Page 137 of More Than Pen Pals

“They did. They believe in what we’re doing with your foundation.”

“But …”

I haven’t yet experienced a speechless Diego Sanchez. I rather like it. “Randall is now in-house counsel for Carter-Jenkins,” I inform him.

When we all met with George last night, he didn’t care one whit that he’ll have to deal with the fallout of breaking his contract with the law firm.

“And Ash is hoping something else will come along for him very soon,” I say meaningfully.

“And is Ash still hoping foranothersomething—or someone—else to come along soon, or has that happened since last week?” Diego asks with a grin in his voice.

Ash told me what Diego said to him about me. “It happened.” I can’t stop the grin from taking over my own face.

“Yes! I knew it! I will be his best man.”

I chuckle. “We’re not planning a wedding yet,” though I won’t be surprised if we are soon, “but I’m guessing when the time comes, he’ll ask his brother to fill that role.”

“Fine, but he’d better ask his new employer to be his second-best man.”

Now I’m speechless.

“You heard me, Lady Leslie. I am hiring your Ash. You know what tipped it over the edge?”

“My letter?” My chest fills with warmth at the thought.

“Nope.” After a beat, he laughs. “Although that was an excellent touch.”

“Then what did it?”

“When he told me he wants to get the foundation running and then train up someone from the immigrant community to take over. He understands my people don’t need a bunch of white Americans coming in to save us. Yes, we might use the assistance of a few specific white people to get things going, but I want this foundation to be built around people who have the drive to help because they have been there themselves.”

Tears filled my eyes as he started speaking, and now they’re spilling down my cheeks and onto my silk blouse, but I don’t care.

“Your Ash will do great things, Lady Leslie, both for the Diego Sanchez Foundation and whatever he does next. You mark my words.”

I don’t need to mark them. I know what he says is true.

A knock sounds on my door, and before I can respond, Ash’s voice says, “It’s me.”

“Come in,” I call out.

“Is that him?” Diego asks. “Is he there? Let me talk to him. Don’t you dare tell him before I do!”

Ash enters, and when he sees the state I’m in, his eyes fill with alarm. He pushes the door shut and rushes toward me, and I hold out the phone to him. “I’m fine. It’s for you.”

His gaze turns questioning, and he swipes the tears off my cheeks with one hand while taking the phone in the other. Then he gives me a lingering kiss before sitting on my desk so he’s facing me.

“Hello?” he finally says into the phone.

“Ash Hamilton, I hear you are in need of employment.” Diego’s voice is loud, but I can barely hear him from my chair, so I stand between Ash’s legs, drape my arms around his neck, and move my ear near the phone. A thrill goes through me that I can be this close to him now.

“Did a little birdie tell you that?” Ash smiles at me and strokes my cheek with the back of his fingers.

“If by ‘a little birdie,’ you mean a woman named Annette, then yes.” Diego huffs. “You Americans and your ridiculous idioms.”

Ash chuckles. “Did you call to complain about Americans and harass me about my lack of employment?”

“Ash Hamilton, I like this non-professional side of you. And I like that you have made Lady LeslieyourLady Leslie.”