Chapter 15 #2
A slow smile curved her lips. “The only topic worth discussing,” she replied. “But more recently, my husband brought a new topic to my attention.”
“And what topic would that be?” I asked, my tone even.
“That you’re suddenly very interested in a woman who isn’t interested in you,” she said, lifting her glass.
Sebastian nearly choked on his drink, while Jim merely smirked. Spencer leaned back as though he’d been waiting for this since I’d hung up with him on the phone this afternoon.
I didn’t react to any of them. “Well, that’s an interesting interpretation,” I said calmly.
“It’s the correct interpretation,” she replied just as smoothly.
The table fell quiet because, unlike the others around me, Natalia Monroe wasn’t playing.
“Well, I’m not interested in interpretations tonight,” I said. “I’m interested in accuracy.”
Her blue eyes sharpened slightly. “That’s truly unfortunate,” she said. “Because if you want accuracy about Catalina Veléz, you need to understand her first.”
“Then I suggest you start there.”
Natalia paused for a moment, then she smiled. She wasn’t amused or impressed; she seemed intrigued.
“Why?” she asked. “Why do you want to know anything about her?”
“Because I’m hiring her,” I said.
“That’s not what I asked.”
I leaned back slightly, matching her composure, appreciating the challenge she posed.
“I need to know what she responds to,” I said. “What she values.”
“And what makes you think I’m going to help you with that?” she asked.
“Because you’re curious about what I’ll do with the information. But more importantly,” I said, “she and I had a rough start. I intend to fix that.”
“You understand that she’s my friend, correct?” Natalia said.
“And I’m not her enemy,” I answered.
“That remains to be seen.”
“Exactly,” I said. “This is why I want to make things right with her, the right way. I need to gain the woman’s trust.”
Nat kept staring me down, as if searching for any hidden motives in my eyes. Finally, she set her glass down. “Fine,” she said. “But understand something before I say anything else.”
“Yes?”
“You don’t impress her,” she said.
“I’m not trying to.”
“That’s your first mistake.”
I held Nat’s gaze.
“Then, by all means, correct me.”
Nat leaned forward slightly. “Cat notices details,” Natalia said. “Not the obvious ones. The ones most people overlook.”
I remained silent, listening and hanging on to each word Nat chose to trust me with about her friend.
“She doesn’t like excess. She doesn’t like noise. And she definitely doesn’t like men who think they can buy her attention.”
Spencer let out a quiet laugh into his glass as I ignored him.
“These are all things she doesn’t like. May I ask, what does she like?” I asked.
Natalia watched me for a moment longer.
“Spencer mentioned you’re having her decorate your yacht in Greece—for her?”
“That is my plan to spend more time alone with her so she will learn to trust me and work for me. As I said, she and I got off on the wrong foot.”
Nat shook her head, running one finger around the rim of her glass. “You men,” she glanced at each of us at the table. “You throw money at problems as if that’s the only answer.”
“That’s not what I’m doing,” I said.
“That’s exactly what you’re doing,” Nat said.
“I wish you luck.” She smiled, almost as if she couldn’t wait to watch this idea of mine crash and burn.
“Well, if she’s planning her own event on your yacht,” she laughed again, “ensure that only white florals are brought aboard. Orchids, but only if they’re done correctly. Nothing can be overdone.”
I filed it away.
“You’ve seen pictures of his yacht, correct?” Sebastian chuckled into his scotch.
“That’s why I can’t wait to hear all about this outlandish idea for Titus to secure Cat’s services for planning events.”
“What colors is she fond of?” I asked, ignoring speculation.
“Navy,” she answered without hesitation. “Clean tones. Neutrals. She gravitates toward things that feel chic and classic rather than loud.”
“Style?”
“Everything about Cat is structured, tailored, and effortless.”
“Jewelry?”
Her eyes widened. “First of all, Cat is a lot like the rest of us women. Jewelry isn’t something we accept solely as an apology. If I were you, I’d leave that out of this little journey you’re about to take with her.”
“And if I don’t leave it out?”
She shook her head with a smile. “Keep it minimal. If it’s expensive, it’d better not look like it.”
A faint smirk pulled at the corner of my mouth.
“Her drink of choice?”
“Red wine,” she said. “Whenever we’re out with the ladies, she’s always the one ordering whatever is bold on the menu.”
Every answer confirmed what I’d already started to suspect, that everything about my world and what I lived in did not impress her.
“She doesn’t want to be impressed,” Natalia added, confirming my thoughts.
“What does she want?” I asked.
“What any woman wants,” she answered.
“And that is?”
“To be understood.”
“Understood,” I said.
Natalia tilted her head slightly. “That’s the problem,” she murmured.
I didn’t ask her to explain that final dig because I already knew what she meant. Understanding a woman like Catalina Veléz wasn’t the challenge. Earning the right to show her that you did was.
I reached for my glass and took a slow sip as the conversation around the table picked up again, making the moment feel lighter. I realized I needed to approach this as I had been thinking earlier—with respect for strong women, like the sea. You don’t go in believing it owes you anything.
It was unpredictable, and even with the limited information Natalia offered tonight, I knew these details would mean nothing if I used them to bait the woman. Instead, I would do what I did best. I would arrange all of this to show my appreciation for her.
That’s where I would start.