Page 26 of Dream Chaser

Alejandro leaned his elbow on the table. “The good life. And even better food.”

“How did you and Manu meet?” I asked, then caught myself. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be nosy.”

His warm chuckle put me at ease. “You’d never be. Manu is from Valencia. We met in Madrid working at a fast-food place together when I was in college. He went on to open a restaurant in Madrid, then another location here.”

“From a fast-food place to a sports agency. That’s quite a journey you’ve been on.”

Alejandro’s lips curved into a smirk. “Someone wise once said, you know where you start, but you never know where you’ll end up.”

“Did you end up where you wanted?”

I was being nosy again. The atmosphere of El Buen Vivir was to blame. Despite being packed with families and couples having a night out, the place felt intimate. Date-like.

“I did.” Alejandro drummed his fingers on the table. “What about you? Are you where you wanted to be?”

I licked my lips. How much could I say without revealing too much?

“I’m getting there,” I said. “Right now, I’m in the best place. I’ve always wanted to see Spain.”

Manu returned with two glasses and a bottle of white wine. “Invita la casa,” he said, putting them on the table.

“Gracias.” Alejandro smiled. “But I’m leaving a big tip.”

“Me invitas a tu boda.” Manu turned to me, dark eyes gleaming with mischief against his tanned face. “I told him that I want him to invite me to his wedding. If he forgets, you’ll remember, right, Nova?”

Alejandro groaned. “Vale, ya, vete.”

“And now he told me to go away. See? Fifteen years of friendship mean nothing.”

“Fourteen,” Alejandro deadpanned. “Keep it up, and we might not make it to fifteen.”

Manu’s laughter echoed in the restaurant as he headed for the kitchen.

“I’m sorry.” Alejandro poured wine into my glass, sighing. “Friends in committed relationships are the worst. Always trying to pair everyone up.”

If only he knew that I was an expert in commitment. What would he think of me then? Would he blame me for not trying to save my marriage?

“I apologize if he made you uncomfortable,” he added.

I shrugged, reaching for my drink. “No worries. I know he was kidding.”

Even if he hadn’t been, I was still married, and Alejandro was my boss. I couldn’t afford to lose the job that could give me the future of my dreams.

Taking advantage of Alejandro’s distraction as he sipped his wine, I studied the sharp, masculine angle of his jaw. A man as handsome as him would inevitably end up with someone beautiful and confident like Cris.

“Do you like it more than cava?” Alejandro said, pointing at my wine. “You didn’t finish your drink at the event.”

“I was working. And I guess I was nervous. My first big sponsor event and all that.”

“First time flying, first time at an event. That’s a lot of first times.”

First time dining with a man who wasn’t my husband, too, but I couldn’t say that. Much less admit how much I was enjoying every second.

A few minutes later, our paella arrived in a low, round steel pan. The waiter placed it in the center of our table on a trivet.

“Paella is considered a staple in Valencia,” Alejandro said, serving me a generous helping. “This is the seafood version. The traditional one has chicken among other things. Try it.”

I tried not to let myself fixate on the fact that a handsome man had just filled my plate before thinking of himself and forked the golden rice. It tasted like seafood and was firm to the bite, but still tender.