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Chapter 5
La Oficina
Iwas well on my way to becoming an alcoholic, and I had precisely zero shame about it. The job could be so rewarding, but it could also suck your soul straight out of your body and shred it to pieces. I downed a tequila shot, wondering how in the hell I was supposed to go into Valentina’s room tomorrow. Yes, I was her doctor, and I was fighting for her life almost as hard as she was, but I just kept taking from her. I’d taken her autonomy, her pleasure, heck, her normal. Tomorrow, I would have to go in there and try to cheer her up as I took her hair.
She would not be the first one. I’d had many patients just like her, and many much worse. But Dr. Handsome’s words swam in my head.Some of them just get under our skin.Yes, they did.
I tapped the tiny glass on the bar. “Barkeep! Another!”
Sofia walked over to me, shaking her head. “Slow it down there, Doctor,” she said. “Sara isn’t even here yet, and you don’t want to outpace her. She’ll never forgive you.” Sofia grinned at me with those incredibly full lips of hers. If I swung that way, I would so dream about kissing her all day.
She wasn’t just the friendly neighborhood bartender. Sofia was one of my closest friends. Sara and I drank for cheap, and sometimes free, ever since I stitched up Sofia’s hand at no charge when she cut herself cleaning up a broken glass. We’d been friends ever since.
“You’re probably right, but at this moment, I’m the one mad ather, so I don’t give a rat’s ass—”
“Okay, okay,” said Sofia. “Who the hell am I?”
“And top shelf, darling. Something at the very leastreposado,” I said. Sofia never broke eye contact as she filled the shot glass to the rim. “Has anyone ever told you that you are like a dark angel? I envision your wings covered with raven-black feathers that match your hair.”
“Are you already drunk? After your first drink?” Sofia asked only half-kidding.
“No. Bad day. I’m trying to distract myself. Just being silly.”
The second shot, I savored. I’d never down good tequila without savoring it. I smiled as the silky liquid hit my stomach, sending the tiniest heat wave through my body.
“You know—”
I heard his voice, and I turned to face him.
“They say a woman who can drink tequila without making a face comes from hell.”
Had he been there the entire time? And why was he everywhere? I laughed at his statement. “The person who said that never had good quality tequila. Also, they were sexist.”
“Drinking all alone?”
“No. I have friends.”
“The bartender doesn’t count.”
Sofia jumped to my defense. “Normally I’d agree with you, but this is one of those rare exceptions. Caro here is my girl.”
I laughed because Sofia said it so motherly, so protective of me, and it warmed my insides almost as much as the tequila had.
“Stand down, love,” I said to her. “We must be nice to him. He’s my boss, don’t you know?”
I brought up my glass and clinked it to his. “Cheers.”
Sofia pursed her lips, then reached her hand out to him. “In that case, welcome toLa Oficina.I’m Sofia.”
He shook her hand. “Hector.”
I snorted and nearly spat my drink. “Hector?”
“Yes. That’s my name.”
“I’m sorry. I just assumed you introduced yourself to everyone as Dr. Medina.”
“Dr. Medina?” Sofia asked with interest. “Isn’t he the one you—” She stopped herself when she saw the daggers I was shooting her with my eyes. “I have some inventory I have to do in the back. Help yourself if you need anything else, Caro.”
