Salvation

Chapter 21: How he found out

I smile; I loved that Nathan had loyalty to his employees and kept them on throughout his life. It was just one more thing that made him special. Just one more thing that made Nathan — Nathan.

"Oh, do you know any funny stories about him?" I inquire with an eager smile, and I lean over the island.

Mariana laughs, nodding. "Oh, I have plenty; I think I could fill a book! My favourite stories happened when he was only young. Nathan refused to come inside from playing, and he peed in a bush, which resulted in him getting poison ivy on his genitals,"

The joy in Mariana's laugh was so infectious that I could not fight back my laugh, which resulted in us both loudly laughing in the kitchen. Nathan appeared, yawning as he rubbed his face.

"What did I miss?" He asks in English, "What's so funny?"

"Let's hope that he peed in a toilet this morning," I laugh to Mariana, still in Spanish.

Nathan leans down in front of me on the island counter. His eyes level with mine and amusement vivid in them. I felt my mouth go dry in a way that I knew that no amount of water could fix.

"I speak Spanish," Nathan said, his eyes roaming over my face.

I chew on my lip, trying to hold back the laughter that thunders in my chest, looking for an escape. A laugh bursts from me, and Mariana chuckles as she puts her empty cup into the sink to wash.

"You speak Spanish?" Nathan asks me, still watching me intently. I nod.

"Yeah, my Grandparents moved here from Cuba. They taught me growing up," I tell him, picking up my tea to try and stop the dryness in my throat.

Nathan nods, moving away from the island, and I can't help but miss the closeness. I watch him pour himself a glass of water and take a large drink.

"Well, you speak it beautifully," Nathan tells me with a devastating smile.

I feel my cheeks redden, and Nathan lets out something between a breath and a chuckle before he walks to the kitchen door. Nathan pauses at the door before popping his head back into the room. I look at him with a frown.

"Oh, and to clarify. I did pee in the toilet this morning," He says, with a cheeky wink to both Mariana and me.

We both chuckled in reply.

"Well, I'm done for today," Mariana said, kissing Nathan's cheek allowing him to leave the kitchen.

"It was nice to meet you, Grace," She tells me, kissing my forehead.

"It was really nice meeting and talking with you," I tell her with a smile. "Hope to see you again,"

"I am sure we will," She tells me, gathering her bags and leaving through the patio doors - blowing me one last kiss as she goes.

I finish my tea before cleaning the two mugs and drifting through to my room to change for the business meeting. I find a new white pantsuit laying on the freshly made bed.

≿————- ❈ ————-≾

Bradley pulls the car into the driveway as the gate closes behind us. I stretch as we all get out of the car. The scorching afternoon sun beams down, and I can feel a layer of sweat gathering over me, my skin already missing the cool air conditioning from the car.

"I'm going to take a cold shower," Bradley said, fanning himself with a manila folder. "If you need me, I'll be in my beach house,"

Bradley drifts and disappears behind the corner of the house. I chuckle to myself before walking with Nathan into the house, and I let out a sigh of relief as the cool air strikes against my skin, drying the hot sweat that slicked my skin.