Chapter 3

The Executive Suite was the size of my entire condo, times four: a lanai over the ocean, a chandelier made of glass shells, and two bedroom doors on opposite sides of a cream-colored living room..

"Wow," Alexander murmured behind me. "They really went for subtle."

"This is a disaster," I said.

"It's a nice disaster."

Hindi ko siya pinansin at nag-martsa ako sa mas malaking p***o sa kaliwa. Binuksan ko: king bed na puti ang linens, banyong may bathtub na kasya ang maliit na pamilya.

"I'll take this one," I said.

"Of course you will."

"I got here first."

"Technically, I was in the lobby first."

"I was at the desk first."

"I was in line first."

"That isn't how lines work."

"It's exactly how lines work."

Lumingon ako at nakita siyang nakasandal sa doorframe, arms crossed and looking infuriatingly relaxed. Mukha siyang lalaking hindi pa natatalo sa argumento and never been bothered by it.

"Mr. Legaspi—"

"You can call me Lex."

"I don't think so."

"We're sharing a suite, Ms. Serrano. I think we can manage first names."

"We're sharing a roof," I said. "That's different."

"Okay." He raised both hands in surrender. "Then let's set rules. Rules of engagement. You like rules, don't you?"

I narrowed my eyes. "How do you know I like rules?"

"Your spreadsheets. Last year's bid for the Taguig flyover. Your costing was so clean I almost wept. I figured whoever made it was either a genius or a very dangerous person." He smiled. "Turns out, both."

Uminit ang mukha ko, and I was furious about it. "You studied my bid?"

"We lost that one, remember? I studied it very carefully. I wanted to know who beat us."

"It was a team effort."

"It was you. I asked around." He said it simply, without flattery, as a fact. "That's why I wanted to meet you."

The silence that followed was too long. Tumalikod ako at nagkunwaring abala sa luggage, unzipping it with unnecessary force.

"Rules," I said briskly. "One. We don't discuss our projects. Not the numbers, not the strategy, nothing."

"Agreed."

"Two. The living room is neutral territory. We don't leave things lying around."

"Agreed."

"Three. Bathroom schedule. I take my shower at six in the morning."

"Six? In the morning?" He looked horrified. "That's inhumane."

"That's discipline."

"That's a cry for help."

He grinned. And then, to my complete and utter annoyance, naramdaman kong gumalaw ang gilid ng sarili kong labi. Agad ko itong pinigilan.

"Four," I said, "you knock before entering any room."

"Obviously."

"Five. And this is the most important one." I turned to him, serious now. "We are competitors. Whatever happens at that summit, we don't let this arrangement affect business. If you win the investors, you win them fair. If I win, same."

His smile faded, replaced by something quieter. He straightened from the doorframe.

"Fair," he said. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Nakatayo lang kami saglit, two strangers on opposite sides of a very expensive carpet.

"Which room do you want?" I asked finally, dahil hindi naman ako halimaw. "The other one is smaller. It has a sofa bed."

"I'll take the sofa bed."

"You're six feet tall."

"Six-one."

"You won't fit."

"I'll make myself small."

He said it lightly, pero may kung ano sa boses niya that made me look at him properly for the first time. Sa ilalim ng polish at smirk, may eye bags siya. A tightness in his jaw. Mukha siyang taong matagal nang hindi nakakatulog nang maayos.

"Take the big bed," I heard myself say.

He blinked. "What?"

"I don't need it. I'm shorter." I looked away. "Don't make it weird."

"Ms. Serrano—"

"Luna. If we're sharing a suite for two nights, you can call me Luna." I wheeled my luggage across the carpet toward the smaller room. "Just don't make it weird."

Behind me, there was a pause.

"Thank you, Luna," he said, very softly.

Isinara ko ang p***o at sumandal doon, naiinis sa sarili ko. It's the jet lag, I told myself. You're just tired and nice when you're tired.

The sofa bed was lumpy, and the pillow smelled of industrial detergent. Nahiga ako nang nakadamit pa at tumitig sa kisame. Through the wall, I could hear the faint sounds of a man settling in: a suitcase unzipping, a glass set down, water running in the bathroom.

Tumagilid ako at tinakpan ng unan ang ulo ko. Two nights. Two nights, tapos hindi ko na kailangang makita ulit si Alexander Legaspi.

The universe, listening somewhere above the palm trees, laughed quietly.

I woke in the dark. The sound of the ocean drifted in through the balcony door, and under my door crept the smell of something warm and savory.

I woke at ten p.m. to a text. Hi, this is Lex. I got your number from the summit directory, sorry. I left some food on the bar. You missed dinner. Neutral territory. No strings. Just food.

On the marble counter sat a paper cup of tea, a warm Spam musubi, and a napkin in neat slanted handwriting: Rule six: nobody sleeps hungry.

I smiled in spite of every effort of my will..

After finishing the food, kinuha ko ang cookie tin and took out the bear.

By eleven p.m., I was cross-legged on the cream sofa under the lamp, crocheting and finishing the yellow raincoat for the little bear in my lap. 

"Is that a turtle?"

I jumped so hard I almost impaled myself. Alexander stood in the doorway of the big bedroom in a plain gray T-shirt and sleep pants, his hair tousled, looking at the open tin like a man who had stumbled onto a secret.

"Rule four!" I whispered furiously.

"You’re in neutral territory." He came closer, carefully, as if I were a skittish animal. "Is that a zoo?"

Nailatag ko pala sila sa cushion nang hindi ko namamalayan: Mr. Delay, Baboy Budget, Sir Contingency, all lined up. My face went hot. "It's a, um, stress thing. Nagko-crochet ako."

"You crochet."

"Don’t laugh."

"I'm not laughing." He crouched in front of the cushion and looked at each one with absolute seriousness. "What are their names?"

So I told him. Si Mr. Delay (turtle), born during a three-month permit delay. Si Baboy Budget, during a cost overrun. Si Sir Contingency (owl), always right, never listened to.

He picked up the bear, very gently, like it might break. "And this one?"

"Si Maya. I wanted her at the pitch. For luck. Pero isa lang mata niya. I ran out of buttons.”

Without a word, he went into his room. When he came back, he held out a small black button.

"Every suit my tailor makes has a spare sewn inside the jacket. I've never needed one." A tired, crooked smile. "I think it's been waiting its whole life for a job."

Tumingin ako sa butones. I looked at him. Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin.

"Salamat," I said finally.

He smiled.

Bumalik siya sa kuwarto. I sat very still for a long time.

Then I threaded my needle and sewed a small black button, torn from a very expensive suit, onto the face of a very small bear. When I was done, Maya looked up at me with two black but different eyes. I had the strangest feeling that I'd borrowed something I would never be able to return.