‘Eat it anyway. You need to regain your full health.’
Suki wasn’t sure whether to be thankful that he hadn’t added for the baby’s sake to his statement. She wasn’t even sure whether it was wise to borrow a little of his dogged assurance. And although her doctors had assured her that her baby’s condition wasn’t in any way genetic, she couldn’t dissipate the fear that continued to live in her heart.
With her mind churning anew, she didn’t notice she’d finished her soup until she looked up and saw Teresa’s beaming smile of approval.
Her gaze went from her empty bowl to Ramon’s cocked eyebrow. ‘Let’s hope you’ve lost your appetite for the main course too,’ he mocked.
Her eyes rolled before she could stop herself. His deep chuckle twanged, then lightened something in her midriff. Unwilling to examine what that something was, she sipped her water, nibbled on a piece of thick bread and searched for neutral conversation that didn’t involve sex or babies.
‘I thought you couldn’t fly into the States from Cuba?’
‘Until recently, no, you couldn’t. But things are beginning to change.
She caught a note in his voice, a blend of pride and anticipation.
‘I noticed a bit of regeneration going on in Havana. Is this change why you’re choosing to remain in Cuba?’
His expression darkened a touch but he answered her question with a nod. ‘Partly, sí.’
She didn’t need to ask what the other part was. The deep loss he felt was stamped in his expression. His way of somewhat assuaging that loss was why she was here.
Teresa walked in then with the main course of chicken stuffed with roasted peppers and coconut rice. Again they fell into silence and Suki polished off every mouthful on her plate.
They were waiting for dessert to be served when he reached into his pocket and placed an envelope in front of her. ‘I’ll be taking care of your mother’s medical bills, so this is yours to do with as you please.’
She picked it up and slid the folded flap open. At the sight of the cheque, she caught her breath. Then, sending a thankful prayer to her best friend, she nodded. ‘Okay.’
If he was curious as to what she intended to do with it, he didn’t show it. The charged atmosphere that lurked beneath the surface of their dealings kept conversation to a stiff minimum. Her questions about the doctor in Havana were answered.
The thought that she was of no further interest to Ramon save for her reproductive purpose attempted to cause a level of hurt she wasn’t comfortable with, so she ruthlessly pushed it to one side.
‘I know we didn’t discuss this fully, but I would prefer not to give up working altogether. Sitting around all day will drive me insane.’
She fully expected another disagreement, but to her surprise he pushed back his chair and rose.
‘I have a project you could work on, once everything else is taken care of.’
Her eyes widened, a tiny spurt of pleasure welling inside her. ‘You do?’
He nodded. ‘Come.’
Dropping her napkin on the table, she followed him out of the dining room. Her nap and his late arrival had put a spanner in the tour he’d promised earlier but she’d conducted a mini tour of her own when one of the staff members had led her down for dinner. Each room she’d glanced into had been more spectacular
than the last. So she was sure Ramon’s project didn’t involve the villa.
Until she walked into the room in the west wing. The difference was so jarring, so very wrong that her jaw dropped.
‘My God, who did this?’
‘Someone I had no business trusting,’ he replied.
The room, another salon but this one opening onto a terrace facing the sparkling pool and designed to catch the best of the evening sun, had been turned into a futuristic minimalist nightmare completely at odds with the rest of the villa. Everywhere she looked blinding white furniture clashed with chrome and chintz.
‘Why did you give them the project, then?’ she asked, unsure whether to shut her eyes against the garish design or cry for the indignity the room had suffered.
When he didn’t answer immediately, she looked away from the aluminium hanging fireplace to where he leaned against the lintel.
‘I went against my better judgement. I also, erroneously, gave them carte blanche. When I realised my mistake I called a halt to it. As you can see, everything came to an untimely standstill.’