He gave her the smallest of the cookies and used the spoon he’d brought to finish the stew. “She’s worried, quite naturally, and I tried to reassure her. More importantly, I’m growing more fond of vegetables every day.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” She drew her lower lip through her teeth. “Alejandro, can we be serious for a minute?”
“You’re in a hospital bed. How could we be more serious?”
She frowned and winced when her cheek hurt. “I’m in real trouble here. Modeling can be unpredictable, and I’ve money set aside to live on, but I’m not going to be able to work for a long time. With a broken leg, I can’t even do Lamoreaux’s shoe ads. I don’t think I’ll feel up to having sex any time soon either. If no one knows we’re married, do you want to have it annulled?”
He got up to toss the empty container into the wastebasket in the corner. “There’s more to a marriage than sex, Ana.”
“I agree, but I don’t want you to be disappointed, and you must be.”
“What if I’d broken my leg cycling? Would you end the marriage?”
She ran her hands over the blanket. “No, that would be cruel, and silly when it doesn’t take lo
ng for a broken bone to heal.”
He came back to his chair and pulled her hand to his lips. He rubbed his thumb over her gold wedding band. “Let’s just take each day as it comes rather than worry about what we’ll do next week or next year. You needn’t worry about money when I’ve got more than enough.”
She squeezed his hand. “There’s a big calendar in my home office where I keep track of jobs. I hate to think how long the days will be blank, as if I don’t exist.”
“Stop it. There’s more to your life than work. We’ll fill up the calendar with whatever you’d like to do.”
“With whatever I can do,” she amended. “I’m sorry not to be thinking more clearly. Will you come back tomorrow?”
He leaned over to kiss her. “Yes, I’ll be here in the morning.”
“Good. Leave the cookies. I’m sorry you’ll have to sleep alone,” she mumbled through a yawn.
“Me too. I keep forgetting to thank you for the postcard you sent from Mallorca. It came when I thought I’d never see you again, but I couldn’t bear to throw it away.”
“Should have told you something.”
“It did. See you tomorrow.” He kissed her once more before leaving.
By the time Alejandro arrived home, he was too weary to climb the stairs and took the moaning elevator. He made a quick call to his father before he fell asleep where he stood. “I wanted to check on you.”
“I’m surprised you have the time. Ana Santillan’s accident is in all the tabloids. Will she be as hideously scarred as they say?”
He sank onto the futon. “I’ll tell you again, nothing in those papers is true. She’ll be as beautiful as ever.”
“With the damage her friend’s MG sustained, I’m surprised she survived.”
“I don’t want to see the photos, but she’ll be well soon. I’d like to take her on a cruise so she won’t be stuck in a hospital bed. Did you hold your cabin on the Siren?”
A long moment passed before his father responded. “I did, but will Ana be well enough to sail?”
“She will. Would you give me a discount rate on the cabin?”
Orlando responded with a low chuckle. “How can I charge you when you want your pretty girlfriend to recuperate in comfort? Are you sure you’ll like playing nurse?”
“There are medical personnel on board,” Alejandro reminded him.
“I know who’s on board. I pay their salaries,” Orlando countered, his voice flavored with sarcasm. “Go ahead and use the cabin. All I’ll ask is that you give me a report on the cruise.”
“Thank you, but we’re sure to be treated well.”
“Look around at how everyone else is treated. We want our passengers to come back again and again. You know what I mean. Put on a steward’s uniform and work undercover if you must.”