“What?” The question came out breathy, eager. Like I already knew the answer I wanted to hear. Maybe there were parts of me that knew exactly what they wanted with Theo Ganas. Thankfully the parts with common sense remained firmly in charge as he loomed large over me.

“If you tell me more about your business, I’ll teach you some hacks for chopping cilantro and mincing garlic.”

I don’t know why I was disappointed, when he was offering an olive branch. Did I really think he was going to kiss me? This was my problem: I always wanted more than I could have.

Chapter Ten

Theo

“Ceci, are you still in touch with Tom Hughes?” I asked my stepmother as I made my way to the first meeting with the design team. I’d planned to offer a ride to Alba, but when I’d woken up at 5:00 a.m. I’d had a text from her with a time stamp of 4:30 a.m. saying she was headed to the office early. I had never met anyone that worked as hard as Alba Duarte. Or anyone sweeter and meaner than that woman. Fuck, she did things to me when she turned that chin up and told me to drop dead. Last night I’d almost kissed her, almost asked her for more, but the fear that she needed more time made me stop.

“Theo!” Cecilia’s voice snapped me out of my head. “What do you need from Tom?” I laughed at the question, because this was the second time in a month that I was acting completely impulsively when it came to business. Both times Alba Serena had been the spark that lit the match.

“I just remembered seeing an interview a while back where he talked about an affordable housing program here in Dallas. Something for veterans. I remembered it because he’s partnering with two Dominican pro players,” I added into the silence. Millionaire Tom Hughes had donated a shit ton of money to build a domestic violence shelter a few years earlier and we’d won the contract. It had been a great project. The kind that I would’ve loved to do more of, but had not because I’d had to prioritize what my father wanted, which was big projects like Valle Mar.

“Tom is involved with that...” Cecilia’s suspicious frown practically came through the airwaves.

“I was thinking while I’m here maybe I could connect with his partners, maybe offer to support the project.”

Cecilia made a sound that said, “What are you up to?” but didn’t push me. Instead she did what she always did: remained unconditionally supportive.

“I can reach out to him and get you two connected. The last time I talked to his husband, Camilo, he said Tom was flying out to Dallas to meet with the other guys.”