by Dawn Brower
“Are you ready to get some lunch?” Vitoria asked.
“Yes, I’m starving. I know just the place to go. It is a short walk from here.”
“Really? I like the idea of walking. What kind of place is this?”
“It’s a little café I discovered when I was here before. I’ve been dying to try it but have always been in a hurry to get home.”
“Well, lead the way.” Vitoria motioned to the door.
Ginnifer nodded and walked out the door of the bridal shop. The sun was high in the sky and warmed Vitoria’s face. She turned toward it with her eyes closed and basked into the heat as it skirted across her cheeks.
With a sigh of contentment, she opened her eyes to see a familiar face a few feet away entering a taxi. Her caramel hair was sheared to the base of her chin in a bob. A crimson streak ran through her hair and framed her face on both sides. A look Vitoria never would have guessed her sister would willingly wear.
“Vivian!” she called out.
Her sister turned her head and saw her. A look of fear crossed her features. She turned away and entered the taxi. The car sped away from the curb.
“Did you see that?” she asked Ginnifer.
“I did. I’m not surprised. You know how your sister is. Got to say that is a different look on her though. Almost didn’t recognize her until you called her name.”
“She seemed afraid. I don’t understand.”
“You haven’t talked to her in a while, it’s hard to say what is going on with her now,” Ginnifer replied.
“Viv has never been the type to scare easily. I’m worried.”
“Well she knows you’re here. Maybe she will reach out to you. Not much else you can do,” Ginnifer reassured her.
“I suppose. Let’s go get some lunch.”
They continued on to the restaurant. Vitoria’s thoughts were never far away from her sister and her odd behavior as she entered the taxi. No matter what Ginny said, she knew something was off. She intended to find out what was going on with her estranged sister.
Chapter Ten
The restaurant, a French bistro situated on the corner, was both quaint and quintessential. A few tables were sitting outside adorned by matching umbrellas and two white wicker chairs. Petite black decorative fencing surrounded the seating area. They entered the establishment, went to where the hostess stood, and waited for her to acknowledge them. Her obsidian hair was cut in a cute pixie style—and for once Tori noticed, someone who was actually shorter than she was. She couldn’t have been more than five feet tall. She wore a uniform of a black pencil skirt that hit her knees, a white peasant blouse, and black ballet-style flats. Something seemed very familiar about her, but Tori couldn’t figure out what it was. Oh well, it would come to her when she least expected it.
“Good afternoon,” she greeted them. “Do you want to sit inside or outside?”
“Which do you prefer, Ginny?”
“It’s really nice outside.” She tilted her head pondering the idea. “I’d like to have lunch out there.”
“That’s fine with me,” Vitoria replied. She turned to the waitress. “We’ll take a table outside.”
“Very well, if you’ll follow me, I will show you to your table.”
She led them back out the front door of the restaurant and showed them to a table situated at the side corner, near the black fence. They each sat in one of the white wicker chairs.
“A waitress will be with you in a few minutes to take your order. Can I get you something to drink while you wait?”
Tori glanced up. “I want a sparkling water with lemon.”
“Oh that sounds good.” Ginnifer nodded her head. “I’ll have the same.”
Vitoria watched the hostess walk away. The niggling feeling she somehow knew her still sat firmly in her mind. Maybe she would place her before they left. In the meantime, she had to decide what to eat.
“What looks good to you?” Ginnifer asked.
Vitoria looked down at the menu. “I’m thinking about getting the Salade de Poulet Croissant.”
Ginnifer scrunched her nose up. “You and your proper French. Is it bad I’m getting a hamburger?”
“Not at all.” Tori’s laugh was light and carefree. “At least they make it sound fancy on the menu. It says it’s a house-made beef brisket burger, Cambozola cheese, tomato jam, rosemary aioli on a brioche bun.”
“Really? Tomato jam? People actually make that stuff and eat it?” Ginnifer asked.
“Apparently it is haute cuisine. I’ve actually had it before. With the right stuff it’s pretty good.” Vitoria stared up at her. “I thought you’d eaten here before?”
“No, I saw it when I drove by last week and wanted to try it.”
“Ah, I must have heard you wrong.” Tori shook her head. That’s what she got for being distracted. Seeing her estranged sister and being kissed by a man who professed to hate her—it scrambled her brain a bit. “I think it is a lovely place, so far.”
The hostess returned with their drinks and sat them in front of them. “Can I get you anything else?”
“No, we’re fine for now,” Ginnifer replied.
The hostess walked back inside the bistro. Tori turned to Ginnifer. “Does she seem familiar to you?”
“A little. She kind of reminds me of Dallas’s ex-fiancée, Melody. She has a similar look to her. Although Melody had long, curly hair and a little more height on her, our hostess shares a remarkable resemblance to her in the face.”
“Perhaps that is what I’m seeing.” Tori tilted her head. “I’m not sure what it is but I feel like I should know her.”
“I’m sure it will come to you. You’re usually pretty good with faces and names.”
“Yeah, maybe, I guess I’m a little bit off my game.” Vitoria picked up her bottle of water and opened it. A slight fizz sounded in her ear as she removed the cap. The lemon had a nice fragrant citrus smell as she squeezed the juice into her water. She let the drained shell slip into the water to allow the flavor from the peel to absorb into it.
“Have you ladies decided what you would like to order?” Tori glanced over to see a blonde woman holding an order pad in one hand and a pencil in the other.
“I believe we have made a decision,” Ginny said. “I would like a hamburger.”
“How would you like it prepared?” The waitress began to write down the order.
“Medium-well.”
Her pencil tipped she asked, “And for your side?”
“What are my choices?”
“Frites or a salad,” she rattled off.
“What are Frites?” Ginnifer asked.
“Frites is a fancier French way of saying fries,” the waitress explained.
“I will take a salad with a vinaigrette dressing.”
“What can I get for you miss?” she asked turning her attention to Vitoria.
After scanning the menu one last time, she decided to stick with her original choice. Once the waitress left, Tori turned her attention back to Ginnifer.
“So, how’s the rest of the wedding plans going?”
“Good. We arranged for a new venue for the reception—as I mentioned before. They’re also going to be handling the catering. We went over all the details with them before we had dinner with you last night, including the menu.”
“What exactly happened to the mess hall building on the ranch?”
“Do you remember during our vacation on the ranch a pipe burst in one of the cabins—causing a lot of water damage? They had something similar happen in the mess hall. The entire kitchen flooded. We didn’t notice at first because we didn’t have anything booked over the winter months. The pipes froze, and then when it warmed up, they exploded. It’s a horrible mess.”
“Wow, it sounds like it. How disappointed were you that you had to move the location?”
“At first? Devastated.” She stopped to take a sip of her sparkling water. “It felt like something was out to destroy my happiness—fate s
aying you aren’t meant to be happy. I squashed that like an annoying bug and moved on. Nothing and no one is going to ruin any of the joy I’ve found.”
“Good for you. I’m glad you found a different solution.”
“Me too—which brings me to a different subject.” Ginnifer bit her lips between her teeth.
“Why does that not sound good?”
“I kind of sort of did something you told me not to.”
Vitoria sat up, giving Ginnifer her full attention. She pierced her with her eyes. “What did you do?”
“I asked Dallas about Eric.”
Vitoria groaned as soon as the words left Ginnifer’s mouth. How could she go and do the one thing she told her not to? Now Dallas would run to Wes and tell him she was asking about him. She didn’t need for him to have another reason to come gunning for her. He already made her life as miserable as possible.
“Why? I told you to leave it alone.”
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself—if I could find out who this Eric was then maybe it would explain why Wes is so combative with you.”
Ginnifer had a point. She’d had a similar thought when Wes brought up his name. Whatever the motive, this Eric was important to Wes in some way, and he associated him to Vitoria. “Since you asked, what did you find out?”
“He is or rather was Wes’s best friend.”
“Was?” Vitoria perked up and leaned her arm on the table. “What happened? Did they have a falling out?”
Ginnifer shook her head a concerned frown on her face. “Worse—he was murdered a couple years ago. Dallas doesn’t know the details. The only information he could give me was that Wes was distraught and grieved for months afterward.”
Vitoria was stunned at her news. Murdered? She couldn’t even begin to imagine what she’d do if she lost Ginnifer—and in such a horrendous way? No wonder Wes had such a huge chip on his shoulder.
Wait—why or how did he tie his best friend’s death to her? How could he possibly believe she might know Eric or something about his murder? When she first met him, she jumped to the erroneous conclusion he must know her sister, but all the signs pointed to this Eric somehow.
Maybe Viv knew Eric… When she located her sister, they were going to have a long chat. She needed to find out what the hell was going on. This animosity Wes displayed toward her had to come to an end. Maybe if she found out what his problem with her was—the kissing would turn into a good thing. They could explore the chemistry exploding between them. Tori believed in being honest with herself. She wanted Wes, always had. She’d like to find out if they had something worth delving into. He kissed her—and she couldn’t stop thinking about it.
“It doesn’t explain why he hates me, but I intend to find out.”
“How?” Ginnifer asked.
“By tracking down Vivian. She has to know something.”
“Well good luck with that. She didn’t appear to want to talk to you earlier.”
Vitoria sighed. “She’s going to have to shut up and deal with it. It’s about time we had a heart-to-heart and cleared the air ourselves. We’re grown adults and should start acting like it. No matter what our parents did to us as children, we should be able to set that aside long enough to have a civil conversation.”
Ginnifer nodded “Agreed.”
The waitress came and delivered their order. Ginnifer picked up her fork and speared some lettuce bringing up to her mouth. She chewed with relish enjoying her food. “The dressing on this salad is amazing.”
“You’re enjoying your lunch yes?”
Tori looked up to see a charismatic gentleman on the other side of the decorative black fence. “Mr. Santiago, so good to see you again,” Vitoria replied. She remembered the striking man from the day before at the realtor’s.
“The pleasure is all mine, senorita.” His lips tilted into a smile, bringing out his dimples.
Vitoria was momentarily stunned by his masculine beauty. She wanted him to carry her away and give in to the romantic fantasies his presence invoked within her. Shaking them away she responded, “What are you doing here?”
“I’m meeting a business acquaintance for lunch. I noticed you and your lovely friend as I was walking by and thought I’d say hello.”
“Oh, how rude of me. Ginnifer this is Miguel Santiago—Mr. Santiago, this is my friend, Ginnifer Zeiss.”
Miguel placed his hand on his chest as he spoke, oozing charm and extreme sex appeal. Enough to make her insides quiver with need. “It is I who am the rude one interrupting your meal. Please call me Miguel. I see no reason for us to be so formal.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Miguel,” Ginnifer replied. “How did you two meet?”
Vitoria didn’t want Ginnifer to know about her plans to move to Seattle yet so she responded before Miguel could get a word out. “Oh, we ran into each other yesterday afternoon after I arrived—he was kind enough to hold open a door for me so I didn’t get drenched from the rain.”
“Indeed. It would not do for such a beautiful woman as yourself to get drowned by the Seattle downpour.”
Vitoria wanted to sigh in contentment. He was such a beautiful man, fascinating and sexy with such nice manners. Why couldn’t Wes be like this with her? He was always so angry and belligerent whenever he neared her. The only time he didn’t glare at her with scorn was when his lips were searing her soul. Miguel was appealing and gorgeous. Why couldn’t she want him the same way she desired Wes? “Thank you again for your assistance.”
“Perhaps you would be willing to share a meal with me while you are in town? You mentioned being busy yesterday—has your schedule perhaps cleared up enough to allow time for me?”
He was so sincere when he asked her. How could she deny him? “Yes, I can squeeze you in somehow. Do you have a time in mind?”
“Why not tonight?”
Vitoria nodded her head. “Yes, I can do tonight.”
“Excellent. I will pick you up from your hotel at seven if that time suits you.”
Vitoria dug through her purse for a pen and paper. She wrote down her hotel information and handed it to him.
“It does.”
He bowed before them. “I will take your leave now. Enjoy your meal, ladies.” His eyes poured over Vitoria. “Until tonight then.” He left them alone at the table.
Ginnifer fanned herself. “You didn’t mention meeting him.”
“Honestly, I forgot. I was busy.”
Lusting after Wes Novak—something not entirely healthy for her peace of mind. Maybe it was a good thing she had a date with Miguel. Perhaps he was the key to getting over her unwanted desire.
“Yes, yes you were.”
Wait…did Ginny insinuate she’d been involved with Miguel in the carnal sense? Vitoria leaned forward and smacked her. “Not like you’re implying.”
Ginnifer raised her eyebrow. “You’re reading way too much into my words. I think you doth protest too much.”
Vitoria cheeks heated with embarrassment. What her friend didn’t realize was she did have a little fun with another man—Ginnifer’s soon to be brother-in-law. Wes’s lips were forever branded on hers. Ginnifer referred to Miguel though, not Wes. Tori wasn’t ready to put her experience with him into words. So she returned to the subject of her date. A man more than willing to spend time with her—more importantly—one whose gaze didn’t reflect hostility back at her. “He’s awfully charming.”
Ginnifer laughed before saying, “You can handle it and him.”
“I suppose I can.”
Vitoria let a smile form on her face. She could enjoy the evening with Miguel. Didn’t she deserve to feel some kind of happiness? Yes, she did, and she would seize any opportunity to get it for herself. She would not let Wes have any more say in how she dictated her life. He hated her—she accepted that. After she talked to Vivian and got to the bottom of the issue, she would wash her hands of him. The only thing that bothered her was she didn’t understand the reason for his hatred. At least
that is what she kept telling herself for the rest of the meal with her best friend. If she only knew why, maybe then she could let it go once and for all.
Chapter Eleven
Vitoria left the little French bistro with Ginnifer. They said their goodbyes outside the wedding boutique. Vitoria watched her best friend get into her vehicle and drive off in the opposite direction. She turned to walk toward her rental and saw Wes leaning against the passenger door. Tori mentally cursed at the sight of him. He kept showing up like a bad penny.
If only she could throw the proverbial thing away and never see it again.
“What are you doing here?”
Tori let her eyes roam over him. She licked her lips and appreciated the view. If she had to keep running into him at least she got something scrumptious to look at.
She really shouldn’t be so hard on him. In his mind, she had something to do with his best friend’s death. If she’d believed him responsible for hurting Ginnifer, she’d never forgive him.
He pushed himself off the side of the vehicle and walked toward her. “I thought we should talk.”
“You really shouldn’t be doing that.”
“What?” His eyebrows crunched up in puzzlement.
“Think.” She glared at him. “It leads to bad ideas.”
Wes shook his head. “I really don’t want to argue with you right now.”
“Then you shouldn’t have bothered tracking me down.” Tori shrugged her shoulders and moved to the driver’s side of her car. “Go home Wes.”
Wes stepped in between her and the door. “What happened last night...”
“Never should have happened.”
“Agreed.”
His words were like a sucker punch to her stomach. Tori couldn’t get the kiss out of her mind, but he deemed it a mistake. She shouldn’t be surprised, yet she was. When she said it shouldn’t have happened, part of her hoped he’d disagree with her.
“Nice talk.” She shoved him to the side to move him away from the car door. “Let’s not do it again.”
Wes wrapped his hand around her wrist and pulled her against his chest. “Don’t run away.”