by Holly Rayner
“I don’t know. She has a very busy schedule while she’s here this time.”
“But I’m sure she wants to see me. Can I call her when she gets here? What hotel is she staying in?”
“Why don’t you focus on your studies. You’re not on vacation like you were last time. Nanny Flora will pick you up from ballet tonight. I expect you’ll be sleeping when I get home.”
“But if I’m awake, can I see Tanya?”
“No, hija. I will be very disappointed if you’re still awake when I get home because it will be very late.”
“You’re not going to let me see her, are you, papi?”
“I didn’t say that,” I began.
“But you’ve implied it.”
“How do you know what ‘implied’ means?”
“I’m smart, papi. Smarter than you give me credit for.”
I circled the table and hugged Rey hard.
“I know you’re smart. Sometimes smarter than I am.”
“Well, if I’m smarter than you, why won’t you take my advice?”
“Because some things are more complicated than they appear on the surface.”
“You should take flowers with you to the airport. Girls like flowers.”
“I’ll take that under advisement.”
“It’s time to leave for school, señorita,” Marco said, coming to the table.
Rey snatched a piece of toast from her plate and held out her hand for her backpack. Marco gave it to her so she could shoulder it and then she came to me for a hug and kiss.
“Have a great day at school, hija.”
“Have a great day at work, papi.”
I held her just a moment longer than normal and kissed the top of her head.
“Te amo.”
Rey took Marco’s hand, and the two stepped onto the elevator. She waved as the doors closed.
I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. Since my return from New York, Rey had been on a full-scale “forgive Tanya” campaign. I knew I was going to have to let Rey see Tanya before she went back, but I wasn’t willing to do that until I’d spoken with Tanya about what was and was not appropriate to share with my daughter.
I wasn’t ready to tell Rey about the baby. Even if the paternity test confirmed me as the father, I wasn’t ready for her to know because I knew Rey would never let me send Tanya back to the States if she knew about the baby. Rey had never been one to hold back about her desire for a sibling.
I checked my watch and saw that by now, Tanya was likely in the air. I hoped she appreciated the first-class ticket I’d booked; the thought of a pregnant woman sitting in cramped quarters for a long flight made me feel so guilty that I’d booked the better seat without a qualm.
When Marco returned from dropping Rey at her school, we rode the elevator down from the penthouse to the garage.
“Señor, will you be bringing Miss Stanton back here tonight?”
“I’ve told you her name is Owens, not Stanton, Marco. And no, I’ve booked a suite at a hotel for her.”
“Very good, señor.”
I gave Marco a sideways look. He’d been unusually chatty about Tanya since I’d told him she was coming back. In the way of long-term employees, Marco often overstepped bounds and inserted his opinions when they were not requested.
“Do you have something to say, Marco?”
“No, señor.”
“Good. Keep it that way.”
I caught Marco’s smirk in the window as I stepped into the car. I knew he was going to give me trouble over Tanya, but I also knew he would see she was safe while she was here. I was even considering sending him to New York with her when she left. I may not trust her, but I still wanted her safe.
Chapter 35
Tanya
The plane set down on the runway with a hard jolt. I was already on my feet by the time it came to a halt at the jetway. I was ready to get off the plane and breathe some fresh air. Though the food in first class hadn’t been awful, the coach meal had smelled terrible and made my stomach roll hard.
I’d dozed a few times during the flight, but hadn’t really slept. I was exhausted, hungry, and ready to lay down on a comfortable bed and pray for sleep to take me away.
“I hope your flight wasn’t too taxing, señorita,” the flight attendant said as I passed her on my way to the jetway.
“It was lovely, thank you.”
She smiled at me and I tried to return it, but I was so tired, my lips didn’t seem to want to move correctly. I just wanted to lie down.
I dragged my carry-on bag up the jetway to the terminal. The terminal attendant held the door open for me, so I didn’t immediately see any familiar faces in the crowd awaiting the passengers of my flight.
“Tanya.”
The sound of his voice snapped my head around and there he was, standing by a pillar near the walkway in the center of the terminal.
Marco stood behind his employer. My heart did a little jig in my chest. It had to mean something that Raul had come to the airport himself to meet me, didn’t it? Was he softening toward me? Maybe there was hope for us, after all.
“I didn’t expect you to meet me,” I said as I arrived in front of him.
I tried out a smile again and felt it fall flat. He looked different than he had in New York. He had heavy circles under his eyes and creases at the corners I hadn’t noticed before.
“How are you feeling?” The curt tone cut deep and left me with no doubt that he was not softening a single bit toward me.
I recoiled a bit, and his expression went from haughty to contrite.
“I’m fine,” I said. “I haven’t been sleeping well, but I’m surviving.”
“Still having nausea?”
I nodded. I’d thrown up twice on the plane.
“Are you hungry, or do you want to skip eating?”
“I’m starving,” I admitted.
“Can you wait for room service, or do we need to stop at one of these horrible little places here in the airport?”
“Room service sounds divine. I really just want to lie down and sleep if I can.”
Raul nodded and spun on his heel before stalking away, assuming Marco and I would follow.
“Let me take that bag for you, señorita,” Marco said, reaching for my carry-on.
I gratefully handed it over. I grinned at Marco, testing the waters.
“Do you hate me, too?”
“Never, señorita. It’s good to see you back in Madrid. You may call on me for anything while you’re here.”
“Gracias, Marco. I appreciate that.”
He stepped back and swept out his hand.
“Shall we? Señor Jimenez will only wait so long before he comes back to find out why we haven’t followed.”
“Does he do this often?”
“Only when he doesn’t know what to do or say in a situation.”
“Or when he despises the company he’s forced to keep?”
“I have never seen him keep company he didn’t wish to keep. You’re here because he wishes to see you. He came to meet you because he couldn’t stay away. He’s been sad and hurt for the past few months. Only when he speaks of you, does the light return to his eyes.”
That was information I hadn’t expected. Raul had been morose? Over me? Maybe things weren’t as dire as I’d thought they were.
“Marco, are you going to drive us into the city or do we have to walk?” Raul snarled.
He stood, arms crossed, at the intersection of the terminals. Marco bowed and motioned for me to precede him.
“Thank you, Marco,” I said and started toward Raul.
“He will come around, señorita. Give him time.”
Chapter 36
Raul
“How was the flight?” I asked.
I didn’t care one whit how the flight was, but I was concerned about how tired Tanya looked. The dark circles under her eyes and her slumped posture spoke volumes.
“It was pleas
ant. Thank you for booking first class for me. I’m sure the flight was different in coach.”
I waved a dismissive hand. I didn’t want to admit I’d considered putting her in coach as punishment. It had been a petty thought I was happy to have pushed aside.
“We have time to eat at the hotel and for you to rest. The doctor will see us tonight to take the samples and then again day after tomorrow to give us the results. Your flight home is for the day after.”
“Can I see Rey while I’m here? Please? I want to explain—”
“You don’t need to explain anything to Rey.”
Tanya recoiled, and I sighed. I was letting my emotions get the better of me. I regrouped and tried to put on a smile.
“I just meant, she doesn’t know what happened between us, so you don’t have to explain it.”
Tanya nodded and her shoulders slumped even more.
“I brought her some books from home. Is it all right if I give them to her?”
“If you wish. Perhaps we’ll do lunch with Rey tomorrow.”
“I would really like that. Thank you.”
Tanya turned to look out the window, and I was struck by how broken she looked. I wanted to pull her into my arms and hold her until that whipped-puppy look was wiped away.
I caught myself reaching for her and pulled back just before she turned to look at me.
“I really am sorry for everything, Raul. I hope you’ll forgive me someday.”
“I…”
I was saved from having to answer by Marco pulling up to the hotel. He opened our door and helped Tanya out of the car.
We walked to the reception desk where an over-eager employee gave us the widest smile I’d ever seen on a human.
“Señor Jimenez, what a pleasure to see you. Your suite is all ready for you.”
“Gracias. Do you have a room service menu?”
“Of course, señor.”
She handed me the menu, and I passed it to Tanya. She looked it over for a few moments and then handed it back to me.
“What would you like?”
“The chicken and pasta sounds like I’ll be able to keep it down.”
“A rousing recommendation,” I said with a quick smile before I turned back to the receptionist.
“Can you please have the chicken and pasta sent to the room with several lemon sodas and please have someone check in with the room in about six hours to make sure there are fresh towels and enough lemon sodas.”
“Of course, señor.”
I turned back to Tanya. “Do you still have Marco’s number from the last visit?”
She nodded and tried not to meet my eyes.
“Good. You should call him if you need anything. If you want more from room service, please order it. I’ll be back at six to pick you up for our appointment.”
“Thank you.”
“Well, I’ll see you then,” I said and then walked back to the car where Marco waited for me.
“Will the señorita be all right on her own, señor?”
“I’m sure she will be, you old meddler.”
I got in the car and sat back after raising the partition. I didn’t want to listen to Marco’s righteous jibes about leaving a pregnant woman alone in a strange city with no one to turn to but the chauffeur.
I wanted to stay distant, but the more time I spent with Tanya, the harder it was becoming. She looked too fragile and hurt. I wanted to gather her in and tell her everything was going to be okay. Of course, I still wanted to berate her for being a backstabbing conniver, but I was losing focus on that emotion. It was hard to stay mad at the woman who was carrying my child.
Probably. Was probably carrying my child. If I were honest with myself, I didn’t believe there was the possibility of someone else being the father of Tanya’s child, but I had to be certain. I was still having trouble fully trusting her.
I still hadn’t decided exactly what I was going to do when the results of the paternity test came in. The honest part of my brain said I should ask her to marry me and live happily ever after, but the angry part of me said to do so would invite a lifetime of sorrow.
The car stopped in the garage at my office building, and Marco held the door for me.
“I don’t want to hear it,” I said when I caught Marco’s hard look.
“She needs you, señor. She shouldn’t be alone at this time.”
“I thought I said I didn’t want to hear it.”
“When has that ever stopped me?”
“I should fire you.”
“But you won’t. Because you need me.”
“I hate when you’re right, old man.”
Chapter 37
Tanya
The knock on the door startled me out of the first sound sleep I’d had in ages. I groaned and opened my eyes.
“Tanya, are you all right? Do I need to get housekeeping to open the door?”
I waved a hand at the door and rolled out of the bed, ending up on my knees beside it.
A moment later, I heard the lock beep and Raul burst into the room, a housekeeping employee standing behind him holding her key card. The employee quickly turned and left when she saw my predicament.
“Raul! What the heck are you doing?” I tugged the sheet from the bed to cover myself.
“Are you all right? Did you fall? What are you doing on the floor? Why didn’t you answer the door?”
I stood up and wrapped the sheet around me. Raul’s eyes locked on my body before I covered it and something loosened in my chest. He still wanted me. That was a start, I supposed.
“I was sleeping, finally, and then I rolled out of bed because I forgot where I was. I was getting up when you burst in here.”
“Oh.”
Raul stood silent for a moment before he shook himself and the lost, worried look on his face drained away, replaced by the hard, tough look I’d become used to since New York.
“We need to leave for the appointment. I thought you’d set an alarm or ask for a wake-up call.”
“I thought I would too, but pregnancy brain is killing me. I think of something I need to do and if I don’t do it within twelve seconds, I forget to do it at all.”
“I see.” Raul backed up to the door. “I’ll meet you in the lobby.”
“Give me ten minutes.”
He stepped through to the hallway and closed the door.
I started laughing as the sheet hit the floor. He’d looked so disconcerted standing there, ogling me in the sheet.
I pulled on clothes and headed down to the lobby. Raul rose from the chair he’d been lounging in when I stepped off the elevator. He reached for me and then changed his mind, shoving his hand in his pocket instead.
“You look nice,” he said.
“Thanks. I’m ready when you are.”
“Right. Marco is outside with the car. Shall we?”
He offered me his arm and I lay my hand on it, letting him cover my hand with his.
I wanted to curl into him, to draw comfort from him, but instead, I stood straighter and let him lead us to the car.
We got into the car and Marco shot me an encouraging smile in the rearview mirror. I left my hand on the seat between Raul and me, hoping he might take it on his own, but he simply stared out of the window as we drove.
I started the conversation, the silence killing me. “Did you think about what I said earlier? About seeing Rey?”
“I did, actually. She knows you’re here and she really wants to see you, so I will make sure you get to see her before you go back to New York.”
“Thank you. I really did bond with her. I’ve thought of her every day since I left, and it broke my heart to not be able to talk to her, to explain.”
“I told you, I didn’t tell her what happened between us. I would ask that you respect my decision and keep that information to yourself.”
“Of course. I meant, explain why I left without saying goodbye.”
“And how are you going to do that without bringin
g up what happened between us?”
“I was going to tell her I had to get back to New York to help my mother move into her new apartment. That it opened suddenly and she only had a few days to move or lose the apartment.”
“That’s good, actually.”
“And as close to the truth as it can be without violating your rule.”
“You’re good at that.”
I jerked back and snatched my hand off the seat and crossed my arms. I slid across the seat and pressed myself against the door.
Raul shook his head and returned to his observation of the passing scenery. I wanted to scream at him. How could he pretend he didn’t know why I was upset? We were never going to get through this if he kept throwing what I’d done back in my face. I was doing the best I knew how to do to beg his forgiveness, but he wasn’t willing to consider my apologies. Maybe I should just stop trying.
We stopped in front of the doctor’s office. Marco helped me out of the car, and Raul accompanied me into the building. In the office, a nurse took my vitals, asked me the pertinent questions about cycles and last periods, and drew blood. Then, she drew Raul’s blood and left us alone in a room to hear from the doctor.
“I’m sorry, Tanya,” Raul began. “For being snide with you earlier in the car. I don’t mean to upset you.”
I shot him a look and turned away. Raul pressed on.
“Look, you can’t expect me to just forget what you did. You betrayed me, on several levels. Rey wasn’t the only one who didn’t understand why you left without saying goodbye. I’d thought we were building something, and then you disappeared. Not only did you disappear from Madrid, but you also disappeared from existence! I couldn’t find you. Tanya Stanton didn’t exist. I didn’t know if any part of her had ever existed.”
“Everything about Tanya Stanton existed except the story about the land and the money.”
“And your mother isn’t dead.”