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“Te quiero, Mama.”I love you, Mom.
She’s barely able to speak, but wheezes out, “Hacer una cosa por mi??”Do one thing for me?
“Lo que sea.” Anything.
“Cásate con Gabriela Navarro. Es una buena mujer y será una buena esposa. Su madre es mi amiga antigua. La union de nuestras dos familias significa algo, Dominic. Es todo lo que siempre hemos querido. Es mi ultimo deseo.”Marry Gabriela Navarro. She’s a good woman and will make a good wife. Her mother is my oldest friend. The joining of our two families means something, Dominic. It’s all we’ve ever wanted. It’s my dying wish.
I close my eyes. This isn’t what I want. I don’t even like Gabriela as a person, let alone a wife. But how can I deny my mother right now? How do I tell her that I’m not the marrying type? I don’t think I ever will be. It would break her heart. Regular women can’t handle the way I am. My needs.
She cups my face. “Harás esto por mí?”You’ll do this for me?
I do the only thing a son can do at this moment. “Sí, Mama.”Yes, Mom.
* * *
PRESENT
I walk into Beth’s office for our scheduled appointment. I sent her over the information on the Wallingford acquisition last week. She had her assistant call mine to set up this meeting.
Her assistant shows me into her office and informs me that Beth will return in a few minutes.
I walk around and look at her pictures. I inwardly laugh at the difference between us. She has dozens of family photos. I keep none in my office. I don’t like my co-workers knowing anything about my life. I have photos of Valentina and Matteo on my phone when I need to see their faces.
Almost all her photos are of Luke, though there are a few of Reagan and her whole big family. I know that Reagan has two sisters. Obviously, Skylar. I think the other is named Harley. I know they each have two kids. I also know that her mother married Jackson Knight a few years ago, who’s a very well-known Philadelphia developer. I’ve had drinks with him a few times in the past. He’s a good man. He has three adult sons, one of whom I met and is married to Cassandra.
I look at the big family picture. It’s on a beach. It looks like Jackson’s two other sons are married too, both with one child. At least when this picture was taken. There’s another blonde woman and blond man. Jade is standing with them. That must be her father and stepmother.
I pick up the frame. They’re all laughing hysterically in the photo. It’s nice. They seem close. Beth has a huge grin. I run my finger over her face. She’s so beautiful.
“Snooping in my office?”
I turn and smile. Beth is in a conservative blue skirt suit, though it still hugs her sexy figure. She’s the epitome of elegance and class.
I hold up the photo. “This is a nice picture. Everyone looks so happy.”
Her face lights up. “It’s a happy family. I’m lucky to have them all in my life.”
“Remind me how Jade is related? I know she’s a cousin, but I’m not sure how.”
“Her father, Declan, and Darian’s deceased first husband were brothers. So Jade is first cousins with Reagan and her sisters. Ironically, Declan’s also married to Jackson’s ex-wife, Melissa. Jade didn’t grow up with her cousins though. Apparently, Declan and his brother didn’t speak for many years leading up to his death. They only found out about Jade a little over four years ago. Just before you and I met.”
“That’s about when Jade started working at Daulton.”
She nods. “Yes, they offered her a job the day they met her.”
“She’s excellent at what she does in our design department.”
“That’s nice to hear. She’s a bit of a wild child, but it’s good to know she gets it done in the office.”
I laugh. “She most definitely is wild, but when it comes to work, she’s just about the best around.”
Beth smiles. “Good for her. I know she had a tough childhood. I’m happy things are working out for her.”
I didn’t know that, but I don’t prod. It’s not my business. Frankly, I’d rather not know.
She motions for me to sit on her couch, and I do. She grabs a file from her desk and then sits next to me, opening the file as she does. I can smell her perfume. It’s the same as she was wearing the night we met. I’d recognize it anywhere. It’s uniquely her and so sexy.
She looks at me with the prettiest blue eyes in the world. “I’ve reviewed everything.”
