Page 59 of His Innocent for One Spanish Night

‘I’m not criticising,’ Alejandro said. ‘In fact, I can see why people might choose the safer option. It’s a lot better than the rollercoaster of my parents’ marriage.’ He shook his head. ‘How can you say you love someone when they cause you nothing but pain?’

‘You mean your parents?’

‘I would come home from school, or wherever, and they would be in the middle of a row. My father would be shouting and my mother would be throwing her clothes into her case. Sebastián would be angry... Carmen crying.’ He screwed up his nose in distaste. ‘I haven’t thought of that in ages.’

‘What about you?’

‘I wanted to go on tour with her.’ He gave a tight smile. ‘She would say, “Next time, Alejandro.” And then she’d point at me.’ He did the same to Emily, pointing his finger in a warning gesture. ‘And she would say, “Don’t you cry, now.”’

‘Did you?’

‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘I didn’t want to add to it all. There was just too much drama and emotion. I never wanted that. I can remember telling my father to just stop...let her leave without a row...’ He rolled his eyes. ‘It was no wonder she didn’t want to come back.’

Their nights were intimate and sexy. Discretion ruled the day, though. A feat far more easily achieved by Alejandro.

Emily’s heart just leaped whenever she saw him, and it took all her restraint to give him only a vague wave if their paths crossed. And she kept forgetting—so much so that now, as he stared impassively at her bright smile on his computer screen, she wondered if her camera was on.

Rather quickly she worked out why his face was so bland when Sebastián’s face dropped into the screen.

‘Emile...’ Sebastián said.

‘Emily,’ she corrected him nervously, and then smiled that bright smile. But it was a false one now, just so he wouldn’t get a hint that she’d been smiling for his younger brother.

‘We’ve had a first look at the new website,’ he went on.

They approved of her work, it would seem, although Alejandro was definitely more effusive in the bedroom than during this, a business meeting, and Sebastián warned her that it wasn’t a tourist guide to Jerez they wanted, and told her to focus more closely on the product.

‘There’s a photo shoot in the courtyard this afternoon?’ Alejandro checked, and Emily realised that he was giving her a little prompt.

‘Yes.’ Emily nodded. ‘All the courtyard images that are on the website now are placeholders. I’ll be sure that the product is more prominent. Also, some of the images of the vineyards are being replaced with views from inside the restaurant. Ideally, I’d like a couple of images of you...’

‘There are plenty.’

Sebastián was actually being helpful, perhaps because time was starting to race and she was still relying heavily on archive photos, because apart from Alejandro none of the family was particularly available.

‘Actually, if you speak with the manager of thetabernahe should have some old shots we were going to use for last year’s summer festival.’

‘I’ll do that.’ She took a breath. ‘I was hoping to speak with Carmen about some images of her with the dancing horses...’

‘Alejandro should have taken care of that,’ said Sebastián.

He hadn’t, though.

Despite a couple of prompts from Emily to meet his sister, a meeting had never materialised.

Now Alejandro gave his reasons. ‘Carmen’s not feeling particularly sociable at the moment.’

Sebastián rolled his eyes. ‘I get it. But remind her the new website goes live in ten days.’

‘Sure.’ Alejandro nodded, then addressed Emily. ‘Anything else?’

‘They were my main questions.’

‘Then if you can log out?’ Alejandro responded. ‘I would like to speak with Sebastián. Thank you for joining us.’

She’d been dismissed a little too harshly.

And Alejandro knew it.

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