The Spanish Love Deception

ch headquarters the

had swallowed a b

ng. And with ever

sensation kept intensify

ng more and more r

neasy ever since that aw

at Daniel was engaged.

had co

s different

bottom of my stomach

out in a moment of des

h maybe

nowledging that the wa

had left things on Satur

as much as I refused to

over it

ridiculous because

any space in my head?

weren't friends. We did

ad said-or done, or look

or held me as we danced

n ear-should have b

y, my mind ha

as always been the l

rds. He couldn't have

wanted to be his friend

when he had first

long ago. I had blackli

should have stayed

oblem was that I sort

eal with t

ron's drama and buryi

grow into something els

nner, and made my way

adcast was held. Jeff,

e company, and all five

didn't have breakfa

st a meeting that took p

ad excuse for cookies wer

n on the latest new

in the room, I took m

gh a few reminders I ha

om filled ou

a hand on my arm and the

nowing who I'd find

's for lunch?" Rosie a

bagel from Jim's, but

day; my mood would plum

ht around the corne

's gaze slid to the c

the entrance of the roo

usu

I could answer, my st

eakfast," I murmured, lo

im

her voice holding a w

iet you have been on

lled my eyes, ignoring

friend. "I'm just w

told me she didn't beli

m'

ekend I had, I'd let yo

e, but it's g

face, probably findi

row arched. "Wh

r, a little huff leaving

done plenty. "I'll t

oncern. "At Jim's." Wi

ed to the chair next to

of the old man, I wa

iving a win

completely off guard,

went off. Warning

my chest, and my g

ng. He's just tall, I tol

n my rib ca

reacting to that buttondown shirt and those pres

ew he'd take a couple of

l

ainly nothing to write

ard and masculine profile

hair framing

r control. My body is b

of a cream cheese

d back. His eyes met

m in a way I presumed wa

wouldn't pay him any

tes

deep shade of red, and

ace was

verted his gaze first

n and stayed somewher

n't

d not sit well with me.

ssed me so quickly bot

too much into that, Jef

eryone," he said, and t

"This Breakfast & Broadc

n impromptu meeting I was

comfortable, and have yo

Our boss lau

ered to mov

undergoing some imp

arrangement of the respon

s, of course. Everything

ompany as we know it toda

anges will be integrated

oming m

rom one of the confere

ur division with our boss

ames of the five team

d Simmons, Héctor Díaz

ina M

s-nothing more than

to happen in the compa

no one really knew wh

oss continued after clear

to make now, before any o

porate s

d and colleague Rosi

she was a little tipsy-

hesitate for a moment. Hi

, tugging at

is laptop, and a new sl

ram that was very simil

icate, it was essentially

ngle d

e square above the five

as no long

been feeling since early

e

hands together, my ga

leased to announce that

olutions Division of InTe

the way to my head, whe

t, unable to be processe

sistent and efficient me

he has proven himself w

, I have no doubt in my

as head of t

shocked into sile

d when he'll take over

advisory role for InTech,

he news first. Even if

nced

then, probably going th

& Broadcast next. Or m

ldn't when his announce

ng in

kford will

who was leaning back

in front of him, his ex

than

some clapping. To wh

mati

e promoted to head of

im. A fake date but o

rled back in time. To a

remember. Or r

ried to appease the

think of that right now,

ill latched on to Aar

res

ything. Whatever

that he was my only op

Spain would believe w

tantly. It did not matte

riend and that I didn't

ecause, now, the deal w

ades with the man who

y divisio

t myself in a situation

adly. For me. Only for

fake last Saturday-I si

irs brought me back t

tand up and scatte

gaping green eyes

, my frie

shit

t even know a

Aaron's back somewhe

been there a moment ago

ter than to leave thin

r them to go away on th

y didn't. Sooner or late

fall off right on top

down with them

tion driving my body, I

f the meeting room. M

up with the long strides

uple of minutes, whic

art racing with a weird a

I entered only a f

to his chair and let h

right hand reaching for hi

e was alone because I

look like this when ther

t that steel facad

ned on Saturday, the u

, I almost started in his

the little common sens

opped me from emb

comfort. He didn't eve

ide of his desk, only t

us, I finally made

ted with a dose of extra

diat

his chair, his palm

oice that, now, I could no

eroed in on me, his featu

nk y

rve the p

erything I was feeling

for him.

ed in s

ner with both hands, k

from fidgeting, I hunted

come here to say as we

le

trailed off, still not f

" I shook my head. "I kn

think we should do tha

n deepened. "If you ha

behind me closed becau

heart do silly, stupid

t it was the only way to

walk by and

th his brows still furr

yo

lurch in my

his body from the chai

e while I kept my gaze

ere like a total dummy,

hoing in the

e reappeared in front o

idn't-" I sighed. "I

urn to his chair. Instea

urface of his desk. "It'

of his pinned

" I repeated, squaring

" I watched his head nod

uld be good to clear the

pen

he admitted. Bracing h

dge. "I came into work to

g. Suggest that we could

lk

toge

never

ly. "I know," he said

take you

it hard to ignore the e

ble to now. My whole day

ne

as shocking as him admi

h wi

Jeff would announ

think that was going t

he confessed, sending a

"But that's not importa

ssume. So, le

, feeling outraged on hi

feel. "I think Jeff am

e why he would do somethi

lizing it had somewhat

s simmered, now looking

I'll talk to him abou

You s

s face, and I averted my

ulder. Not wanting him

I shouldn't. We were stil

ainly not friends-and a

the hierarchy

nds from the death gri

neck. My gaze still ref

ct with his. So, instead,

ton-down that covered hi

nce wrappe

ut our deal-

-" Aaron said a

s to his face, I found h

pted the chan

'll be out of your hair

ing attention to Aaron's

vision-which, again,

polite smile tug at the

" I shifted on my feet,

. Not after Saturday and

g that you have probably

clear the air

s jaw

stupid, and now, it mak

eal. I helped you out on

r it payback for giv

Open Day, okay

a big weight lift off m

ead, it was as if my wo

to the

ked, his hands lifting

ack again. "What's t

t owe me," I said with

peating myself. "You c

sen

dangerous mix of conf

tty clear, Aaron. You

al. No flying to Spain,

riend. No playing charad

ess

nd?" he asked

d the word boyfriend

te, wh

omeone else? Is t

e for real right now? "N

l

w jumped. "Then, I

ght to keep the irritat

difficult? "You don

Catalina. It doesn't ma

voice was so sure, the wa

o doubt my decision. "

thi

im a little too briskly

in to talk. "And your p

supervisor. Head of ou

e idea of you coming to

ll the way across the o

out. I won't allow mys

ing I had said too muc

eckless? All

ng light-headed and de

ary an

wouldn't let anything

y now that the news is o

ppen this fast. But ther

ed to change anything w

peak, but instead of wor

ing different throt

n I had been stupid en

e that hadn't involved a

o real that the hurt over

sn't willing to ever re

ng ran

ake." I heard my own voi

re than I would have

rsta

," he told me, somethin

me understand. Give

thought of those words

ind of treatment is one

s his face, and I expec

did. But instead, he s

r, far from snappy. "If

it wouldn't change a si

ice coming out all wr

it's okay if you don't w

retract that. I've live

d I'm fine with it." Aar

ten-year-olds, heading

ask each other if we wa

ot now that you will be

d that's fine. That's al

rned. I'll manage on my

o do. But that was what s

ngs alone. "This is not

t's me releasi

for a long moment, my

yself that what I was s

hing like that did not m

f tangled in this whole

I could

at any more thought, t

hrough t

eyes off me as he reac

We stared at each othe

ight. I'll have a look

the phone back on

ed to his

a way that made my ne

ose, and chin hid the an

u are not telling me,"

much I wasn't telling hi

'm pat

nst my rib cage. I did

chest felt tight

rtant, and I need to

his pockets and eyes stil

ll continue our

eat later, Aaron disap

, staring into empty spa

his new role, doubting t

, and finding it really h

to be pat

e we were concerned, ne

ait