Page 54 of Lost Room Lawyer
“Write: For Hector & Viktoria.”
For a millisecond, blood rushed to my head, then everything seemed to drain into my legs, and I felt weak and empty. I was dizzy, but I did as she asked, writing extra slowly and trying not to press too hard on the paper. I finished this almost ceremonial act with my signature and handed the book back to her.
“Thank you so much!” she said excitedly, examining my inscription.
Hector reclaimed the pen and gave me a nod of approval.
Damn! We kissed just a few hours ago!
Everything became too much, and I stood up and excused myself, disappearing into the restroom. With trembling hands, I washed my face, braced myself against the sink, and took a deep breath.
The emotional chaos wasn’t entirely bad. There were feelings that were exhilarating. The urge to get back to the computer and write as soon as possible was growing stronger—and that was good.Fuck!My heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest.
“Everything okay?”
I looked up, surprised. Hector stood in the entrance of the posh men’s room, peering at me with concern.
“Yes,” I replied, grabbing a fresh towel from the rack and drying my face. “I’m fine.”
In the mirror, I watched Hector survey the restroom. Once he was sure we were alone, he stepped closer.
“I know it’s a crappy situation, but you’ll get through it.”
I nodded slightly and looked at him. His light brown eyes flickered in the golden light like two hazelnuts, radiating a soothing warmth. I would have loved to kiss him, but even I knew that was a bad idea. So it was even more surprising when he suddenly did.
He slipped a hand into my neck, pressed against me, causing me to sit half on the sink, and kissed me passionately. Although the pleasure was brief, it felt good. It gave me confidence and strength to get through the evening.
“You have no idea how much I desire you, do you?” Hector asked in a whisper, close to my face.
I barely nodded, as he had said it to me countless times before. But the way he was looking at me now seemed more serious than ever. With some hesitation, he stepped back from me.
“Same here,” I said, dropping the towel into the designated bin. “I think you’re hot.”
Hector burst into laughter and moved to the sink to wash his hands. “I like your humor. You’re strong and have character. I like that.”
Now I laughed too. “That sounds like a job interview.”
“You skipped that part thanks to your old man out there. But it doesn’t hurt to highlight the strengths of employees from time to time.”
“If that’s the case, I appreciate it.” I nodded gratefully, then became serious again. “You manage to calm me down and make me feel like everything is okay. Thank you.”
Hector paused and regarded me with an impassive expression. I would have loved to know what was going through his mind. It seemed like he was at a loss for words, but I wasn’texpecting him to say anything. Instead, I walked to the door and waited for him there.
We returned to the restaurant together. To my surprise, Viktoria had managed to engage Leo in a conversation about literature. I reviewed the menu once more.
I was surprised at how familiar Viktoria and Leo seemed with each other. They joked about memories from long ago, given they had known each other for what seemed like an eternity. Leo had even been at their wedding. Still, it was an unfamiliar sight for me. My father was much more relaxed with Hector and Viktoria than usual. He was cracking jokes. I had never seen him like this before.
I stayed quiet all evening, letting the others carry the conversation. I savored a luxuriously creamy burrata and an outrageously overpriced truffle risotto with asparagus while marveling at how relaxed everyone seemed. Perhaps it was the red wine—my father had already ordered a second bottle. I’d only finished my first glass by the end of the main course, not being much of a wine drinker. Just as I thought about ordering a beer, my phone buzzed. Irritated, I checked the time. It was already ten o’clock.
“Are you expecting a call?” Hector asked.
“Not really,” I replied. “I don’t even know the number.”
“Maybe it’s a wrong number,” Viktoria guessed.
“Or one of those telemarketing calls,” my father chimed in.
I hesitated, unsure if it was appropriate to …
