Chapter 6
It was one of those days when a stroll around busy streets is the only thing that makes you feel like a person again. I hadn’t been doing much of that lately, even if Sayer – or Armand, as he wanted me to call him now – encouraged me to do so almost every day.
That day, I bit the bullet and wandered absentmindedly through some shops. There was one, an electronics shop, that caught my eye. Sayer’s house had Internet connection, but no wireless, and I had been thinking of getting a router and setting it up so I didn’t have to rely on my cell phone’s data connection so much. I browsed through the shelves for a while, minding my own business, until a voice came from behind.
“Looking for something?”
One of those young clerks with bright eyes and braces on his teeth came to me.
“I was thinking on purchasing one of those routers and a new laptop, but I’m clueless when it comes to these things.”
Oh, I can tell he loved that because his chest puffed up before he started rattling off his detailed explanation about the finest equipment they had and how to install it. Needless to say, I left the store with what he sold me and headed right back to the house.
When I got back, Sayer was heading out with George, so I crossed paths with them before they got to the car.
“Well hello there, where were you?” Sayer was in a very happy mood, while George kept to his sullen silence.
“Around. I bought this,” I pulled the router box out of the bag and showed it to him. “It’s a router, for Wi-Fi, and I thought maybe you could let me into your office, doesn’t have to be now…” I was talking hurriedly, as if I had run for miles.
“Slow down, Scarlett.”
“I’m sorry, I know you’re in a hurry. I’ll wait until you’re back.”
He then produced a set of keys from his pocket. “There’s nothing I need to hide from you. I don’t remember if I locked the door, but if I did, you can let yourself in and do whatever you want.” He dropped the keys in my hand with a smile. “Go on. I’ll be back in an hour.”
I clutched the keys in my hand as the car drove away. A warm feeling, something I hadn’t felt in a very long time, invaded my chest.
When he returned, I still hadn’t finished setting everything up. I hadn’t been very computer savvy until I met Ferdinand. He was the one who taught me all I knew about them. He’d spend entire nights hacking away while I struggled to keep myself awake. He was good at it, a skill very much needed in our agency, but he also yearned for the thrill of the field. I never did much deskwork because of my family’s relationship with the Cisneros, and Ferdinand loved the idea of having me introduce him to that other world.
The same world that drove us apart.
I hated to think that I missed him, yet, I couldn’t deny how much…
“Are you done?”
Sayer’s voice struck me like lightning and I jolted.
“You’re here.”
“I’m sorry if I scared you. You were thinking aloud.”
“Was I?”
“A low mumbling, didn’t catch anything.”
“I was just finishing setting this up.”
He looked at the laptop I was working on. “Did you buy that computer today?”
“Yes, still trying to figure it out.”
He raised both eyebrows while his mouth curved downwards, then turned away from me and sat on a chair facing the desk. That was when I realized I was sitting on his chair, behind his desk.
“I’m sorry, this is your place.”
I hastened to move the computer but he interjected, “No, no, stay there. You look better than I do behind that desk.”
A wink, a crooked smile... I had to be more skeptical.
“George wouldn’t like that.”
“He will, with time.”
Spoken so softly it lost some of the rawness a statement like that should carry. For someone like Sayer, the people around him had to yield to his decisions or face the consequences.
“All right, this is all set up. Now you have Wi-Fi all over the house.”
“Thank you. You are very resourceful, much more than Helga thought.”
“I do my best, Mr. Sayer.”
“Armand, please, just Armand.”
I felt a rush of blood to my face. “I’m sorry, Armand.”
“And don’t be sorry. This is your house as much as it is George’s and mine, so feel free to do all those technological things you like.”
I chuckled. “I’m not that technological, only the basics.”
“More than enough for me.”
Our eyes locked as my face, out of involuntary politeness, stretched into a smile, I didn’t notice how much until it started hurting. I had to control myself, for my own sake.
“I’ll leave the computer here.”
“Oh no, no, it’s yours, take it with you. I wouldn’t know how to use it anyway.”
“I can teach you if you’d like.”
“Now that would be wonderful.” He rose to his feet as I closed the laptop. “Where did you put the thing you showed me before I left?”
“The router? There.” I pointed towards a corner at the back of the room.
“Bloody hell! How did you get there?”
“I used a ladder.” I stood in front of him with the laptop under my arm while he kept eyeing the flashing lights on the gadget propped up on the wall. “Now, if you’ll excuse me...”
I tried to scurry away but his hand flew, landed on my shoulder, and I shuddered. He withdrew it quickly, as if he had hurt me.
“I’m sorry I keep frightening you. Are you nervous about something?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
There was something. He felt it too, I knew he did. Something that was telling me to step back, to not let my instincts take over and fall for a man I should despise.
“Maybe some tea will make you feel better.”
“Yes, tea. Right away, Mr…” I met his raised eyebrow and winced, “Armand. I’ll bring tea for both of us.”
“Much better. I’ll be here… waiting.”
The slight drawl in his voice prompted me to go fetch the tea. Quick.
I passed George on my way to the kitchen. He saw the computer under my arm and made a face, which I opted to ignore. He was holding a manila envelope and I didn’t ask about it either. He walked into Sayer’s office and closed the door behind him.