Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
B enicio chuckled heartily at the hilarious story he had just told his ex-wife, Rose. The punchline had landed perfectly.
There was a time when he thought he would never lie in this bed again, yet here he was, naked beneath the sheets. Rose wore a blue silk robe, and he reclined against her soft breasts, her arms wrapped around him from behind as they both laughed.
“You made that up,” she said, her voice thick with amusement.
“It’s a true story. I swear,” Benicio insisted.
Ever since he had inserted himself on her vacation to the Greek Isles, their relationship had blossomed in the right direction. They’d already had a good relationship, but Rose had become friendlier and different in other ways—though he couldn’t quite articulate how. He simply knew her well enough to realize she wasn’t the same after the trip.
Perhaps it was in the way her gaze lingered on him or the way she made eye contact. Nothing overt, but definitely different. Using those cues, Benicio had pushed the envelope with more than platonic touches and flirtatious conversation, careful to keep his behavior away from the prying eyes of their children as much as possible.
Then, the night of their eldest son’s wedding, she had invited him upstairs. That was the first night in years they had spent in each other’s arms, making love and reconnecting in the most intimate way. By mutual agreement, they kept their liaisons a secret from their children—at least for the time being. His good friend, Oscar, thought he was loco, but Benicio didn’t care. He had gotten his Rosa back.
So what if the kids and the general public didn’t know? He didn’t mind. In fact, he worried that if they shared their secret with family too soon, someone might tell Rose she was making a mistake. Or she might begin to doubt she had made the right decision. No, this was better, and it added excitement to their meetings, as if they were doing something wrong—though nothing could be more right than he and Rose making love, cuddling afterward, and making each other laugh.
Gently, he rubbed her knee and thigh, exposed by the parted robe.
“Did you get enough to eat?” Rose asked. She ran her fingers through the gray hairs on his chest.
A member of the staff had brought them breakfast earlier—fruit, croissants, guava jelly, and piping hot coffee. Only crumbs remained on the breakfast tray resting on the upholstered bench at the foot of the bed. They weren’t concerned about staff tipping off their kids. They wouldn’t say a word because they understood discretion.
Monica was often at her fiancé’s place, and though she had seen Benicio leave the property early one morning and questioned her mother, Rose had given her an adequate answer that must have allayed her suspicions because she never questioned her again.
“I’m full, thank you.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I’m surprised I had room after that Thanksgiving feast yesterday.”
“Oh goodness, everything was delicious. The staff did an excellent job.”
“Yes, they did.”
“What do you think about Ignacio and Delta getting back together?” Rose asked, her lips close to his ear.
“I’ve thought long and hard about their relationship, and if he’s happy, that is all that matters. I did not like the back and forth when they were younger. I saw the toll it took on Ignacio. He was very hurt. He loved her very much.”
“I believe Delta loved him too. Does he still have the ring?”
Ignacio had planned to give Delta his mother’s ring, a family heirloom Valentina had promised to the first of her sons to get married. At twenty-one, Ignacio would have been the first, but he and Delta never tied the knot.
“He does.”
“I remember when he showed it to us. It’s a gorgeous piece of jewelry, with that huge green diamond,” Rose remarked.
“Bruno should have been the one to get the ring since he married first, but he didn’t have the heart to ask Ignacio for it. I still do not understand why Delta did not meet him that day. Her father is clearly very influential in her life.”
Rose murmured her agreement. “She was young. Maybe now she’s older and more established in her career, she’ll make her own decisions. She can break away from his control. I’m sure she could find someone who can manage her career just as well—or better.”
Benicio patted her knee. “It’s not easy to break those family bonds, mi amor . There’s a lot of money involved, which is why her father could be holding on so tightly. I’m sure Delta feels a sense of obligation to her father for funding her career in the early stages. We don’t know what sacrifices her parents made to get her to this point. To drop him now that she is successful…” He shook his head. “That could be seen as ungrateful. Or worse, a betrayal.”
“That’s a good point,” Rose murmured.
“She might also be afraid to break free of her father for fear of failing. He has done a good enough job so far. I’ve seen many actors who started out as children hesitate to break those familial bonds for that very reason. Who else would care for you as much as a parent? But the truth is, oftentimes, those parents can be selfish.”
“Do you think her father is one of those kinds of parents?”
“It is hard to say, but the few times I met him, it was clear he is very driven and, at times, tough on her. Which isn’t necessarily bad, but…”
“It can become bad.”
“ Sí .”
Benicio shifted and turned onto his side to look at Rose. Her hair hung in messy loose waves around her face. He’d known her so long that he remembered when her hair was all black, without the gray strands that were there now. Her eyes were still soft and dark brown, but wrinkles had crept into the corners over the years. Yet every time he looked at her, he saw the young, single mother he had run into in the supermarket parking lot. From that moment, he had been smitten.
“We need to take a trip together, just the two of us.”
“Where to?” she asked, her smile indulgent.
“The Loire Valley, of course, like we discussed months ago. Back to France, for those delicious croissants.”
Her eyes lit up, her excitement palpable. “Really?”
“Of course. Did you think I was joking when I said it?”
She squealed and flung her arms around him. Laughing, Benicio pulled her on top of him and held her tight.
Her eyes smiled into his. “Winter. In the Loire Valley. The two of us.”
“Yes,” Benicio whispered. “I have to check my schedule, but I would love to go. We could take our time and visit the different chateaux and do whatever else we desire. Just the two of us.” He tucked her hair behind her right ear.
“You’re sure?” She was smiling, but her eyes searched his face.
“I am. You were right. The life of stress and limitations is for a younger man. It’s time to enjoy myself and relax. Thiago is doing a fine job so far.”
“So more of this? Because we’re not getting any younger. I want us to enjoy our years together.”
Benicio frowned. “ Dios, mi amor. Eso es tan morboso .”
“I’m not trying to be morbid.” She brushed his beard with the back of her hand.
Benicio smiled softly and traced her bottom lip with the tip of his finger. “It’s not easy for me, you know.”
“I know,” she said softly.
“I’m not like you, Rosa. You have your garden, your family, and soon two more little ones to keep you busy.”
“They’re your family too,” Rose pointed out.
“Not in the same way. Work is all I have known. Since I was a boy and landed my first acting role. What will I do with myself if I don’t work?”
“ Live . Travel. Spend time with those grandchildren you mentioned. Spend time with me .”
He heard the faint tremor in her voice. The pleading he had ignored in the past until she felt she had no choice but to end their marriage. Up until the divorce papers had arrived, he’d believed in his heart that she would change her mind, and they would reconcile.
Now that they were together again, he couldn’t imagine losing her for a second time. He couldn’t hurt her like that again, making her feel unimportant when, in fact, she was the center of his universe. His world had been off-kilter ever since their marriage ended, and only by staying in touch and remaining amicable had he been able to maintain some semblance of normalcy without losing his mind.
He examined her left hand, hating how empty it looked. One day they would remarry, and she would put her rings back on her finger where they belonged.
“Spending time with you would be the best part,” he admitted.
“If you hate taking time off, you could work part-time or act as a consultant.”
Her voice ended on a hopeful, upbeat note. Her suggestion was better than in the past, which had been all or nothing. This time, there was the possibility of compromise. She understood how difficult it would be for him to walk away from the company he had built. But he could easily imagine taking time off and having more flexibility to participate in other activities.
“Maybe I will learn a new hobby,” he said.
“That would be nice.”
He smoothed his hand down the curve of her back to rest on her bottom. “I’ll talk to Thiago, but understand we’re in a transition period. If he needs me…”
“I understand,” she said, a smile brightening her face. She cupped his cheek and kissed him. “You’ve made me so happy with your decision.”
“Your happiness is my priority.”
Rose leaned in and kissed him again.
After a delicious lunch of leftovers, Benicio reluctantly headed to the front door with a container of food in his hand. His other hand was linked with Rose’s. She held on to him as if she never wanted to let him go, which was a great boost to his ego.
“I’ll see you next week,” he said, dropping a kiss on her lips.
“I’ll start doing some research for our trip.”
He would do whatever it took to keep that happy smile on her face. “Sounds good.”
Standing on tiptoe, Rose cupped his bearded cheek and gave him a longer, lingering kiss. “I love you,” she whispered.
Benicio rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. They had said “I love you” to each other multiple times in recent months, yet each time his heart became impossibly full and filled to overflowing with love and affection for this woman.
“Yo también, te amo, mi amor,” he said huskily. After one more kiss, he reluctantly left.
As he was driving along the highway, his phone rang, and the name on the car’s screen made one eyebrow lift higher.
What does she want? he asked himself. He must have conjured her up with the conversation about Ignacio.
He answered the call. “Hola, Valentina,” Benicio greeted his first ex-wife.
“Hello Benicio, how are you?” she asked, also speaking in Spanish.
“I’m fine,” he answered carefully.
Years ago, Valentina had taken his sons from Mexico and moved back to her native Colombia out of spite. Then one day she gave up on being a mother and told him he could bring them to the United States to live with him. A long time passed before they were able to speak to each other in a civil manner, and once their sons became adults, they had no reason to communicate at all. In fact, they rarely did. So this call and her friendly demeanor were a big surprise.
“I’m planning a trip to the States to see my cousins in California. Then I want to stop in Atlanta to see the boys. I was hoping I’d get to see you, too, if you’re not too busy.”
Benicio frowned. Why would she want to see him? “Maybe. It depends on when you’re coming.”
“I’ll have the details soon, but I hope you can make time for me. We could have dinner or something. You know? Like old times.”
Like old times? Their marriage had consisted of frequent explosive arguments that seemed never-ending. What a difference it had been when he met Rose. Her calm, quiet personality was in sharp contrast to the volatility he had been used to.
“Get me the dates, and we’ll see.”
“I’ll try to coincide with the birth of Bruno’s baby. I’m very excited to have my first grandchild. You’ve already had the pleasure of being a grandfather through Rose’s children, so I envy you. How is Rose, anyway?”
“She’s fine.” Benicio kept his answer short on purpose, suspicious of this newer, friendlier Valentina.
“I won’t keep you. I’ll be in touch when my plans are finalized. I hope you can make time for me. It would be nice to see you, Benicio. It’s been a long time. Goodbye.”
After the call, several minutes passed before Benicio realized he was not only frowning, he was gripping the steering wheel.
Valentina was up to something, and her coming to town could only mean one thing.
Trouble.