Page 27 of White Wedding
Not that this situation was remotely similar. But if he helped her out, he could lighten her load and make the wedding ordeal a little more bearable.
Who was he kidding? He didn’t just want to help Victoria. He wanted to pick up where they’d left off, kiss her until she was breathless, and release the woman he’d known in Baja.
But anything beyond friendship was a terrible idea. If his brothers found out he’d slept with her, they wouldn’t trust him to do the job. A job he now wanted, despite his initial misgivings. He couldn’t blow his chance to prove himself to his family.
Back at the apartment, he showered, then sent a group text to his brothers and Araceli, attaching the photos he’d taken at Blackwood Manor. Five minutes later, his phone rang. Martin.
Rafael couldn’t help but smirk as he answered it. His older brother was probably jealous as hell. “Yo, Martin. What’s up?”
“I got the photos.”
“That ballroom’s something, right? The pictures don’t do it justice.”
“Can you come over tonight after dinner? I want to talk about the job.” His brother’s voice carried an edge.
Rafael’s gut tightened. Had Martin learned about his connection with Victoria?
Not possible. The only person he’d told was Araceli, and she’d promised to lock that shit in the vault.
“Everything okay?” Though his meeting with Victoria had given him a boost of confidence, the familiar apprehension started creeping back.
“It’s all good. I want to go over logistics. Staffing, scheduling, that sort of thing. Figured tonight might work, since we all have the night off.”
In the past, Rafael might have balked. A night off shouldn’t require any obligations. He’d been hoping to catch the newFast and Furiousflick with Ernesto. But he needed to show his brothers this job was his top priority. “Sure. I’ll bring the spec sheet with me.”
* * *
Martin lived a few miles away,in a squat ranch house with a small, well-tended garden. Rafael moved a Cozy Coupe out of his path and rapped on the front door, before opening it and announcing himself. The place smelled of balsam fir, with garlands hung from every archway. A bare Christmas tree stood in one corner of the living room; beside it, five boxes of ornaments were stacked in a pile.
Though Rafael wasn’t in any hurry to settle down, the sight of Martin’s living room filled him with an unexpected longing. Like it might be nice to eventually find the right person and make a life with her. To come home to a loving wife, a couple of kids, and a place he could truly call home. To create a family of his own that he could love and cherish.
Or maybe the Christmas decor was getting to him. Up until his dad died, his family had always embraced the month leading up to the holiday. Baking, decorating, watching movies likeElfandA Christmas Story. But that first Christmas after his dad’s death had been brutal. Rafael had gotten wasted on Christmas Eve, committing the cardinal sin of skipping the Sanchez family dinnerandMidnight Mass. Though he’d never been that thoughtless again, the memory still haunted him.
Wiping his hands on a dish towel, Martin came in from the kitchen. “Have a seat. Ignore the mess. Luz started decorating this weekend, and she’s only halfway done.”
Rafael pushed a couple of Hot Wheels cars off the couch and sat down. “You’re not helping her?”
“You think I have a death wish? She’s got everything planned. I can’t hang up an ornament without her yelling at me. My one job is to set up the Christmas tree and make sure it’s not crooked.”
Rafael squinted at the tree. “Hate to say it, but you screwed up.”
“Shit. Really?” When Rafael laughed, his brother strode back to the kitchen. “For that, you’re not getting any Christmas cookies.”
“Come on. It’s my day off.”
After making him wait all of five minutes, Martin relented and brought in a plate heaped with cookies. He set them on the coffee table. “Luz baked twelve dozen this weekend. Her sister came over, and they went nuts.”
“Is Luz here?” By now, Martin’s wife usually would have greeted them, as would his boys. Ages five and three, they were holy terrors, but Rafael loved joking around with them and playing the role of the cool uncle.
“Nah. She and the boys went with her sister to the tree lighting downtown. Santa’s supposed to make an appearance.”
Rafael took a cinnamon-sugar cookie from the top of the pile and ate it in a few bites. Delicious. As he was reaching for another, Tony came in through the front door. He grinned at the sight of the cookies. “Sweet. Luz must have been baking.”
Once the brothers were seated, Rafael brought out the contract with the spec sheet, as well as the sketches Victoria had given him. He set them on the table. “Here’s the paperwork from the meeting. Do you want to review the photos again?”
“I’ve got this.” Martin retrieved his laptop and pulled up the photos Rafael had sent. “I uploaded them so we can view them on a bigger screen.”
“I still can’t get over that ballroom,” Tony said. “It reminds me of that version ofThe Great Gatsbywith Leonardo DiCaprio. What’s the capacity?”
