THAT SATURDAY EVENING Felipe met with Thiago in Bar Armando, a popular casual bistro not far from the hospital. They had heaps of wedding plans to discuss, including Felipe’s important role as best man. Only all Felipe could think about was Emilia. She’d even been on his mind last night, throughout his decidedly average date with the accountant.
Jealousy soured his mouth, so when the barman placed two tall, sweating glasses of golden beer on the table, he barely even noticed. Somewhere, right now, out there in the city, Emilia was meeting another man. Was she okay? Still nervous? Having a horrible time? He had the irrational idea to text and check in with her, before he pulled himself together and focused on his brother.
‘So, I’m giving you the rings now,’ Thiago said, handing over two velvet boxes. ‘Obviously remembering to bring them to the ceremony next weekend is your most important job.’
Felipe pocketed the ring boxes and took a sip of beer, trying and failing to forget about Emilia. ‘I thought my most important job was to tell embarrassing stories about you in my best man speech.’
Thiago shook his head and ignored the jibe. Felipe grinned, looking up from his brother to see Emilia enter the bar. His smile slid from his face while his heart went crazy. She looked sensational in a sexy black dress with a low back.
Then, his stomach dropped. He watched as if in slow motion as she approached the busy bar. She was meeting her date there, at Bar Armando. He felt as if he’d been punched in the gut, but he couldn’t look away as Emilia greeted a guy wearing a shiny grey suit who’d been sitting at the bar when Thiago and Felipe had arrived ten minutes ago.
The man appeared to be on his third or fourth shot already, and he didn’t even stand up to greet Emilia properly. He simply waved his hand at a vacant barstool, motioning for Emilia to join him.
Felipe fumed on Emilia’s behalf. What a jerk. She deserved so much better.
He’d completely zoned out of the wedding talk, barely hearing his brother’s comments on the burgeoning guest list and the hire company they’d engaged for the extra tables and seating required.
His insides twisted with jealousy as he watched Emilia order a glass of wine and then turn her lovely smile on her date. Stupid, because he and Emilia weren’t a couple. They weren’t exclusive. They weren’t even dating. They were just friends, and like Felipe she was free to see whoever she chose. Except, his feelings didn’t seem to give a damn about any of that. He wanted to be the one on a date with her tonight. He wanted to pull out her chair and offer her his arm and kiss her goodnight.
Disgusted with the possessive direction of his thoughts, Felipe knew he shouldn’t watch her date unfold. But his stare was glued to Emilia. She’d only just sat down, but the creepy guy in the shiny suit kept touching her—her arm, her hand, even her bare shoulder—and she clearly wasn’t into it. Felipe could see her flinch away from this distance.
‘...and the band we wanted has become free so Violetta is excited, but—’ Thiago finally broke off, the sudden silence drawing Felipe’s attention away from the woman who’d occupied his thoughts since the moment they’d met.
‘That’s fantastic,’ he said, faking it, one eye on his brother and the other on Emilia.
The man she was with slid his stool closer, leaning in to whisper something in her ear. Felipe looked down, feeling nauseous. He had no claim to her. He himself had gone on a date last night, as previously arranged. And while the woman he’d met had been perfectly nice and clearly only interested in dating casually, he hadn’t even taken her up on her offer to go back to her place. It was as if now that he’d slept with Emilia his heart wasn’t interested in dating anyone else.
‘You haven’t heard a word I’ve said for the past five minutes,’ Thiago complained. ‘Have you?’
Felipe winced and fought the urge to check on Emilia again. ‘Of course I have. The band. Great news.’
Thiago scowled, unimpressed. ‘Don’t pretend that you’ve been listening.’ He jerked his chin in the direction of the bar. ‘Who is she anyway?’
‘Who is who?’ Felipe said, playing dumb as he stared down at his drink without taking a sip.
Thiago grinned, knowingly. ‘The beautiful woman you can’t keep your eyes off. I assume you know each other, perhaps intimately if the daggers you’re shooting at the man she’s with are any indication.’
Felipe waved his hand, evasively. ‘We work together. She’s a fellow consultant at the General, and my sex life is none of your business, baby brother.’
Thiago raised his hands in surrender and relaxed back in his seat, wearing that look on his face. A younger brother knew exactly how to needle on older one, and vice versa. ‘If you’re so hung up on her, old man, why is she over there fending off that idiot, while you’re over here, mooning and lovesick?’
Felipe kept his face impassive, no mean feat considering he wanted to tie the touchy-feely hands of Emilia’s date behind his back with his own shiny tie.
‘I’m not lovesick,’ he said. ‘I’m just looking out for her, that’s all. She’s just moved here, and she’s been single since she lost her husband five years ago. She’s new to dating, and there are some real creeps out there.’
He glanced Emilia’s way once more, appalled to see that the guy she was with was now knocking back red wine and talking about himself loudly, drawing attention.
‘Maybe you should be the one dating her,’ Thiago said, smugly. ‘That way you can save her from the creeps and also focus on an important conversation with your one and only brother.’
‘Sorry,’ Felipe said, resolutely turning his back on Emilia. ‘I am listening, I promise. The wedding—I can’t wait.’
But Thiago had made an excellent point. Why couldn’t he and Emilia continue to date, in secret, of course? After all, Felipe’s last date had been as tedious as Emilia’s current one seemed to be. Perhaps what they needed was to casually date each other until this thing between them fizzled out. It made perfect sense.
Thiago shook his head dismissively. ‘Okay, cut the sarcasm. I hope you’re going to put on a better show of enthusiasm than this on the day of the wedding, if only for the sake of my bride. Perhaps you should invite your friend over there to be your plus one,’ he suggested. ‘You might actually enjoy the event then...’
Felipe froze, a thrill snatching at his breath. Why hadn’t he thought of that? It was the perfect solution. Not only would he love to have Emilia’s easy and enjoyable company at the wedding, but he could also show her the family vineyard. Not to mention that her presence as his date would deflect the inevitable questions from well-meaning relatives about Felipe’s long-time single status.
‘That’s not a bad idea actually...’ he said slowly, thinking it through.
Emilia would have no expectations of their date. She’d made it clear that, like him, she wasn’t interested in anything serious. They could just focus on their friendship and having a good time—dance a little, sample some world-class wines, enjoy the stunning setting of Mendoza’s Uco Valley where he’d grown up. He’d wine her and dine her and put that smile back on her face. Everyone loved a good wedding.
‘I do have them from time to time,’ Thiago said dryly.
Felipe checked his watch, wondering how long it might be until he could invite her to the wedding as his plus one, deciding he’d give it until her date with the creep was over, but not a second more.
Emilia abandoned her unfinished wine, fixed her tense smile in place and ducked her shoulder yet again from underneath her date’s over-familiar and slimy touch. ‘Well, thanks for meeting up. I think I’ll be going now.’
She’d forced herself to try another date tonight, predominately for Eva. And she’d also wanted to prove to herself that she could have a good time without Felipe guiding her through the process. But no matter how hard she’d tried to make the effort, this guy, Marco, was definitely no Felipe Castillo.
‘Don’t go,’ Marco whined, rudely clicking his fingers to attract the attention of the barman. ‘Let’s have another drink.’
‘Not for me, thanks,’ Emilia said, pushing back her barstool and clutching her bag like a shield. She should never have sat down. Marco had been drunk when she’d arrived, and during their brief conversation he’d also downed most of a bottle of red wine. She’d only stayed for the half a drink she’d managed out of some warped sense of politeness. But she couldn’t tolerate a second longer of his loud and obnoxious company, not to mention the vile pawing.
She shuddered, sliding from her barstool—she was going straight home for another shower.
‘Of course you will,’ Marco said, rudely ignoring her as he summoned the barman over. ‘Another bottle of red, please,’ he said to the young guy. ‘And a fresh glass for the lady.’
Emilia caught the barman’s eye and shook her head, inching away between the cramped barstools so no part of her accidentally brushed against Marco.
‘Is everything okay?’ the barman asked Emilia, ignoring Marco’s order.
‘Yes, thanks,’ she said, clenching her jaw with determination. ‘I’m just leaving.’ She hadn’t signed up for this. She wanted a little fun, some light-hearted company, maybe a little flirtation, not to run the gauntlet of lecherous creeps who thought themselves entitled to sex simply because she’d shown up.
‘No,’ Marco cried, coming to his feet and swaying slightly. ‘We haven’t swapped numbers. I want to see you again, unless you want to get out of here now, together.’ He raised his eyebrows hopefully.
‘No,’ Emilia said firmly. ‘I’m leaving, alone.’
‘She’s not interested, mate,’ the barman said quietly to a belligerent Marco. ‘Don’t make a scene.’
Emilia was about to turn away and head for the exit when Marco turned on the young barman.
‘Mind your own business and get my wine,’ he spat, raising his voice so several people turned to stare.
Emilia hesitated, her face aflame. She wanted to escape this disastrous date, but she couldn’t abandon the young barman who’d come to her rescue. He didn’t look much older than Eva, and Marco had now turned the full force of his disgruntlement onto him.
Before she could intervene, someone touched her elbow. She was so jumpy, she yelped. But it was Felipe.
She almost sagged with relief to see a friendly face.
‘Are you okay?’ he asked, guiding her a short distance away while the bar staff dealt efficiently with the drunken Marco, escorting him outside to hopefully put him in a taxi.
Emilia nodded, touching Felipe’s arm with gratitude. She was so pleased to see him. ‘I’m fine,’ she lied, feeling close to tears. ‘He’d had too much to drink.’ She sniffed, glancing down while she tried to manage her humiliation. ‘It seems my third date was even worse than the first one. You promised me they would get better.’ She forced herself to smile and met his compassionate stare, dragging her eyes away from the open neck of his shirt and the tantalising glimpse of dark chest hair and golden skin.
She shouldn’t drool over one man while her date with another was barely over. But even if Marco had been sober and charming, she wouldn’t have given him her number or agreed to a second date. They’d had zero sexual chemistry, unlike her and Felipe...
‘For me, the bad dates seem to outnumber the one good one,’ she said with a humourless laugh. ‘You must tell me your secret.’ No doubt his date last night had been a resounding success, especially if he’d looked even half as hot as he did tonight. But she couldn’t think of that, or she’d want to ask if he’d slept with the woman, if he planned to see her again, none of which was her business.
Felipe pressed his lips together and glanced over his shoulder, looking torn. Emilia stepped back, mortified. Was he on another date? A second date, perhaps, with the woman from last night, because it had gone so well. Oh, no....
Not only had Felipe witnessed Emilia’s date from hell, but she’d probably also dragged him away from some glamorous and entertaining beauty. It was Saturday night after all.
‘I’ll be fine,’ she blurted, desperate now to run home. ‘Don’t let me interrupt your evening. I’m going to wait until he’s definitely gone—’ she glanced at the door ‘—and grab a taxi.’
‘Look,’ Felipe said with a frown, his hand lingering on her bare elbow, which was enough contact to send her entire body up in flames, despite her humiliation. ‘I’m having a drink with my brother. Why don’t you come and say hello.’
Emilia nodded, too confused by the relief coursing through her veins to speak. So he wasn’t on a date. Should she be this relieved? Except Felipe hadn’t simply set the standard against which her other dates could be measured, he’d also set Emilia’s expectations sky high.
But why shouldn’t she hold out for a kind, smart and thoughtful mature man who was also a great lover? At her age and stage in life, she absolutely refused to settle.
‘Thiago,’ Felipe said as the other man stood, ‘this is Emilia Gonzales. We work together at the General. Emilia is from Uruguay.’
Emilia shook Thiago’s hand. He looked just like his handsome older brother, the same deep brown eyes, only with longer hair.
‘Nice to meet you,’ she said, feeling less self-conscious than if Felipe had been with another woman, although his brother had likely witnessed her terrible date, too. ‘I hear you’re soon to be married. How are the preparations going?’
Thiago smiled a charming smile. ‘I’m largely keeping out of the way, as any sensible groom would. But I’m looking forward to it. Having hosted so many other people’s weddings at Castillo Estates it will be great to enjoy my own wedding there.’
‘Why don’t you join us for a drink?’ Felipe urged, smiling, his hand sliding to the small of her back—she shivered with delight rather than revulsion, as she had at that other man’s touch. Thiago nodded in agreement.
‘Oh, no, thanks.’ Emilia blinked, her eyes stinging again, this time with emotion at their kindness. The Castillo family had raised two exceptional sons. ‘That’s very kind, but I’m heading home, now.’
Confused by her reaction to Felipe’s touch, she wanted to hurl herself into his arms, to feel safe and respected. They were so good together. But she needed to remember that, A, they were just friends and colleagues and, B, Felipe was a committed bachelor, himself still dating other people. She couldn’t rely on him for emotional support, no matter how tempting.
‘Then let me see you home,’ Felipe said, stepping closer and lowering his voice. ‘You seem understandably shaken up.’
Emilia fought the urge to beg him to hold her, to feel his strength surround her, to hear his murmured reassurances as she had that night they’d slept together, when he’d been so considerate of her feelings and treated her like he truly cared. Instead, she vigorously shook her head and backed away from the dangerous temptation of him. ‘No, please don’t interrupt your evening on my account. I’ll be fine. Eva will probably be back from her party and waiting for me at home, anyway.’
Felipe likely did care. He was a considerate person. But they weren’t a couple, only friends who’d slept together. No doubt there was some new fandangle term for that, but the important thing was that she was fine alone.
She swallowed, a new resolve straightening her spine. ‘It was a good thing that my date was a disaster, actually. It’s helped me to decide that I’m absolutely done with dating apps.’
Felipe frowned in concern and Thiago winced.
‘Enjoy the rest of your night,’ she said, smiling as brightly as she could manage before heading for the door.
Outside the cool breeze caressed her heated face. What a horrible evening, the humiliation of her date made more obvious by the contrast of Felipe’s soothing presence, not that she’d needed rescuing. It was only that for a second, when he’d first touched her arm, it had felt so good to have an ally, to know that she hadn’t been as utterly alone as she’d often felt these past five years.
But one thing was certain—she wasn’t putting herself through any more mystery dates, not even for Eva. She’d meet someone the old-fashioned way or not at all.