Chapter 9
Cyndee
I lingered outside my apartment building waiting for Fabio to arrive. After we’d left the bistro, he’d said nothing the whole drive home. If I’d done something wrong, the least he could do was tell me what it was, so I didn’t do it again.
But no, he’d sat there with a scowl on his stupidly handsome face. As I got out of the Mercedes, he said, “See you next Saturday.”
Well, okay then…
Today was Saturday and the second event I was obligated to attend with him. My outfit was a pretty green off-the-shoulders cashmere sweater, creamy white trousers and matching green patent leather pumps. And a long creamy white wool coat, because God forbid, I wore the fur coat a second time.
Since my hair and makeup weren’t done professionally, I did my best. Hopefully, Fabio was pleased with my appearance and effort. After he turned cold as ice toward me, I didn’t want to make matters worse.
I spotted the G-Wagon coming down the road. My stomach twisted into a knot as I put my new Louis Vuitton clutch under my armpit.
The SUV stopped and Fabio jumped out of the passenger seat.
“Why are you waiting outside?” He grabbed my arm a little rougher than I anticipated and nudged me toward the backseat.
“Don’t man handle me.” I jerked out of his grasp and faced him. “If you’re going to be a jerk tonight, I’m not going. Nobody puts their hands on me like that.”
“I’m sorry.” He raised his hands as if surrendering. “Please, get in the car.”
“Are you going to be nice to me?”
“Yes.”
“Fine.” I slid in and put the seatbelt on. Feeling Ross’s attention on me, I said, “How’s it going, Ross?”
“Good, Miss.”
Fabio slammed the door. “Let’s go.”
For ten minutes, or longer we didn’t speak. I questioned my decision-making skills and wondered if I even had a backbone when it came to my sister or the handsome man sitting next to me.
“I apologize for my reaction. But you can’t be hanging outside waiting for me. You could’ve been mugged. Or worse, hurt.”
“You were angry because I could’ve been hurt?”
“Yes. The last thing I want is for you to be injured. Your neighborhood isn’t the safest.” The torment in his dark eyes softened the anger inside me.
“I’ve lived there for over a year, and nothing has happened.”
“Were you wearing expensive clothing like that? You look beautiful, by the way.” He swallowed thickly as he stared at me.
“Of course I wasn’t wearing thousands of dollars’ worth of clothes.” I thought for a minute. “You’re right. That was stupid of me.”
“My life and business can be complicated and dangerous. I wouldn’t want anyone to try to get at me by hurting you.”
“I don’t know what to say. If I’m hearing you correctly, and I hope I’m not. Are you saying my life is in danger being with you?” Things just took a very dark and unappealing turn.
“Tesoro, you could trip on a crack getting out of car and die. Life is dangerous in general.” He took my hand. “But I’ll do everything to protect you.”
“Okay, you’re taking being nice a little too far.” I smiled at him. “What happened Saturday night? After you kissed me, you shutdown. What did I do wrong?”
He exhaled a deep breath. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“But if I—”
“You did nothing wrong. It’s me, not you.” He squeezed my hand, and it felt nice.
I believed Fabio. If I did nothing wrong, then okay. There was no reason to press him about it.
“Then tonight. Is Lucia going to be at the concert too?”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “I don’t think so, but honestly, I don’t know.” His mood instantly changed at the mention of his ex.
Nice going, Cyndee.
“I shouldn’t have asked. That was insensitive of me. You still have feelings for her, and I just rubbed salt in your wound.” Registering my own words put an ache in my heart. I was doing my best not to fall for Fabio. But every minute I spent with him put me closer to falling in love with him.
The choir concert should be easy. No kissing or the like should happen again. Then, there was his sister’s gala in Seattle next weekend.
I could do this and hopefully come out unscathed.
“Can I ask you something?” His question pulled me out of my thoughts.
“Sure.”
“When you went to the bathroom, it seemed to take long. Was everything okay? I was about to go check on you when Lucia arrived.”
Oh, crap. I’d prayed every night that he didn’t ask me what happened…
Needing a minute to clear my head, I excused myself to freshen up in the bathroom. Maybe talk a little more with Zia since she knew what Fabio and I were doing.
Strangely, I felt Fabio’s eyes on me as I went toward a hallway that had an arrow pointing toward the bathroom. I didn’t turn back to confirm my suspicions. No, that would have been embarrassing for both of us.
A cool breeze made the hair on my arms stand. I noticed an exit and figured someone had left.
Entering the bathroom, it was small. Very small. Only three stalls and all were empty. Zia wasn’t there. Had she been the one to go outside?
To be sure she was okay, I went out the exit door, which put me in an alley.
A gasp shot out of my mouth. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Zia and Ross were sharing a passionate kiss.
Ross heard me and pulled away from Zia.
“Oh my gosh, Cyndee!” Zia rushed over, dragged me inside, and into the bathroom. “You can’t tell Fabio or anyone else you saw me kissing Ross. Please. Please promise me you won’t say anything.”
“I promise but why?” I was so confused and a little dizzy. Why was she being so dramatic?
“Because my family wouldn’t approve of me and Ross. He’s hired help. Fabio’s driver and bodyguard. He’s beneath me.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. But then, I guessed Fabio would feel the same if he and I were a real couple. I was the hired help. Beneath him.
“Do you understand? If my family found out, I’m afraid to think what they might do to Ross.”
“If it’s that bad, then why are you kissing him?”
She smiled and a tear rolled down her cheek. “I love him. It just happened. I fell for my bodyguard last summer. Ross had been assigned to me when I traveled with my ballet company.”
“Do you have a plan to be together?” Surely, they’d thought everything through like how to make their secret love affair real.
“There isn’t a way for us to be together. We both agreed to hide it.”
“I’m so sorry.” My heart broke for her. Imagine sneaking kisses in a dark alley. I couldn’t live like that.
“You’ll keep our secret from Fabio, right? My brother can be intimidating, but you can’t tell him.”
“No worries. After I fulfill our arrangement, I’ll probably move away.”
“Really? Why?” She seemed relieved but also sad. “My brother likes you a lot.”
“It would be weird going back to work for him. And I wouldn’t need to after he pays me.” Where I’d go was the question, I’d been asking myself. Boston was on the table of course, but maybe I needed a fresh start somewhere else… And without my sister.
“That makes sense. I’ll be sad to see you go. I think we could’ve been good friends.” She looped her arm through mine.
“Me, too.” I did like her a lot.
“We better get back before they come looking for us.”
We exited the bathroom, arm and arm, when Zia stopped hard.
“I can’t believe it,” she said.
“What?”
“Lucia is here. Probably hoping to sink her claws into my brother again. Go rescue him. He needs you.” She pushed me to go in front of her.
“How do I rescue him?”
“Anyway, you can.” She pushed me again. “He needs you.”
“Earth to Cyndee, can you hear me?”
I snapped out of my haze. Fabio’s hand was on my face, and he seemed worried.
“Welcome back. Where were you?”
“Um. I guess. Well, just…”
“Yeah, spit it out.” He tilted his head as if examining me. “Should I take you to urgent care?”
“No. No. I just got lost in my thoughts. I really like your sister. We were in the bathroom talking about you, naturally.” Lying straight to his face felt so wrong.
“She’s a talker all right. I hope she didn’t freak you out. I’m really a nice guy. With some people.”
“I like how easygoing and accepting she is.” Be careful, girl. Don’t give him a reason to question you. He might want to know what you mean.
“She’s great. We’re here.” Fabio opened his door. “I promise tonight will be better than last weekend.”
I smiled and accepted his hand. I had no doubt it would be better. The more we were together, the easier it was and that was more than a little frightening.
I could seriously fall in love with Fabio Ferrari.