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She turned her glasses over in her hand. Would she ever look at her specs the same way again?
He’d probably been insulted that she hadn’t flirted back or at least said thank you, but she’d been too busy swallowing her own tongue in shock.
Maybe it was for the best. She couldn’t deny that she found him attractive, too. But knowing he felt the same didn’t change the fact that they worked together. It was still a bad idea.
“Can I get you anything to eat, hon?” The waitress looked at her with pity in her tired eyes, and Sofia caved to impulse. She deserved a little pick-me-up after letting that piece of man-candy walk out the door.
“One of your chocolate cream pies, please.”
“You bet.”
Sofia smoothed a hand over her tight ponytail, the images he’d painted still vivid in her mind. Dating him might be a bad idea, but his fantasy intrigued her, and Sofia was certain she’d be dreaming of the library later.
Chapter 5
“I guessyou’re all wondering why I called you over here tonight.”
Adrian sat at his mother’s table, surrounded by anxious faces. The last-minute call had produced more anxiety than he’d intended, but it couldn’t be helped. His mother, God bless her, had responded by raiding her freezer so at least everyone had a plate of her famous enchiladas to soothe them. Graciela Villanueva never let a friend go hungry.
Children up past their bedtime chased each other around the living room packed with well-loved furniture, while their mothers chatted in the homey kitchen and brought more shared dishes that had been intended for their own tables into the dining room. The men, ranging in age from seventeen to fifty-six, were gathered around the table, waiting for him to speak. The weight of responsibility felt heavy on his shoulders tonight. This was his crew, his community, and he knew they were counting on him to lead them straight.
“So, you’ve heard about this TV idea?” Heads nodded solemnly as he scanned the room. “I talked to Sofia today, and I have some concerns. You will have to decide if you want to sign the contracts or not.”
“Tell us.” This came from Alonzo, an older man who said little but had seen a lot.
“They have strict timelines and filming dates. The work gets done on camera, and we have to follow their direction as well as Dom’s. Your pay will still come directly from Valenti Brothers at the same rates you get now.” He paused and waited for the questions to come.
“So we have to work all the hours they say?” Rico raised his voice above the murmurs.
“We have to get the jobs done on their schedule. It doesn’t say we all have to stay.”
“And they don’t have to pay us overtime or extra for the show?”
“No, you still get overtime from Dom, but nothing extra for the show.”
“It sounds like a lot of extra work for no extra money. I mean, we don’t stand to benefit if the show does well either. What if we say no? Do we lose our jobs?” Rico was quick to tease out the problems Adrian had foreseen.
“For now, I could try to switch you to Frankie’s crew or keep you on the other projects we have running. But if the pilot gets picked up, and we start doing only TV houses? I can’t say.”
“Man, you know I’m busting my ass on two jobs already. I can’t be late because of some bullshit director!”
A chorus of agreement rose up in response to Rico’s comment. Adrian raised a hand and quiet slowly fell.
“I know, man. I know. So here’s what we do. One, don’t panic. Two, bust our asses to get our shit done on time like we always do. Three, if we do need to stay, it will be me and anyone who can afford to stay. Even if that means it’s just me.”
“That’s not fair to you though,” Alonzo pointed out.
“If it means everyone keeps their employers happy and their families fed, I don’t care. I can handle it.”
He pushed aside a vision of a wife and children who suddenly had startling blond hair. He’d find the time for his own family eventually. Somehow. The needs of his found family were more important right now.
Conversation continued as his guys hashed out how to make this work with their crewmates and spouses. Angry grumbles and soothing reason flowed back and forth, as partners figured out the details and made plans for their futures together. Sitting in silence, waiting, Adrian felt jealousy creep around the edges. He would do what was best for his family, as he always did, but being the guy in charge was getting old. He was ready for a partner to help shoulder the load.
This TV deal had been an unexpected complication to his plan, but as any good builder would say, complications are just part of the business. And if approached correctly, they become opportunities. If he could make this work, it could really benefit his entire community. More demand meant more work meant more jobs, and he was the guy hiring.
His mom came and rested her head on top of his.
“¿Està bien, mijo?”
