Second Chance in Barcelona

by Fiona McArthur

Obviously, he was keen for her to go. She wondered if there was a large bonus at stake here, as well as the usual exorbitant fee charged by the agency.

  The older gentleman rose.

  ‘Thank you for the extra information.’

  CHAPTER SIX

  TWO HOURS LATER Cleo pulled a hospital chair closer to the bassinet beside the bed. Studied the sleeping baby. Leaned nearer to peer in and saw the name, which was new to Cleo. Isabella.

  ‘Congratulations again. Isabella is a lovely name. She’s even more beautiful than when she was born.’ The genuine warmth in Cleo’s voice brought the young mother’s smile back to her eyes.

  Sofia’s worried face softened as she looked at the sleeping baby. ‘She is like a doll. Babies are so perfect when they sleep.’

  Cleo’s mouth tilted into a smile. ‘How is she when she’s awake?’

  ‘Noisy. Petulant if I’m too slow feeding her.’ A soft sigh and suddenly the young woman looked like any besotted mother. Vulnerable, protective, anxious to do the right thing by her child. ‘Such big eyes watch me as she drinks and I fall more in love with her every minute.’

  Cleo knew she would help Sofia despite this Don Felipe, who made even her boss nervous. ‘My employer mentioned you would like me to stay for two weeks as you settle back in Spain? Is that what you want? Some assistance in the postnatal period?’

  Sofia huffed out a breath. ‘He says my grandmother is very unwell. I do not really believe him, but I have decided I must return in case there is some truth in this. But I will not be bullied by Felipe. I hate his interference.’

  This man certainly stirred a reaction. ‘Hate’s a strong sentiment to have when your baby is nearby.’ As if to highlight her words the baby in the crib twisted her face and let out a mewl of distress.

  Instinctively, Sofia’s hand went out to smooth the covers in a gentle caress. ‘Can she feel my emotions?’

  ‘Of course. You are the most important person in the world to her. Naturally she is attuned to you.’

  ‘I forget you are one of these new age midwives.’

  Cleo laughed. ‘I believe we create our own destinies if that’s what you mean. And most of us can feel other people’s emotions. If you want me to accompany you, then for the moment I’d like to help you create a relaxed aura when you carry your baby back to Spain. Babies respond to their mother being calm.’

  She smiled again. ‘And we are to travel the easy way in a private aircraft. Is it so bad to be transported in comfort, with others dealing with all the arrangements?’

  ‘No. I have accepted that. It’s Felipe I object to.’

  Yet that very assurance wavered with uncertainty and Cleo’s heart went out to this woman dealing with her world in turmoil. What sort of man was this older, aristocratic, interfering Felipe of Sofia’s? She couldn’t imagine that scenario. How did one bribe a loving fiancé away from someone? And if it happened, where did that leave Sofia? How hard would it be to be a calm mother when your world had been destroyed?

  It was hard enough having a first baby when everything was smooth sailing—let alone being a single parent under someone else’s authority with betrayal all around.

  Sofia must be feeling she had no allies.

  Well, she had her.

  Though a voice at the back of Cleo’s mind wondered if Isabella’s father could be bought off so easily, then how much of a loss was he? Perhaps a man like her own not-so-dear departed ex? But that would be presuming too much.

  ‘Well, for the next few days try to think of Don Felipe as a means to an end. Like a contraction in labour. Painful but necessary to get us safely to Spain.’

  Sofia’s face tightened and then she morphed into a cascade of breathy giggles that surprised them both. ‘Oh...’ she wiped her eyes ‘...I’m so glad you were there when I had my baby.’

  ‘Me, too.’ Yes, she did miss being with women at birth. It wasn’t often she had time to roster in a birthing suite shift. But she loved her job now as well. Helping people find strength when they were vulnerable, support when they were desperate and safety when they felt at risk away from home. She was really enjoying the different-aged clients now, too. Especially the elderly and frail.

  Those accomplishments made her work a real pleasure, and the daily change of assignments had focussed her in redirecting her thoughts very nicely from the past.

  ‘I think the next two weeks will be easier as your bond with Isabella grows. Already I can see how wonderful you are together, and I think I can help.’

  ‘I need someone strong on my side.’ Sofia’s eyes narrowed. ‘Especially if I have to spend any time with him.’ She glanced at the elegant watch on her wrist. ‘He is coming to see me in two hours.’

  Yes. Cleo would accompany this young woman and stand by her side for the next two weeks. And if her nemesis was coming soon they’d better get started.

  Travel escorts made travelling easy for their clients. Cleo gained much of her job satisfaction in safely escorting frail or delicate clients back to their loving families, either domestic or overseas, regardless of the trickiness of the situation.

  She was good at it.

  Resourceful, calm, efficient and friendly with impressive medical skills. But she did not savour people with high tempers or people who created unnecessary drama out of a situation that didn’t require excessive emotion.

  She’d bet the next two weeks were going to be interesting. ‘Would you like to tell me about how you’re going with the feeding and caring for Isabella, and then we’ll prepare for your flight.’

  * * *

  One hour later, not two, there was a knock at the door and Sofia threw up her hands. ‘I don’t want to see him. I’m not ready. How typical that he is early. I hate him.’

  Cleo stood and then froze in horror as a tall, powerful, darkly handsome man strode in. Sofia’s cousin Felipe was also her Felipe from Saturday night!

  Cold shock widened her eyes as she tried to make sense of nonsense. The man she’d tried to forget after one night of sensual discovery and pure abandonment crossed the room to face her and she felt the blood drain from her face.

  Felipe lifted his strong chin and a vein at the side of his strong jaw pulsed. There was no trace of a smile on those sensual lips. He’d known! He’d specifically arranged to hire her from the agency. Without warning her.

  Mortification flooded her but the face she kept turned his way by sheer will remained expressionless. Just like his.

  ‘Sister Cleo Wren. I am Felipe Antonio Alcala Gonzales. Sofia’s cousin.’

  ‘I see,’ was all she could manage.

  It really was a shame the embarrassment didn’t stop the invisible, floating warmth that settled over her like a red cape, just like a teasing taunt from the toreador, she thought bitterly. Olé, you goose, Cleo. Another betrayal with lies. Or enormous omissions at least. What was going on?

  But that didn’t stop her body thrumming with a tragic awareness of him.

  Typically, his thigh-length coat fitted perfectly over immaculately tailored trousers and his long hair was tied tightly back with a plain leather thong, making his high cheekbones stand out in the bright light flooding through the window. She thought of the serious, deeply driven man of the dance and saw him in this man.

  There had been no mention of great wealth or the name Gonzales when they’d met.

  * * *

  Nothing of the seductive lover who had charmed and then discarded her. Her legs wanted to run but Sofia would want to know why so she stayed motionless. Calm. Her face a tight mask.

  He lifted one long elegant hand assertively towards her to shake hands, and she remembered that every time they’d touched she had been left with a tremor of want.

  No way.

  Face neutral, Cleo declined to extend her own fingers and doggedly met his dark eyes head on. His narrowed gaze bored into h
ers as his fingers dropped and moved to clasp together behind his straight back. A stance that suited him. Head of the family after all.

  Your move, Don Felipe. I’m certainly not sure what we should do now. Her eyes narrowed at his arrogant appraisal of the situation. Yep, still a conquistador out to conquer new territory. Well, she wasn’t about to be conquered. Again. Or lied to. Again.

  Her usual resistance to male advances that had melted on Saturday night clanged into place like the gate of a walled city. She almost sagged with relief as she felt clean distance separating any desire she might have had to bury her head in his chest and just inhale the male scent of him. In fact, you are not the man I had fantasies about.

  He’d talked of his dancing. His love for his grandmother. Nothing of his aristocratic background. Nothing of his real life. But at the time she’d accepted that for they had been strangers, and lovers for one night only.

  But that was done. Finished, and here he was pretending they’d just met. And was she to do the same? Begin a lie? Like her husband had? She hated lies. Therefore she hated him. Most freeing.

  Phew.

  Immunity.

  All that in seconds that seemed to drag on for a lifetime.

  On the bed Sofia shifted and Cleo turned her head. She saw the bitter flash of defiance and the expression on her client’s face made their familial resemblance more striking. And worrying.

  Sofia turned a look of loathing on the man and threw up her hands. ‘Pah. What are you doing here so early?’ But there was a trace of tears in the loudly defiant cry. ‘I change my mind and stay here.’

  Looking at these two, Cleo knew she could kiss goodbye to any quiet life in the next weeks if she didn’t drop this assignment. Something it would be crazy not to do now that she knew who Sofia’s dastardly cousin was.

  She saw the tremor in Sofia’s tight fingers and felt the girl’s anguish. What had he done to her? What was really going on here? Had she got her impressions of Felipe so badly wrong, everywhere? Had she made the biggest mistake ever in her assessment of the man she’d given herself to?

  A tilt of Felipe’s aristocratic black head. ‘It is not for you to tell me to come, or go, cousin.’ Said quietly and confirmed officially for Cleo that Felipe was her VIP employer.

  ‘I don’t want you here.’ Sofia was crying now and edging towards hysteria and Cleo narrowed her gaze. Whatever he had done it needed to stop now.

  Cleo stepped between them. ‘Don Felipe.’ Her voice cut across the emotion in the room with a quiet crispness. ‘My client is upset. Perhaps we could speak outside in the corridor. It is not good for the baby or Sofia to be distraught like this.’

  He paused. Narrowed his eyes at her and then after a long, tense pause he nodded. Gestured with his hand. ‘After you.’ The sardonic tone in the agreement was not lost on her.

  Well, she had stepped into the line of fire. Not the first time she’d done that for a patient and it wouldn’t be the last.

  Unless she died of embarrassment in this hospital today.

  Cleo felt his eyes on her back the whole way out the door. She didn’t turn until she heard the click of the latch behind him.

  Then a vivid flashback of the last time he’d come up behind her and touched her bare shoulder flashed into her brain and she spun quickly to face him.

  Not happening again! ‘So, you are the wicked older cousin?’

  He inclined his head. ‘It is my lot in life to protect my family from charlatans and that is what her fiancé was.’ He ran his hands through his hair as if exasperated. ‘Already the swindler had installed his mistress into Sofia’s apartment.’

  Good grief. Cleo raised her brows and said curtly, ‘Well, I would hope that’s come to an end!’

  He smiled but there was no amusement in it and Cleo shivered at the implacable look in his eyes. ‘Indeed.’ He pulled some keys from his pocket and shook them so they rattled. ‘Eviction was swift.’

  Okay, but... ‘Why must Sofia go to Spain now? She is still exhausted from the birth.’

  His face remained inscrutable but before he could conceal the emotion, his eyes showed immense sadness. ‘Because, if you remember me telling you this, our shared grandmother is dying. It is her wish that before she departs this earth she sees Sofia and has time to know her babe.’

  His gaze captured hers and there was no wavering as he said very slowly and clearly, ‘I will make this happen for my grandmother, the woman who cared for me like a mother.’ She remembered everything he’d told her that night. For a moment she just hadn’t been sure what was truth and what was lies once she’d realised who he really was. Except the devastated look in his eyes was clearly genuine.

  Then he cast an impatient glance at the door before facing her again. ‘Despite what is between us, Sofia trusts you. And she, too, is important, which is why I arranged for you to come. We must work with that and pretend that Saturday night never happened.’

  Despite herself, she felt a stab of loss. But, yes, it would be much easier that he concurred with her own thoughts. And it was good he agreed Sofia was important. ‘How ill is your grandmother?’

  ‘The cancer has spread through her body. We are giving palliative treatment and she refuses any other care. I believe she has weeks, not months to live. If that long.’

  That explained his determination to leave today. ‘Thank you for your honesty.’ In this instance anyway.

  It looked like they were off to Spain. ‘I think we can return to Sofia and help her prepare for the departure.’

  He didn’t answer, just stepped to the door and opened it for her.

  Felipe followed her into the room. ‘Your midwife will accompany you and be your advocate.’ He moved to the window and crossed his arms.

  Sofia’s dark eyes still glinted with tears but she had composed herself and was sitting straight in the bed. ‘Sí. If I am to do this without my fiancé...’ a venomous look Don Felipe’s way ‘...I choose my own assistant. This woman is on my side!’

  ‘Your fiancé.’ A disgusted aside spoken quietly, though it carried clearly. ‘He was a bad man.’

  ‘Not until you offered him money to leave me.’ Another glare from Sofia at her cousin. Then a beseeching glance at Cleo. ‘See why I need you to help me leave if I decide I don’t want to stay in Spain after all, Cleo?’

  Cleo forced herself to keep her eyes on the young woman and not glance at Don Felipe. For she was determined that was how she would think of him now. ‘Is there a reason you wouldn’t be able to leave if you wished?’

  ‘Ask him.’ A jerk of Sofia’s defiant head.

  Now she allowed her face to turn. Met his gaze squarely. Said very quietly in question, ‘Don Felipe?’

  ‘Please. Call me Felipe.’ He shrugged, though his eyes glinted with suppressed emotion.

  But which Felipe? Cleo thought acidly. She was tempted to ask him that, but professionalism won.

  ‘Is Sofia free to leave Spain if she wishes?’

  ‘Sofia may come and go as she pleases. We do not kidnap people in Spain. Neither do we hold them against their will. Just as soon as she sees her grandmother, she can decide what she wants to do. Though I would prefer she stay until the end.’

  The two cousins glared at each other. He continued, ‘My cousin has her own resources, after all.’

  Cleo suspected Felipe and Sofia’s grandmother was really at the heart of their antagonism.

  The question remained: Could she still get involved with this man? Again? A man who had left her without him feeling it was important enough to divulge who he really was? A man she had a weakness for? Though even now, for that affront, she could see why, if he was head of an extremely wealthy family, he’d have just been slumming it with her. A lowering thought and one that certainly took off some of the shine. And a good reason to stay at arm’s length for the duration of her employment
by him. Perhaps the grandmother had sent Felipe. That made sense.

  Again, she assessed the young mum, the baby and the man with his arms folded across his chest.

  Someone had to support Sofia.

  And she knew Felipe could be ruthless in his chosen path. Obviously.

  Right, then. ‘Don Felipe, when were you hoping to leave?’ This time. She wasn’t calling him Felipe. He could deal with that.

  ‘We leave today. Four p.m. If Sofia can be ready.’ So reasonable. Why did she feel that reasonableness was only skin-deep?

  She could be reasonable, too. ‘I agree to accompany Sofia for the next two weeks. If we are to leave in a few hours perhaps you could give us a little more time alone to discuss matters pertinent to women, babies and midwives?’ She glanced at her watch. ‘Sofia says you are here an hour early.’

  He leaned forward off the wall and raised his dark brows at her.

  His face held a gentle warning and possibly, which irritated her beyond all measure, a small amount of amusement. ‘I will leave and return in an hour. Or Sofia will text me when you have finished your discussion. On our way to the airport we can transport you to your lodgings to retrieve your suitcase and passport.’

  Lucky she’d already packed, Cleo thought with acerbity. It wouldn’t take that long to hand over her cat and empty the fridge of perishables, but she wasn’t telling him that. ‘That won’t work. I’ll need at least an hour.’ His expectation that her needs were not important to him rankled. She wanted to rankle him right back.

  It was as if he guessed that. ‘Then we will come,’ he said silkily, ‘when you are able to be prepared.’ There was definitely amusement at her expense in his eyes.

  Oh, she was prepared—just not instantly biddable.

  He crossed the room to the door in three long strides and the door closed softly behind him.

  Cleo’s hands tightened on the chair back for extra support where she stood.

  ‘I hate that man,’ Sofia spat.

  I think I do, too, Cleo thought, but she wasn’t quite sure.