as soon as possible. And I had hung up on my boyfriend, who was probably looking for me in the crowd right now. I was planning a crazy scheme. Where was I going to come up with a laptop computer, and why did he need one? Would I even be done with my ride by two? I’d be a sweaty mess. I’d have to make it look like I’d been interviewing riders all day for
KidVision
. I’d also have to find a way to separate myself from Jake long enough to talk to Juan Carlos. At least I had thirty miles to come up with a plan.
    Juan Carlos handed back my phone. Our fingers brushed. An electric tingle ran through me. The phone still felt warm from his hand. I slid it into the back pocket of my cycling jersey. I swear I could feel the phone burning through fabric, warming my skin.
    “I have to run,” said Juan Carlos. “You will call? Please? It is very important.”
    “Yes. I will call. Definitely. At two.” My phone buzzed again. I ignored it.
    Suddenly Juan Carlos reached up toward his neck and unhooked his necklace in one swift movement. “Will you do me one more favor?” He gestured for me to hold out my hand. I did, and he poured the thick chain into it, slowly, like water. The crucifix, about three inches tall, felt heavy in my palm. “Can you take care of this for me? While I am on the ride?”
    I stared at the gold cross, at the small figure of Jesus. It was a fairly simple cross, with bands of filigree running across all the ends. “You always wear this,” I protested, handing it back.
    “Not today. It is better that I do not.”
    “Oh. Is there some regulation about what kind of jewelry you can race in?”
    “Something like that. I can explain you later. Here. Let me to help you.” He plucked the necklace from my hand, his fingers stroking my skin and sending a spark through my whole body. “Turn, please?” He put the chain around my neck, lifted my braid in the back, and