Page 10 of Mutual Discord

“It was.” I tried to swallow, but it felt like shards of glass filled my throat. “I take a twisted sort of comfort in knowing I’m not the first woman to have her work stolen by a man, and sadly, I won’t be the last.”

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, his tone gentle.

I’d been laid off almost two months prior, but Alex’s soft words, and the warm light in his gaze, suddenly made me want to cry. My anger had long since turned to numb acceptance, but Alex’s quiet acknowledgment of what I endured nudged at the grief—and embarrassment—I did my best to ignore.

“God, that sucks, Sofia.” Caitlin grabbed my hand again, her eyes slits of displeasure. “You worked so hard there, and I’m pissed that you were the one to lose your job instead of that worm.”

Unsure of what to say, I lifted my glass to my lips for a bracing sip.

“Do your parents know?” Caitlin asked.

I shook my head.

“Probably a good idea not to tell them just yet. They’d try to run over Josh with their car.” I swallowed back a chuckle, and Caitlin continued.

“So what have you been doing in the meantime? Job hunting, I’m guessing.”

“Yeah, I’ve had several interviews but nothing I’ve really wanted.” My gaze went to Alex. He stared back at me, as if waiting to see if I would share about the Matildas. And I should. It was the perfect opportunity. Caitlin would be thrilled and have lots of practical advice for how to build my account and possibly even segue into brand sponsorships.

But did I want brand sponsorships? And who would want to sponsor content revolving around the historical theft of women scientists, entrepreneurs, and artists?

A small part of me—one I was loath to acknowledge—liked that I had something special just for myself. Well, something only Alex and I knew about. That thought shouldn’t have made my chest warm, but I’d be a liar if I denied it.

“Since you don’t have an office to go to tomorrow, want to meet me at the hotel?” Caitlin swirled the wine in her glass, a cat-who-got-the-cream expression on her face. “They put me up at the Biltmore, and I’m scheduled to visit the spa to create content for some of the new services. Want a facial? Or a massage?”

God, I really loved Caitlin’s job sometimes. “That would be a dream.” A thought occurred to me, and I smirked. “Is that why you didn’t want to stay with me on this trip? Because you’re staying at a fancy hotel?”

The corner of Caitlin’s lips tipped up. “I love what I do, even though the travel can be exhausting.”

We spent the next thirty minutes discussing the places Caitlin had traveled to recently before the conversation pivoted to Alex’s new job and how we thought the Scorpions would fare during the rest of the WNBA season. As we ate our entrées, he entertained us with stories about working for the Cosmos and the celebrities he’d met. The conversation never returned to me and my unemployment, and I was thankful. Until I was ready to tell Caitlin about the Matildas, I didn’t want to talk about myself because chances were good I would let the information slip and Caitlin would be hurt I had left her in the dark.

Which made me even more thankful that Alex hadn’t disclosed the information, either. But then, perhaps he had his own reasons for not revealing it. Because to do so would mean he’d have to share that he knew me already…and maybe telling his beautiful and talented new girlfriend that he met her best friend on social media would be embarrassing to admit. Shit, was I someone’s embarrassing secret?

Over my objections, Alex paid for our meal and drinks, and we wandered outside to chat on the sidewalk.

“Come to the room around ten o’clock. Does that work?” When I nodded, Caitlin beamed a smile and threw her arms around my neck. “I’m so glad we’ll get to spend time together, especially because I’ll be leaving the day after.”

My mood crashed immediately. “So soon.” I glanced at Alex, who stood nearby with his hands in his pockets. “I thought you might be able to stay longer…” I murmured, dipping my head slightly in his direction. Surely she wanted to spend time with her new boyfriend.

A frown twisted Caitlin’s mouth. “Sadly, not this time. I have to get back to New York for an event next weekend.”

“Always on the go.” I embraced Caitlin again. “I’m happy I’ll have time to spend with you tomorrow.”

“Me, too.” Pulling back, Caitlin smiled before her gaze swung to Alex. “Oh, hey, you guys should swap numbers. Alex mentioned wanting a connection to the Puerto Rican scene here in the valley, and I happen to know the funniest, smartest, most beautiful boricua this side of the Mississippi.”

“Only this side?” I remarked, hoping my blithe tone did not hint at my sudden nervousness.

“You’re so modest. Just another of your stellar attributes.” Caitlin squeezed my arm when I laughed. “In all seriousness, I thought you might be able to help Alex get his footing here in the valley. Show him the best places to eat. Maybe take him to that panadería by your house that has those tasty pan dulces.”

“Sure,” I murmured, although my heart was pounding in my ears. Did Caitlin really want me to show her boyfriend around? Wouldn’t that make things awkward?

I glanced at Alex. He raised his brows when I met his eyes and said, “If you don’t mind, of course.”

We had exchanged direct messages for a week and even video chatted, but I was still surprised that Alex was willing to leave the ball in my court. It seemed like a very gentlemanly thing to do, and despite my apprehensions, I was comforted by his caution.

“Not at all. I’m more than happy to be your valley tour guide,” I said. Taking out my phone, I opened a new contact and typed Alex under the first name. I held my phone out to him mutely.

My phone looked small in his big hands, but his thumbs flew across the keys before he handed it back to me. Alex Castillo, and a number with a 917 area code was now saved under the contact.