Fernando - Bad Boy Love (Bad Boy Love Series Book 1) by Jessica Gray Page B

undertone to it, as if he had done something terrible. After putting up with her for five minutes, he lost his temper.
    “To hell with it. If you’re angry with me, say it to my face, but don’t play games!”
    She shook her head. “I’m not angry. Now, please tell me what you achieved last week.”
    “I got a job.” He burst out, unable to contain his excitement. Now she at least had to appreciate his achievement. But no word of praise came from her lips.
    “Good. Can I see the paperwork?”
    He stared at her, his spirits sinking as quickly as his hopes and dreams. Any probation officer – even the most hard-boiled one – would have complimented him and started a small speech about how important that first step was, blah, blah, blah. Not her. She stayed unmoved as a rock.
    “I don’t have them yet.” The way she pursed her lips was enough to let his need to know push his pride aside, and he asked the question that had been a thorn in his side. “Why didn’t you call me back?”
    The look she gave him was full of pain and sadness.
    “Gwen, talk to me. I wanted to share the exciting news about my job with someone who’d understand. Someone who’d appreciate how much of a deal it was. But you never called back.”
    “I did.”
    “No, you didn’t.”
    Her shoulders slumped, and he heard the tremor in her voice. “Yes, I did. A woman answered the phone…”
    Fernando stared at her with wide-open eyes, then laughed. “You were jealous? I can’t believe it!”
    She shook her head, still staring at the folder.
    “Gwen. Look at me.” He waited until she did and the magnitude of sadness in her eyes almost toppled him over. “Gwen. The woman who answered the phone was my sister, Amada. She lives with me.”
    “Your sister?” she whispered, shaking her head as if she didn’t believe him.
    “My sister. She’s lived with me ever since our parents died.”
    Finally, the doubt faded from her eyes and made place for something else – shame. “Now I feel really foolish.”
    A stone fell from his heart. He wanted to pick her up and kiss her senseless. “I was so disappointed when you didn’t call.”
    “I’m sorry. And now tell me everything about your new job. Or no, wait. I think this merits a celebration. Wait here.” She stood up and left the room. A minute later, she came back with two cups of coffee and two candies. The same candies he’d seen in a big bowl at the water cooler. “That’s the best I could come up with,” she said with an embarrassed smile.
    “That’s fantastic.” They both sat at the meeting table, and he told her about his job interview, Ben, his first workdays…
    “Well, it’s not my ideal job, but it’s a good start,” he concluded and added, “becoming an honest citizen is much more difficult that I imagined.”
    “How’s that?”
    He shrugged. “I’ve never had a regular job that expected me to show up every day at the same time and stay there for eight hours straight.”
    Gwen laughed, the sound reaching into his soul. “That’s one of the downsides to being an adult, but it’s how the majority of us live. Welcome to the real world.”
    A knock on the door cut into their conversation. Gwen glanced at her watch and said, “Time’s up. We’ve been talking almost an hour. My next client is waiting outside. See you next week.”
    Fernando left the building with buoyant steps and a whistle on his lips. She was jealous! How could he be upset? It meant she was falling for him as hard and fast as he was falling for her. But he also realized their mutual attraction would make their working relationship difficult.
    He knew he could request another probation officer, but he’d have to make up a good reason, and that would probably put her in a bad light. No, he couldn’t do that to Gwen, nor did he really want to deal with any other person.
    Looks like I’m stuck with you, lady. And you with me.
     

Chapter 16
    Gwen did her best to focus on her job, asking