Law #1: Never Bet on Love: A Sweet Billionaire Love Story (Laws of Love)

by Agnes Canestri

  I fetch my phone and turn it so Zach can see the mountain of documents on my table. For good measure, I even show him the other ones that landed on the carpet when I answered his call.

  Zach gives out a whistle. “Did a hurricane strike you?”

  “No, I bumped over a few folders when I grabbed my phone. I thought it was Eva calling and—”

  I stop before I can incriminatingly admit that I was so eager to hear her voice, I didn’t pay attention to my moves.

  I switch back the camera in time to see Zach bowing as if he were in a courtroom. “The evidence is on my side. I don’t have anything to add, your Honor.”

  I grit my teeth. Why is he doing this to me? “Zach, let’s be real. Once I’m CEO, I won’t have any capacity for a relationship.” Especially not the kind that a woman like Eva deserves.

  Zach shrugs. “Well, okay. If you’re convinced you can get through this havoc without hurting Eva or getting hurt, then go for it.” Zach glances at his watch. “I’ve gotta go now, there is Robert waiting for me. Catch you another time, okay? Send me a text when you’re ready to go over my final draft for Richmond and Green.”

  My eyes zoom in on the clock on my table.

  Is it this late? “Sure, just go. I also have to hurry up. I invited Eva to come over to my place this afternoon. I have to call her and see if she can actually make it.”

  “To your fortress? Wow, okay, if this is not a sign that…” Zach shoots a mocking smirk at me. “I won’t comment. Bye.”

  “Bye,” I echo and press the red button to end our call.

  Zach’s coy smile is still in front of my eyes as I bend to collect the papers. I’ve proposed that Eva come to my house because she asked about where I live.

  Not because…because I want….or do I?

  I arrange the sheets in a neat pile and lift them back to the table. I raise my eyes to the ceiling.

  Zach knows that I have never taken any girl into my apartment in New York. Nor to my condo in San Sebastian, in fact. Mostly because the women I usually see are flings. There is no point in them seeing where I live, since they aren’t going to stay in my life for good.

  Eva won’t either. This sudden thought stings more than I care to admit.

  My eyes glaze over as I recall her charcoal glance. Last night they were acting upon me like a vortex. If her grandmother had only appeared a second later, my body would have surely responded to Eva’s magnetic power and claimed her lips, no matter what. And at some point I’ll need to do that. If we’re to move to the next phase, one that surpasses the limits of friendship, I’ll have to kiss her soon. Maybe today.

  My heart gives a thump out of rhythm, and I swallow hard.

  What is it with me? It’s not like I don’t want to kiss her. Or that I haven’t fantasized about it a few times. Or perhaps constantly since we parted last night. Then what’s my problem? That Zach might be right about my feelings for her?

  I squeeze my hands into fists and inhale deeply.

  Fine, this is the point where I’ll stop evaluating each minute, fleeting sensation that ripples through me. So what if I like Eva…a bit? As long as I’m not falling in love with her, I’m safe.

  And that won’t happen. I’m not the falling-in-love type. And not even a special woman like Eva can change one’s nature.

  I pull out the Richmond and Green file from the pile. I’ll just read its first twenty pages and then I’ll recommence my efforts with calling Eva. I start to read the draft Zach has set up, and this time my mind is centered on the content like a laser beam.

  I don’t stop to ask if it’s the reward of hearing Eva’s voice after I’m done that motivates me this much. I just roll with it and enjoy being able to work again like I used to before setting foot in the Desert Rose.

  Chapter 20

  (Eva - Day 5)

  The pile of bills that Abuelita collects below the ceramic cookie jar on the kitchen counter has grown slightly taller since last week. It doesn’t matter, though. Soon I’ll get my next paycheck and those insidious little papers will vanish…only to reappear a few weeks later. But that’s just life, right?

  “Are you ready to go? Where is Nathan taking you?” Abuelita’s voice jars me out of my thoughts.

  She stands at the entrance of our orange painted kitchen leaning on her stick. Her polka-dotted gown and freshly curled hair suggests she plans to see me off personally and get another glimpse at Nathan.

  I smooth down the fit and flare blue-jersey dress I picked for myself. It has a smocked bodice and off-shoulder neckline. I bought it when I got my first job in Silver Hills—almost four years ago—and it has been my favorite ever since. Thanks to its good fabric, it washes well and the print hasn’t faded.

  “Nathan invited me to his house.” Abuelita’s brows draw together, and I add immediately, “Just to check out his place. He apparently has a climbing wall at home. But don’t worry, I won’t stay long. I have to work tonight.”

  My grandmother eyes me from head to toe, then smiles. “You look lovely, my dear. I’m sure your suitor will like it too.”

  I cringe inwardly at her old-fashioned choice of word. It gives me the impression that I’m some kind of prize that he’s supposed to obtain by courtship, even if I know Abuelita didn’t mean it like that.

  “Aren’t you upset that I’m going over to his place?” I ask.

  Abuelita shakes her head. “Why would I be? Nathan is a fine gentleman, Eva. You’ll be safe with him.”

  Safe? The yearning I felt when I stared into Nathan’s grey eyes the second before my grandmother burst out of the house in her nightgown last night comes to mind. Safe might not be the best word to describe how Nathan makes me feel.

  I swallow to get rid of the memory. “How can you be sure Nathan is a true gentleman? You just met him yesterday.”

  Which wasn’t even supposed to happen. I hadn’t planned on any official introduction, but my sneaky grandmother had double-crossed me by waiting up for me. After surprising us, she gathered as many facts about Nathan and his family as she could in a five minute conversation. Then once we came inside, she began her real interrogation with me.

  Weirdly enough, everything I’ve told her about Nathan was to her liking. Except maybe his initial invitation, though she wasn’t half as outraged by it as I had been. Once she heard all the effort that Nathan had put into convincing me to spend time with him, Abuelita was literally sold on him. She gushed about what a caballero Nathan was for not making us pay for his car’s repair. She even used the expression, “one-of-a-kind billionaire.”

  As if to confirm my point, Abuelita smiles at me. “Ah, hijita. These are just things that you learn with age. You need less time to assess someone’s true nature.”

  I stare at Abuelita’s glowing face and my heart squeezes.

  Look at that beam. Abuelita is clearly on Nathan’s team. Only her fan T-shirt is missing. Why isn’t she more suspicious about Nathan? Is it because he’s rich?

  No, there’s no way money could have this effect on my grandmother. Not after witnessing her daughter’s betrayal by the wealthy jerk I refuse to call Father. There must be something else that makes her so enthusiastic about Nathan. I have trouble imagining Abuelita calling any other guy a true gentleman after only meeting him once. Not that I know any men in my close surroundings who would deserve such a tag anyway.

  But does Nathan?

  Though many signs point in the direction that he does—I mean we’ve been out three times already and he didn’t so much as try to kiss me—I still have a hard time accepting that he could be different. That his interest in me could be something more than physical. Maybe because if I did, it would force me to face all those emotions he unleashes in me…

  “Also…” Abuelita pats my back. “I happen to know Nathan’s brother and he has—”

  “What?” I almost swallow my tongue. “You know Murphy? How?”

  In what weird universe could my seventy-something grandmother socialize with
a Montgregor?

  Abuelita purses her lips. “He was the guest of honor at the last charity event I organized with Tia Maria at Church. The one where we collected money for cleaning up the barrio’s park, remember? “

  “Why didn’t I know of this?”

  “You would if you had come instead of visiting Laia’s new flat in Phoenix.”

  “Ah, it was that time.”

  Jeez, I need to distract Abuelita before she starts her rambling.

  But strangely enough, Abuelita isn’t interested in scolding me about missing out on my Catholic duties. She just bobs her head while a wide smile plays on her lips. “Yes. Murphy Montgregor attended our service and gave free counseling to whoever wanted it. He is a psychologist, you know? A very bright person, indeed. A true Christian in soul, if you ask me. In fact, when I told him about your commitment issues, he—”

  “You did what?” I exclaim.

  Did Abuelita discuss me with Nathan’s brother? Oh, danged misery of all!

  Abuelita stares at me bewildered. “¿Que pasa, hijita? What happened? Why do you look like someone poured a pot of steaming albondigas on you?”

  My hands fly to my cheeks, and sure enough, they’re burning. “You totally embarrassed me, Abuelita. Nathan’s brother was there last night in Mamacita. He even made comments about me and Nathan. And you’re telling me that you asked for Murphy’s advice on my commitment issues?”

  Abuelita chuckles. “Oh no, no. I didn’t ask him anything. Your problem just came up when Murphy told me about his single brother who’s a workaholic. Murphy seemed worried about Nathan not finding true happiness and wasting his life at his job without starting a family on his own.”

  Interesting. A similar thought had occurred to me when I spoke to Nathan about his aspirations of becoming CEO. Not the starting a family part, of course. That hadn’t been a fully developed thought—just a flash that he could have cute children—but I did ponder the fact that Nathan might be chasing the empty dream of a father who can’t absolve him from his quest, since he’s already gone.

  Abuelita is still explaining her meeting with Murphy. I should really focus on her words. I need to know exactly what my well-meaning but gossipy grandmother shared with Murphy.

  “So, to sum it all up, I told Murphy…” Abuelita beams innocently. “That I understood his concern because I have a granddaughter well in the age of marrying, and she refuses to date anyone due to a past heartache.”

  “That’s all? Are you sure you didn’t tell him anything else…like Fern—”

  Abuelita’s eyes widen and her hand jumps to her chest and draws a quick cross. “Oh, good Lord, of course, not. The less I’m reminded of that wretched soul, the better. Look what he has brought upon our family.” Her expression softens and she takes my hand. She smiles at me while she squeezes it with her bony fingers. “Nathan won’t turn out like your ex, never fear that.”

  “Maybe not like Fernando.” I ignore the frown that creeps back across Abuelita’s face as she hears the name. “But perhaps like…my father?”

  I’ve already stopped comparing Nathan to that rich dullard who decided to abandon me and Mom. So why am I even bringing this up with my grandmother? Is it a sneaky attempt to instill some doubt about Nathan in her?

  Possibly. Based on what Abuelita told me about her encounter with Murphy, it’s easy for me to put two and two together. Abuelita is not just supportive of Nathan because her “sixth sense” tells her so. No, she must be convinced that Nathan and I could mend each other’s souls.

  My grandmother is the source of the romantic genes that make Laia the way she is. Abuelita is just as dreamy about true love’s potential as my cousin. Frankly, I hope she didn’t start a list yet of her preferred baby names for my offspring with Nathan.

  “Your father?” Abuelita rolls her eyes, and she clicks her tongue repeatedly, creating a sound like countless soda cans popping open. It’s her signature expression of sheer disapproval. “No, no, no. No es posible, hijita. It’s not possible, my dear. Nathan is not like that. I could see it in his eyes. Besides, Murphy said Nathan is a righteous man. And a brother vouching for another is the most solid proof in this world.”

  She’s just saying this because she hasn’t seen those two together yet. Luckily, I bite back my comments in time. Abuelita is clearly on a roll with her discourse and interrupting her would be pointless.

  She is pointing her finger at me. The tip of her index trembles slightly, but she keeps her eyes fixed on mine. Whatever her next argument is, she must feel particularly strong about it. “Eva, you need to promise me that you’ll let Nathan peek above those walls that you created around your heart. Otherwise, he won’t get a chance to learn what a wonderful person you truly are. And that would be a pity. Something truly special might be on its way for you with him.”

  She smiles brightly at me.

  Oh, goodness. Maybe I should have tried to interrupt her. Even if I actually agree with a lot of what Abuelita is saying, I can’t promise her I’ll gamble my heart on her romantic reverie. It’s too much. I fear if I let myself believe that things between me and Nathan could be more than just what we have—whatever it is that we have—and it backfires, then I’ll open the gates for a heartache of dimensions I’ve never known.

  The doorbell saves me.

  He’s here. Quick, I need to hurry. I can’t let Abuelita meet Nathan when she’s in her matchmaking, love-will-make-you-whole mood.

  My heart beats like the wings of a bird whose cage was accidentally left open, as I bolt to the door. When my hand reaches the doorknob, I call back. “I gotta run. Sorry! Don’t wait up for me like yesterday. I’m going to be working late.”

  “Jovenes, always rushing…” She grumbles first, then she waves to me. “Have fun, hijita. And remember my advice.”

  I pull the door closed quickly behind me before Abuelita can change her mind and decide to come out to lecture Nathan about the importance of relationships.

  As I turn, I stumble and bump into Nathan’s muscular chest.

  He grabs my shoulders to keep me upright. “Whoa, were you in such a hurry to see me? It’s very flattering.”

  He must be coming from work, because he’s dressed in a smart-casual Oxford shirt in that particular blue shade that turns his gaze into that mesmerizing marengo. He has thrown a tailored navy suit over it that stretches so heavenly over his muscles, my knees almost buckle.

  I take a step back and feel the door’s smooth surface press against my spine. The distance is not nearly enough to cancel out the effect of Nathan’s looks, but it’s sufficient to at least jumpstart my brain. “I was just outsmarting Abuelita. Trying to save you from a second round of interrogation, you see.”

  Nathan grins. “It looked more like outrunning from where I stood. Anyway, your grandmother seems like a very kind and intelligent old lady. I wouldn’t mind chatting with her again.”

  Strangely enough, Nathan sounds like he means what he says.

  This realization startles me. Could he be this eager to converse with my grandmother if he only wants a fling between us?

  Maybe my mind is overloaded processing this question, but it misses a beat and lets my mouth formulate the following incriminating words. “I think it’s better if you don’t. Abuelita has already taken you into her fancy. But we don’t want to give her the wrong impression, since we are…”

  Nathan’s lips twitch. “Going to my house? Would she disapprove?”

  “No, not that. She understands it’s just a quick visit. That we won’t…”

  Now a clear smile is tugging at his lower lip. “We won’t…what, Eva?”

  Ah, perfect. Why did I ever start on this topic?

  While my cheeks heat up to a temperature that should give me a second-degree burn, I search for a smarter way to get out of this mess I’ve created. “That doesn’t matter, since we won’t. What matters is that Abuelita, if you keep on dazzling her like you did yesterday, will start to believe that we’re…you k
now…getting serious.”

  Nathan’s face grows serious. “Are you still convinced we’re building a friendship here?”

  His voice is deep, and I can’t decide what his take on it is. But it’s me who needs to express herself first. What should I say? After the sizzles between us on the dance floor last night, I can’t repeat my previous lie to him. He must have realized how I was staring at him and felt the hammering in my ribcage as our bodies swayed together.

  I decide to go with the truth. “I don’t know what we’re building, Nathan.”

  There I said it.

  Nathan cocks his head to the side, but his eyes don’t leave mine. “Eva, what do you say if we drop the pretense and call our meetings what they are. Dating.”

  Despite my heart begging me to assume the best of him, I’m paralyzed with fear as I repeat his words. “Dating? But we’ve only had a few—”

  “Dates, yes. That’s why I think this label is appropriate for now.”

  For now? What is that supposed to mean? I chew on my lip and glance at my hands. For Pete’s sake, why can’t I even keep his gaze while discussing this? It must be clear from my body language that I’m putting way too much weight on this definition. But a little “ing” adds so much layer to a relationship. At least for me. Is it the same for him? Would I dare to ask?

  Nathan smiles. A real, ear-to-ear grin that makes him look so carefree. And hot. “You’re cute when you’re embarrassed,” he says. “It doesn’t happen often when we’re together. You always seem to have a right answer for everything. But…when it does…well, it makes your eyes sparkle.”

  “Thank you,” I murmur.