“Thank you, but it’s fine. It’s for the best.” I straighten up, trying to look like it has no effect on me.
“It’s absolutely for the best,” Mateo says. “Just look at me. Had I not gone through a divorce of my own, I would have never found the love of my life.” He grabs Vera’s hand and kisses the top of it passionately. “The right person for you is out there.”
I exchange a glance with Vera, who looks annoyed. “Well, perhaps Thalia isn’t looking right now,” she says. “She’s got bigger things to think about. Like dealing with the likes of you boys.”
“That’s right,” Luciano says. “You’ll be married to the whole team in no time. Sorry, but I snore.”
I laugh and grab a glass of champagne. “I look forward to it. To settling in a bit more, not the snoring part.”
“You’re doing great so far,” Luciano says. “Even with Costa, how you say, micro-managing you.”
“See?” Vera says.
“Vera,” Mateo warns her.
“What? It’s Luciano who said it. El capitán!”
I look at Mateo and raise my brows, hoping he’ll let us continue since I really want to hear this.
He sighs, running a hand down his face, and gestures to Luciano. “You explain it. I have no part of this. I’m not here.”
“Explain what? That the doctor obviously has a problem that you hired Thalia?” Luciano nudges my shoulder with his. “No offense, of course.”
“A problem? With me?” I ask, my stomach turning into knots. What did I do?
I glance at Mateo, but he’s staring into space, quite purposely. I then look at Luciano, urging him to go on. “What problem?”
“It’s a long story, but I’ll give you the short version,” Luciano says, lowering his voice as a waiter drops off a bucket of champagne for him.
“Can I just interrupt and tell you that there is no short version when it comes to this guy?” Alejo says.
Luciano gives him a steady look before twisting in his seat to face me. “Doctor Costa used to be in charge of hiring all the therapists, though now he just does the medical team. Mateo hires the physios. This is because the man is a misguided egomaniac. Costa, not Mateo. Maybe a little.” He makes a back and forth motion with his hand and eyes Mateo devilishly.
Vera snorts at that.
Luciano goes on. “Anyway, he started to make calls that the physios disagreed with, the players too, and some got fired. He thought I needed shoulder surgery when I didn’t — thank god Mateo intervened. This was years ago of course. It got to the point that Cris, you know, Ronaldo, made a clause in his contract that he could hire his own physiotherapist since the ones we were left with were the ones that Costa approved. No one trusted them.”
“So why is Dr. Costa still with the team?”
“Because he’s best friends with the boss,” Alejo says knowingly.
“He signed a long contract that’s up next year,” Mateo speaks up, his voice calm. “And yes, we don’t see eye to eye, and he doesn’t like the fact that I make the hiring and firing decisions now. But it was the best I could do. If it were up to me, he would be out of here.”
“As much as we’re at the top of the team, we still have to answer to someone,” Luciano says.
“Yeah, someone who would rather you boys not be out drinking so late with a game next week,” Vera points out.
“Probably not,” Luciano agrees. “But this one dragged me out.” He points his champagne glass at Alejo.
Alejo sits back on the couch, his long legs splayed in front of him, and gives Luciano a charming smirk. “Admit it, I make you feel young again.”
Luciano lets out a hearty laugh. “You make me feel old the next day, capullo.”
“How is this for a leader, huh?” Alejo says to me. “Using such language in front of the lady.”
I raise my hands. “Please. I was part of Manchester United for long enough, I’ve heard worse, believe me.”
“Okay, fine,” Alejo says smoothly. “Perhaps the language is worse. We are the romance language, are we not? But you must admit, we are much better looking.”
He’s got me there. Alejo, Luciano, Mateo, and half the guys on the team seem like they’ve walked out of some photoshoot for handsome Spanish manly men.