THE DARK SIDE OF LOVE

Falling In-Love Is Easy

The darkness seemed to take shape inside my head, like black roses blossoming behind my eyelids. Then something strange happened, something insane. I was standing in the far corner of the room watching as he stomped his foot into something on the ground.

I moved closer. Cautiously I took a few quick steps towards him and then stopped. I watched in disbelief. I was watching, no witnessing myself being beaten into a pulp, being stepped on like a little bug that didn’t have a single worth in the world. The sound of his grunts and curses echoed deep into the thick air. His voice ringing, burning in my ears. I could taste the blood in my mouth warm and coppery. Then as his foot lifted in the air one more time I cringed away, closing my eyes sure that this would be the final blow...

I’m not quite sure how I got here. In a puddle of my blood, hurting so much that my body turned numb. I became one of those, you know who I’m talking about... the punching bags. I was once a woman so proud, my head held high. A head full of legal knowledge, by the way. But not much of common sense. I should have followed my heart and kept my head, my fears, and worries on mute. So how did I get here, love led me here, that’s how.

Two years earlier...

I walked into my Papa’s house, excited to be home. Breathing in that nostalgic scent of home a sense of belonging hit me. I was home. I was finally home. After years of studying and toiling to be what my Papa expected of me, this is where I wanted to be.

My Papa’s hacienda was in Sultepec, Toluca Mexico. The countryside was beautiful and peaceful, a total contrast to the busy cities of Spain. This was the time that I needed to wind down before going to my new job in Mexico City. Papa had managed to get his friend to employ me at his law firm. I would like to think that my exceptional grades got me in, but the truth was, Senor Montero was my god-father and he felt obligated to give me a job. Sure enough with a little twist of the arm from my father, he agreed.

But that didn’t matter, I was home and I was free to enjoy the things that I denied myself for almost fifteen years. My father had sent me away when I was twelve. He either didn’t know what to do with a teenage girl, or he didn’t need a reminder of what he had lost. Staring at me every single day ever since my mother’s death, could have been too much for him.

I stepped out of the house, the bullpen where they trained the horses in front of me. Inside it, a man’s half-naked body stared at me, teasing me invitingly. I almost didn’t notice the huge white stallion next to him. With the way his head was bent, the rim of his Stetson hid the better part of his face. But his lips were visible, twisted in a scowl, but that didn’t take away from their beauty. They were thick, full kissable lips. As for the rest of his body, everything was bare for my scrutiny. His tanned muscled chest glistened with sweat, and as he pulled the horse’s reigns, the muscles in his hands and chest tightened, the muscles in his jean-clad thighs seemed like they were about to tear through the denim for freedom. What I would give to be that man’s main focus for just a second. Or an hour.

But just as my fantasies were running away with me, I had someone call my name, so I went back into the house. I could hear dragged footsteps and light thudding coming up behind me, and I immediately knew who it was. Years had gone by, but the sound of my grandmother’s footsteps had stayed with me.

“Elita,” She called in her husky Mexican accent, “Come here baby, give your grandmother a hug.” She held her wrinkled arms out to me and like a little girl, I rushed into them.

“Abuela how are you?” I hugged her and rested my head on her chest. I had dreamt of this for so many nights and finally getting to do it seemed like another dream.

“My baby, mi niña, how have you been?” She held me at arm’s length, taking in an eye full. I knew what she was going to say so I braced myself, “Why are you so thin?”

“I’m not thin.” I laughed through clouded eyes, my heart souring. “Where is Papa?”

“Where else would he be. He’s outside with the horses. Sometimes I think he prefers their company to mine.” I helped her into a chair and then knelt at her feet. It felt like Christmas all over again, when I would unwrap gifts at her feet while she combed her bony fingers through my silky locks.

“Go and see your Papa, I know you want to. I will tell Maria to make your favorite food.”

Maria was the cook and also an elderly woman. It was a wonder that she was still working for my father. “Maria is still here. I’ll go to the kitchen later and see her. Right now I’m going to find Papa. Will you be alright by yourself?”

“Sure I will.”

I ran out of the sliding glass doors, the first thing I noticed was that the man with the horse was no longer there. Disappointed, I headed for the stables. Papa loved his horses more than anything else in his world; well not as much as he did me, hopefully.

“Papa!” I called out once I was in range. The stench that came out of the stables was terrible. It seemed to have formed an invisible screen wall that I dared not walk through. I stood a safe distance away but still made sure that he could hear me. “Papa!” I called out again, a little louder this time.

“Gabriella,” he exclaimed happily as he walked the distance that I wouldn’t, “Mija, how have you been? Did the driver come for you in time?” He hugged me with all the dirt and straws of hay that he had picked up from the stables.

“I would have preferred it if you picked me up, but I see you’re busy with the horses.” I kissed him on his forehead as I always did but soon regretted it when a salt taste was left on my lips.

“I’m sorry one of the fouls was sick. I hope you understand.” He gave me a look that I couldn’t stay mad at.

“It’s fine Papa.” I kissed him and hugged him as tight as I could, soaking up the love he had for me, and the sweat.

“Senor Lombardo, the foul seems to be fine.” A voice called from the barn. The deep velvety baritone rumble burrowed to my core.

“Tony, just leave it and come out here,” Papa instructed.

A feeling of excitement tickled me, but at the same time, I was waiting to be disappointed. Most of the time I had seen men with booming husky tones but their voices never matched their bodies. But I wasn’t disappointed. Tony walked out of the barn and his sweaty body glistened in the sun. He looked like the picture that you only saw on the cover of novels or the leading men in the intoxicating telenovelas. His tanned skin brought out the beautiful almost hazel color of his eyes. His dark, slightly curly hair was kept short and tidy, as his six-pack abs were neatly stacked against each other.

I was hypnotized. Every sense in my body was drawn to him. I didn’t hear what the two men said. And when I saw him stretch his hand out, I took it, and immediately a million volts of energy soared through my body and landed on home plate. I almost purred like a fourteen-year-old girl faced by her first crush.

“It’s nice to meet you, Senorita Gabriella.”

I hang onto his tongue as he rolled the ‘r’ in my name. His voice went through my ears and fogged my head once more. My eyes were going into shock, roving from his eyes to his weakening smile, to the muscles in his arms then to his abs, knowing not what to look at next. I was in limbo, but a nudge from Papa cleared it all out. I cleared my throat and tried to get a grip on my hysterical hormones.

“You can call me Ela or Elita. My grandmother calls me Elita, Papa just calls me Ela. But you can call me whatever you want, Gabriella is fine too.” I was rumbling and soon I was out of breath. I breathed in through my nose and tried to play it cool, “It is nice to meet you too.” In my mind the direct translation was, come and get me, cowboy!

“I think your father would prefer it if I called you Senorita Gabriella.” He smiled once more and a slight whimper escaped my throat and a gasp from my lips, my hand flew to my mouth too late to save me from the embarrassment.

Tony’s broad beautiful face went into a smile.

Dear Lord.

His smile was my kryptonite and slowly this stranger was breaking down my walls brick by brick.

“I would,” Papa said.

Of course, he would. Ever since I was a child father needed me to make a distinction between the servants and friends. ‘They are our employees, not our friends’ he always said. But under no circumstance was I going to let Tony see me as his superior. I intended to be his equal and eventually his friend, and maybe something more, but much later on.

“Maybe you could take me for a ride sometime.” It sounded innocent in my head but the sly smile on Tony’s face told me differently. At least, his mind was on the same wavelength as mine, “On the horses, I mean. To see the fields, that is if you are not working.”

“Of course Senorita, I’m sure your father would also like to join us.” Tony in turn invited my father, awesome.

“Sure.” Papa smiled at me and I smiled back.

If Tony was one of his son’s friends, wealthy and powerful he would have never thought of inviting himself to my date. Papa and I walked back to the house and every couple of seconds I turned back and stole glances of Tony. He was a hunk of a man and all of me wanted him.

“Papa, where is Tony from?” I tried to make my voice sound as casual as I could.

“I think he is from Toluca, why do you ask?”

“Nothing, I was just curious.”

The rest of the day dragged on. I had lunch with my family and helped my Papa plan my welcome home party. It was unnecessary, seeing that I had already been home a day and the party was for that weekend. But it was an excuse for my Papa to have his friends around, drink and brag about my accomplishments.

That night I sat out on my bedroom balcony, looking out at the fields. Everything was so peaceful and still, there was no noise to drive me crazy allowing me to fantasize about Tony in peace. My mind was the only place our relationship would thrive. He would be my fantasy boyfriend as my father went on a search for my husband.

I went to bed that night more frustrated than ever.

The next morning Mary had a feast on the breakfast table. It was my Abuela’s campaign for me to pack on a few pounds. I would have considered it, but with Tony around that was not going to happen. I needed my bikini body to be in top shape, with no sagging or bulging. I sat down at the breakfast table and had my usual, toast, and a fruit salad.

I was anxious to go to the fields with Tony, but I didn’t let the fact that my Papa was coming dampen my mood. I was hoping father time would be on my side that afternoon and my Papa’s old bones would need a rest.

“Mija, how did you sleep?” Papa came into the room with a mountain of files stacked in his arms.

I planted a kiss on his cheek and helped him unload his files onto the table, “I slept well, Papa. What are you doing with all of these?”

“I have a meeting with the cattle association this afternoon.”

I hid my smile and thanked the cattle association. It was a group of cattle owners who lived in ranches in Sultepec. They met every month to talk about cattle I guess.

“Does that mean you won’t be able to come with us to the fields?” I made sure to pout. Had to be convincing that daddy’s little girl was disappointed.

“No my dear, but Tony can take you. Or you could wait for tomorrow-,”

“No, it’s fine. I better just go today because I don’t know what I have planned for tomorrow.” I bit into my apple hiding my smile.

“Are you sure?”

“It’s fine Papa.” I grabbed my cowboy hat from the table and took off for the stables before he could change his mind.

“Good morning Senorita Gabriella.”

The farmhands greeted me and although I had no idea who they were I said hi back.

“Have you seen Tony?” I asked after I had searched for the stables and hadn’t found him.

“He is out warming up the horses for you and your father, but he will be back soon.” I heard that voice plenty of times when I was a child. It was Juan the only help my father would let call him by his first name.

“Juan how are you.” I was excited to see him; at this point, I was excited to see anyone linked to my childhood. Juan taught me how to ride a horse when I was young. At that time my father was too busy with his cattle. Then after my mother’s death he was too busy mourning for her or regretting the things they didn’t get to do, and the time he spent away from her.

“How have you been?” He still looked the same. He was the only old man I knew who looked half his age. I honestly didn’t know how old he was.

“I have been good. I see you have been doing well too.” I could feel him searching for the unwritten words on my face.

“Uh-huh. Why are you looking for Tony?” He tilted his head to the side, his eyes curious.

“He is taking me to the fields. It’s been a long time since I have been there.” I did my best to sound as innocent as possible, but his bushy eyebrow rose in black suspicion.

“I could take you.” Juan was giving me the eye, so I looked away from him.

“It’s fine Tony already offered yesterday.” I chewed into my cheeks. I played it cool, pretending that it didn’t matter who my escort was. “I don’t want to inconvenience him.”

“Uh-huh,” That unnerving sound again.

Trying to hide the obvious from Juan was useless when Tony walked into the barn in all his glory. My jaws unclenched and my mouth dropped. With the sun behind him, a shadow fell on him as he strutted into the barn, a white stallion at his side. A halo behind them, they had walked in straight from heaven. It was incredible, a picture-perfect moment. All he needed to complete the look was a bouquet of red roses and a sword dangling from a scabbard at his waist, my knight in shining armor.

“I know that look.” Juan’s voice echoed in my ear piercing through my fancy.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” I whispered back my eyes not leaving Tony.

“Your father will not approve. He will not like this.” His voice was like an annoying buzz in my ear, and no matter how many times I shooshed it, it wouldn’t go away.

“I’m glad. I’m the only one who is supposed to like this.” I smiled at him before closing the gap between Tony and myself.

“Senorita Gabriella, how did you sleep?” Though the smile was missing from his lips it was present in his eyes.

’I slept dreaming of your smile, your eyes, and your arms around me’. That was what I wanted to say but instead, I said, “I slept well. How did you sleep?”

“I slept fine. How are you, Don Juan?” He acknowledged the old man behind me.

“Fine, be careful with the master’s daughter.” He didn’t need to use those words but he seemed to be reminding Tony of his place. He knew that I would overstep the boundaries, but he had to make sure Tony didn’t. After shooting a bullet into my fancy he walked away.

“Are you ready for your ride?” Tony had a brush in his hand and he was slowly stroking the horse’s coat.

A different kind of ride. “I am. My father will not be able to join us though.” I just had put in the good news.

“It’s just you and me.”

“The way it’s supposed to be,” I mumbled.

“Sorry, I didn’t get that.” He looked up confused.

“Which horse is mine?” I reined back the wild horse inside me.

“They are all yours but you are using this one.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean-,”

“I know what you meant. Your father wants you to ride this one.” He patted the neck of the stallion. “He is a bit of a free spirit, just like you.”

He smiled at me again.

“Papa said that?” It wasn’t the first time he had compared or referenced me to one of his horses.

“He did.” Tony saddled him for me then came to help me atop.

When his hands held onto my waist I was startled. His fingers felt strong as they lurched onto my bony body. He caught me off guard, so when he hoisted me up I missed the hook. He lowered me back to the ground.

“I’m sorry I was just-,” I shook my head too embarrassed to conjure up an excuse.

“It’s alright. It’s a good thing you are light.” He held onto my waist once again. “Are you ready? Just throw your leg over.”

He hoisted me up once again and this time I was present enough to know what I was supposed to do next. I was determined not to cause myself any further embarrassment but it seemed the horse had other ideas. It was restless; it rose onto its hind legs trying to buck me off.

“Calm down Ela.” Tony cooed as he caught the reins.

“I am calm.” At this time I was borderline hysterical and held on as tight as I could.

“I was talking to the horse,” Tony said once he got the horse under control.

“What?” I replayed the last couple of seconds trying to see if I was wrong. If I had gone crazy and imagining him calling my name. “You said calm down Ela.”

“The horse’s name is Ela. Your father named him that.”

“Huh?” of course.

“He’s not used to strangers. I’m the only one who has ridden him.” he chuckled, “Your father won’t come near him. He says he is too wild for his liking.”

“That’s what he says about me and men.” I was in awe at how he stared at the horse with total adoration. Then it hit me, he was staring at the horse I was on his horse. “I’m sorry if you would rather ride it, it is fine with me.”

“It’s fine. He is your horse and he needs to get used to you.” Effortlessly he mounted his horse. “We should go.”

“We should.” I followed closely behind, looking at his back as it swayed with each trot, then he turned to look at me. Quickly I turned my attention to the horse.

“I don’t think you are too wild. Any man would be lucky to have you.”

When he turned around again I threw my fist in the air. Score! Now we were getting somewhere.

We rode side to side for a while as he blubbered on and on about the fields, the cattle, and the horses. Every word he said went over my head. I was paying too much attention to his full lips to concern myself with what was coming out of them.

“Is there such scenery in Spain?”

“What about Spain?” Once again I was caught off guard and had only managed to catch the last word of his sentence. Thinking fast I said the first thing that came to mind. “Spain is really beautiful, but it isn’t home.”

“You seem distracted. Is there something you need to do? We could go back to the house.”

“I was just thinking about the party my father is throwing.” And I was daydreaming about how perfect our lips would look together. “He wants it.”

“He just wants to celebrate his daughter.” He smiled at me and this time it was genuine. He thought I was worth being celebrated.

“You could come if you want to. Everyone on the ranch is invited.” I knew I was going to have a fight with my father about it later, but I didn’t care.

“I do-,”

He was about to turn me down, but I wasn’t going to hear it. I kicked my horse into gear and headed for the clearing. I could hear the hooves of his horse pound the ground with might as he rode up behind me. I urged my horse on faster and faster and the tour turned into a race. I stopped at the fence where my father’s land came to an end. I dismounted my horse and took a walk along the edge of the land, waiting for him to catch up with me.

“What are you doing?” He shouted as his horse drew closer to me.

“What do you mean?” I turned my back to him, hoping that the anger on his face would have faded away.

“That’s dangerous. Do you know I could have gotten into a lot of trouble if you got hurt?” He was still angry, and his voice was slightly elevated. I kept my eyes on the far end of the property.

“Gabriella, are you listening to me.”

He called me by my first name. I turned to face him with a smile on my face.

“What’s so amusing?” Tony’s anger subsided as his curiosity took over.

“You called me by my name.” I mounted the horse on my own this time. “Let’s keep it that way.” I rode off before he even got back on his.

When I got back to the stables I left the horse with one of the stable hands and ran into the house, just as Tony rode in. I took the kitchen route just in case my grandmother was in the living room. I ran into Juan who was feasting on the tacos Maria had made for lunch. I wanted to get by him as fast as I could but he wouldn’t let me.

“Gabriella, where did you leave Tony?”

“That’s an odd question to ask Juan.”

“I saw you ride in alone.”

“He was right behind me. By the way Juan I am formally inviting you to the party this weekend.” He was my way in and a yes from him would mean a yes for Tony.

“What does your father think about that?”

“It doesn’t matter, it’s my party and I can invite whomever I want.” I was inches away from the door when he hit back with a question I half expected but didn’t think he would ask.

“Is Tony also invited to the festivities?”

“Yes.” Not giving him a chance to respond, I dashed off immediately almost taking the kitchen door with me. I knew I was going to have an ear full once my father heard about it, so I needed the room. Juan would have to keep his opinion on the matter to himself.

Once I was in the security of my room, I shed off my riding clothes and replaced them with a robe. It had been years since I had been on a horse so my body was aching in all the wrong places.

I stood on my balcony as I waited for the tub to fill up. From my room, I had a perfect view of the pen and that meant a perfect view of Tony at work. He was making Ela run around the ring, some sort of training that was way above my head. Tony was patient with him, holding on to the reins as the horse slowly trotted round and round. He seemed to have a better rapport with the animal than with people.

I had to get a better view. Ignoring the fact that I was in desperate need of a shower, I quickly put on a pair of jeans and a tank top that hugged me in all the right places. This time I avoided the kitchen route and decided to take my chances with my grandmother. She was fast asleep on the sofa, so far so good.

As I walked down to the pen I took a quick whiff of my underarms. They weren’t fresh but they were at acceptable standards. The fact that Tony and I were not on a hugging basis was a plus in this situation. I climbed to the top beam of the fence and sat on it. I watched salivating at how beautiful he looked, his vest soaking with sweat. A look that would have been repulsive on another man, made him look tantalizing. I sat in silence and watched him work with the stallion, afraid of breaking his concentration and breaking this perfect picture.

A slight wind blew in, so I let my hair out of its tight ponytail and the air rushed through it. It was a cliché move but one I hoped would work. Tony glanced up at me for a second but then went back to the horse. He twisted the leather around his arm and his muscles clenched for a bit then relaxed. I was fixated on them, as my eyes caressed the strength in his arms that reflected in his back. He wasn’t topless but his vest seemed to be on my side. I was getting a terrific view of the goods.

“I thought you were trying to avoid me.” Tony’s voice soared into my fantasy disrupting my concentration and strangely my balance, almost knocking me off. My hand and support slid off the beam but luckily I was able to get my bearing.

I stared at the ground embarrassed to meet his also embarrassed or concerned eyes, poor klutz. But after a couple of seconds, I boldly looked up only to notice he wasn’t looking at me at all. His eyes had probably not left the horse for a second.

“So?”

“What?” I hadn’t heard the question. I was too busy trying not to land on my ass.

“Aren’t you avoiding me?”

Avoid you, are you crazy? I would glue myself to you if I could. “What makes you say that?”

“Because it seems like you are always taking off whenever I’m around.” He glanced up at me again.

“It has got nothing to do with you. I only do that when I know someone is going to say something I don’t want to hear.” I leaped to the ground and slowly walked to him. With the wind blowing through my hair, I tried to make those five steps the sexiest steps I had ever taken.

He pulled to a stop and I put my hand on his large head and smoothed down its thick coat slowly to his side. “He is a beautiful animal.”

“What was I going to say that you didn’t want to hear?” Tony stood on the other side of the animal. We were face to face now with the horse in between us. Damn it!

“You were going to turn down my invitation.”

He was silent for a while. I thought he had just realized that I was serious about the invitation and was thinking it through. He turned his attention back to the horse and led him out of the pen as one of the workers brought him another horse.

I stood there feeling like an idiot as each second ticked off.

“You are in my way.” He grunted.

“Sorry.” I scampered back to the fence. “You seem to be enjoying the horses’ company more than you are mine.”

Silence

“I’m I bothering you?”

“I’m just thinking over your invitation.”

“Why don’t you say yes?”

“Why?”

Why? I was practically asking him out on a date and his response to the invitation was why.

“What if I say no?”

“Are you saying no?” It seemed like we were now in a word game and I hated word games.

“No.” It was firm and callous.

“Excuse me?”

“I said no.”

“I didn’t mean it as a question.” I huffed. “Why won’t you come?” I was trying to get a good look at his face but him twirling round and round didn’t help. I decided to get up close and personal.

Stepping into his space, I grabbed the reins and pulled the horse to a halt. His face was expressionless as he stared down at me. I was only a half-head shorter than he was but he made me feel so tiny.

“Your father pays me to work. I need to get back to that.”

I was angry and speechless and the only thing that came out of my mouth was incomprehensive sounds of annoyance. I dropped the reins and walked around him.

“No.” I chewed out his response as I stormed back into the house.

I went up to my room and there waited a new surprise for me. My room was flooded and my carpet was soaking wet. I trudged ankle-deep in the molds of bubbles to the bathroom and turned off the faucet. If Tony had said yes, the soon to be smelly carpet would have been worth it. But instead, my room and my ego had been soaked.

I picked up the phone and called the kitchen extension. “Maria, please help me.”

The next morning I had to supervise the workers the laundryman had sent. I thought explaining what had happened was the pinnacle of my shame, but what I didn’t expect was that my father would assign Tony to help me. He stood on one side of the room and I stood on the other. We both watched as they moved most of the furniture out and laid a new carpet right after the floorboards had been dried out.

“Are you annoyed with me?”

I didn’t notice when he moved towards me.

“Jeez, do you mind?” I moved an inch away but he closed the gap between us.

“You are annoyed with me.” His eyes mocked in laughter.

His smile wrapped around me. It was something magnificent and out of the ordinary. His eyes lit up as the pearly whites drew my attention to his face. For a second I almost forgot how angry I was at him. And the itch to kiss him grew feverishly unbearable.

“Whatever.” I needed to get out of there, “Could you finish up with them. I’m going to get something to eat.”

“Wait.” He placed his hand gently on my shoulder. “I wanted to ask you something.”

I took a deep breath and bit down on my jaw, before turning around to face him.

“What exactly happened here?”

I wanted to haul insults at him. Tell him it was entirely his fault. But how exactly was I supposed to explain that?

“It doesn’t matter just do what I asked you.” I walked off without giving him a second glance. I was angrier with myself than I was with him. I had only known him for less than forty-eight hours and I was allowing him to crawl under my skin.

“I heard you had invited Juan to your party,” Papa asked.

We sat at the breakfast table. That previous night Papa hadn’t gotten in by the time I went to bed. That gave Juan from late last night to early this morning to fill him in. I was just glad we had moved on from the carpet inquisition.

“Yes Papa, is that a problem?” I stabbed my fork into my fruit bowl, secretly wishing that it was Tony’s face.

“I was just curious.”

I waited for the servants and masters anthem but he never said anything close to it. Instead, he said something that completely knocked me out.

“I invited Tony.”

My fork crashed onto the bowl and to the floor. My jaw seemed to be in pursuit as it hung low from shock. “What did you say?”

“I invited Tony. He was kind enough to take you to the field yesterday. I thought it would be a great way to say thank you.” He was smiling, clearly feeling like he had done something good.

“When did you ask him?” I gasped when my jaw was set back in place.

“This morning.”

I weakly returned his smile and dashed back upstairs to my room. Tony was standing where I left him, in the chaos that was once my room. I had my finger pointed at him but once again no words.

“What?” The devil danced in his eyes, mocking me.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to my party?”

“But you invited me.”

I was growling now, my fist waving up at him. “You said no.”

“I reconsidered after your father asked me.”

He turned me around and shuffled me out of the room. “If you don’t mind, we want to get this done as soon as possible.”

I wanted to get my two senses in but at that moment I had nothing. I went to the guest room to blow off some steam. I needed some fresh air and going out for a ride was the best way of doing that. I quickly got dressed; sure that Tony had his hands tied for the next hour or so. I got Ela out of his stable and took him out to the fields. With each gallop he took I shed off a lace of anger, resentment, and stress that were bogging me down.

By the time I got Ela back to his stable, I only had a couple of minutes before I met with the caterers. My father and Juan were there with the newborn foul. Papa was cooing at it like it was a human child, but to him it practically was.

This was my chance to sort out the party issue with my father.

“Papa, I want to talk to you about the guest list.” In my rush to get Tony disinvited, I didn’t notice that he was crouching right beside the foul.

“What about it, Mija?”

A stiff nervous smile sketched itself on my face. “Good morning Juan. Tony.”

“Thank you for inviting us to your party Gabriella,” Juan said in a teasing tone as his gaze shifted from Tony to me.

“Sure, you are practically part of the family. Of course, I want both of you there.” I chewed out the words both.

Right now I was more than convinced that the universe was a woman. A woman who was weak and had already surrendered to Tony’s good looks, and devastatingly beautiful smile. Who could blame her?

“How was your day with Tony yesterday?” My father’s question completely caught me off guard and immediately the rumbling started.

“Day, it was more like a couple of minutes.” Their bewildered looks were enough to turn me lobster red. I cleared my throat then salvaged myself. “Fine, it was ok.”

“Your daughter is a great rider, Senor Lombardo.” Tony was now on his feet, his eyes directly looking into mine.

“Juan taught her. I was too busy.” His voice caught in his throat and a guilty looked flickered in his eyes. I knew he was going down memory lane and I had to cut his journey short.

“Let’s not talk about that, Papa.”

“What were you saying about the party?” Juan helped me steer the conversation back to the festivities.

“What are we going to do about the caterers? Abuela wants to do the cooking herself, and she says she won’t let any stranger in her kitchen.” It was intended to bring a smile to Papa’s face but it was also a reality.

“I know. Mama took out her shotgun this morning. It’s in the kitchen pantry now.” Everyone broke out in laughter, and when the smile came back to my Papa’s eyes I knew everything was going to be fine.

“Why don’t you meet them outside the house?” Juan suggested.

“What happens on the day of?” I asked. We could always sneak out and meet the enemy, but what happens during the party.

“Do what Juan suggested first. We will deal with mama later.”

“Ok,” It was a good idea I hadn’t left the hacienda ever since I had arrived. “Juan, do you think you could ask someone to drive me?”

“Sure. Tony, drive Senorita Gabriella to town please.”

“What?” Tony and I asked in unison. But he seemed more against it than I did. The old man was torturing us. He seemed to be enjoying watching us squirm.

“Yes, Juan,” Tony said biting into his lower lip as he winked at me.

What the hell was that? I looked at the other two men wondering if they had seen it too, but they were engrossed in their conversation.

“Just give me a minute to change.”

“Give me an hour,” I said before stomping off. I was livid but at the same time drowning in confusion.

The engine of the truck acted as an adlib to the thick silence between the two of us. We were on our way to Toluca and a drive that should take about an hour seemed to go on for ages.

“Where exactly are we going?”

“It’s just in town.” It wasn’t a precise answer but it was all I knew.

The silence crept back again until we got to town. We stopped to ask for directions and we were shown a tiny cafe at the end of the street.

“I’m sure it won’t take more than half an hour,” I told him, as I got out of the car. I walked up to the cafe and saw Tony’s reflection on the glass window, he was right behind me.

“Would you like to join me?” I asked sarcastically.

“Sure.” He walked around me and went into the cafe first.

“What a perfect gentleman,” I mumbled.

Once inside I turned my attention to the receptionist. Her little desk was right at the door, littered with papers and menus.

“Hi, I’m Senorita Lombardo I have an appointment with the chef.” I watched in pity as she searched her desk for what I presumed was the appointment book.

“Isn’t she efficient?” Tony teased.

“Shut up, she’s overwhelmed.” She was overwhelmed, but I wasn’t sure if it was because of the clutter before her or the god standing in front of her. Ever since we had walked into the hotbox of an office, her eyes hadn’t left Tony.

“Maybe you should leave then maybe she will be able to concentrate.” I elbowed him and hinted towards her.

“I don’t understand.”

“You are distracting her.” He still didn’t seem to understand me. “She hasn’t stopped looking at you since we walked in.”

“That’s not true.” He looked up at her and instantly her fingers flattered into a wave, her smile tucking in behind each of her ears.

“Ha!” a triumphant laugh escaped my lips.

Right then a man in an apron walked out of one of the back rooms. I was sure he was in a better position to help me than the receptionist was. “Excuse me. I’m Senorita Lombardo. I’m here for an appointment with the chef.”

“I’m a chef.” An exciting look crossed his face, “I was afraid you didn’t want my services when you called to ask me not to come to your house.”

“No, it’s not that. My grandmother isn’t very happy about us asking someone else to do the cooking.” It was unnecessary information to give a stranger, but I thought he should be informed especially because he was coming to the house. He might want to invest in a bulletproof vest.

“Please come this way we can talk in my office.” He stepped aside and pointed me in the direction. Immediately Tony got to his feet and headed there first.

“And he is...?”

“I don’t know what he is, but he’s with me. Sorry.” I apologized on behalf of the brute.

We spent the next hour picking menus and accounting for the costs. Tony grunted and made strange faces the entire time, making me doubt everything I was selecting. “Stop that.” I chewed out.

“My staff and I will be at your home early to set up Senorita Lombardo. Thank you for coming.” He led us out to the main reception area.

The receptionist was where we had left her an hour before, but something about her seemed to have changed. She was neater, and so was her desk. Her hair was let down and she wore fresh dark red lipstick.

She stood just as Tony got to the door. She pressed a paper into Tony’s palm. Oblivious of what it was, Tony turned around and gave it to me. I could see the color rise in the girl’s cheeks, and a disappointed pout claimed her face. I felt sorry for her.

“Let’s go,” I told Tony.

“Sure,” he walked past her as if she wasn’t there at all, “Are we going back home?”

“Uh-huh.” Something about the girl looking out the window reminded me of a lonely puppy.

“Why are you so happy?”

“What?” I was too preoccupied gloating to realize I was grinning ear to ear. “It’s nothing.”

“What should I wear to your party?”

“A sports jacket and jeans is fine, something casual.” I just had to ask, “How come when I asked you, you said no, but when my Papa did, you said yes?”

“He’s my boss.”

I waited for more, but apparently, that was where his answer ended.

“I’ve never been anywhere outside South America, tell me about Spain.”

“Uh-ok, there isn’t much to tell. It’s a beautiful place, with a lively culture.” I wasn’t telling him much. I wasn’t interested in what I was saying so I turned the conversation back to him. “Tell me about Tupec. My father told me you come from here.”

He chuckled before answering, “I don’t. I came here from Cuba.”

“Why would Papa think you are from Tupec?”

He shrugged his shoulders and fell silent. The next couple of minutes back home were possessed with silence. He kept his eyes on the road allowing me to steal glances of his precious face. How did he manage to go out in public with it? I felt like a swam of women should be following him everywhere he went. I looked back to make sure.

“What are you looking for?”

“What?”

“You have been staring at me for a while. Then all of a sudden you looked behind us. What are you looking for?” He leaned back and relaxed his arm on the steering wheel.

Whatever, I was going to say it, damn the consequences. “You are a beautiful man. Why don’t you have a girlfriend?”

“What makes you think I’m single?” A sly grin formed on his face.

“That should be illegal,” I mumbled. “I haven’t seen you with anyone, so I just assumed.” They say assuming makes an ass out of you and me, but right now I was the only ass in the car. “Sorry I didn’t mean to-,”

“I chose to be single. Thank you for the compliment.”

“You are welcome.” I put my feet up on the dashboard. This way my body would not turn towards him.

“Why are you single?” he asked.

“I have met a lot of jerk asses in my life. I just want to take a break.” It was true my life had been plagued by bad romances and idiots.

Silence.