Page 121 of More Than Pen Pals

“Imight not have the power to get my wife sent out of the country,” Diego Sanchez says over the phone, “but Javier Reyes will be back home where he belongs by Monday.”

My mouth drops open and it’s a few seconds before I can reply, “Diego, that’s …”

“The most amazing thing you will hear today? Yes, it is, Ash Hamilton.”

“How did you get that done so quickly?” It’s eight o’clock on Thursday morning. The man didn’t know Javier existed twenty-four hours ago.

“I have some friends in the State Department.” I can hear the smile in his voice.

“Apparently.”

“Now that I’ve taken care of that, I need you to do two things for me.”

“Anything.” I lean back in my chair, no idea what he’s going to ask, but trusting he won’t ask me to do anything I won’t want to do.

“First, come up with a list of people who could run this foundation of mine. I’m asking Leslie to do the same, and Bobby and I are making our own lists. Send it to me by Monday.”

“I can do that.” I wonder if it’s ethical to put my name on the list, particularly because I’ll almost certainly be without a job soon.

“Second, and more importantly, tell Leslie Beckett you love her, do whatever you need to do to make sure she knows you mean it, and put the poor woman out of her misery.”

My heart stops. “What?”

“You heard me. I saw the way she longed to touch you and how you undressed her with your eyes every chance you got. The sexual tension in that conference room was …” He makes an explosion sound. “Do something about it, man. Put usallout of our misery. Nobody needs to experience that again.”

“Diego, I apologize if I wasn’t professional in that meeting.”

“Oh, you were professional. Too professional. Stop it. Take that woman to dinner, take her to bed, fly her to Paris for the weekend, whatever. I don’t care. Do something other than look at her like she’s the most precious thing you have ever seen.”

I sigh and decide honesty is the best policy here. Diego’s not going to let this go. “I want to, but it’s—”

“Complicated. I know. Bobby told me. Under duress, you understand. He is usually a vault, but I have my ways. I am ordering you, as your new friend and co-conspirator in the Diego Sanchez Foundation, to uncomplicate it. I will check back in a week to make sure you have accomplished this mission. If you haven’t, I will talk to the lady myself. Got it?”

If the man is going to be this pushy, maybe I don’t want to work for him. “Diego …”

“Okay, fine. I’m meddling. It’s your life. Do what you want. I will not force you to do anything. But think about what I said, yes?”

“Yes.”

“I like Leslie. I like you. You are both good people and extremely smart. This foundation the two of you dreamed up is going to make many, many people happy. Now go make yourselves happy. You want to be happy, Ash Hamilton?”

“I do.”

“You will be happiest when you make her happy. This I have learned … though you might not know it from the state of my marriage. But I am right. Believe me.”

“I do.” There’s nothing I want more than to make Leslie Beckett happy.

“My prediction is I will hear you say those two little words in front of a preacher within the year. I would bet my new foundation on it. And if I’m not invited to hear you say those words to your Lady Leslie, I will never forgive you.”

* * *

“What are you going to do if Dad fires you?” my brother asks from across the table at McConnell’s Pub after work. He’s on his second beer, and I’m on my second order of fish and chips.

“Somebody will hire me.” I’m not worried about it.

“Somebody that’s not afraid of repercussions from Dad? Good luck with that. You might need to move to Des Moines.”

“I don’t want to work for anyone who’s scared of hiring me because of Dad.”

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