AllFreeNovel
Share Us
RAFAEL
“Is he alone?” I ask Antonio’s assistant, Cecelia.
She nods.
On the credenza behind her desk, there’s what looks to be a homemade birthday cake with a few missing slices. “You baked him a cake?”
She scoffs. “I put up with him every day. That’s his birthday present. If you want to talk to Antonio, you better do it now. He’s free for about ten minutes. Then he has a meeting with the minister of agriculture.”
The minister of agriculture. That guy has a stick up his ass so big he chokes on it from time to time. He was insulted that Premier was going to use his grapes to bastardize Port—until I reminded him that they were our grapes and we would bastardize whatever we wanted with them. Asshole.
I steal a mint off Cecelia’s desk and knock on Antonio’s door.
“Come in.”
He’s seated at his desk with his jacket off and sleeves rolled up, still looking like he could go a few rounds in the ring. As honored as I am to take over from him, the changing of the guard also pains me. It’s a sign he’s getting older, and I hate thinking about what it means.
“Happy birthday, old man,” I quip, making light of my fears, because it doesn’t matter how old I get, it’s my Binky.
Antonio shakes his head and chuckles. “I can still run circles around you, my friend.”
“Not unless you’re in some kind of high-powered, motorized scooter.”
I snatch the ball of rubber bands off his desk that he put there for me to fidget with after I dropped a glass paperweight, while tossing it in the air. It shattered spectacularly, and for months, he complained about finding shards of glass.
I lob the ball from hand to hand. “Listen, I’m sorry Valentina won’t be at dinner tomorrow. When she told me, I offered to stay away, if it would make it easier for them to go, but—”
He looks at me pointedly. “Don’t ever do that again. We’re family, and we should be able to get along with one another, at least for an evening. This is on her.”
It’s not on her. I don’t buy that. “She seemed upset about missing your party. I have a feeling this is her husband’s doing.”
“Oh, I’m sure that bastard is behind it. His little feelings are hurt, and he wants to punish me. I had lunch with Valentina today, and she fell all over herself apologizing and making excuses. I’ll miss her tomorrow, but she’s the one who’s being punished, maybe even more than her mother. I’d like to slit his throat.”
Of all the things Marco could do to incur Antonio’s wrath, upsetting Daniela might be the worst. Normally I would say he gets what he deserves, but a pissed-off Antonio is not a good thing. He’s likely to say or do something that will make matters worse with Valentina.
“We should have held off questioning him until we had all the facts.” I somehow manage to get it out without gagging.
“Bullshit. Not with that kind of evidence. I’d do it again under those circumstances.”
Me too, but I don’t say it. There’s no sense in riling him up more.
“Why is Daniela sending Thiago for Lexie tomorrow?” he asks. “She’s staying at your place. Can’t she just come with you?”
He knows the answer to both questions. But he wants me to talk to him about what’s going on between Lexie and me. He’s been doing this sort of roundabout bullshit since I was a little kid. I know how to beat this game, but better to talk about my personal business than about Valentina’s.
“Lexie’s staying at my place, and I’m staying at the Intercontinental. Although it’s not really out of the way, and I’d be happy to pick her up. But that’s up to her.”
“Ah. She hasn’t forgiven you.”
I don’t respond. I’m willing to take a little heat to deflect some of the attention off Valentina, but I’m not baring my damn soul.
“You’ve got to grovel.”
I did, but there’s no way in hell I’m sharing that with him. “Grovel?” I snicker. “Like buy her a piece of jewelry?” I say it in jest, although I’ve thought about it once or twice. She loves the angel wings—but expensive trinkets are off the table.
I want another chance to see where it goes. But she’s right. I am who I am, and she is who she is. It might never work. I’m certainly not ready to make promises, and I don’t want to mislead her. Unless it’s for a utilitarian purpose, like to house a tracking device, jewelry feels too much like a promise. We’re not there and we might never be.
“Throwing around large sums of money is not groveling,” he cautions. “It’s the kind of thing that buys you a neither my affection nor my forgiveness is for sale remark. I don’t recommend it.”
