Page 67 of Sleeping with the Frenemy

Leo paused and wondered how to put his feelings about that into words. “I love music, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t know, it just felt too easy if that makes sense. Everyone always says that I’m a born singer slash musician. That I got my talent from Abuelo. So I guess I just felt like I didn’t want to do it only because it was expected of me or because I need to carry on Abuelo’s legacy or something. I also didn’t want to pursue music just because I could. I don’t know, maybe I’m just too much of the rebellious youngest son, but music has always been my hobby not my passion.”

“I get that,” Sofi said. “I’ve always been impressed by your sense of self.” Sofi put a hand on his thigh. “You’re one of the only people I know who’s always been certain of who they are. You are you in any situation and without any pretense. That’s not easy.”

“Is that what’s going on with you?” he asked. “You’re having trouble distinguishing between who you are and who you think you need to be?”

Sofi sighed. “I don’t know how you always know what I’m thinking. It’s annoying.”

Leo took that as affirmation that he was right. Not that it had been that difficult to see. People who were happy with their life didn’t just take off for a year. “What’s going on, bombón?”

She threw herself back on the blanket like she was in a telenovela. She was so dramatic and Leo loved it. “I thought getting away and doing everything I’d missed out on would fix this feeling, but if anything it got worse. I know I need to quit my job.” She tossed her arm over her eyes. “But also like, who the hell do I think I am, you know? My grandparents on my dad’s side came from the DR with nothing but a few dollars and even fewer belongings. My abuelo Juan grew up in a freaking shack in Maricao.” She took her arm off her face to wave it around in emphasis. “Here I am with a great job that just allowed me to spend an entire year abroad and it pays me so well that I can buy designer things.” She began counting things off on her fingers. “I’m not drowning in debt, I have a luxury car, and I’m complaining that I’m not happy? What the fuck is wrong with me?” Leo opened his mouth but Sofi threw up a hand to signal him to stop. “And don’t tell me ‘money doesn’t buy happiness,’ because that’s bullshit.”

“What do you want me to say, then? You want me to say ‘stop playing the poor little rich girl, pull your head out of your ass, and be the badass I know you are’?”

Sofi sucked her teeth. “I wish it were as easy as you and my mom make it seem.”

“It is never easy, but it’s what you need to do. Want to know my secret for always being me?”

“Yes.”

“I accept myself as I am in that moment. There are a lot of things about myself that I wish I could change, but I know I can’t. I’m never going to not have ADHD. I’m never going to not have nerve damage. So I have to figure out how to work around those things in order to still accomplish what I want. Like playing the guitar.” He pulled his guitar out and placed it in his lap. “They told me they doubted I’d ever play again, but I refused to believe that, so I kept practicing even when it hurt, even when it sounded worse than when I started. I took it one step at a time.” He began strumming. Soon it turned into one of his favorites, “Lost Without U” by Robin Thicke. He closed his eyes and started singing. He felt the blanket sink next to him. He opened his eyes and met Sofi’s gaze. He continued to sing about not being able to help himself. He didn’t look away as he sang about her being the perfect shape. He watched closely as her breathing accelerated. He kept singing until he finished the entire song and not once did he look away from Sofi.

“Now here you are playing better than most people,” she observed. With the setting sun hitting her, she looked dusted in gold like some sort of goddess. Even her dark brown eyes looked like they were speckled with gold flakes.

Leo could stare at her forever. Instead, he responded to her comment. “Yeah. I’ve been practicing every day because I don’t want to mess up at Kamilah’s wedding.” He still couldn’t believe that she wanted him to sing the song for their first dance. He and José, one of the guys in the band, were going to perform acoustically with Jose’s daughter and niece, who both play the violin. They’d been practicing separately, but still needed to find the time to practice together.

“I know you’ll be great,” Sofi told him with a smile that she then turned into a threatening scowl. “Because you have no other option.”

Leo set the guitar down next to him and gave Sofi a two-fingered salute. “Yes, ma’am. Madam wedding planner, ma’am.”

They grinned at each other.

“How is the planning going, by the way?” he asked as he poured the two of them wine. “I know you’ve cc’d me in a bunch of emails with the vendors, but if you need anything else from me, just let me know.”

“Thanks, but I’m good. It’s been going oddly well.” Sofi spread some apricot jam on a sliver of baguette and bit into it. “I’ve been thinking that this might be what I want to do.” She finished off her bread and jam. “Like maybe I’ll open my own event planning company.” She started looking through more of their spread.

“That’s a great idea.” Leo brushed against her as he reached for a slice of hard salami.

Sofi gasped and Leo smiled. He loved knowing that his touch, as light as it was, affected her.

She cleared her throat. “There’s one big problem with that.” She opened the container of blue cheese–stuffed olives and used the mini fork to pluck one out. “My dad.” She placed the olive in her mouth. “When I was eighteen I agreed to work for him in exchange for his help with college, but now he wants me to take over when he retires.”

“You don’t owe him shit,” Leo said when she finished. “He’s your dad. It’s his freaking responsibility to support you in getting an education. Not only that, but I can guarantee that you’ve made the company way more money than he spent on your schooling.” It didn’t matter that he’d funded both a bachelor’s and master’s degree for her. She was a badass businesswoman and he knew that she was worth her weight in gold.

“I probably have, but I can’t help but think that if I were to tell him that I wanted to quit, it would be the end of our relationship.” Sofi refilled her glass of wine and set the bottle between them. “I know it’s not the best, but at least it’s something.” She wouldn’t meet his gaze. She tried to seem like she was too focused on making a tiny sandwich with the meat, cheese, and a thin layer of jam spread on the baguette bread.

“Bombón, you’re fully capable of anything you put your mind to. You are amazing and anyone who doesn’t recognize and value that, who wants to put limitations on what you can do, doesn’t deserve to be considered in your life decisions. The people who know the real you and truly appreciate her will stand by you no matter what you decide.”And I’m one of those people, he wanted to add but didn’t. Instead, Leo grabbed his own full glass and took a drink.

“Thank you for the life lesson, Leo.” The way she looked at him, with tender warmth, made his own insides melt. “I’m going to try to take your advice and just accept that I am who I am and I want what I want.”

He bit into the sandwich as she held it up to his mouth. “Stick with me, kid,” he said around a mouthful. “I’ll teach you all you need to know.” Leo licked a bit of jam off his bottom lip.

The corner of her lip curled and she gave him a heated look through her lashes. “Maybe I will.” She leaned in and kissed him as if she just couldn’t help herself.

He wanted to keep things light, but he couldn’t help himself either. Leo deepened the kiss, his tongue playing with Sofi’s. She was so sweet. He couldn’t get enough.

She twisted and lifted to her knees so she could put a leg over his lap. She lowered herself into his lap and whimpered when their bodies met.

Leo groaned and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer until her chest was against his.

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