Page 43 of Brazilian Surrender
“She has a boyfriend now, honey,” Satyanna said, winking at him.
Camila held her fork even if she wasn’t going to lift food to her mouth yet. The food tasted delicious, her steak tender and veggies crisp. But she’d been nervous to meet her brother and his family for lunch. She’d been able to dodge his invitation a couple of times, but since they were about to leave for Rio later that day, she had to meet him for lunch. Thankfully, Bruno and Addie had returned to Brazil already, and the newlyweds had flown to an idyllic honeymoon in Polynesia.
“I know, but she’s my little sister. I want to see her whenever we can,” he said, and shot her an affectionate look.
Camila’s heart filled with guilt. She and Leonardo had been through a lot together, from when they shared a small house in Northeast Brazil to the experience of taking care of their ill father before he died. Together. And now she had to look at his face and lie through her teeth about the real reason she’d avoided meeting him for lunch earlier. “Well, you’re seeing me now.”
Satyanna took a sip of white wine. “How are you doing? I know you were close to your friend.”
“Yes.”
“And the police are still after the murderer?” Satyanna frowned.
Crap. She could tell by the way her sister-in-law studied her reaction she knew something didn’t sound right. Damn intuitive woman. “Yeah. We don’t know who did it yet. I mean, not we, nobody does,” Camila wished the last sentence didn’t sound so nervous.
Leonardo broke a piece of bread and gave it to his daughter. Thankfully, he didn’t pick up on her energy; otherwise, she’d be toast. She couldn’t compete with his lawyer arguing techniques. “Losing a close friend is terrible. He was so young. Did he have any enemies?”
“None we know of.” Sadness pinched her whenever she thought about Lee’s easy smile.
“Are you okay?” Satyanna asked.
“Yes. I’m good.” She looked away and cut her steak, bringing the heavenly meat to her mouth.
“I poo poo,” Lyanna said in her cute kid voice, and when they looked at her she hid her face in between her hands, embarrassed.
Satyanna leaned back in her seat. “Honey, it’s your turn.”
Leonardo rolled his eyes. “Really?”
Satyanna tossed her gorgeous red hair to the side. “I’ve done it three times in a row. I’m finally eating. Go for it,” she said, pointing at the restroom.
“Come to Daddy,” Leonardo said, pulling his daughter from the high chair and grabbing the diaper bag from the extra chair.
When he was far away, Satyanna leaned closer and said, “Are you in trouble?”
Camila squared her shoulders. “What?”
Satyanna glanced around them, then said in a low steady voice, “You brought that hunk to the wedding, whom we’d never heard about before. Then you left early, and not soon after we find out your best friend was killed. I noticed there is a guy with brown hair and tennis shoes a couple of tables over that keeps looking at you. Are you being followed?”
Omar. God bless Omar for keeping an eye on her at most hours. Jaeger hadn’t been able to join them because he’d gone to meet with Frank Burlo and do a couple of other things related to the case.
“No, he’s watching over me.”
Satyanna gazed at her and it was almost impossible to lie to those enormous green eyes. “I’m asking again: are you in trouble?”
From what Camila knew about her, Satyanna had had a rough childhood and teen years, so no wonder she could pick up on different behaviors.
“I’ve been getting some weird letters from a stalker, that’s how Jaeger and I met. I hired him to protect me and find the guilty party. The guy there,” she said, waving at Omar, “is a disguised bodyguard who babysits me while Jaeger is working on finding that person,” she said, unsure if they should mention a link to Lee’s death when it was only a possibility for the time being.
Satyanna rocked back on her chair. “Whoa. That’s some heavy stuff.”
She didn’t know the half of it. Camila took a deep breath and reached across the table and held her hand. “Listen, I didn’t want to tell the others because I would have hated to make it about me when Emanuel and Erika were so happy.”
Satyanna tilted her head to the side as if trying to figure things out. “Why didn’t you tell Leonardo just now?”
Camila let go of her hand and inhaled. Whatever you say, be diplomatic. She’s his wife and probably doesn’t care if he butts in her life. Vulnerability hit her at the core. What if Satyanna blurted it out to Leonardo anyway? “Because we’re taking care of the problem.”
Satyanna gave her a knowing smile. “And if you tell any of them, it won’t be your problem anymore,” she said in a soft, understanding voice.
