“Let me enjoy her. She’s not going to be little like this forever. One day, she’ll be this sweet creature calling me Papa Uncle, and the next I’ll be interviewing boys who want to date her.”
“Interview?” I laugh out loud when he nods sternly.
“Yes, Lucia. Interview. If they don’t pass, they can’t go anywhere near my baby girl.”
His phone rings, and when he looks at it, he frowns.
I expect him to get up and answer it, but he doesn’t.
“What is it?” he says into the phone in a rigid tone that tells me he’s not thrilled to hear from whoever is calling him. “No. Come and meet me. That needs to be done today. You can use my keys. If you’re there, you’re two minutes away from me. I’m at the Family Table on Main. Come to the back of the restaurant. That’s where I am.”
He hangs up and shakes his head. “Sorry about this. I hate when business runs into family life.”
“It’s okay. I understand. We can go back to talking about this plan for interviews when you finish with your friend.”
“That’s fine by me. Wait until I tell you what I have planned for the poor soul who thinks he can ask for her hand in marriage.”
“Oh my God.” I laugh, but the smile recedes from my face when I lift my head and the fear of God slams into me when I see Red walking toward us.
Jesus, what is happening?
I can’t let him hurt them. Instinct takes over, and I grab Alejandro’s arm.
“We have to get out of here.” I wince.
“What?” His brows knit together.
“I’ll tell you when we get outside.”
“Alright, give me a sec. I just have to give my guy my keys.”
I open my mouth to talk, but I’m too late. Red is here, and fucking hell, Alejandro is holding out his keys for him to take.
He knows him. Jesus, he knows him.
Shock siphons the blood from my body and the energy from my soul.
I can’t look away from Red, not even to pretend I know nothing about him.
When Alejandro sees me looking, he straightens, and that’s when I look away.
“Thiago, this is Lucia,” Alejandro says. “Lucia, Thiago works for me.”
Thiago.That’s Red’s name.
“Pleasure to meet you, Lucia,” Thiago replies.
I feel like vomiting. He looks as peeved at this misfortune as I feel, but it’s worse for him because now I know who he is, and I know he works for Alejandro.
“You too,” I say.
“Don’t let me spoil your lunch. Sorry to disturb you, Boss,” he states.
“No worries. I’ll be back in the office tomorrow.”
He dips his head and leaves us, but not before glancing over his shoulder at me as he walks through the door.
Alejandro returns his focus to me, giving me a curious look.