The Developer and the Diva (Vintage Love Book 4)

by Alexia Adams

  “Listen,” Tiago said, waiting until he had Eduardo’s attention again before continuing. “I’d rather have a happy friend than a miserable business partner, even one as brilliant as you. We can make other arrangements. And there are ways you can remain a partner at Alva-Suarez. We’re two smart guys, Eduardo. I’m sure we can come up with a solution so everyone can be happy.”

  Eduardo nodded. He took risks in business and succeeded. Wasn’t it time to take one in his personal life? Because things for damn sure weren’t working the way they were.

  He needed to put the past firmly behind him and make his future the one he wanted.

  It was time to make a new plan. One that included Anna.

  ***

  Something about wearing a hard hat and handmade Italian leather shoes made Eduardo feel like a real man. Maybe it was the implied combination of hard work and success that spoke to him. Today, however, he felt like a fraud.

  A real man didn’t hurt the woman he loved. A real man fought for her, put her needs before his own, sacrificed whatever was required. A real man would never have let Anna go.

  All his stupid talk about his dreams not being fulfilled if he followed her around the world. Not being able to live while hanging onto her… What a load of crap. He was nothing without Anna. He could rule the world, and it would be meaningless if she wasn’t in his life. It was time he did something about that.

  The old community center was surrounded by tall, blue, metal fencing with warning signs posted every five meters. It was a token attempt to keep people out. But at this hour of the day, with dawn just breaking over the horizon, he was the only one around except for the elderly security guard who dozed on a plastic chair that had one leg shorter than the others.

  Eduardo had been scouting the area for half an hour now, trying to find a way in that didn’t require scaling the fence in his suit. Next time he engaged in a break-and-enter, he’d dress more sensibly.

  His hands tightened on the hammer he carried. In four hours, the area would be swarming with people and heavy equipment ready to demolish the building where he’d met Anna. Where they’d fallen in love.

  For years, he’d wanted to destroy the reminder of what had been. Only now did he know the memories were etched too deeply into his psyche to be erased by the destruction of concrete and metal. He would love Anna until the day he died, building or no building.

  So what would a real man do?

  He’d go after his woman.

  Eduardo whirled around at a noise behind him, automatically raising his hammer.

  “Are you going to take the center down by hand?” Tiago’s amused voice was at odds with his hands-up defensive gesture. “If so, you’re going to need something bigger than that little thing.”

  “You should know better than to sneak up on a man holding a weapon.” Eduardo lowered the hammer, although his fingers were still clenched tightly on the handle. His gaze roamed over his friend. Why was Tiago here? Instead of being dressed in his usual suit, Tiago wore jeans, work boots, and a T-shirt under a leather jacket. “I haven’t seen you up this early since your marriage.”

  “And I would still be wrapped around my soft, warm wife if I hadn’t received a phone call half an hour ago that some weirdo was roaming the grounds of a building about to be demolished.”

  “I object to the term weirdo.”

  “You’re wearing Armani to a demolition site. Every normal person knows Gucci is the dress code for destruction. Nice touch with the hard hat, though.”

  Eduardo cracked a fake smile. “Gucci for demolition, Armani for erection, got it.”

  Tiago scaled the fence then undid one of the clips from the inside so Eduardo could squeeze through. He waved a hand at the security guard, who evidently hadn’t been as asleep as Eduardo had assumed. It wasn’t until they were closer that he noticed the gun in the older man’s hand. They both showed their IDs to him and were allowed to pass.

  “So, what are we after?” Tiago said as he pushed open the front door. “I thought everything of value had been cleared from the site.”

  “Just a personal memento,” Eduardo replied.

  “Want me to wait here?”

  “If you don’t mind. I’ll only be a minute.”

  He slipped the chisel from his pocket and returned within five minutes to where Tiago waited.

  “What are you going to do with that?” Tiago asked.

  “Hopefully, convince Anna to give me another chance.”

  Tiago slapped him on the back. “About time.”

  Dios, he hoped he wasn’t too late.

  ***

  “That’s a good one, Angel. We’re done for today.” Devin’s brusque tone came through her headphones. She slipped them from her ears and hung them on the stand next to the microphone.

  She’d been back in Los Angeles for six weeks now. She hadn’t seen Eduardo since he’d walked out of Tiago’s study. According to Raul, he’d headed straight to the airport and back to BA to deal with an urgent situation.

  Within two days of their goodbye, Pierre had contacted her and said all was clear on his end. So she’d flown back to America with Daniel, Lexy, and Max, who had been promised a trip to Disneyland.

  What Pierre had done to clear up her situation, she had no idea. Nor any desire to know. Her mother hadn’t called. Eduardo hadn’t called. She’d instructed her accountant to liquidate some of her investments and wire the money to Argentina. An acknowledgment had come through from Eduardo’s office that the funds had been received. But there had been no personal note from her former lover. No query as to how she was getting on. Oh, well, at least she didn’t have to lie and say she was fine.

  The only person who had called since she’d left Mendoza was Maya. She’d had her babies, a boy and a girl they’d named Charlie and Yvette. They’d arrived three weeks earlier than expected but well past the time when Maya had wanted them evicted for bad behavior. Everyone was well, although Jacques was reported to still be in a daze.

  How long it would take Anna to recover from her visit to Argentina was anyone’s guess. She still dreamed of Eduardo every night when she eventually fell into a restless sleep, and she woke alone and aching every morning. She couldn’t cry; it would ruin her voice. She had an album to record. Or, rather, Angel did.

  Anna had begun to resent her alternate persona.

  She was back to dressing in white or pastels. Her hair was coiled in a neat chignon at her nape. Undoubtedly, a white Rolls Royce waited for her at the curb to whisk her to her secluded mansion among the clouds.

  Not once growing up did she think she’d miss her overcrowded, dilapidated apartment in Boca.

  Enough. Poor rich girl, suck it up and get on with it. At least the album was going well. Devin loved her new songs. As she’d predicted, he’d arranged ‘Hurricane Heart’ in such a way that even the scary-looking sound mixer with innumerable piercings had been in tears when they’d played the final track.

  Plastering her trademark smile on her face, she exited the recording booth to meet up with those who waited in the mixing studio.

  “This album is incredible,” her assistant Janet gushed. “Your best ever.”

  “Thanks.” Anna was pleased with the work, but she still hadn’t figured out how she was going to sing about Eduardo in front of thousands of people every night without going insane.

  “Have you made a decision yet on a new manager?” Janet asked. As Pierre had predicted, the intern the record label had sent had mysteriously disappeared before Anna returned from Argentina.

  “Not yet. You’ll be the first to know when I’ve chosen.” A lot of great people had contacted her, but no one Anna wanted to trust with her career.

  Janet nodded. “How many more songs to record?”

  “Three.” One more lament, then the two happier songs Anna had written in those few days when she’d ridden high on the tide of Eduardo’s attention. She’d left those for last. It was easier to sing about pain and suffering when tha
t’s what she felt.

  “At this rate, we’ll be done next week. I may even have time for a vacation.” A rare smile crossed Devin’s face.

  “Excellent. So can I steal Angel away now?” Janet had already pulled out that tablet that Anna knew contained a very detailed schedule of all the things she was supposed to do. So far, she’d been able to plead exhaustion to escape all but the most ‘vital’ appearances.

  “Yes,” Devin replied. “The voice track is done. I want to play around a bit with some of the backing vocals. In fact, take tomorrow off as well, Angel. Rest your voice. We’re tackling ‘Penitent’ next. Did you hear the revised arrangement I suggested? It’s going to take your full range to knock it out of the park.”

  She had, and she was looking forward to the challenge. The song was even more personal now, because she had more to regret. The emotion should be easy to convey. Whether she could do it without crying would be the kicker. “I love the new sound. And I’ll be ready. See you on Thursday.”

  Janet didn’t even look up from her tablet. “Can you start in the afternoon on Thursday? Angel has the Starlight Gala tomorrow night and may be out late.”

  Damn. She’d forgotten about that. If it wasn’t to benefit kids with cancer, there was no way she’d show.

  “Sure. Let’s say one o’clock,” Devin answered. “If you need more time, give me a call.”

  Her life was being arranged around her. She really should protest, but that took too much energy.

  Janet snagged Anna’s handbag off the sofa and passed it to her, linked their arms, and nodded to the plain-clothes bodyguard Pierre had sent to watch out for Anna. It wasn’t Paul, her fellow captive, with his cheery commentary. This guy’s name was Claude or something, although in her mind Anna had taken to calling him Mr. Mute. She wasn’t even sure he spoke English.

  Janet tucked her tablet in her oversized handbag. “I’ve got a selection of ball gowns for you to choose from at the house. And it’s not too late if you want to take a date. Dennis is back in town and available. He’s always good for a laugh.”

  Dennis was the latest Hollywood heartthrob. They’d done a talk show together before he’d hit the big time with his last movie. So far, he hadn’t gotten too egotistical, preferring to make people laugh instead of expecting them to bow to his talent.

  He was fun. She just wasn’t in the mood for company she’d have to be nice to. “I don’t want to go with Dennis.”

  “Okay, then. How about—”

  They were out on the street now, and Anna reached into her purse to find her sunglasses. She looked first at Janet, who had stopped talking and walking mid-sentence. Then she looked at the object of her assistant’s stunned gaze.

  “—him?” Janet finished her comment, although her mouth remained open.

  Yes! Him! Anna’s body screamed. She blinked. Twice. But it really was Eduardo who leaned against the back door of her waiting car. He was wearing a navy blue suit, baby blue dress shirt, and dark brown shoes. The buttons at his neck were undone, and a gray tie had been shoved into his pocket.

  He straightened.

  “Janet, I’ll see you at the house. Tomorrow. No earlier than noon.” Anna’s voice was remarkably calm for a woman whose heart was pounding loudly enough to be picked up on Devin’s recording equipment inside the building. Her eyes were too busy devouring Eduardo to see if her assistant was even still there. Because if Anna was hallucinating, she did not want to lose the vision.

  She took two steps towards him, her gaze glued to his. Her heart, which couldn’t take much more of a battering, made her ask, “Are you here with bad news? Or just to give me something I forgot?” His sexy smile weakened her knees, but she stood firm.

  “I’m here to tell you something. I hope you won’t think it’s bad news. And I’m here to give you something. But it’s something I forgot, not you.”

  “Now I’m confused.”

  He reached out and caressed her cheek, his thumb lingering for a moment on her bottom lip. A sigh came from somewhere next to her.

  “I came to tell you that I love you. Irrevocably. Eternally. Absolutely.”

  “All approved adjectives. Definitely good news.”

  “And I want to give you this.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out an item wrapped in an old-fashioned handkerchief. The oddly shaped object was heavier than she expected.

  She unfolded the fabric. “You brought me a lump of concrete?”

  “Turn it over.”

  A+E para siempre was written on the plaster on the other side, within a badly drawn Sharpie heart.

  “This is from the community center,” she said through a thick throat. “You drew it on the wall after the first time we kissed.”

  “I knew then that I loved you and always would. I saved it from demolition. I didn’t want to forget again. In this case, graffiti doesn’t lie. Our love is forever, Anna. Whatever it takes to make it work. Wherever, whoever I have to be to make you happy. I’m in for the long run. Para siempre.” Forever.

  A tiny sob broke from Janet, who’d never left. “You guys are killing me,” she said. “Get in the car before someone takes a photo and I have to spend the next twenty hours fielding calls about Angel’s mystery man. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon at the house.”

  Bodyguard Claude got in the passenger’s seat, and Eduardo held the door while Anna climbed in the back. Janet waved from the pavement, tears streaming down her face.

  “Is she okay?” Eduardo asked.

  “Janet is a romantic,” Anna said as she pressed the button to raise the privacy screen between them and the front seat.

  She should have asked what had changed since she’d last seen him. And she would, just as soon as she finished kissing him. Because, well, priorities were important.

  His lips were on hers the second the seat belt clicked. Strapped into the back, it was an awkward embrace, but it felt like heaven.

  “How long till we get to your place?” he asked as he nibbled down her neck, his fingers pulling her top down her shoulder as he went. She wanted to rip the whole thing off, to feel his mouth on her skin, her breasts, everywhere. But the privacy screen wasn’t private enough for that activity.

  “About an hour, depending on traffic.”

  He sat back in the seat. “I guess that means we have time to talk.”

  Reluctantly, she readjusted her top and rested against the leather upholstery. Damn, he was good. She hadn’t even noticed he’d undone her bra.

  Kissing done. For now. It was time for sensible Anna to take control. “Did you mean what you said? You’re here to try and make things work with us?”

  “Tries only count in rugby. I’m here to succeed in loving you.”

  “How? I thought you couldn’t be a man who trails around after me. Do you want me to quit singing?”

  “No. I have a plan to present to you. Except my laptop is at the hotel I checked into.”

  “Can’t you just tell me?”

  “I’m more persuasive with PowerPoint.” He waggled his eyebrows, and she burst out laughing.

  “You’re most persuasive with your lips on my body. But, since I have a feeling I should be lucid for this discussion, perhaps talking is a better idea.”

  “All right. But I spent hours on the presentation. You have to let me show it to you later.”

  She nodded. His good mood was both infectious and scary. Could they make this work? How could they not? The past weeks had been hell. She didn’t want to spend the rest of her life in that misery. “What’s your plan?”

  “Are you still without a manager?”

  “Yes.” She knew she had to replace Simon, but it was too much to contemplate at the moment. Janet was good at what she did, but this was a job beyond her skill set. A manager had control of her entire life, her career…

  “I’d like to apply for the position.”

  Hired! But she had to pretend to think about it, or he’d know how desperate she was.

  “But
you already have a job.” She deepened her voice to mimic his. “Businesses and employees rely on you.”

  “And now they rely on a guy named Pablo Montoya. He’s a friend of Tiago’s late father. He has decades of experience in commercial property development. He retired two years ago to be with his wife, who was ill. But she’s passed, and he’s anxious to keep busy. So he took my job, and now I’m kind of unemployed.”

  She did her best to hide her smile. “You don’t know anything about the music industry.”

  “I can learn. And there is one thing that puts me ahead of any other candidates. I know you. And I know what makes you happy. That will be my overriding consideration when faced with decisions: will this make Anna happy? And I mean that. Anna—not Angel. It’s time you left her on the stage and regained some of what makes you special.”

  Safety be damned. She had a man to kiss. She undid her seat belt and launched herself into his arms. “You’ve got the job. I want to keep singing, but I don’t want it to be all that I do. Together, we can find a balance. And you know what makes Anna happiest of all?”

  “Being in my arms?”

  “Siempre.”

  Epilogue

  Eduardo waited in the wings as the last note faded into the night. Outdoor concerts were always the most difficult, logistically and acoustically. But there was something magical about the music soaring to the stars above as though returning home. And Angel concluding her sold-out, two-year tour in La Bombonera, Boca’s famous stadium, had both sentimental and practical significance. They were back where they’d started. And they could fly to Mendoza tonight with ease.

  Fans screamed Angel’s name as she waved her way off the stage. She’d be exhausted, he knew, especially after six encores that took the concert into its third hour. But she’d also be so high on performance adrenaline that it would be hours yet before she could relax.

  He didn’t have that problem. All he needed to relax was to wrap his arms around her and send up another prayer of thanks that he’d made the right choice and followed his heart. The past thirty months had been the best of his life. He woke every morning with Anna next to him, worked alongside her each day, and watched as she transformed into Angel, singing superstar, delighting thousands with her songs.