The Spanish Love Deception

Lina and Aaron go to bed together and have sex. Aaron continually asks for consent, determined to protect Lina’s feelings. The experience is gratifying for both of them.

Afterward, Lina and Aaron describe their joy. Aaron voices regret that he only brought one condom. Lina feels ready to give Aaron her heart but ultimately holds back: “It was a big word [love] that I had promised myself I wouldn’t give anybody without being sure I meant it with every single molecule in my body. Without being sure I was safe” (372).

The next morning, Lina and Aaron are tempted to make love again, except they only have an hour to get ready before Lina’s parents take them to the airport. As they land in New York, Lina begins to worry about their relationship, as Aaron is about to become her boss. She tells him that this is something they need to talk about. She yearns to commit to their relationship, but memories of Daniel still haunt her: “I wanted to take the leap. Badly. But my experience told me otherwise, warning me not to make the same mistake twice” (377).

Aaron asks Lina to spend the night at his apartment. In the morning, they’ll go to work together and discuss their relationship with HR. Lina goes home with Aaron, and they have another romantic encounter.

Compared to Lina’s small studio, Aaron’s apartment is large and luxurious. He explains that he inherited money after his mother’s death that allows him to afford such a sumptuous dwelling.

Rosie repeatedly texts Lina, and the latter confesses that she is staying at Aaron’s apartment—leaving the former feeling justified in her hunch that the pair loved each other all along.

Lina and Aaron go out for fish tacos. While they kiss in public, Lina spots another employee from Gerald’s team watching them. They return to Aaron’s apartment and make love again. As they lie in each other’s arms, each expresses how grateful they are for their relationship.

The first day back at work, Lina and Rosie sit together for lunch. Rosie refuses to let Lina eat anything until she tells her everything that happened in Spain.

Gerald appears and sits with them. He taunts Lina about having achieved everything she has by sleeping with the boss. His hurtful words trigger Lina’s memories of Daniel. Lina and Rosie tell Gerald to leave, but he ignores them. He continues to taunt Lina, saying “Gets cozy with the boss and thinks she can go around telling people off” (403).

Aaron arrives and asks what’s going on. Lina refuses to tell him, and Rosie says he should ask Gerald. When Aaron turns to Gerald, the latter makes snide remarks about it being Aaron’s nature to sleep with the personnel. Aaron asks him if he wants to lose his job. When Gerald gives him a snarky answer, Aaron tells him that he knows about Gerald’s golf buddies in upper management and that they won’t help him.

Lina worries about Aaron’s position and walks away, passing aimlessly through hallways and stairwells. Aaron catches up to her in a deserted hallway. They converse, with Lina telling him that this is a replay of what happened to her as Daniel’s student. Aaron voices that while she doesn’t fully trust him, he refuses to allow Gerald to ruin their relationship or jobs. As they speak, Aaron’s cellphone rings. He looks at the display and walks away, leaving Lina in the hall.

After her encounter with Aaron in the hallway, Lina asks Rosie to spend the night. They watch Moulin Rouge and cry. Lina asks Rosie if doomed love is worth pursuing, which the latter affirms, saying, “When you find that kind of love, time stops mattering” (410).

Lina doesn’t hear from Aaron for three days. She conducts the special event that she had been tasked with but fears its quality. Though Aaron misses work, no one says anything about it.

Sharon, the head of HR, summons Lina to her office. She tells Lina that she has the right to launch a complaint against Gerald for his sexist remarks; she mentions that many people came to HR to complain about him. Sharon informed them that Lina has to be the one to file the complaint. She tells Lina to take her time and that many people support her. Lina is amazed to learn so many coworkers care about her. She asks why Aaron is absent. Sharon relays that Aaron’s father is critically ill with cancer, and that Aaron flew to Seattle to be with him.

Lina immediately flies to Seattle. She remains uncertain of which hospital houses Aaron’s father, Richard Blackford, or how Aaron will receive her. After visiting several cancer hospitals, she finally locates Richard and finds Aaron in a waiting room. He embraces Lina and accepts her apology for having abandoned him.

A nurse tells Aaron that his father is awake. He and Lina enter Richard’s hospital room to find him sitting on the side of his bed. Looking at Lina, Richard asks, “Is this her, son” (429), causing Aaron to realize his father heard his talk of Lina even when he couldn’t physically respond. Richard compares Lina to Dorothea, Aaron’s mother, and tells Aaron to hold onto her.

The year following Lina and Aaron’s trip to Seattle, the former finds herself lost in thought during a directors’ meeting. Aaron now chairs the directors; InTech fired Gerald for sexual misconduct and replaced him with Rosie. Lina and Aaron made a Christmas trip back to Spain and explained the true nature of their relationship to Lina’s family.

Aaron ends the directors’ meeting so he and Lina can head to the airport. Lina’s parents, a pregnant Isabel, and Isabel’s husband Gonzalo arrive from Spain to vacation at a rental house; Richard and his caretaker Martha also plan to join. Lina and Aaron reaffirm their love as they step out of their building onto the Manhattan street.