“I’m sure he can find it on his own, Mama. It’s not that hard to find,” Leona retorted. Her mother cut her a look—one that Cullen understood all too well—telling her to be polite to their guest. If he had to guess, Leona’s mother was probably a lot like his own and could stop traffic with a single flick of her eyes.
Leona rolled her eyes in response, turning to him, saying, “It’s this way.”
He followed her through the living room, where the TV that he had heard earlier appeared to be turned to the news. Off the living room was a small, short hallway that had two doors to the left, one to the right, and one at the very end of it. She stopped short, just outside the door on the right, slipping her hand inside to turn on the light. The yellow glow illuminated a purple-ish wallpaper that seemed like it had seen some better days and reflected off a blue plastic shower curtain that had glitter on it.
“Is the glitter your decor choice?” he asked, smirking.
“No,” she replied curtly.
“Do I get to see your room after this?” he asked, trying to still poke at her a bit.
“I don’t live here. I live at the resort,” she informed him. “But you don’t get to see my room there either.” As she turned to go, he caught her arm quickly, pulling her into him.
“So you don’t have a room here at all? I’d love to see where you grew up, Menina.”
“Well, too bad,” she said, pulling her arm away. “And while you’re here, it’s Leona. I’m not explaining to my parents why you feel the need to call me something else.” She walked away back toward the kitchen, and he could tell she was cursing him under her breath.
Returning to the kitchen, he found the table had been set already, with a fifth table setting squeezed onto one side of the small table. He debated internally whether or not he wanted to sit next to Leona or across from her at dinner. Each option had its merits, but he finally decided it might be safer to sit across from her. At least that way she couldn’t stab him with a fork under the table.
A door off to the side of the kitchen suddenly opened and a tall dark-haired man walked in, wiping his hands with a rag. He made his way over to the stove where Anna was moving the meat she had been cooking to a plate and kissed her on the cheek. Without skipping a beat, he then made his way over to where Cullen was standing and reached out his hand.
“Cullen Cruz, it’s such a pleasure to meet you. Josef has gone on and on about you. I’m Roberto, and you’ve met my wife, Anna,” he said with a big grin, nodding toward his wife, who didn’t look up from the meal she was plating.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Filipe,” he responded.
“Please, please, it’s Roberto and Anna.”
“Mrs. Filipe is just fine if that’s what he would like to call me,” she called out, walking the food over to the table. “Dinner is ready.”
“Just ignore her—strong will, that one,” he said softly to Cullen.
So that’s where her daughter gets it, Cullen thought.
As they made their way over to the table, he noticed the older man was limping and reaching out to hold the counter or the backs of the chairs as he did so.
“Papa, where is your cane?” Leona asked.
“Oh, I left it in the garage, but it’s not a problem! Sit—let’s eat before the food gets cold.” Leona shook her head in disbelief but did as she was told by her father. She took the solo seat on the one side of the table, so Cullen followed her lead and sat down directly across from her, with her mother in between them on the end, leaving Josef to slide in closer to their dad.
“So, Cullen,” Roberto said, breaking the silence as the food was passed around. “Tell us about this camp. We’ve heard so much from Josef, but I’d love to hear about it from your perspective.”
“Well, it’s a skills camp. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t really sure what to expect myself. I had ideas of how I’d want to do things, but I wasn’t entirely sure what the skill level would be of the kids participating, or really, what their expectations were. But I think overall it’s been going decently,” he answered, looking over at Josef for confirmation. When the kid smiled and nodded, he felt a little something he couldn't name in his heart. He liked knowing this kid was enjoying the camp. “So we have worked on all the basics, ball handling, dribbling, done some different drills to practice bobbing and weaving, done some defensive work. This morning for a bit I had them working on penalty kicks. Tomorrow will mostly be some scrimmaging.”
“And you’re enjoying your time here?”
“I am, very much. As I’m sure you know, I’m in a bit of a transition in my career, and this was something to help me fill some time and still be useful while I figure out my next steps.”
“So it had nothing to do with trying to clean up your reputation?” Anna cut in.
Chapter Eleven
Anna Filipe looked at him pointedly as she awaited an answer to her question. Chewing extra slowly, trying to buy time to figure out the best answer to her question, he weighed all the options in his mind. What exactly had she heard? As far as he knew, Oliver had been able to squash the pub non-brawl story pretty quickly, although who knew how long those kinds of photos made the rounds on social media. The fact had not escaped him, though, that maybe she was referring to something other than that one event. How quickly he forgot the spitfire blonde who was sitting directly across the table from him and all the information, and assumptions, that she held.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Filipe, I’m not entirely sure what you’re referring to,” he said, once he swallowed his over-chewed bite. He figured that playing dumb was better than going with the wrong guess.
“Well, Leona here tells us that you usually bring a…friend…with you when you come to stay at the Indigo Royal, but that this year you are here all by yourself. Trouble in paradise?” she prodded.
“Anna…” Roberto said, a little warning in his tone.
“No, Mrs. Filipe.” Cullen swallowed nervously. He looked over to Leona, hoping she might jump in, but she stayed focused on the food on her plate. Josef, too, was shoveling food into his mouth like this might be his last meal, though his actions were probably more due to a large appetite worked up at camp this afternoon, rather than avoiding the topic of conversation. “None of my companions were able to join me this year since I am down here for longer than usual.” There, now that was a good PR answer.
“I see. So, no wife or serious girlfriend then,” she continued. “Any children?”
Leona audibly choked on the bite she’d just taken, reaching quickly for the glass of water in front of her. She gulped it down, the rest of the family watching to make sure she was okay. Cullen was thankful for the bit of a reprieve. He really hadn’t been expecting to be interrogated on such a level. If it hadn’t been clear before, it was abundantly clear now that Leona got all her sass and spirit from her mother.
“Sorry, went down the wrong pipe,” she finally said when she was able to breathe again. She glared up at Cullen trying to communicate some kind of message that for the life of him he couldn’t understand. There was no way he would bring up their conversation from the other day to her parents. What would he say? Hi, for a hot second I thought maybe your son was my child from a one-night stand I had with your daughter when she was underage. Roberto Filipe seemed like a pretty easygoing guy, but Cullen was sure that would change in the blink of an eye if he mentioned sleeping with his daughter.
“No, no kids,” he answered.
“That you know of,” she threw out.
“Mama!” Leona chided. Her mother simply shrugged and went back to her meal. It was becoming obvious to him that Anna was going to be a tough one to win over.
“Well, I’m glad to hear you’ve been enjoying time with the kids,” Roberto said, thankfully changing the subject. “Josef has raved about camp.”
“We’re having a blast,” Josef added in, finally coming up for air. “Mr. Cruz is the best coach ever. He knows a shit-ton!"
“Language!” all th
ree adult members of his family scolded him. Cullen had to hide the smirk on his face, not wanting to egg the kid on more and undermine his family. However, listening to that curse come out of his little mouth was rather hilarious.
“It’s nice to hear that you are getting something out of it,” Cullen said, moving the conversation along. “You’re one of my top students.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I wouldn’t lie about something like that. In fact, I would love to see you back next week so we can continue to work on things.”
“Can I, Mom? Can I? Can I? Can I?”
“We’ll have to see, Josef,” she said calmly.
“If he has nothing else going on, Mr. and Mrs. Filipe, I would really like him to return. Your son is quite talented, and I think that another week working together could really help him out. He’s got potential.”
“Potential? You think he has potential?” Leona said mockingly.
“Yes, I think he could really have a chance. It would take getting him into an academy somewhere and some hardcore dedication, but it’s not that much of a stretch,” he offered.
“An academy? You think an academy would take me?” Josef’s eyes got wide with excitement again.
“I’m sorry, a what?” Roberto asked.
“Sorry, sir, I figured the whole family knew all the technical terminology. An academy is a high-end youth team. Think of it like a pre-professional league. Most professional teams have an academy team they sponsor, using that arena to develop talent that they would want to bring up into their ranks as the kid got older,” he explained. “There are all sorts of rules that surround a kid who was developed at the academy level when it comes to a professional team, and each league is a little different, but it's a great way for kids to learn the ins and outs of the professional side of football and get some real, competitive experience under their belts.”
“That sounds expensive,” Leona noted.
“It’s all relative, but it doesn’t have to be.”
“Wow,” Josef said, still fixated on the idea that he could have a future in the game.
Cullen stopped briefly to think about the Atlanta offer and what that could mean. If they had an academy team plan, then it would be easy for him to get a kid like Josef set up on the team. Being born on St. Thomas meant that he was a United States citizen, so there wouldn’t be any extra visa paperwork involved. The biggest concern would be getting his parents to sign off on him moving away for such a plan, which right now seemed like a massive hurdle based on the looks they were giving each other. Maybe if he could sweet-talk Leona into it, she could convince their parents. What am I doing? he thought. I’m acting like the job is mine and making plans to bring the kid with me. Stop, just stop.
But the job was his, wasn’t it? Oliver had said that it was an offer, not just that they were interested in interviewing him. Not that he’d decided on taking it. For as much as he was enjoying working with the kids, he still wasn't sure that being a coach was really a good professional game plan. He wasn't sure it was worth the risk to tarnish his incredible playing career by potentially being a bad coach.
“How about dessert?” Anna asked abruptly, getting up from the table. She started to clear the plates, but Cullen stood up, holding out an arm.
“Here, I can do that,” he said, trying to be a gracious guest.
“No, no, you’re our guest, please sit,” she said. He could tell by her tone that she was trying her best to be polite, but that it was not an easy task. He had no idea why, but he could tell she was not a fan of his.
“Mama, I should really be getting back to the resort. I still have paperwork to do tonight,” Leona said, standing from the table to clear her place. Her flared skirt swayed rhythmically as she walked, drawing his gaze to her perfect ass. “Want me to grab your cane, Papa, before I go?”
“Sure, Leona, that’d save me a trip.”
She disappeared behind the door that Roberto had come through earlier, reappearing rather quickly with a dark wooden cane. She handed it to her father, kissing him on the top of his head as she did so.
Taking this as his cue, Cullen excused himself as well, offering to walk Leona out to her car, even though it was just in the drive. The only person in the house who seemed sad to see him go was Josef, and after that awkward meal they had just suffered through, that didn’t come as a shock.
Once the front door was fully closed and he was sure that none of the family inside could hear him, he turned to Leona with a smirk on his face and said, “Well, Menina, I think your mother likes me.”
“Go to hell, Cruz,” she snapped at him.
She stomped off toward her car, feeling the heat rising in her face. That had easily been one of the most uncomfortable dinners she had ever sat through. While no part of her blamed her mother, Leona had no idea why she had been so cold toward Cruz. At least according to Josef, having him over for dinner had been their mother’s idea. It was unlike her to be that cold to anyone, ever, much less someone she’d invited into their home. But it wasn’t something Leona could worry about right now.
Unlocking her car and climbing in, she slammed the driver side door shut as hard as she could, trying to put a barrier between her and Cruz. He always looked sexy, but sitting there with her family, there was a part of her that melted a bit at the sight. He looked so damn good sitting there next to Josef, and not just because he was hot. He looked comfortable with the little guy and when he talked about how good he was, his eyes even lit up a bit. It was equal parts amazing and infuriating that the two of them had taken to each other the way they had.
When she turned the key in her ignition, she was shocked to not hear the car turn on. Instead, she was met with a rapid clicking noise. No…no, no, no, she thought. Now was not the time to be having car trouble. She needed to make an escape—a quick one, at that—which was not going to be possible if the car wouldn’t turn over. She tried again and again, each time getting the same clicking noise. A tapping on the driver’s side window made her jump. Looking over, she found Cruz standing there, waiting for her to roll the window down.
Opening the door slightly rather than wasting battery on the power window, she just glared at him. “What?”
“Sounds like the alternator,” he offered.
“Are you suddenly a mechanic?”
“No, I’ve just had it happen to me.”
“Ugh, I don’t have time for this!” She banged both fists against the steering wheel. Truth be told, she didn’t have the time or money. While her dad could certainly do the repair himself, who knew what the cost of the parts would be. If she remembered correctly, alternators were not cheap, and she did not have the extra couple hundred dollars right now.
“Saul is on his way. You can ride back to the resort with me and then we can call for it to be towed tomorrow.”
“No, my dad is a mechanic,” she reminded him. “And I’m not riding back with you. I can borrow their car.”
“That is ridiculous. We are going to the same place, Menina.”
“I don’t care.”
“Well, I do. Go tell your father that you’re leaving the car here, but that I will get you home.”
She let out a loud huff as she relented. She hated the idea, but he was right—it made sense. There was the concern that she was blocking her mom’s car in the drive, but her dad might be able to move it without getting it started come the morning.
After running back into the house to tell her Dad about the clicking noise and how she was still blocking their car, she came back outside to see Cullen standing on the curb, flipping through his phone. He looked so normal, standing on the sidewalk scrolling through an app like he was just a regular guy waiting on a taxi. She would have given anything right now for him to have just been some guy, and not one of the most famous athletes in the world. That would make this whole episode significantly less embarrassing. However, she was not that lucky.
“You said you called Saul?” she asked, walking up
to stand next to him on the sidewalk.
“He’s on his way,” he assured her. They stood there in silence for a moment, both a little unsure of how to proceed. Finally, he broke the silence. “So, how old is that thing?”
“My car? It’s a ninety-nine.”
“Oh, so it’s older than you are,” he remarked, with a Cheshire cat grin on his face.
“Look here, asshat, I know we’ve already determined that math isn’t your best subject, but I’m twenty-seven.” There was so much more that she wanted to say, but she bit her tongue. He was driving her back to the resort; she didn’t need to push her luck.
Saul pulled up and to Leona’s surprise, Cullen opened the door for her. Closing it as soon as she was in, he jogged behind the back of the town car and got in from the driver’s side. She smiled to herself, thinking how chivalrous it was of him to do such a thing.
“What’s the look for?” he asked, turning toward her.
“Nothing. That was just awfully gentlemanly of you,” she remarked.
He reached over her and pushed a button on her door, causing the partition to go up. His arm grazed across her breasts as he did so, causing a shiver to rise up her spine and her nipples to pebble from the brief contact. She told herself it was just cold in the car and that it wasn’t her body reacting to his touch. Just because she was still thinking about all the things she felt the other night when he kissed her didn’t mean that she wanted a repeat performance—although her body sure seemed to disagree with her head about that.
Leaning down until his mouth was all but touching her ear, he whispered, “Believe it or not, Menina, I can be quite the gentleman. You, it just so happens, make me want to do things to you that are anything but gentleman-like.”
That shiver ran back down her spine and this time other parts of her body started to betray her as well. The feel of his breath on her neck excited her and made her mind start to wonder just what he meant by un-gentleman-like things. It also made her wonder if that divider he just put up was soundproof. Shaking her head to rid herself of thinking like this, she forced her eyes open, not even realizing she had shut them.
Caught Up In You (Indigo Royal Resort Book 2) Page 10