Page 8 of Thiago (Family Ties #6)

Chapter Eight

T hiago straightened his tie as he walked into the conservatory at the rear of his parents’ home. The hum of conversation hit him, along with the soft clink of glassware and the gentle swell of classic jazz from the string quartet on an elevated platform in the middle of the room.

He saw his sister, Monica, right away. She had recently cut her short, natural hair, and her makeup was immaculate. Both arms were locked around her fiancé’s arm as they chatted with friends.

Andre Campos wore a suit and tie, but there was no mistaking the subtle roughness in his brooding appearance.

Thiago was very protective of his sisters and hadn’t been sure at first that Andre was the right man for Monica, but he had proved himself worthy by loving her openly and treating her the way she deserved to be treated.

Monica had a big personality, and Andre seemed content to let her shine in the spotlight—and shine she did tonight.

Her shimmering, floor-length gold dress clung to her slender curves and brushed her ankles, only offering a glimpse of the bedazzled sandals on her feet.

And that smile—well, she was glowing—had become a permanent fixture on her face.

The party room, as the family called it, contained a high ceiling and arched windows that let the moonlight pour in from all sides. Glass panels revealed the pitch-black sky dotted with stars, and chandeliers attached to iron rafters cast a warm glow on the party.

Guests were dressed in cocktail attire, milling around the room with glasses of wine or small plates containing canapés. Servers moved among them in crisp white shirts and black vests, while a photographer captured candid photos of the attendees.

His brother, Bruno, was near the bar with his pregnant wife, Marissa, talking to their other brother, Ignacio. Meanwhile, Ignacio’s fiancée, R&B singer Delta J, was surrounded by what appeared to be a group of young fans.

Thiago strolled toward the long banquet table on the other side of the room, greeting family members and friends along the way. He stopped in front of the spread, lifted a mini beef Wellington from one of the silver trays, and added two of the phyllo cups topped with caviar.

Someone came up beside him. “You finally made it.”

The comment came from Ethan, his older stepbrother. Ethan was a real estate mogul who was on track to complete his biggest project later this year—a mixed-use development named Horizon, located southeast of the city.

“Finally?” Thiago said.

“You’re late,” Ethan said pointedly.

Technically true. He had stayed longer at work than he should have.

On the way out, he had swung by India’s office to say good night, expecting to see her hard at work behind her desk since they weren’t going to see each other later.

Instead, her office was empty, and the lights were out, which meant she had already left.

“Fashionably late,” Skye, Ethan’s wife, interjected.

“ Gracias , hermosa .” Thiago pulled her into a hug, and her very pregnant belly pressed into his abs.

Stepping back, he took a good look at her.

Her face was fuller, her tawny-gold skin glowed, and her eyes held a distinct sparkle.

Though she and Ethan hadn’t been married long, she’d practically been a part of their family for years, and he’d never seen her livelier or more attractive. Pregnancy looked good on her.

“Since you’re having his baby, you know you’re never getting rid of him now, yes?”

Skye giggled. “I know. But I kinda like this guy.”

She placed a hand on Ethan’s arm, affection in her gaze as she looked at her husband.

Thiago shrugged. “I tried to warn you.”

“Go to hell,” Ethan muttered, slipping an arm around his wife’s shoulders.

As they continued talking, their youngest sibling, Maxwell, approached. A product of Thiago’s Mexican father and Black stepmother, he had toasty-brown skin and longish curly hair.

“Did I miss anything?” he asked, scanning the room.

“Just the lipstick on the corner of your mouth,” Ethan said dryly.

Maxwell’s eyes widened. “Seriously?” He lifted a hand to his face.

“What have you been up to?” Skye asked.

“No good, apparently,” Thiago said.

Maxwell swore, grabbed a napkin from the table, and wiped vigorously at his mouth. “Is it gone?”

“No.”

“Here, let me…” Skye took the napkin and dipped it in the glass of water in her hand. Then she carefully removed the lipstick evidence from Maxwell’s skin. “Better.”

“Thank you,” he said with a sigh.

“Please tell me you’re not balancing multiple women here tonight,” Thiago said.

“Okay, I won’t tell you. But if I were to tell you, I’d say there are two.” Maxwell’s eyes jumped around the room, searching.

“Why in the world did you invite two women to the engagement party?” Ethan demanded.

“I didn’t. One assumed she was invited and showed up, the other one I actually invited.” Maxwell frowned. “I’m screwed.”

“In a manner of speaking,” Thiago quipped, putting a phyllo cup in his mouth.

“Dr. Santana, care to tell me how you have time to date multiple women with your schedule as a resident?” Skye asked, looking genuinely perplexed.

Maxwell was almost finished with his medical residency and had already started his job search to have a position lined up when he completed his training.

“It’s not easy, believe me. Oh damn.” He ducked. “Gotta run,” he said, darting away.

“This is going to be an interesting night,” Ethan said, watching his brother disappear among the crowd.

Thiago and Skye laughed.

“Have you seen Audra?” Thiago asked.

“She was over near the bar earlier, talking to Ignacio and Bruno,” Skye replied.

“I need to find her.” She had promised to pick up a gift and put his name on it, but he hadn’t had a chance to follow up with her.

He scanned the room. “There she is. Excuse me.” He put down his plate.

Sidling past a few guests, he walked up to Audra.

Unlike Monica, who was thin, Audra was short like his stepmother and had a thicker figure.

She was chatting with Aunt Florence, a spunky older woman who never went anywhere without some type of headpiece.

Tonight, she wore an elegant cream statement piece with a wide brim and structured crown, adorned with a delicate bow and layered fabric flower.

It was the perfect match for her cream and gold ensemble.

“Hello, Aunt Florence,” he greeted her.

“Hello, Thiago.” She looked behind him, as if searching for someone. “You came alone?”

He groaned inwardly while Audra stepped back and covered her mouth to hide her laughter.

“Yes, I came alone.”

“A handsome young man like you should have a lady on your arm to attend events. You do like ladies, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do,” Thiago said, fighting to keep the weariness from his voice.

“Thought I’d check. Things are different nowadays. There’s no shame if you want to bring a young fella to the party. How old are you, dear?”

He didn’t want to answer, but it would be rude to ignore her.

“Thirty-four.”

“Thirty-four? Well, you’re getting up there, aren’t you? You have the job, now you have to get a family. Everyone else is getting married and having kids. You’re a man, so you don’t have the same concerns about your biological clock, but at least a wife?—”

“Do you mind if I borrow Audra for a few minutes? I need to talk to her in private.”

If he didn’t cut her off now, she’d never stop. Aunt Florence had a habit of offering unfiltered, unsolicited advice, and he couldn’t handle her candid conversation at the moment. Marriage and babies may be preoccupying her mind, but he was more concerned with building an empire.

Thiago took his sister’s arm.

“We can finish our conversation later,” Aunt Florence said.

“Okay,” Thiago muttered, and he dragged Audra into a corner.

She was busy laughing.

“Are you finished?” he asked.

“Now, I am.”

“I’m leaving as soon as the toast is over. What did you buy for Andre and Monica?”

“A handcrafted keepsake box with both their initials on the top. It was only a few hundred dollars. The note says, For your love story .”

“Sounds perfect. Thank you.”

“Why don’t you hire a personal assistant?”

“Someone else had the same suggestion,” Thiago said.

“Who?”

“India, my VP of marketing.”

“Well, she’s right.”

“Why would I waste my money when I have you to add the personal touch?”

“One of these days, I’m going to say no. Or maybe I should start charging.” She tapped her chin.

“Siblings should not charge each other for minor tasks.”

She pursed her lips. “We’ll see. How are things going at work? I heard about the Santiago Migos fiasco.”

“We’ll be rolling out our new marketing campaign next week to grab their market share.” The revised plan India and her team proposed was a vast improvement.

“That’s fast,” Audra said.

“We cannot afford to wait, and our head of marketing is very good at her job.”

“You always speak so highly of her,” Audra said thoughtfully.

“Like I said, she is good at her job.” Thiago kept his voice neutral.

“Huh.”

He shot a sideways glance at his sister. “What does ‘huh’ mean?”

“I rarely hear you talk about anyone else at the office. India’s the only person you consistently mention.”

“Because she is good at her job.”

“She’s also very attractive.” Audra arched an eyebrow.

“And you know this how?”

“I did a little research since you mention her so often.”

“ Ay Dios ,” Thiago muttered.

“All I’m saying is, if you like her, you should make a move.”

“Yes, make a move on a subordinate. Great idea.” Yes, he was being deceptive.

“Oops, you’re right. Terrible idea. So do you have anyone you’re seeing?”

“I do not have time to date.”

“Too busy?” Audra asked.

“Exactly.”

“Make time. Aunt Florence is right. Before long, you’ll be all alone wondering where the time went. Crying yourself to sleep.”

Thiago chuckled. “I will dry my tears with all the money I make.”

Audra pursed her lips again. “Thiago, money isn’t everything. Having someone to share your life with?—”

A glass bell rang, pulling everyone’s attention to the center of the room.

The band had stopped playing and left the small stage. His father was standing in their place with the bell and a drink in his hand.

“Now I have your attention, hello everyone,” Benicio Santana said.

“Hello!” the crowd greeted back.

Like Thiago, Benicio had a beard, but his hair and beard were completely gray.

Right now, he was in his element, the center of attention for a few minutes.

His father loved to talk and was always the one they chose to make announcements and toasts at family events.

He handed off the bell to a member of the staff.

“Servers will be coming around to make sure everyone has a glass of champagne. We are about to toast the happy couple. If you are not drinking, look for the servers with a green ribbon around their wrists to get a non-alcoholic drink.”

Thiago and Audra took a glass from one of the male servers passing by.

Benicio surveyed the crowd, his gaze stopping at a point near the back. “Rosa, do you want to come up here?”

Thiago couldn’t see his petite stepmother, but by the chuckles from that corner of the room, she must have vehemently shaken her head in refusal.

“I had to try,” Benicio said with a shrug. As the laughter died down, he added, “Andre, Monica, please join me.”

Monica and her fiancé stepped up on the stage and stood to his right.

Benicio smiled at Monica, who held a flute of champagne in one hand. Then he turned his attention to the audience.

“Many of you know Monica as my stepdaughter, but to me, she is simply my daughter. She was only four years old when I came into her life, and I have been trying to keep up with her ever since.”

Scattered laughter came from the crowd.

“I remember one night, not long after Rosa and I were married, I told Monica to go to bed. The older kids had already gone to bed, and her mother had told her more than once that she needed to go to sleep, but she had a mind of her own. I was in the kitchen fixing myself a snack when she marched in wearing pink Mickey Mouse pajamas and placed her hands on her hips. She told me in a very serious voice, with a frown on her face, that she was going to be very important when she grew up, and she was going to stay up all night when she did.”

As the group laughed, his face softened. Then he turned to Monica. “You were important then, and you are important now—to every single one of us here who loves you. And you can stay up as late as you want.”

Thank you , Monica mouthed, leaning in for a hug.

Benicio briefly squeezed her and kissed her temple. Then he turned his attention to his future son-in-law.

“Andre, I remember you from her college days. I saw the way she lit up when she talked about you back then, and life or Fate brought you back together. You make my little girl very happy, and for that reason, you will always have my love and respect.”

“Thank you, sir,” Andre said.

Benicio lifted his glass. “So now I make a toast to Monica and Andre. May your days be filled with joy and laughter and may your love story endure, inspiring everyone lucky enough to witness it. I look forward to your wedding, and I hope and pray you have many, many happy years together. Cheers to the happy couple!”

“Cheers!” the group called out.

Thiago touched his glass to Audra’s and a few friends nearby, then took a sip of the bubbly.

As he had told Audra, he left after the toast, but not before congratulating Monica and Andre and talking to a few family members.

He slipped through the front doors and jogged down the outer steps to his vehicle, sitting in the dark for a moment before making a decision.

He scrolled to India’s name. It was late, but not too late.

If she were open to it, he could pop by her place.

He had never gone to her home this late, but after their odd interaction on Wednesday, a visit might be the perfect way to end the night and get their relationship back on track.

As he was about to shoot off the text, he hesitated. He needed a good excuse to reach out at this hour, on a day he had told her they wouldn’t see each other. He’d tell her that he wanted to discuss the marketing campaign for the company’s retail stores.

Satisfied, he tapped out the message and hit Send .

Then he started the car and headed off the property, anticipating he’d be able to see India tonight after all.