Chapter 38
Luke
Right when he thought they’d finally found a way forward—they needed to locate the cabbie who’d taken Leonardo Pascual and his unremarkable captor from the cocktail bar two nights before and see where that would lead them—things started to unravel.
First it was Miquel ringing him. Luke had been tempted to let him go straight to voicemail but thought if he didn’t pick up Miquel would be calling Sol next, and Luke wanted to spare her the confrontation. She wasn’t happy with Miquel.
They were still nursing coffees and teas at the café where they’d found Toni, when Luke’s mobile rang with Miquel’s call.
“Let me take this outside,” he simply told Divya and Sol, and exited the café.
He was aware that his mystery quota was a bit high for the day.
He’d disappeared a mere hour before on the pretext of having to run an undisclosed errand.
But he just didn’t want Sol to hear his conversation with Miquel.
He didn’t think he’d be able to remain cool and civil.
“Miquel, to what do I owe the displeasure?” he answered, his jaw locked.
“Wow, buddy! Chill. This hostility can’t be good for your blood pressure.”
Luke chuckled. “You don’t have to worry about my blood pressure. But tell me what you want.”
“I need you to put in the good word for me with Sol. She isn’t picking up my calls and I’m afraid she’s mad at me.” Miquel’s tone was flatter than usual but still annoying.
Perhaps it was the lack of sleep, or the fact that he still didn’t know when he’d be able to return to London, but Luke wasn’t feeling conciliatory that morning. “What makes you think I’ll help you after the article you published the other day with that bloody disclosure at the end of it?”
“Oh, so it was the disclosure that got to you, eh? I’m sorry, buddy, my editor made me put it there. He thought it would give the whole story a bit more pep.”
Luke flinched for a second. Sol had told him about editors and their ability to transform someone’s text in the name of getting clicks.
Could it be possible that Miquel hadn’t actually tried to make Luke jealous with that disclosure and it had been someone else’s idea? He dismissed that thought right away.
“Yeah, I’m not buying it.”
“You can’t just keep me away from Sol because you’re jealous.”
“Of course I can’t. And I’m not doing it!
” Luke protested. Also, the idea of him wanting to spare her the confrontation was ridiculous.
She knew how to take care of herself and had done it by not taking Miquel’s calls.
Luke should have perhaps done the same as her.
“She’s the one not answering your calls, remember? ”
“Yeah, but you could put in the good word for me. We’ve always remained friends, Sol and I, even after everything that’s happened between the two of us,” Miquel kept arguing. “I don’t want to lose her friendship. Could you help me here?”
“She didn’t appreciate that you published an article about my current investigation,” Luke said. “And she didn’t like that disclosure either.”
“Are you sure it’s just that?” Luke didn’t recall having heard Miquel speak in such a non-saccharine way. While he wasn’t being harsh, it almost came off as that because the man normally sounded so sweet.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to infer here.” Luke didn’t like Miquel. But he’d never got between Ex Number One and Sol. She liked Miquel as a friend, and Luke had no problems with it—even if Ex Number One got on his nerves.
“I mean that I understand if you’re jealous,” Miquel said.
Luke chuckled. “Why should I be jealous exactly? Sol not only is taking my calls, she’s here with me. She’s my partner.” Luke turned around, facing the café’s window. His eyes flicked to Sol, sipping her coffee. She was there with him. His shoulders dropped, relaxed. Warmth spread inside him.
“Right now she is.” The flippancy in Miquel’s words was difficult to miss. “But she’s been known to ghost people and block exes from her phone. One day it could be you.”
“That’s if she finished with me, but I have no intention of giving her any reason for that.” His jaw practically hurt, he was gritting his teeth so hard.
“Yeah, but she’ll never be your wife.”
That was totally uncalled for. And it stung. Luke’s eyes returned to the café’s window. Sol was still behind it, unaware of his eyes on her.
“You know she told me she’d never marry again after divorcing David, right?” Miquel continued, referring to Ex Number Two. “I mean, if you can live with that, it’s fine, buddy. But I just wouldn’t.”
Heat crept under Luke’s skin. He’d had enough. “Miquel, buddy, why did you call me? Was it to ask me to put in the good word with Sol for you? Or just to get under my skin? Because I don’t feel very generous towards you at the moment…”
“Perhaps I just want to ask for your help with her, tell her I’m sorry, please. In exchange, I’m showing you I also like you. And, as a friend, I just want you to know what’s ahead for you with her.”