“Nice to know you have friends.” Jasper’s tone was dry.
Roman laughed it off. He barely talked to Hector. They didn’t speak the same language, literally. They still had trouble communicating, but had come up with a system of numbers for colors so Hector knew what to do. Roman didn’t know anything about the man and figured he was probably undocumented. He paid him well, and the partnership worked. “Hard to make friends with someone who doesn’t speak my language.”
“Is that why you hired him? So you wouldn’t have to carry on a conversation?”
“Is this a psych session?”
Jasper let it go. They talked of other less personal things until after midnight. Jasper unrolled his sleeping bag on the leather couch. Both were up early the next morning. Roman made omelets, French toast, and coffee.
“You haven’t lost your touch.” Jasper raised his cup. Roman didn’t tell him he had a personal assistant who could make better. He knew Jasper would start asking questions, and Roman didn’t have any answers.
On the way out the front door, Jasper pushed the doorbell and set off the chimes. Roman called him a foul name. Jasper laughed. “I’ll be down this way again, sooner than you think.”
“The couch will be ready for you.” Roman stood outside until Jasper drove out of sight.
At two minutes to nine, the chimes went off again. When Roman opened the door, he knew by the look on her face that Grace Moore had decided to move into the cottage.
“That happy about it, huh?”
“We’ll have things to discuss first. After work.”
This girl didn’t make anything easy.
The hint of triumph on Roman Velasco’s face set Grace’s nerves on edge. The coffee had already been made. “You must have been up early.” She headed toward the office. “I’ll check your messages first.”
“Not yet.” Roman dug into his front pocket and slapped a key on the counter. “So you can come in without setting off those—” He stopped short of saying something that would offend her. “Make it the first order of business today to find someone who can reprogram that thing before I rip it out of the wall with my bare hands. I’d rather not have it go off like church bells ringing in a New Year.”
“I’ll take care of that, but you can keep your key.” She slid it back to him.
“It’s an extra, and it’s for convenience, yours and mine.”
“I’m not comfortable having your house key.”
His mouth tightened. “Take the—darn key, Ms. Moore.”
She knew he’d almost said something else. Maybe she was being unreasonable. Harvey Bernstein had given her a key. She took Roman’s and attached it to her key chain. “I’ll knock before I come in.”
“Just to make sure I have my pants on?”
She started toward the office.
“I need your cell number.”
Grace faced him. Alarms went off inside her head. “Why?”
“In case I need you.”
“I work nine to five. I’m not available before or after that. Or on weekends.”
His eyes darkened. “It’ll save you steps.”
The doorbell sounded again, and this time he forgot to curb his tongue. Her eyes flickered at the words that came automatically. “It’s Hector. Another irritating employee. The guy doesn’t speak enough English to get what I’m saying. We have to resort to sign language, and I’m not in the mood this morning.”
“Maybe I can help you. I took Spanish in high school.” She followed him to the front door. Roman opened it and waved her forward to face a wiry Latino with a startled look.
She introduced herself, and he grinned broadly. Hector responded in a stream of rapid-fire Spanish until Grace held up her hands in surrender and said, “Please slow down.”
He obliged, and Grace translated for Roman, who stood by watching them with a less-than-pleased expression. “Hector says you called, but he doesn’t know why.”
“Follow me.” Roman headed for the studio.
Hector fell in beside Grace, continuing to talk in his native language. “Who are you, and where did you come from?” She told him she came from a temp agency, and Roman had hired her full-time as his personal assistant. “It’s about time. He needs help.” He talked faster, and Grace had to concentrate to catch everything. Clearly, the man liked Roman. El jefe paid well and was a gifted artist. Hector considered it an honor to work with him. He didn’t pause until Roman interrupted their conversation.