Her mother’s statement about her being in love with Vilma had hit home. More often than not, her parents had been accepting of the women she had dated, but they hadn’t always approved of some of them. In those instances, her parents’ instincts had turned out to be more accurate than hers. Having her mother give Vilma her blessing meant the world to her, but it also rattled her.
Family, she had realized as she took a seat at the crowded dinner table, could turn out to be a sticking point. Vilma didn’t have a relationship with her own family and Brooklyn’s was dysfunctional with a capital D.
No wonder she found it so easy to pretend to be someone else because she had spent so much of her life wishing she was someone else. Especially after one of her brothers or sisters did or said something embarrassing, which was practically a daily occurrence,
Stefano’s asinine comments when she arrived had brought all those feelings back. Did she want to subject Vilma to that? Would Vilma think less of her if she exposed her to her family and all its flaws? If she and Vilma continued to see each other, she would have to introduce her to them at some point. She shuddered to think what might come out of Stefano’s mouth when that moment finally arrived.
It wasn’t like her to run scared, but that was certainly what she was doing now. She wished she and Vilma could remain in their hermetically sealed bubble forever. She had tried to delay their entry into the real world, but she had a sneaking suspicion she had only been delaying the inevitable. She had been avoiding Vilma for days, coming up with one reason after another for why she couldn’t spend time with her. She knew the day would eventually come when Vilma would tire of her excuses and refuse to take no for an answer. Today appeared to be that day.
An incoming text message drew her attention away from the PowerPoint presentation she was working on. The text was from Vilma.
You have to eat sometime. Meet me downstairs in ten minutes so I can buy you lunch.
Vilma’s message felt more like an ambush than an invitation. Brooklyn had used the same tactic before—meeting someone in public so they would be less likely to cause a scene when she broke up with them. Now it was apparently Vilma’s turn to flip the script.
“I’ve made a royal mess of things. If I were her, I wouldn’t want to date me either.”
She locked her computer and reached for her purse.
Be right there, she texted back
Her breezy response belied the sense of dread she felt as she rode the elevator downstairs. She had never felt this insecure about a relationship. Probably because none of her previous relationships had meant this much. No wonder she was freaking out.
When she reached the café on the ground floor, she spotted Vilma waiting for her at a table by the window. Vilma rose to greet her as she approached the table.
“Long time, no see,” Vilma said, giving her a kiss on each cheek.
“I’m sorry I’ve been so busy this week.”
Vilma resumed her seat and draped a napkin across her lap. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. You have a company to run. I understand that.”
“So you didn’t invite me here to break up with me?”
A smile tugged at the corner of Vilma’s lips. “Is that what you thought I had in mind?”
“I wouldn’t blame you if you did. I’ve been MIA the past few days.”
“If I remember correctly, so was I not too long ago. Turnabout is fair play, after all.”
“I’m not trying to enter a game of one-upmanship with you.”
“That’s good to hear, especially considering I need to go on another business trip.”
“So soon?”
Vilma held up a hand to let the waitress know they needed more time before they put in their orders.
“That’s the reason I asked you to meet me for lunch. I wanted to prepare you for what’s to come. The management team for the company I recently met with has addressed the issues I noted during our initial meeting and is on track to get them resolved in a few weeks. I’m scheduled to meet with them again next month. This time, hopefully both sides will end up satisfied.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“A few days. A week at the most. But I’ll be out of touch most of that time and I don’t want you to feel as uncertain as you did the last time I was away.”
“Yeah, that wasn’t one of my best moments. You must think I’m the neediest person in the world.”
“I think you’re adorable, but that goes without saying. I’m also willing to admit I need to step up my game in terms of communication. If I want to share my life with you, I need to learn to share myself with you.”
“Ditto.”
“I’m glad to hear we’re on the same page. When I get back, do you think we can find the time to have a conversation that lasts longer than the length of a text message string or the duration of a business lunch?”
Brooklyn finally felt herself begin to relax. “I’d like that.”
“So would I.” Vilma beckoned for the waitress. “Now what would you like for lunch?”
Brooklyn paraphrased a line from one of her favorite movies as she took Vilma’s hand in hers. “More time with you.”
* * *
“This was fun,” Brooklyn said after she finished her Caesar salad. “Not as much fun as a quickie, but close enough.”
“I’ll keep that in mind for next time,” Santana said. “Or are you suggesting there’s no time like the present?”
“What makes you think I would suggest such a thing?”
Brooklyn’s smile straddled the line between wicked and whimsical. Like everything else about her, Santana found it utterly charming. If she weren’t careful, this woman could prove to be her undoing. Then again, she had left careful behind a long time ago. Now she was flying by the seat of her pants. And what a ride it was turning out to be. The question was what lurked around the corner, a clear path or an obstacle she wouldn’t be able to avoid?
“I have no idea.” Santana placed two bills on the table and told the waitress to keep the change. “I’ll walk you back to your office.”
“No need. I think I can manage to get from point A to point B without having to leave a trail of bread crumbs behind.”
“I’m sure you can, but perhaps, as you so eloquently put it a few minutes ago, I’d like to spend a bit more time with you.”
“When you put it that way, how can I possibly say no?”
Santana offered her arm. “I’ve been told I can be rather convincing when I set my mind to it.”
Brooklyn headed to the elevator. “Does that approach make you a success in the boardroom, the bedroom, or both?”
It was Santana’s turn to smile. “I’ve always been my worst critic so I’ll let you be the judge of that.”
“I haven’t gotten a look at your skills in the boardroom yet,” Brooklyn said as she punched the number for the appropriate floor. “As for your skills in the bedroom, I’d have to give you a nine out of ten.”
Santana waited for the elevator doors to close before she drew Brooklyn to her. “Only a nine?”
Brooklyn rested her palms on Santana’s chest. “I’m just trying to provide you with the proper incentive. We don’t want you to get stale, do we?”
“No, we definitely don’t want that.”
Brooklyn groaned when Santana kissed the side of her neck. “If you keep that up, I’ll be tempted to hit the emergency stop button and give the guards a show.” She pointed to the recessed security camera overhead. “I’ve gone this long without having a sex tape leaked to the internet and I don’t want to break my streak now.”
“Point taken.” Santana held up her hands as she took a step back. “Sometimes I forget you’re an influential CEO with both a company and a rep to protect. Did I say something wrong?” she asked when she noticed Brooklyn’s smile falter a bit.
“Part of that conversation we’re supposed to have at a later date.”
“The agenda for our sit-down is growing
by the minute. I’m going to have to block off a significant part of my calendar when we finally find time to talk.”
“So will I.”
Brooklyn’s tone was a bit too somber for Santana’s liking. She ran a finger across Brooklyn’s furrowed brow as she wondered what was weighing on her mind. “There’s nothing you can’t say to me. I’ll be here for you, no matter what.”
“I hope you mean that.”
“We’ve all got baggage. Some more than most. Fortunately, I have plenty of space to stash them in.”
The elevator doors opened, but Brooklyn moved toward her instead of heading for the exit. “Do you think you might have room for mine?”
Santana tried to keep the moment light as she offered Brooklyn the reassurance she so obviously needed. “Have you seen my closets?”
“Seen them? I was planning on asking if I could sublet one of them since they all have more square footage than my apartment does.”
Santana held her hand in the opening to keep the elevator doors from closing. “I’m glad I could put a smile on your face because you’ve definitely put one in my heart.”
Brooklyn cocked her head. “I can’t decide if that’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard or the cheesiest. I’ll get back to you when I have an answer.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Brooklyn gave her a quick kiss and turned to leave. Santana waited a beat before she said, “I hate seeing you go, but I love watching you walk away.”
“No wait time on that one. Definitely cheesy.”
“Just making sure. See you tonight?”
“Count on it. You’re still on the hook to make me dinner.”
“I’ll try to do it without instructions this time as long as you promise not to judge me too harshly on the results.”
“I promise.”
“Good. Because I can do a mean PB and J. Would you like yours with crusts or without?”
“Surprise me.”
Santana hoped the other surprise she had yet to reveal wouldn’t end up being a deal-breaker. She pulled her hand away and pressed the button for the ground floor. Just before the doors closed, a hand appeared in the small opening.
“Going down?” AJ asked.
“So it seems.”
AJ’s shoulders stiffened as she took her eyes off her phone’s display and looked at Santana for the first time. “Never mind. I can wait for the next one.” She pressed the Door Open button like she was working the controls on a pinball machine.
“Are we really going to play that game?”
“What game?”
“Brooklyn told me you have doubts about me.”
“Are you going to hold that against me?”
“Why should I? You’re entitled to your opinion. As am I. With that being said, you can’t avoid me forever, you know.”
“I don’t have to avoid you forever,” AJ said defiantly. “Just until Brooklyn wakes up from the sex coma she’s in and realizes how much of a phony you are. That shouldn’t take much longer.”
“Ride with me, JoAnna.”
AJ seemed taken aback, either by hearing the sound of her real name or by seeing the stern look on Santana’s face. She meekly stepped back inside the elevator car. “Do you have something you want to say to me?” she asked as the car finally began to descend.
“No, but there is something I would like you to do.”
“What might that be?”
“Take care of Brooklyn for me.”
“How very patriarchal of you. In case you haven’t noticed, Brooklyn’s a strong, independent woman. She doesn’t need anyone to ‘take care’ of her.”
“If I wanted a lecture on gender norms and societal expectations, I would have asked you for one.”
“Then what are you asking me for? Are you going somewhere?” AJ’s expression was a mixture of hope and confusion. Santana might have laughed if the circumstances had been different.
“Not by choice, no, but it never hurts to have a contingency plan. Even though you and I don’t see eye to eye, I can honestly say you’re a good and loyal friend to Brooklyn. If something ever happens to me, I’m not asking you to take her by the hand. I’m asking you to lend her an ear if she needs one. I’m asking you to be there for her. Can I count on you to do that?”
AJ looked at her for a long, wordless moment. “I initially thought you were jerking my chain, but you’re being serious right now,” she said at length. “Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“If I were experiencing legal difficulties, chances are I wouldn’t be here enjoying a leisurely lunch, followed by a fun-filled elevator ride with you.”
“Fine. You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to, but is there something Brooklyn should know?”
“You’re Brooklyn’s friend, not mine. I don’t need you to worry about me. I don’t even need you to like me. I just need you to do what I asked. Can I count on you? Yes or no?”
“Yes,” AJ said, “you can count on me.”
“Thank you.”
When the elevator reached the ground floor, AJ followed her out.
“Before we join hands and start singing ‘Kumbaya,’ let’s get one thing straight. I’ll do what you asked me to do because I care about Brooklyn, but I want you to know that doesn’t change anything between me and you.”
“I didn’t expect it to.”
The hope went out of AJ’s expression, leaving confusion behind. “You really don’t give a shit whether people like you or not, do you?”
“As long as they respect me, their personal opinion of me is irrelevant.”
“I finally see it.”
“See what?”
“What Brooklyn sees in you. You’re your own woman, I’ll give you that. I just wish you were an honest one.”
“Is everything okay here?”
Santana looked past AJ to see Luke Ridley striding across the lobby. His company’s headquarters were on the other side of town. What the hell was he doing here?
“We’re fine,” AJ said. “This is Vilma Bautista, the woman Brooklyn’s been seeing. We were having a…discussion.”
“If you say so.” Luke stuck out his hand. “I didn’t know Brooklyn was seeing anyone. It’s good to meet you, Vilma. Will you be joining AJ and me for lunch?”
“No,” AJ said before Santana could respond. “She has someplace she needs to be. Give me a second to wrap up our conversation, and I’ll meet you at the restaurant we agreed on, okay?”
“I’ll go grab us a table,” Luke said. “I’m looking forward to our chat.”
“Are you planning on leaving BDV?” Santana asked after Luke headed outside with his cell phone plastered to his ear. “I thought you were happy here.”
“I am,” AJ said with a shrug, “but if someone is willing to make me an offer, the least I can do is listen.”
Santana wondered if AJ’s potential defection was the major announcement Luke had been teasing for the past few weeks. His money had obviously managed to get AJ’s attention. When she returned from Reykjavik, she would have to take a hard look at what else he might have used his money to buy.
Chapter Twenty-seven
Brooklyn loved spooning. It wasn’t quite as much fun as sex but close. Thankfully, Vilma was great at it. Incredible, in fact. But that didn’t come as a surprise. Vilma’s only apparent fault was her decided lack of skills in the kitchen, but the flaw was not only endearing but humanizing. Brooklyn liked knowing someone who was so accomplished in the business world could suck so badly at something that came naturally to her.
She didn’t get a chance to try the peanut butter and jelly sandwich Vilma had bragged about earlier because their hello kiss at the door when she’d arrived at Vilma’s apartment that night had gotten so heated they had bypassed the kitchen and headed straight to the bedroom. Several hours later, Vilma put in a call for dinner. They would have to get dressed and answer the door when the delivery arrived, but Brooklyn wasn’t in a rush to do so. She
liked it just fine where she was.
“I have a confession to make,” she said as she snuggled closer. Vilma’s skin was warm and her body molded around Brooklyn’s like they were made for each other.
“That’s an ominous conversation starter. Perhaps you should have said something before I made you come four times.”
“Three, but who’s counting?”
Vilma brushed Brooklyn’s hair aside and kissed the back of her neck. “We can go for four if you like. We have a little bit of time before the food arrives. I’ll be quick, I promise.”
Vilma began to burrow under the covers, but Brooklyn stopped her. “Later,” she said, turning to face her. “There’s something I want to say first.”
“Of course.” Vilma lay next to her. “What did you want to talk about?”
“I wanted to tell you the reason I’ve been so distant lately. The real reason.”
“This afternoon, you said you’ve been busy at work.”
“I was, but no more than usual.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I know you don’t now, but I’m hoping you will.” Brooklyn could tell she wasn’t the only one feeling vulnerable in that moment. She combed Vilma’s tousled hair with her fingers. “A few weeks ago, you and I talked about taking our relationship to the next level. That sounded great at the time, then I started to realize exactly what that entailed.”
“And?”
“And I freaked out a little bit. You’re not close to your family and mine is…difficult, to say the least. I didn’t want you to meet them and realize you’d made a huge mistake by getting involved with me.”
“You thought I would walk away from this—from us—because I didn’t like your family? It’s customary for people to hate their in-laws, isn’t it?”
“But it doesn’t have to be. Knowing your past, I don’t want to willingly put you through something like that in the future. I want you to love my family as much as I love them, and I want them to care about you as much as I do.”
Heart of a Killer Page 19
