Chapter Ten
756 Words
Alejandro
I should not have called her.
That was the first thought that crossed my mind the following morning.
The second was even worse.
I’d slept better after hearing her laugh.
Ridiculous.
I had convinced myself the phone call had been about Barcelona.
It hadn’t.
The venue could have waited until today.
I’d simply wanted to hear her voice.
Javier noticed the moment I walked into the boardroom.
“You look suspiciously cheerful.”
“I had coffee.”
“You hate coffee before nine.”
I ignored him.
“Has everyone arrived?”
“Almost.”
He leaned closer.
“She has.”
I didn’t ask who.
I didn’t need to.
Moments later, Maria walked into the room.
She wore a navy dress with a fitted blazer, her hair tied into a sleek ponytail that somehow made her look even more elegant.
She smiled politely at everyone.
When her eyes found mine…
Her smile softened.
It wasn’t dramatic.
Most people wouldn’t have noticed.
I did.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Buenos días, María.”
She laughed quietly.
“I’m going to have to start learning Spanish.”
“I could teach you.”
The offer slipped out before I had time to reconsider it.
She looked at me for a second longer than usual.
“I might take you up on that.”
The room slowly filled with executives, ending the conversation before either of us could say anything else.
…
The meeting lasted nearly three hours.
Budgets.
Design approvals.
Marketing timelines.
By lunchtime, everyone looked exhausted.
“Let’s break for an hour,” Javier announced.
The room emptied almost immediately.
Maria stayed behind, gathering samples that had fallen beneath the conference table.
Without thinking, I crouched beside her.
“You’ll ruin your suit,” she said.
“It can be cleaned.”
She smiled.
“You always have an answer.”
“I’ve had practice.”
As she reached for the last folder, our hands met.
Neither of us moved.
Her fingers were warm.
Soft.
She looked up.
For one suspended heartbeat, the noise outside the conference room disappeared.
“I found it,” she whispered.
“So did I.”
Her breath caught.
Then someone walked past the open door, breaking the moment.
She pulled her hand away first.
“I should…”
She stood too quickly, nearly losing her balance.
Instinctively, I reached for her waist.
My hand rested there for barely a second.
Long enough to steady her.
Long enough to feel the warmth beneath the fabric of her dress.
“Careful.”
She looked up at me.
“So this is becoming a habit.”
“What is?”
“You catching me.”
A smile tugged at my lips.
“I don’t mind.”
Colour rose to her cheeks.
She looked away first.
…
They ended up walking to a small café across the street with Sophie and two members of the design team.
Conversation flowed easily until Sophie excused herself to answer a call.
One by one, the others drifted away to collect their orders.
For the first time…
Maria and Alejandro found themselves alone at the table.
She stirred her iced tea absentmindedly.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Why aren’t you married?”
The question surprised me.
“I’ve been asked that many times.”
“And?”
“I never met the right woman.”
She smiled faintly.
“That sounds like something from a film.”
“Perhaps.”
I held her gaze.
“Or perhaps I refused to settle.”
Her smile disappeared.
The words lingered between us.
She knew they weren’t just about me.
“I used to think love was enough,” she admitted quietly.
“And now?”
She looked out of the café window.
“I think showing up matters just as much.”
I didn’t answer immediately.
Because she was right.
Love wasn’t just spoken.
It was lived.
When she finally looked back at me, there was sadness in her eyes.
“I’ve said too much.”
“No.”
I shook my head gently.
“I think you’ve finally said enough.”
Before she could respond, her phone lit up on the table.
Daniel ❤️
She stared at the screen.
It rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
She reached for it…
Then stopped.
For the first time since I’d met her…
She let the call go unanswered.
The screen went dark.
Neither of us spoke.
But somehow…
Everything had changed.
- Writer
