Frank leaned into her and whispered. “I hope the rose didn’t make you uncomfortable. I just couldn’t help myself when the guy outside selling them hit me up.”
“No, not at all,” she said bringing it to her nose, and smelled it with a smile. “That was sweet of you.”
The waitress came by to take their orders though Grace’s drink was still nearly full. While Frank was distracted putting in his order in, Taylor leaned into her and whispered in her ear. “Don’t look now but there’s this girl who’s been looking at you all night over by the rail to my left. It’s almost as if she’d trying to get your attention. At first, I thought she might be looking at me or Joey but her eyebrows nearly hit the ceiling when Frank arrived and sat next to you. She’s still looking now, so be casual about it.”
Grace nodded, smiling as if he’d just said something funny. She stirred her drink, glancing in the opposite direction Taylor said, then casually brought her eyes back to the area Taylor meant. Her heart sank and she felt her chest constrict when she saw her. Sofia smiled and waved. The last thing she needed was a reminder of that family. Immediately she felt the tension in her throat, but she smiled and waved back.
When she saw Sofia start toward her Grace stood up alarmed that Sofia would come over and talk about something that might upset her in front of Joey and Taylor. She was trying so hard to convince them that she was better now, but just seeing Sofia was added proof that nothing could be further from therthld come truth. “I’ll be back.” She touched Taylor’s shoulder as she stood up. “I know her.”
Knowing that as soon as Joey saw Sofia, he’d remember her as Sal’s sister, she smiled big at him to squash any possible indication of what she was really feeling. She met Sofia halfway and they hugged but Grace pulled away quickly afraid anything longer might make for a more emotional reunion.
“Hey! Oh my Gosh you look hot!” Sofia smiled, looking Grace up and down.
“You do, too. As usual.” Grace tried to match her smile but simply couldn’t. The tightness in her chest was a living thing. “What are you doing here?
“Eric is out of town for a few days, so,” she turned back to the two girls standing nearby, “I decided to take a girls’ night out. Something I so rarely do. They’ve been going on and on about this place since it opened.” She glanced over to Grace’s table. “What about you? New man in your life already?”
The very thought of a new man in her life ever was such a joke. But why let Sal and his family in on how pathetic she was? He’d obviously had no issues delving into new waters the moment he’d had one night away from her. Now that they’d been apart for this long, he was probably meticulously planning his future with Melissa and their child. Grace shrugged. “New friend.”
Thankfully Sofia didn’t ask more about Frank or bring up Sal. Instead she reiterated how good Grace looked then almost brought her to tears when she told her how much she was missed at the restaurant. Sofia must’ve seen the hurt in her eyes because she hugged her again this time holding onto her longer, making the tears that had gathered in Grace’s eyes stream down her cheeks.
“She’s not pregnant, Grace,” Sofia whispered in her ear.
Grace froze, for a moment unable to breathe.
Sofia pulled away. “I don’t know if that changes anything for you but—”
“It doesn’t.”
Grace would never get past the fact that the moment Sal had been away from her, his supposed love for her hadn’t been enough to fight off temptation. And that temptation would always be there, especially for a man like him. Women would always throw themselves at him. Her heart would never survive that kind of betrayal again.
Sofia stared at her, the sadness in her eyes as deep as what Grace felt in her heart. She wiped the tears away and shook her head. “It doesn’t, Sof.” She forced a very weak smile which made no sense at all because the warm tears still slid down her cheeks. “It was good to see you again. I gotta get back.” She motioned to her table. “They’re waiting for me.”
She turned around, taking a very deep breath and wiped her eyes gently, mindful of all the makeup she wore.
Joey and Taylor both noticed as soon as she sat down but she waved them away with a smile, taking her compact out of her purse to assess the damage—not as bad as she thought. Once she cleaned it up she did her best to smile at Joey and Taylor who were both looking at her very concerned. “Who wants to dance?”
Frank was immediately on his feet. “Let’s go.”
Even as she stood and fee sght="0">lt Frank’s hand slide into hers, the tightness in her chest nearly suffocated her. “C’mon let’s all go.”
Ruben and her mother didn’t budge. She knew this wasn’t their kind of music but Joey sprung out of his chair, looking very relieved that Grace had snapped out of it so quickly. And here he thought he knew her so well.
CHAPTER 32
Romero’s connection still hadn’t had any luck with the surveillance tape from the casino. But after Sal let him in on his conversation with Melissa and told him how convinced he was now that nothing had actually happened that night, Romero had an idea.
Since Romero had so many clients who hired him to get proof their spouses were cheating he’d long ago acquired ways for tracking text messages and emails. If Melissa had texted or emailed even one person to tell them about what she’d done Sal would have his proof. Romero said he’d get on it ASAP, but he still had his guy trying to track down video of that night at the casino.
Sal had been at the restaurant reading through his emails when Alex walked into the back office where he sat. “Any news from Romero yet?”
“Nothing new,” he said, without looking away from the computer screen.
Sal had filled him in on the theories about the possibility that nothing may have happened. Alex was as optimistic about that fixing things as Sofia was.
“Have you heard from Melissa?”
Before he said anything to Alex or Sofia he wanted to have some kind of proof. He knew Alex and Sofia would be all about him going straight to Grace with the news, but he needed more. He didn’t want to open up any more wounds, before he knew he could back up his story with something solid. Still he thought Alex would be a little less gung-ho about it than Sofia so he spun around in his chair to face him as Alex stood there, pulling a restaurant polo over his head.
“She called me yesterday morning.”
“For what?”
“She was drunk but I almost got her to admit nothing happened between me and her in Vegas.”
Alex’s eyes opened wide. “What do you mean almost?”
Sofia walked in and Sal bit his tongue but it was too late. Alex pushed on. “Did she actually say nothing happened?”
Sofia’s eyebrows pinched. “Who?”
“Melissa,” Alex smiled, the excitement in his eyes said it all he was going to be gung-ho. “She called Sal and almost admitted nothing happened in Vegas.”
Sofia’s eyes immediately lit up. “You’re kidding me. What did she say? Have you called Grace?”
Damn it. This was exactly what he’d hoped to avoid. “No. She didn’t say it exactly but her reaction to my questioning pretty much said it all. She went quiet and when I all out accused her of making the whole thing up she hung up on me. She’s never been one to walk away or end a conversation with me. She’s always done just the opposite.”
“I knew it. I knew it!” Sofia held her hand up and high fived Alex then held her hand up for Sal. “So you called Grace?”
Sal didn’t even raise his hand. “No.”
“What?” This was exactly what he expected from Sofia. She brought her hand down looking almost disgusted. “Why not?”
“Because I still have no proof. Grace isn’t gonna buy this shit. If the tables were turned I’m not sure I would either.”
“But you have to at least tell her there is a very high probability, Sal. What if you wait too long and she… you know moves on?”
Sal noticed Sofia’s
level of a excitement take a sudden nose dive with that last question. “I’m working on it Sof. Romero’s doing some more digging for me. I’m hoping he’ll have something for me soon.”
“Grace won’t be moving on, Sof,” Alex said with a frown. “You didn’t see her the day Melissa told her about Vegas.”
Sal’s heart ached at the thought. Her agonized expression at Joey’s and Taylor’s when she told him she hated him would forever haunt him.
“You wanna bet?”
His thoughts were still so consumed in the memories of that horrible day that Sofia’s words barely registered, but he glanced at her as she pulled her phone out of her purse. “Does this look like someone who’s not moving on?”
Both Sal and Alex waited as Sofia’s fingers tapped and glided over her touch screen phone then flipped it around for Sal to see the picture on the screen. He reached over slowly, staring at the picture of an almost unrecognizable Grace on the screen.
“That was last night at the Voodoo lounge. She was there with someone and he seemed very smitten from where I was standing.”
Slapped with the overpowering feelings of raw jealously, Sal pulled his eyes from Sofia’s phone to look at her. “What do you mean?”
Alex took the phone from Sal. “Oh damn, this is Gracie?”
“Slide over to the next picture aext pictnd you’ll see what I mean.”
Alex slid his finger over the screen and Sal saw his expression immediately go hard. “What the fuck? Who’s the guy?”
Sal grabbed the phone out of Alex’s hands. In the picture Grace was on the dance floor, smiling at a guy who had his arm around her waist. A guy he didn’t recognize as the older guy with the roses who’d come to pick her up that night. Sal’s insides were ablaze. “Did you talk to her?”
“Yeah. I asked her if she’d moved on already and she didn’t say yes but she didn’t deny it either, Sal. She said he was a friend but she looked spectacular. Like she’s ready to move on. Why else would she be at a nightclub all done up with another guy?”
Sal stared at the picture of Grace and the other guy, feeling ready to explode. Business date his ass. “What do you want me to do, Sof?” His gruff voice did nothing to hide what he was feeling and he didn’t even care anymore. He was done playing the part of the in-control brother. Seeing Grace in the arms of another man made him feel things he didn’t even know he was capable of feeling. “I don’t even have her number anymore and she won’t see me. She begged me to stay away from her.”
Julie stuck her head in the door. “They need one of you out here to sign for a delivery.”
Sofia frowned, shaking her head, but turned toward the door. “I got it.”
Even though he didn’t care about being in-control anymore Sal still tried to collect himself. He needed to gather his thoughts. He swiped Sofia’s phone again and the next photo made him suck in a breath. It was of Grace and the guy walking off the dance floor holding hands. She was looking down but the guy gazed at her with an undeniable look of desire in his eyes. He tried swiping again but it was the last picture on her phone.
“Fuck!” He tossed the phone as if he held it any longer it would burn a hole through his hand. Either that or he’d be buying Sofia a new phone since he had a very strong urge to fling it across the room.
Alex picked it up. “Dude. Valerie begged me once to stay away from her. I was stupid enough to do it for over a year.” Alex stared down at the phone, frowning. “Yep. This is what happens. Damn she looks different.”
“Hot is what she looked like,” Sofia said, walking back into the room. “I told her about Melissa not being pregnant.”
Sal felt the hair on the back of his neck stand as he turned and stared at his sister. “And what did she say?”
Sofia chewed the corner of her lip. “Obviously she’s still hurt, but I really don’t think you should wait on this, Sal. That guy she was with last night was totally into her and I gotta tell you.” Sofia turned and opened the cabinet, giving her back to Sal. “She seemed sad for a moment there when I brought up Melissa but she got over it fairly quickly. This could be her rebound guy you know. Even if she is just using him to help her get over you, he certainly didn’t look like he’d mind being used and abused by the suddenly hot Gracie.”
His jaw hurt from how hard he’d been clenching it the entire time Sofia spoke. If Sofia’s phone had still been in his hands it’d be in a million pieces now for as tight as he was gripping the arm of the chair. “But she said he’s just a friend.”
Sofia turned to him making a face. “Yeah, you think she’d actually tell me if she was doing anything else with him?” She pulled her apron around her. “Though her behavior around him last night sure made it look like she is.”
Unable to sit anymore, Sal stood up, nearly sputtering his words. “What was she doing?” He wasn’t even sure why he was asking. Just the thought crushed heavy into his chest like a freight train. Did he really want to know?
Sofia smirked. “Not much more than what you saw in those pictures.” She patted Sal’s arm. “She just looked like she was having a good time with him. That’s all. But it made me nervous, Sal. If he can make her forget about you even if it is only for an evening, that could be how it starts.”
“She’s right, man,” Alex added, still looking down at Sofia’s phone. “This would make me nervous as shit. Hell, I ain’t you and I’m nervous for you. You gotta move, Sal. Before this guy does.”
As tempted as Sal was to look at the photos again he resisted grabbing the phone from Alex. Even another glance at the asshole with her in the pictures and he was certain Sofia’s phone would go flying across the room. Instead he pulled his own phone out of his holster.
“You calling her?” Sofia’s bright eyes were hopeful.
“No, I don’t have her number, Sof.” But they were right. He had to do something. “I’m calling Romero.” He walked past her and out the door with the phone at his ear. “I’ll be outside.”
He needed air—needed to breathe. If he stood in that room any longer thinking about Grace and the guy she’d been with things were going to start flying in every direction. For the first time Sal understood now how Alex’s temper could torpedo in an instant. He flexed his empty hand as he walked out the back door then paced, waiting for Romero to answer. When the call went to voicemail he hung up and dialed Vincent. He answered on the first ring. “Hey Sal.”
“Did Rose say anything else about this business date Grace was on last night?” The more he thought about it the hotter he got. He pulled on his collar and loosened his tie. His next call would be to cancel the meeting he had scheduled with the same investing group he’d been in the middle of negotiating with when Alex had called to tell him about Melissa showing up at the restaurant and dropping the bomb on Grace.
He didn’t care that day that he’d blown them off the moment he realized what had happened and he didn’t care now.
Vincent exhaled loudly, an indication that Rose had said something. “Out with it. Vin. Is she seeing this guy?”
God that pissed him off. Sure she was under the impression he’d betrayed her but it hadn’t even been a month. He couldn’t even begin to think about seeing anyone else and she was out dancing with this fucker? And from what Sofia said, enjoying it?
“She didn’t say much about it last night,” Vincent said. “But this morning she texted me to say they’re going house hunting all day today. The guy she went out with last night I guess is buying the house with them.”
Sal stopped his pacing, his eyebrows shooting up. “They’re buying a house together?”
“I guess. She said he was going because he’d be part owner.”
Sal could "> Sal cbarely bring himself to ask the next question but he had to know. Speaking through his teeth he barely got the words out. “Is he moving in with her?”
“Whoa. I don’t know about that. I can ask her if you want. But dude aren’t you having a kid with—”
“No I’m not!
” His voice a near roar now and there was little he could do about it. “Ask her and call me back.”
“I’ll text her then forward you whatever she responds. I’m not supposed to be using my mom’s minutes. But Sal… ”
“What Vincent?” Sal’s patience was completely shot now.
“I was just gonna say, it may take a while because I can’t just ask her you know? It’ll be too suspicious. I’ll have to work my way to the question.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
After hanging up with Vincent Sal paced for a few more minutes outside. He knew there was no way Grace could be sleeping with this guy, but what other incentive would he have to buy her and her family a fucking house? He tried making sense of it. They guy owned a casino in Laughlin. Why would he be looking into moving in with Grace in California?
Once he felt calm enough at least to speak without growling he called and cancelled his meeting. There was no way he’d be able to concentrate on anything now.
He tried Romero again. This time he answered.
“You got anything yet?”
“I was just going through some of her email. But fuck she has a lot. I was able to filter out the ones that were just business. All the court crap.”
Sal ran his fingers through his hair. “Doesn’t she have a personal email?”
“Yeah, problem is, she uses that one for all her court shit too. But I’m getting hot. I found a couple between Melissa and her cousin—I guess your friend’s wife.”
Sal winced remembering how he’d skipped out on Jason’s wedding. After everything that happened he didn’t even want to be in the same room with Melissa and since she was a bridesmaid she would be there for sure. He’d lied through his teeth, telling Jason he was sick as a dog but he knew Jason had still been disappointed. He hadn’t talked to him since. “Kat?”
Making You Mine (The Moreno Brothers 5) Page 32