Page 94 of Perfume Girl

Those words had thrown us headfirst back into reality, reminding me we were potential enemies. I hid the hurt by focusing on the penguins.

Astor’s hand rubbed my back as he intuitively sensed my tension. “Small steps, Wren, small steps.”

“For you?” I said quietly so the others wouldn’t hear.

“For both of us.”

A penguin hopped up to the glass, breaking the tension as he peered up at us.

“I have no fish,” Astor called to him, and opened his palms to prove it.

“Maybe the penguin likes you for who you are and not what you have,” I said.

“That would be a first.” He waggled his eyebrows playfully at the penguin.

“Why did you invite me to stay with you?” I asked. “You know I would have been fine.”

“Honestly, Raquel, I don’t know.”

Watching him carefully, I looked for any sign he regretted what he’d just admitted.

Astor’s attention was now focused across the room on Garcia, but after a few moments he turned to look at me. “You and I love similar things, but other than that we are opposites.”

Though usually opposites were meant to attract. I was a newly divorced woman with the residue of heartache, and Astor was a multi-millionaire with expensive tastes who had the reputation of being a playboy. Maybe I had read him all wrong.

“I can leave when we get back,” I said.

Astor looked distracted. “I’m sorry, what?”

“When we get back to your place.”

Astor’s brow furrowed. “You’re not my prisoner, Raquel. Leave anytime you like.”

He threw me a reassuring smile and headed over to Garcia who was deep in conversation with the others.

Embarrassed, I turned to stare through the glass window at the fake cold climate setting that the penguins lived in. They ate the fish they were fed and then demanded more with their adorable trumpeting sounds.

I wrapped my arms around myself to ward off the chill. When I looked back at Astor he was deep in conversation with a young woman dressed in khakis. They looked like they knew each other well. More staff appeared and huddled to talk with each other in the corner. Whatever was going on seemed tense and I hoped Ruben was okay.

Astor’s gaze held mine and then he seemed to change his mind on a thought and turned his back on me. I watched from afar, trying to read what was going on and not wanting to get in the way.

After ten minutes, Garcia headed over to me and gestured for me to follow him. “Something’s come up. Why don’t you wait in my office?”

I looked over his shoulder and watched Astor disappear through a door. “You’re doing great work here.”

“We have great sponsors like Astor,” he said. “He’s pretty generous when it comes to donations, and with his time, too.”

“Where did he go?” I kept my tone calm.

“He’s going to help us with a situation.”

I threw Garcia a warm smile, trying to hide me nervousness. “Can I help?”

“We’re on it.”

When we reached his office he entered first and then gestured to a corner seating area. “Make yourself at home.” He reached for a remote control on his desk and turned on the walled TV. “Astor’s going to be a while.”

“How long?” I’d pushed all his buttons and he’d pushed mine and now we were at an impasse, apparently, with him ignoring me for the rest of our visit. “Not sure I can sit still.”