“Who knows? Their father calls him Uncle Gary. They’ve always called him Uncle Gary. I did until I became an adult and realized we aren’t related,” she explains.
Every day I’m more and more confused about his relationship with Diego Cantú. Are they friends, brothers… maybe they’re lovers, and they don’t want anyone to find out? It’s possible.
“What are you thinking?”
I shrug. “They live next to each other. They are partners in everything. It’s weird, don’t you think?”
“You’re looking too much into it,” she says, almost laughing. “Is that a way to deflect the fact that you’re highly attracted to his nephew? You had your fun. Move on and be happy.”
“It was a one-time thing,” I say with conviction.
I hope I’m convincing her because my body doesn’t want to stick with the new program.
No sex with Iskander.
Never again.
“You could’ve ordered food from the diner and avoided him,” Nydia warns me. “He’s going to be at the bar.”
She’s correct, but on the other hand… “It’s not like I can avoid him for long.”
“There’s that.”
When we arrive, there’s a guy at the hostess stand. “Table for two?” he asks, then looks at Nydia and says, “I heard that you were still around here. I didn’t believe it, but here you are. And wow, you look great.”
“Efren,” she mumbles, looking around the restaurant like she got caught stealing an art piece at the museum and there’s no escape. “You guys are here.”
“Heis not here,” he states. “Myka andManewon’t be here for a few weeks.”
She nods a couple of times, but her eyes are glued to the bar. I can’t drag her there to grab our bag, but just like her, I don’t want to be here longer than necessary.
“We’re here to pick up an order for—”
“Siobhan,” Iskander interrupts me, handing me a takeout bag. “Can we talk?”
“No, you have work to do, and I’m off,” I say with conviction.
My treacherous body is saying Ican go to the office and have just a little bit of fun.
“Efren and Fernando can handle everything while we’re in your office,” he states. “I need just a few minutes.”
“Go,” Nydia says, taking the bag with the food away from me. “If you don’t fix this mess today, you’re going to give yourself an ulcer.”
I make my way through the sports bar with my chin up and a smile in place. Some of the patrons greet me. I wave at them and clean some of the empty dishes and glasses as I spot them. Iskander takes some from me. “Do you ever rest?”
“Not often, but I try,” I say, placing everything I have in my arms in the gray plastic tubs before we enter the office. Once the door is closed, I ask, “How can I help you?”
“I’m sorry,” he says, leaning against the door. “I’m not sorry about what happened between us. In my experience, that kind of chemistry is like Halley’s Comet. It happens once, maybe twice in a lifetime.”
“If I had known who you were, I wouldn’t have done it.”
“You had a rule, no names.”
“Still, a heads-up that you might be my boss would’ve been nice. I feel betrayed.”
“Listen, you’re an important employee. Abuelo always has good things to say about you. We don’t want to lose you, but I also want to pursue what’s happening between us.”
I cross my arms, zeroing my gaze on those whiskey-colored eyes. “You want a summer fling?”