Chapter 8
I NEED A brEAK
VICTORIA
Calling Carol to confirm that I’m going to the wedding has lifted a weight off my shoulders, and at the same time, it’s placed an even heavier one on my back.
Until now, I hadn’t told anyone I was dating Joana because even I wasn’t sure if it would work out; my last serious partner was Elena, and her shadow remained strong and unbeatable in my heart for far too long.
I couldn’t see myself with anyone other than her, and during the first few months, I felt like I was replacing her, but in the end, Joana managed to carve out a place for herself, and I can’t deny that she’s made my days different.
She’s a very different person from my ex-wife; she knows what she wants and doesn’t hesitate to work hard to get it.
She’s so clear and outgoing that everything is easy, simple, and uncomplicated.
Plus, the sexual attraction between us is so strong that, at almost forty, I feel like I’m right back in my teens—I’m on fire every time she kisses me.
I’m sure the news that I’m returning to Ibiza with a date is going to be the talk of the town, and that everyone who knows me will be talking about it.
The truth is, I don’t care what they say, though I do care about how Elena might feel when she finds out.
Years may have passed, but she’s still there; she’s part of my life story, and the last thing I want is for her to have a hard time.
Friday is here, and I have a weekend ahead of me that I hope to enjoy.
These have been very intense days: receiving the invitation card, the problems going on at the newsroom, the last-minute news…
My head is so foggy that I’ve waited until the very last second to get everything ready and forget about work until Monday.
Now I can finally go home, take a bubble bath, and rest. Plus, I’d better start packing and make sure I’m taking everything I need to Ibiza because I’m the type who always forgets to pack something important.
“I don’t even feel like cooking,” I think as soon as I sling my bag over my shoulder and clutch my car keys in one hand.
I’ll probably stop by a McDonald’s on the way home and grab an XXL meal to go, because the thought of having to cook anything is exhausting.
When I grab the doorknob of my office, the door swings open and Alfredo, my boss, appears behind it, intent on keeping me there a little longer.
Everyone in the newsroom knows that the only thing that pulls him away from his desk is curiosity, and for some reason, I have a feeling that’s exactly why he’s here.
This guy is the typical vulture who knows even the smallest detail of your life.
I met him when I was an intern at the newspaper Información in Valencia.
He was, in part, to blame for my marriage to Elena going to hell, and the same guy who dragged me to El País by offering me my dream job in international news; I owe him a lot, even though I don’t thank him at all.
No one could, considering how much I’ve suffered because of him.
“Alfredo, what brings you here?” I ask, putting on one of my best smiles. “You almost caught me. I was just about to head home.”
“Can you spare a few minutes?” he asks, in a casual tone, with that spark of curiosity in his eyes.
I nod resignedly, set my things down on the desk, and lean against the wall next to him, knowing the conversation won’t be quick.
He comes in right away, closes the door, and settles into one of the armchairs by the windows.
“I heard you asked Pepa to move up your vacation.”
“Yeah, well…” I hesitate, trying to find the right words to explain the situation.
“My best friend is getting married in Ibiza. It’s been years since our whole group of friends got together, and the bride and groom are planning to spend the summer with us.
” “That’s what the card said, and that’s how I’m going to tell you,” I think to myself.
“You know I don’t take a single day off.
And, with a few exceptions, you have me in the newsroom even on weekends…
” I remind him, just in case. “I deserve a little break, don’t I? ”
He frowns without taking his eyes off mine, and I don’t know why I do it, but I give him a smile.
“But that’s too long…” he muses aloud. “Especially considering how things are at the newsroom. There are going to be a lot of changes from now on, and I don’t know if it’ll be for the best.”
“I’m sure you’ll manage. That’s what the interns are for, right?
” I ask, recalling his words from the past—the same ones he used with me every time he wanted to get home early because he had something important to do.
“They know how to do their jobs well. I did it when I was younger; I don’t think there’ll be a problem. ”
Alfredo has a peculiar way of manipulating situations to his advantage, and I know that behind his insistence lies something else he doesn’t want to tell me.
“The truth is, you’re the best on the staff,” he flatters me with a forced smile.
“Good people deserve to be rewarded with something, right?” I nod a couple of times and cross my arms. “You’ve earned that vacation, but remember that the news can’t wait and that a good journalist has to keep up with it. ”
“And bosses sometimes need to remember that we’re not machines and we need to rest,” I retort, knowing he won’t like it.
I know he’s the kind of person who would do anything to maintain control over his employees’ lives, and I have no intention of backing down or changing my mind.
“Ibiza is my second home, and I haven’t been there in over seven years. It’s about time I went.”
“I see…” he replies with a fake smile on his lips.
I don’t trust him or his intentions. But all I can do is focus on my own plans and not let him do whatever he wants with them.
“Working at such a major newspaper can cause a lot of headaches, but that’s just part of the job.
Not everyone is cut out for it…” he clarifies, settling in more comfortably.
“But what am I telling you? You’re the perfect candidate to take my place. ”
“Don’t be silly.” I laugh.
“I’m leaving for Le Monde in a few months,” he announces, and I’m taken aback for a moment, not fully grasping the meaning of his words. “Pepa and I are looking for someone to take my place.”
“And haven’t you thought of Joana?” For a moment I feel afraid, and my defenses go up, shielding me from everything that makes me uncomfortable.
I’d never considered becoming the newspaper’s deputy editor, nor had I imagined what it would be like to go beyond my current job.
“She’s worked at the biggest publications in the country. She’s more qualified than I am.”
“We haven’t decided yet… you know how these things go.
” He looks at me with a mixture of satisfaction and defiance in his eyes that I can’t stand, and just as I’m about to speak, he stands up and walks toward the door.
“Enjoy your vacation. But don’t be far from your phone.
You never know. Maybe you’ll become the next boss of this tangle of… ”
“Of good journalists,” I interject, and he winks at me.
“We’ll talk later,” he says simply. “Take care.”
Once he’s gone, I gather my things like a robot, trying to push the worries that have suddenly flooded my mind out of my head.
I rush out of the office and slam the door so hard it catches the attention of several colleagues who look at me in surprise, suddenly making me nervous.
The last thing I needed today was to have to think about my career future, but it’s something I can’t help.
Not even when Joana appears at the end of the hallway and, as soon as she gets close, wraps her arms around my neck to kiss me.