Chapter 3
Two days later, Araceli opened the email her sister had promised to send and then she simply stared in shock at the list of things that still needed to be done for the family reunion and birthday party. It was longer than she’d thought possible and extremely in depth, down to the brand and type of paper plates. There was also an order for Ara to take the number of guests that had confirmed, add twenty and then figure out how much wine, beer, and soda they’d need to supply the party without the risk of running dry. The pretty colors and “fun” fonts that Silvia had used so liberally didn’t make the list one bit less overwhelming.
Ara rubbed her temples tiredly before scrolling to the second page of the document. She had a sinking feeling that there were even more pages after it. How was there still so much to do?
“Your sister is at it again, I see.”
She glanced behind her and saw Arturo looking at the list with a smile.
“Was it the five different colors or the twelve different fonts that gave it away?” she asked dryly.
“It’s the distinct combination that screams “Silvia” to me,” he informed her, trying and failing to sound serious as he scanned down the list. “Four pages? Is she serious? What still needs to be done?”
Ara made an expansive gesture with both hands. “According to this, everything.”
Arturo pulled a chair around and sat down beside her. “Why don’t you start working on the beverage equation and I’ll start making calls and assigning things? It will be harder to say no to me since I’m so old and respectable,” he said with a wink.
“Thank you,” she said in abject relief. For one thing, it meant that she wouldn’t have to make so many phone calls. For another, he was absolutely right. “Oh, wait. First we should pick what we want so we don’t get stuck with something sucky.”
Her uncle laughed. “I’m going to hazard a guess that you want to bring paper plates.”
Araceli frowned at the list. “I don’t know,” she mused. “Silvia’s plate standards are pretty high. What does she say about cups?”
“They have to be plastic. And blue. And twenty ounces.”
“I guess I can handle that.”
“In that case, I’ll bring the plates. I might even be magnanimous and bring napkins.” He glanced at the supply list and corrected himself. “2 ply, white, dinner napkins.”
“Don’t get crazy,” Araceli advised with a grin. “We have to allow other people to shine too.”
Ara was halfway through her calculations and realizing that they were going to need an approximate lake of beverages, when the phone rang. She answered, since her uncle was on the other line with one of her cousins, wheedling her to bring her famous guacamole. She knew that her cousin would give in, but not without sufficient flattery. Theresa liked the limelight. But her guacamole was the best Araceli had ever tasted.
“Vasquez Accounting Services, how can I help you?” she said.
“Just the person I was hoping to speak with.”
“I don’t--” But suddenly she realized that she did know who the voice belonged to. She couldn’t believe that he’d had the stones to call again. Her tone went cold. “I don’t think we have anything left to discuss, Mr. Sutton.”
“Just hold on,” he said, his tone easy now, a remarkable difference from the last time they’d spoken. “I know that we got off on the wrong foot when we met two nights ago--”
She made a scoffing sound. “Yes, you could say that.”
“I’d like to make it up to you,” Donovan went on without reacting to her obvious sarcasm. “I’m aware that I wasn’t exactly on my best behavior.”
Araceli didn’t quite know what to say to that. She felt like she should brush him off, or tell him that he wasn’t going to butter her up. But he actually sounded sincere. He probably wasn’t, but she couldn’t help but appreciate the effort that had gone into the attempt.
“I suppose I might not have been either,” she admitted. “But I still don’t see--”
“I don’t want to put any extra pressure on you,” he said, still sounding sincere. “I just don’t want to go away thinking that you didn’t understand why I do what I do. I have reasons, you know. I’d like you to hear what they are.”
She paused, chewing her lip. She did wonder why he was so insistent on buying the firm. They weren’t exactly movers and shakers. Her curiosity slowly began to get the better of her.
“Are you still there?” he asked.
She shook herself. “Yes, of course. All right, fine. I’ll listen to your reasons.”
“Perfect. We can--”
“Under one condition,” she cut in. She was curious, but she wasn’t stupid.
“Why am I not surprised?” he asked, catching them both off guard with the smile that crept into his voice.
“Because you might be a lot of things, but dumb probably isn’t one of them,” Araceli answered, unable to hold back her own slight smile as well. “I’m prepared to listen to your reasons, Mr. Sutton--”
“Why don’t we make it Donovan?”
“Why don’t we keep it formal?”
“Of course, Ms. Vasquez.”
She repressed the shiver that tried to crawl up her spine. “Anyway. As I was saying, I’m prepared to listen to your reasons, as long as you’re prepared to do the same. That way, you’ll go away understanding and not disappointed.”
“Of course, Ms. Vasquez,” he repeated once more. “Where would you like to meet tonight?”
“Tonight?” she repeated, her heart rate kicking up suddenly. Somehow, she hadn’t expected it to be happening so soon.
“I assume that you don’t want to drag this experience out,” Donovan said. “But I’m happy to wait, if that’s what you would prefer.”
“No, you’re right. Let’s get it over with. I assume you don’t want to go back for italian?” she asked, unable to resist needling him just a bit. He was so calm that she wanted to ruffle his feathers just a bit.
“Not particularly,” Donovan agreed, his voice tightening just a bit. “Is there anything in town more...private?”
“I know a place,” Ara said. “I’ll text you the address.”
“Is that your way of asking for my number?”
The smile was back in his voice. She remembered the way his mouth had tipped when she’d walked toward him two nights ago. She’d been so angry then that she hadn’t noticed how good it had looked. She remembered it now and cleared her throat.
“Unless you’d prefer to try to find the place on your own, Mr. Sutton,” she said, making her voice crisp.
He gave her his number and they ended the call without further small talk. She added the number to her contacts list, glancing over at her uncle as she did so. Arturo was still on the phone and he’d switched to Spanish to wheedle more efficiently. He shot her a thumbs up and she gave him a grin. He’d talk Theresa down soon enough.
She sent Donovan a text, giving him the address and quick directions to a restaurant outside of town. Araceli was glad that he hadn’t wanted Italian again, actually. She’d only suggested it to bait him, but she didn’t especially want to be seen around town with him again.
Word traveled fast and the last thing she wanted to do was upset her uncle. He would think that Donovan had moved on to harassing her, which would make him feel guilty. Or, worse yet, he would think that she was tempted by the offer which would make him feel both betrayed and guilty. She didn’t particularly want to go through either scenario.
However, there was one person’s advice that she wanted very much right now.
“I’m going to take a longer lunch today,” she told her uncle as soon as he was off the phone. “I’ll stay late tomorrow to make up for it.”
“No problem,” Arturo said, jubilant over his hard won success with Theresa. “Bring me back a sandwich, okay?”
“Sure thing.”
Ara slid behind the steering while of her car and headed across town to the daycare center. She’d nursed the hope that somehow it would be nap time, but most of the kids were playing in the small fenced in side yard when she pulled in and got out. Silvia and another two woman were standing in the shade of a tree near the building, watching the children carefully. Araceli waved and jogged up the path. Her sister was already hurrying to greet her.
“Sil? Do you have a minute?”
“Is everything okay?” Silvia asked at the same moment.
That was her sister. Everyone’s mother. Ara nodded and gave her a reassuring smile.
“Everything’s fine. I just...I need some advice.”
Silvia’s eyes lit up as she opened the gate and ushered Araceli in. “We can talk in the office. That way I can still help keep an eye on the kids.”
“We’ve got it,” one of the other women said, smiling cheerfully. “Take your time.”
Araceli dropped down onto the sofa in the small office and sighed. “Remember that man I told you about a few days ago?”
“Donovan something or other? The one that wants to buy the accounting firm?” Silvia’s mouth tightened in disapproval. “Is he bothering you again?”
“No. Not exactly. The thing is...he asked me to dinner tonight.”
Silvia snorted in derision. “Are you serious? What kind of a low life douchebag--”
This wasn’t going quite the way Ara had expected. “The other thing is...I said yes.”
Her sister stopped in mid-sentence, her lips parted as she stared at Ara in shock. “What?”
Araceli shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. “I said yes.”
Silvia held up one hand. “Let me get this straight. He harasses our uncle for a month, you yell at him in front of everyone in Taste of Italy and tell him exactly where to get off, and now you’re going on a date with him?”
“It’s not a date. I mean, not really. He said that he just wants to explain his reasons for trying to buy the company to me.”
“Aren’t they obvious?”
“Probably,” Araceli allowed. “I’m more interested in explaining my reasons to him.”
Silvia put on a concerned look. “Sure, but can you actually do that and make out with him at the same time?”
Araceli threw a pillow at her sister. “Shut up.”
“Tell me this and tell me honestly,” Silvia pressed. “Is he good looking?”
Ara chewed on her thumbnail, remembering how broad his shoulders had looked in his ridiculously expensive suit. “He’s okay, I guess.”
“That hot, huh?” her sister said wryly.
Ara had a feeling that Silvia could see the slight flush that had risen to her throat and cheeks. “Okay, yeah. He’s pretty hot. And his voice is amazing. But it’s really, honestly, not a date.”
“I guess that’s true...you don’t seem to do that.” Ara flung another pillow. This time Silvia caught it and tossed it back. “How long has it been since you went out with someone anyway?”
Ara wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees. “I don’t know. I guess it has been a while.” She thought back. “Probably sophomore year at college. That’s depressing.”
“I don’t like the idea of you dating him, but I suppose you can always use him for sex and then cut him loose.”
Araceli laughed, but it honestly didn’t sound like a bad plan.
****
Araceli rushed into her apartment, and slammed her door quickly, cursing her bad luck. First, she’d gotten stuck with an overly talkative client right at the end of the day. The woman had stopped by to question her bill, and it should have been a simple answer. But then she’d wanted to talk politics and the rising cost of her prescriptions. She hadn’t left the office until she’d exhausted both of those subjects and Araceli’s patience.
Araceli had finally hurried her out, but she’d gotten on the road just in time to get caught in traffic. After all of that, she now only had about half an hour to be both impressive and intimidating in time for her meeting with Donovan Sutton.
She twisted the shower on, turning the handle all the way over to hot as she stripped quickly. Then she dashed into her bedroom and flung open her closet door. She began flicking through her clothing choices quickly while she waited for the shower water to heat up. It was an old building and it usually took a while.
Most of the clothing in her small closet was either professional work wear or casual weekend wear. But there, in the very back, was the red dress. Araceli stopped and eyed it. She’d bought it on a whim and she’d never worn it anywhere.
She took a deep breath and grabbed it, tossing it down on the bed and hurrying for the bathroom when she saw steam escaping from under the door. Tonight was the night.
Ara jumped into the shower and began to wash her hair hurriedly. Then, slowly, sensation began to kick in. Okay, so maybe she wasn’t really going on a real date, but all the elements were there. Handsome guy, dinner, a red dress that she knew looked damn good on her. She slowed down, taking her time rinsing her hair and conditioning it. She soaped up and shaved, enjoying the fact that she actually had a reason to get all dressed up.
Had it really had been sophomore year in college the last time she’d done this? She thought back carefully. It had. She’d been so focused on getting her degree and then on learning everything she could about her chosen career that she hadn’t had the time to go out. Or, to be more accurate, she hadn’t made the time to go out. Her life had been studying, working, and sleeping since she was nineteen years old and she’d only just noticed it. That was more than a little depressing.
Oh well. She shook it off. She’d use Donovan Sutton as a way to get back into the scene. This would sort of be a practice date. Just with more talk of buying companies than most dates probably had.
Once she was clean, she wrapped a towel around herself and walked back into her bedroom. She normally didn’t wear much makeup, mainly because she enjoyed sleeping in as late as possible. Tonight though, she enjoyed the ritual of putting on the moisturizer and foundation, concealing certain things and highlighting others. Then she pulled out her eyeshadow palette and glanced back at the dress spread over her white comforter. It deserved something that would add to the drama. She created a smoky eye and then stroked a bright crimson lipstick over her full lips. Not bad.
Ara pulled the dress over her head, letting the cool silky fabric cling to her body, and then glanced in the mirror. She couldn’t hold back a smile at the reflection she saw. She’d wanted to look both impressive and intimidating and she could see that she’d pulled it off without a shadow of a doubt. She also looked sexy as hell.
She pulled her heels on, dropped her lipstick into her bag, and headed out. She was running a little bit late, but somehow, she didn’t think Donovan would mind.