Page 75 of Now and Forever

“Busy. So is Papá. Mama stays busy with Aunt Maria and other friends.” She leaned closer. “Remember Sofia’s friend Liliana?”

Pressing my lips together, I tried to recall. “Yeah, she’s the one who went skiing with us at Bear Mountain. Why?”

Camila lifted her hamburger toward her lips. “It’s probably the marriage you heard a rumor about. Liliana has been promised to Uncle Gerardo. They already had the engagement party.”

Aunt Ximena had only been gone less than a year. Men didn’t need to wait after being widowed like women did. “What? He’s old enough to be her father.”

Camila shrugged. “And we thought Dario was old.”

My lips curled into a smile. “He’s thirty-six. Uncle Gerardo is what…fifty?”

“Forty-three and Liliana is seventeen.”

Leaning back, I laid my hand over my stomach. “Oh my God. That’s not right. How does Sofia feel about it?”

“Mama’s worried about her. She seems thinner by the day and has even gotten quieter—like she doesn’t know what to do or who to trust. I don’t blame her. Losing her mother and then her father is going to marry her best friend. It’s like something out of the old country.” She sat taller. “I’m not going to do it.”

“Have an arranged marriage?”

“I’m going to study hard and at the same time, look for someone I can choose to marry. It’s love or nothing.” Her nose scrunched. “And I’m not marrying some old man.”

“Dario isn’t old. Honestly, I don’t think about his age.”

“Do you think that one night while I’m here we could go to the Emerald Club?”

My eyes opened wide at her question. “No. Why?” Stories Dario shared about problem customers, VIP assholes, and shootings in the parking lot made me shiver.

“I’ve never been in Wanderlust, and you said Dario wanted you to see the Emerald Club.”

Wanted me to see it?

I guess he did. The thought of him showing me his office with the shower made me smile.

“I saw it during the day. I haven’t been there during business hours.”

Camila shrugged. “I think it would be fun, and Dario lets you do more than Papá would. It might be my only chance.”

“I’ll talk to Dario, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up.”

After our lunch, we spent the next three hours walking through the many exhibits. As we did, Camila asked, “Have you asked Dario about working?”

Pressing my lips together, I shook my head. “I’ve been to this museum multiple times. Kansas City has many museums, even a money museum.” I chuckled. “I can’t imagine working. Dario is too protective. Even if he allowed it, Armando would need to be at my side.”

“Surely, you’re safe in a museum.”

We both craned our necks backward to see the two men following us. When our eyes met one another’s, we laughed. We were in a museum and being closely followed by two bodyguards.

It was after four by the time we got to the apartment. Contessa showed Miguel to a bedroom, and I showed Camila to one. Hers was down the other wing of the second floor with a nice view of the city. During dinner, Dario was polite and more reserved than usual. It wasn’t until we were almost done eating that I remembered Dario telling me he turned down marrying Camila. The thought made me laugh.

While Dario was quiet during our meal, Dante had no problem picking up the slack. I’d gotten used to Dante’s visits and was even enjoying his presence. One thing I appreciated about my husband was that he was as transparent as possible when it came to his businesses. Dario told me about Dante’s talents. Apparently, he was as good as his brother with a knife and when it came to interrogation, he was merciless. Breaking bones and cutting off appendages were his specialties. It was another example of the dichotomy of these men. Looking at the man across the table, I didn’t see a killer.

It was obvious to me that Camila didn’t either.

Dante asked my sister multiple questions about her classes. “I don’t understand why you want to go to more school,” he said. “There are more places to learn than in a classroom.”

“I agree,” she said. Turning to me, she asked, “Don’t you think we could learn a lot at the Emerald Club?”

I nearly spit out my water.

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