Page 44 of Forbidden Desire

“No. I know whoJessicais. The one I met the other day.”

“Oh, Erica…”

“She’s quite pretty,” she says, leaning back in her chair and looking at me with a coy smile.

“Is she?” I say in surprise.

My mother rolls her eyes. “When are you going to give me grandkids?” she asks point blank.

“Mama!” I say, looking around the restaurant in embarrassment.

“You two could make some good ones.”

“Mama!” I repeat again.

“What? I’m not getting any younger. And you’resoconcerned about my health. Don’t you want to see me as an abuela?”

“I don’t know if that’s going to happen, Mama. I’ve never really thought about kids.”

She sighs. I know she’s disappointed. I’m her only child. The only one who could make her a grandmother, and it’s something I’ve never given much thought. Now that I’m getting older, it doesn’t seem like something that’s in the cards for me. I feel guilt creep up, but I try to brush it off. Kids aren’t for everyone. She has to understand that.

“I just want to see you happy,” she says, reaching for my hand and giving it a squeeze.

“And I want to seeyouhealthy.” I squeeze her hand back.

After lunch, I head back to the office thinking about what my mother said and her ideas she has about Erica and me. It’salmost humorous. If she only knew our past and the present that makes her ideas highly unlikely. Of course, I’d like the sex, but what often comes out of sex isn’t.

As I walk by Jessica’s desk, she signals for me to stop.

“Mr. Vallejos, the tailor called. Your suit for tomorrow’s party is ready to be picked up.”

“Party?”

“The New York Historical Society,” she says.

“Shit, I forgot all about it.”

“I put it in your calendar…”

“Not your fault. My mind has been…elsewhere.”

She nods.

“I’ll pick it up after work. Thank you, Jessica.”

I make a note in my phone and walk back to my office. As I pass Erica’s office, a bout of courage hits and I pop my head in her office. She looks up at me curiously, her eyes not so stormy today. In fact, the past few days they’ve been bright. I wonder what mood it signifies.

“I have a party to go to tomorrow. At the New York Historical Society. It’s not as grand as the last one, and I won’t need you to cover it for the paper. But would you like to accompany me?”

She barely hesitates before saying, “Sure.”

“Really?” I ask in surprise.

“Mhmm. Just let me know the details.”

“Okay, I’ll send them over now.”

I leave her office before she can change her mind, processing how easy it was for her to say yes. Usually, she’s so hesitant. So stubborn. I wonder what’s changed, but I’m going to run with it. Even though it’s probably not anything more than a work event. She will go and do her job, and that’s it. Still, I’m excited to have a night in her company.

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