Mad for you in Madrid (Building Love Book 3) Page 6

“Espresso, por favor,” said a voice further down the pastry counter, near the door.

  “Sí, Señor,” the clerk answered.

  Lori didn’t look up. One particular chocolate creation held her attention via gravitational force. She decided to order it. Selection made, she straightened up and waited for her turn to order. I hope the clerk understands my attempt at Spanish. I’ll speak very slowly.

  The clerk, a young woman wearing a frilly blue apron and white blouse, approached her. “¿Puedo ayudarla?”

  “Yes. I mean, sí.” Lori frowned. I sound awful. Why can’t I pronounce the words correctly? “Um . . .”

  A man standing in her peripheral vision coughed politely. “Do you need assistance, Miss? The cashier asked if you . . . You!”

  Lori’s jaw dropped low enough to scrape the tile floor. “Hi Daniel,” she squeaked.

  “What are you doing here?” he demanded.

  The young woman behind the counter backed away slowly. Without a word, she disappeared out a side door. Undoubtedly to escape unfolding drama.

  “This can’t be a coincidence,” he muttered.

  Coincidence on a cosmic level, maybe. “No. I’m here to work on your hotel’s publicity campaign.”

  “What are you talking about?” he barked. The disbelief on his face was as transparent as the dessert counter’s display glass.

  “You hired Cayne Corporate Communications, Inc. Right?”

  “Why, yes, but . . .”

  “Janet Cayne, CEO of—”

  “I know who she is. Get to your point.”

  Lori took a deep breath. “Janet Cayne is my mom. I work for her.” She paused long enough to muster up a lopsided smile. “Family business, remember?”

  He stared at her, mouth agape. “Which means,” he said slowly, “you’re now working for me.”

  “Um, yeah. I know this is kind of awkward.”

  “You’re a master of understatement, I see.”

  “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

  “Stand me up?” he finished for her.

  She blanched. “I know it seems that way. I did go back to find you. I swear. I would never leave someone hanging.” She sighed. “I got caught up in a situation. It took longer than it should have, and there was no way for me to wiggle out of it.”

  He stared at her with steely eyes.

  “I don’t blame you for being mad,” she said softly. “I would be mad too. I am truly sorry that happened. For both of our sakes. It would have been a nice night.”

  He cocked his head to the side, as if judging the veracity of her words.

  “I don’t want to make this situation any more awkward,” Lori said. “I’ll stay out of your way as much as possible. I’m going to work hard to gather the information my mother wants, and then be gone in three days. That is, if you’ll let me work for you, of course.”

  After a moment, he nodded. “I guess I have no other choice. I need a publicity campaign in place quickly. You might as well get started. The hotel is across the street. Follow me.” He strode out the door without his espresso.

  The café Americano she’d craved would have to wait, too. “Thanks,” she said, hurriedly following his jerky strides. Whether or not she was ready, it was time to work for Daniel Vega. On the upside, he remembered her. On the downside, he remembered her. No need to hand him one of Cayne Corporate Communications, Inc.’s, business cards, as if she were a trained circus monkey. This whole situation is a circus.

  But the circus act she most wanted to perform most was disappearing.

  Chapter 10

  Daniel marched the short distance from the café to the hotel, Lori trotting behind him. He should have known from the moment he saw her that he would be in trouble. Within a few hours of their time in Las Vegas, he’d gone from wanting to know her, to wanting to bed her, to wanting to kill her, to simply wanting to forget her. And now, he was going to have to work with her. He grit his teeth while silently saying the same curse word in multiple languages.

  He didn’t have to work with her, he reminded himself. There were perks to being CEO of his own company. Firing people being at the top of the list. He hadn’t succeeded in business, however, by cutting off his nose to spite his face. Lori’s mother owned the public relations firm that was the most qualified to do the work he needed. Firing Lori could potentially be a path to his own bankruptcy. An awkward situation with the owner’s daughter certainly wasn’t worth that. He was a big boy. He’d grin and bear the situation. At least Lori had been decent enough to apologize for her grotesque behavior.

  “This street is pretty,” Lori gushed. “Quaint. Very old Europe. Americans will love your hotel’s location.”

  The business side of him welcomed her sincerity. The personal side of him remained wary. He made a concerted effort to ignore the heart-warming effect of her words. “Thank you,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound too snippy.

  “Oh, wow,” she suddenly gasped.

  He turned around to see her stopped dead in her tracks, her mouth gaping, as she took in the sight of the hotel’s façade.

  “It’s beautiful,” she murmured.

  He forced his lips to stop their upward jerk. “Thanks. The building is over a hundred years old. You can see the hand-carved stone on the façade. The structure is still in good condition, too. Unfortunately, many interior repairs and upgrades are required. I’m gambling on the great exterior and central location to make me money.” He led her up the short marble staircase and through the building’s iron and glass doors. He held the door open for her.

  “Thank you.” Her head turned in all directions, taking in the sight. Her thoughts leapt out in a stream of consciousness. “The lobby is comfortably sized, not too big. Cozy. I bet guests will feel warm and welcomed as soon as they enter.”

  “That’s the beauty of micro-hotels. Big spaces can be impersonal, no matter how well outfitted. Micro-hotels have their challenges, though. After the renovations here, there will be room for only a small lounge, a reception counter, and a concierge desk. I’d like to rearrange the lobby to add space for musicians to play on weekends, if possible.”

  “How many floors does the building have?”

  “Six. Twenty rooms per floor. The lobby adjoins a bar, which will be open to the public. On the mezzanine we’re creating a breakfast space for hotel guests.”

  “Where will the reception counter be placed?”

  He waved in the direction of the general area. “Reception will go here. Over there will be concierge,” he added, gesturing again.

  He watched her survey the tight space where the desks would go. “It’s not very big, is it?” she observed. “Suppose it doesn’t fit?”

  Despite his best intention to remain formal, he burst out laughing. “What kind of question is that to ask a man?” When she blanched, he laughed even harder. “Sorry, I apologize. I’ve turned your innocent question into a double entendre. In my defense, the huge amount of work on this project is getting to me.”

  “I know it is,” Elias said, coming up behind him. “That’s why you need to hire me.”

  “Elias?” Daniel barked. “What are you doing here again? You are supposed to be at your job.”

  Elias grinned. “I’m at your job. Close enough.” Without waiting for an introduction, he extended a hand to Lori. “Hola, señorita bonita.”

  Daniel inwardly groaned. “Lori is an American who understands Spanish. Lori, meet my brother, Elias. I apologize to you for his inappropriate greeting.” He turned to his brother. “Please refrain from commenting on the appearance of female colleagues.”

  “No harm done,” Lori said, blushing. “Nice to meet you,” she said, shaking Elias’s hand.

  “It’s not even ten o’clock in the morning and I’ve already been
told off by my brother.” Elias’s lazy smile showed a bulletproof ego. “It’s one thing for me to endure Daniel’s beatings. I don’t want you similarly subjected. If he treats you harshly, tell me. I’m fully prepared to keep my big brother in check.”

  Daniel, despite rising blood pressure, noted Elias’s extra-thick, ‘super suave’ Spanish accent. No doubt Lori was in Elias’s crosshairs; a would-be victim of his romantic drive-by. “Elias, don’t you have somewhere to go?”

  “I already told you, mi hermano, I’m already where I need to be.” Elias didn’t look at Daniel. “Is my brother upsetting you?” Elias persisted.

  “No, we’re fine. We had a little misunderstanding over my question,” Lori answered.

  Elias quirked up an eyebrow.

  “Elias,” Daniel warned.

  Elias held up his hand. “Shh. Let the lady speak. Surely you agree listening to women is important. We are not Barbarians.”

  Daniel clenched a fist.

  “Tell me what Daniel misunderstood,” Elias asked Lori.

  “Apparently he thought I was questioning his, er, size.”

  Elias howled with laughter. “Lori, I already like you.”

  “You don’t need to like her,” Daniel ground out. “She’s a consultant on my project. Not your potential date. Can you leave? She and I are working. I need to show her the rest of the building.”

  “No, you have too much to do,” Elias quipped. “I keep telling you, I’m here to help you out, big brother. I’m happy to show Lori around the building. Heck, I’ll do even better, I’ll show her around Madrid, starting with La Gran Via. What do you say, Lori? Do you want to see the main boulevard?”

  “If it’s convenient for Mr. Vega—”

  “You can call him Daniel,” Elias corrected. “It will avoid confusion. Technically I’m a ‘Mr. Vega,’ too. Please, call me Elias.”

  Daniel clenched his fingers tighter. His hitting arm was getting itchy to punch. For reasons he didn’t know, he wanted to scream at Elias that the only ‘Mr. Vega’ who was going to show Lori around Madrid was him. “No.”

  Elias arched an eyebrow. “Come on, big brother. You should do what makes sense. Only an hour ago you were complaining how swamped you are with work.”

  Lori turned her large brown eyes toward Daniel. “If it will help you . . .”

  Why am I acting so stupid? “Fine, Elias. Show Lori around. You are right. I can use this time to work on other things.”

  “Yeah, you do that,” Elias said, shooing his brother away with a sweeping gesture. “Come, Lori. We can start experiencing Gran Via first.”

  “Oh?” she asked. “You don’t want to start with the building?”

  “It’ll still be here when we get back. I’m going to take you out to lunch on the boulevard. Lots of great restaurants there. I’m sure you’re famished after your trip. Where did you travel from?”

  “Las Vegas.”

  “Then it’s time to eat, no?”

  “Yes,” she agreed, gratitude lacing her voice.

  Daniel turned tail to head up the main staircase. Silently cringing all the way. Why hadn’t he thought to ask her if she was hungry? He had seen her drooling over a pastry counter across the street for God’s sake. Elias wasn’t astute when it came to business, but when it came to women, Elias was pure genius. Even their parents were enthralled by the suave persona of the quintessential playboy.

  A thought struck Daniel. Was he a playboy too? He viewed himself as more mature and a whole lot less flighty, but his relationships with women weren’t more than one-night stands either. Maybe deep connections weren’t attainable for either Vega brother. Perhaps it was the aftermath of dealing with smothering, critical parents. Enough to make him and Elias run for the soothing comfort of the ‘no entanglement’ zone.

  When Daniel first met Lori, her frustration with her family had been extremely relatable. He had immediately empathized. Her history of difficult family dynamics a lynchpin to his attraction. She was beautiful, yes. Charming, definitely. Sincere, absolutely. Funny, too, in a quirky kind of way. The rare woman who managed to grab his intellect as well as his libido. For the first time in years, he had finally desired to truly get to know a woman. He had gotten his hopes up. Only to have them carelessly dashed by her. Standing alone at the casino, feeling like he always did with his family: dismissed. Right at the precise moment he had thought he had managed to impress.

  The memory of Las Vegas made his heart bang heavily in his chest. Getting tossed aside by his parents was one thing. Getting tossed aside by a woman was another.

  He breathed deeply to calm down. He was making too much of a big deal about the past. Lori had apologized and they needed to work together. He would let it go. Move on. Forget it ever happened. Yet while he could forget, he doubted he would forgive.

  Elias should forget her too. His brother’s sightseeing plans had better not be extracurricular. The woman needed to concentrate on her work. And then be on the next plane back to the United States. The situation she had put him in, no matter how unintentional, had hit a little too close to home.

  Chapter 11

  Almost two hours later, Elias dropped Lori back at Daniel’s hotel. “I hope my brother does not yell at me for stealing you away.”

  Lori laughed. “I hope so too. I better get to work. Thank you for a lovely lunch and taking me around Grand Via.”

  “My pleasure, bonita.”

  “The pleasure was mine,” she said, meaning every word. The experience was a lovely surprise. His personality was lighthearted and carefree. In other words, Daniel’s exact opposite. She would have considered Elias to be a playboy if she hadn’t gotten to know him during lunch. He had taken the time to get to know her, too. Asking questions about her life without pushing or prying. Then telling her crazy stories about himself. For someone shy like her, the easygoing conversation was appreciated and a relief. Elias was a potential bright spot on this project, even if he was a bit over the top.

  Unfortunately, Elias could be the only bright spot. Daniel’s dark expression made a thunderstorm feel warm and fuzzy in comparison. He had said he’d forgiven her, but he sure didn’t look it. The sooner she gathered enough information to fly home, the better.

  Or would leaving Madrid mean leaping out of the frying pan, into a pit of fire? The moment she stepped off the plane, she’d be facing yet another conflict. Her request to take a few days off from work was going to make Mom angry. Her mother was hell-bent on having Vega International Resorts, Inc.’s, publicity campaign fully staffed with hard-working Cayne employees. Maybe I should email Mom. Tell her from a safe distance. In fact, maybe I won’t go home at all. The thought of extending time in Spain sprang to mind. From the little section of Madrid that Elias showed her, this country was fascinating. Madrid itself could occupy her for many days. Its eclectic combination of historic and modern sights was nothing she had ever seen before. Cafés lined narrow ancient streets. Big boulevards offered popular stores. Museums beckoned. She would love to discover more about Iberia, traveling lightly with only her small suitcase. No baggage to weigh her down, including that of a cursed client and a crazy mother.

  Maybe she would ask Elias for advice on where exactly to go. No doubt he’d help her out with several ideas. From what she could tell, Elias was funny, pleasant, and kind. Not to mention, he was as handsome as his brother. A little shorter than Daniel, roughly six feet tall. Thinner and sleeker too. Daniel was broader across the chest. In fact, Daniel was more muscular all the way around. More brooding. Ironically, the fair-haired brother was emotionally darker. Although in Las Vegas, Daniel’s expression had been decidedly brighter.

  “Are you tired from your travel?” Elias asked, perhaps due to her sudden bout of silence.

  “A little. You managed to revive me. Congratulations on bringing the d
ead back to life.”

  Elias grinned. “You look plenty alive to me.”

  Lori felt her cheeks heat, although his playful nature was nothing to take seriously. “If I look human, it’s because you fed me. I was starting to feel lightheaded from long flights and low-quality food.”

  “I’m glad I’ve done my part.”

  “You have, thank you. Now I’ve got to do mine. I need to get your brother’s project moving along. I don’t want to disappoint him. Or my mother.” Again, anyway.

  “No worries, bonita. I’ll let you get started. Can I meet you tomorrow? I know a great spot for tapas.”

  “I’ve heard of tapas. What exactly is it?”

  “The question is really what are they? Tapas are small plates of food. Meat. Fish. Poultry. Cheese. Basically, anything. Eating tapas is a must-do while you are in Spain. A fine way to sample the country’s culinary arts.”

  “Sounds delicious. Count me—”

  “Out,” said a loud voice from behind her.

  Lori looked up to see Daniel’s large looming body. Judging from his reddened expression, he wasn’t too happy.

  “Calm down, mi hermano,” Elias said in a breezy tone. “Before you so rudely interrupted us, Lori was saying your work is a priority.”

  “Then how come she’s traipsing around town with you?”

  Lori felt her mouth drop open. “We were gone an hour and a half. I’m truly sorry for the delay. I was hungry. I’m going to work on your project right now.”

  Elias put his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “I will not distract her.” Then he shot Lori a wink. “Can I take you out tomorrow, bonita?”

  Lori felt her cheeks flush. She coughed out a “yes” before walking down the corridor to the luggage room. Daniel’s face was redder than the rosy-hued peeling door paint. She was glad to have an excuse to leave him.