Chapter Ten
“Hello, baby brother. What can I do for you this fine afternoon? Need help coming up with a way to fulfill the pact, perhaps?” Gabriel asked as soon as he accepted the call.
“Did Enrique tell you I hadn’t fulfilled it yet? Snitch. What about you? Have you faced your fear yet?” Fernando challenged.
“Nope, but I got it all planned.”
“Well, I’ll have you know that I do as well. That’s what I’m calling about, actually. I need some advice, but I need you to keep this between us. You and Rique have gotten really close lately, and I don’t need you blabbing this to him. Got it?”
“Hey, cool your jets, little brother. I’m close with all my brothers. I just happened to be nearby when Rique got all hot around the collar about you and your little off-the-books investigation. Trust me, it’s better that he vented all that rage to me before he called you calm as a cucumber,” Gabriel informed him .
“Wait, Enrique talked to you about my situation? The same situation he said I was in hot water for because it is a top-secret thing, and I’m not supposed to know about it?” Fernando asked incredulously.
“Yep. Turns out I know Sarah and her brother. I’m in their little circle of trust. I get why Enrique was upset, but I also know that Sarah’s brother isn’t likely to cut off your typing fingers over it. You’re just lucky you’re part of our family because if you weren’t, well, this would be much worse for you. Imagine how you would feel if some stranger turned up at Hannah’s door after all of us had worked our bottoms off to hide her and keep her safe. If you can imagine that, then you are playing the same sport as Sarah and her brother but not even close to being in the same field.”
“Hannah is about to be a politician’s wife and have her face all over the TV. She has a security team. I don’t get what the big deal is. I just had my assistant call Sarah.” Fernando rubbed his brow. How had this collaboration turned into such a big deal? You would think he stole classified documents from the president’s office or something.
“Listen, I don’t even know the ins and outs of it all. Enrique and I know the family for two totally different reasons, but even from my more public dealings with the family, I know that Sarah is off-limits. Their picture is never taken. They attend events with tight security and no electronics. They live in a tiny town that is close-knit, and everyone watches everyone’s back, but even their little community doesn’t know that Sarah is the famous mystery author Marie Lautner. If you let the lid off that can of worms, her brother and husband will not be kind to you, and Enrique and Julio might not be able to help you. When he comes to see you, make it clear that keeping her identity a secret is your utmost priority, and you should be fine. Now, I’m a busy man; what advice do you need since I can’t help you with a time machine to undo this massive mistake? ”
“Oh yeah, that. Um. Okay, switching gears. You have the most experience with women besides Enrique, and he loves them and leaves them, so I don’t want his advice. Sophie is going on this adventure with me, and she just told me to wear my glasses because I look hot in them. Should I be reading something into that? Anthony said to open ourselves up to the possibilities, and Sophie and I had been playing around with the idea of a pretend relationship to hide my identity on this trip. She is my assistant, and I don’t want to be that guy, but if she meant something, then I don’t want to be an idiot either.”
“Fernando, stop talking. You’re rambling,” Gabriel ordered. “First of all, you are an idiot. When Anthony proposed that pact that we find our soulmates, you had it easier than all of us because you have had the perfect woman, aside from Hannah, in your pocket for the last three years. Anyone with eyes could see that Sophie loves you. I’m glad he posed the pact so you, out of all of us, would pull your head out of the sand and see what has been staring you in the face all this time. That woman is head over heels in love with you, and you have been so busy building your empire that you have taken her for granted all these years. She knows every little detail about you, including the fact that you love shrimp but get grossed out when they come with tails on them. I have seen that woman leave the table, take the plate from the waiter, remove their tails, and then return to the table after washing her hands. I don’t know many wives who would go through that hassle for their men, but Sophie has done it many times for you,” Gabriel explained.
“But she’s my assistant. That’s what I pay her for. To take care of the details. I pay her well, by the way. I resent the insinuation that I take advantage of her,” Fernando stated defensively.
“Fernando, I have an assistant, and she works long hours just like I do. When a business deal breaks in the middle of the night, I call her, and she gets to the office at the same time I do. When negotiations go late into the night, she is there, ordering meals, processing paperwork, and making phone calls. She has, on occasion, picked up my dry cleaning. She has not attended family functions and brought my brother’s homemade versions of their favorite dessert. She doesn’t send back my drink order when the glass has too much ice. She doesn’t call ahead to a new restaurant to reserve the warmest seating in the house because her boss has a preferred temperature. My assistant minds the details of the job and the business and knows enough of my favorites to order me meals I will eat. Your assistant knows you better than just about anyone and pays special attention to your comfort and that of your family. Sophie loves you and your family, and she shows that in the little things that she does. Did you know that she sent flowers to Hannah on Mother’s Day? Not her birthday, although I’m sure she did that for you too, but Mother’s Day, because she knew how important that day was to her. To answer your question. Yes, Sophie meant something by that comment. She is a good woman with strong morals and has respected your work environment. Use this time out of the office to explore something more with her and have it figured out by the time you get back. I know Sophie, and she won’t feel comfortable being the boss’s girlfriend, but she is the best assistant on the planet, so firing her is a dumb move too. Good luck, man. I hope you make this work. I have a meeting. Talk soon.”
The phone went dead before Fernando could say a word. He sat there, staring at his phone, grappling with the weight of his brother’s words. He had never viewed Sophie in that light before. Yes, she was a beautiful woman. But more than that... she was smart, outgoing- in a quiet kind of way, independent, and hardworking. Fernando had admired her since the moment he met her. He offered her a job after knowing her for less than an hour and hired her on the spot when she finally applied for the position.
Had he really been overlooking an underlying attraction all these years? Could Sophie be the woman he never wanted but somehow desperately needed? Fernando never saw himself as a husband, settled down with a wife on his arm, but if he were to paint the picture right this moment, Sophie would be the only woman who came to mind.