“Katherine? That’s what the email says.”
“Yeah, that’s her.”
“So I’m sifting through this shit and your name has come up but only to ask if you’d be in Vegas. The report for the text messaging just came through; I was getting ready to switch over to that. Maybe I’ll have better luck there. It’s huge though. I can only imagine the amount of garbage I’m gonna have to go through.”
“Dude, you gotta find something. I need this now.”
Romero promised he’d do his best and Sal hung up with him, the frustration weighing even heavier. Then he noticed he had a text—from Vincent.
He took a deep breath before reading it. The first part was Vincent’s text to Rose where he cleverly asked her if she was blowing him off and if she really n she reaeeded to go with her sister and her new boyfriend to look for their new place.
Her first response, although she didn’t comment on the boyfriend inference or the “their place” comment, was somewhat reassuri
ng. She said Grace didn’t like to spend that much time with him alone so she’d asked her to come with them. Sal stared at the rest of the text conversation feeling sick to his stomach.
Vince: ?? Why would she go out with someone she doesn’t like being alone with?
Rose: It’s complicated. All I can say is he’s going to a big part of our lives now.
Vince: Really? So it’s getting serious?
Rose: Something like that. We’re here I’ll ttyl!
Rose: Oh and remember don’t you dare say anything to Sal!
The last part of the text was from Vince addressed to Sal.
You better never tell Grace I forwarded you this. I already feel like I’m going straight to hell. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve assured her I would never pass on any info to you man! This is some bullshit! >=(
Sal stood there still staring at the text, his heart pounding in his chest. He’s going to be a big part of our lives now. What the hell did that mean?
CHAPTER 33
There was just too much excitement going on this weekend—that’s what Grace kept telling everyone—and herself. From her Friday night out to her long day Saturday with Frank. Though she didn’t admit that seeing Sofia had been the most detrimental to her already fragile state. It only confirmed what she already knew. That she was nowhere near even beginning to get over Sal.
Her tiresome day of house hunting Saturday had also taken its toll. The heat wasn’t helping matters either. It was no wonder why she kept having dizzy spells. Somehow she couldn’t convince anyone that she was fine. She’d just been a little winded yesterday when her head spun after getting out of Frank’s car and she had to hold on to the door for a few minutes before she could walk. She’d seen the fear in Rose’s face and no amount of reassuring could persuade her not to worry.
Frank had been there the entire weekend. Her mom had everything to do with that. She’d invited him back over on Sunday. Grace had been lying in bed still when her mother walked in to tell her.
“I was with him Friday night, and most of the day yesterday.” Grace argued. “I’m sorry I’m not spending today with him, too, mom. He’s gonna get the wrong idea. This is a business partnership and nothing more.”
“I know this and so does he, Grace. We’re just being (hospitable.”
“Well I think he’s beginning to get the wrong idea.” She regretted now that Friday night she hadn’t protested when Frank slipped his hand into hers several times. It just didn’t seem like a big deal walking off and on the dance floor. “You can be hospitable for the both of us today. I’m going over to Joey and Taylor’s.” She sat up and immediately felt lightheaded. Shit.
She glanced over to where Rose sat on a bean bag in the corner of her room glad she was too engrossed in her texting to notice Grace needed a moment to focus while the room finally stood still for her.
Her mother was busy still rambling about why Grace should reconsider staying and hanging out with Frank for a least a little while but she didn’t want to hear it anymore. She stood up slowly and carefully, hoping Rose wouldn’t notice anything.
Seeing her mother cross her arms in a huff as she walked past her did nothing to slow her down. She was done with this conversation. The only good thing that had come of this weekend was that they finally narrowed their choices down to two restaurant/homes that both Grace and her mother agreed were acceptable. Both were in Chula Vista which meant Rose wouldn’t have to change schools.
The agreement with Frank had been that he’d help Grace and her mom get the restaurant going but eventually, once the restaurant took off, she and her mother would buy him out, leaving them the sole owners. Her mother still insisted that there were no ulterior motives and that Frank was doing this out of the kindness of his heart and a few years of extra profit brought in by the restaurant was incentive enough.
The fact that he was supposed to go back to Laughlin yesterday morning and he’d hung around a few extra days when talk of them spending the day together Saturday had come up, and now he’d happily agreed to coming over to spend yet another day with her instead of going back to check on his casino said it all. Besides Grace wasn’t blind. She’d seen from their very first night out, the way he’d looked at her. His gazes were becoming increasingly uncomfortable. And she wasn’t the only one who’d noticed it either. Taylor was very keen about noticing everything. Just like he’d noticed Sofia watching her at the nightclub, he also noticed and even asked if she thought it was wise to partner up with a man who was obviously interested in doing more than just business with her.
It got her thinking and it was one of the reasons why she was getting the heck out of there before Frank arrived. But not the only reason. She had something else she needed to finally face. Something that had crossed her mind a few times in the last week but she hadn’t allowed herself to seriously consider.
If it weren’t for the fact that she knew Rose would more than jump at the chance to be able to spend time with Vincent, Grace would almost feel guilty about suggesting she make plans with him again. He was actually coming in handy, not only to keep Rose company Friday night but today as well. Normally she’d balk at her little sister spending so much time with him but she needed to talk to Joey and Taylor without Rose there and she knew her sister would tag along rather than stay home with her mother and Ruben to entertain Frank. So Grace agreed to let her go to the beach with him today but only for a few hours until she took care of what she needed to.
An hour later, despite her mother’s protests, Grace and Rose walked out at the same time. Vince had texted Rose that he was just around the corner. She felt guilty when she lty whensaw Frank pull up and park behind his own Cadillac. The very vehicle she’d be using to flee his company today.
“Oh God. I should’ve left sooner.”
Rose glanced at Frank who’d already gotten out of his car and was on his way to meet them. “What are you gonna tell him?”
“That I have errands to run,” Grace whispered as he got closer. “I’m not staying and hanging out with him again. Mom’s nuts.”
Suddenly she regretted that in her haste to rush out before Frank arrived sh’de neglected to eat anything because a wave of lightheadedness swept over her again just as he reached them.
“Going somewhere?” he asked.
Trying hard to ignore the fact that the dizzy spell she was experiencing was one of the worse she had to date, she smiled. “Yeah, I have a few errands I need to run today. I’ll be gone all day but my mom and Ruben are up there waiting for you.”
Vince pulled up in the Jetta, reawakening the pain of her heartache but she was still relieved to see him because Rose immediately waved goodbye to them and walked away. As soon as she turned her back Grace reached out for Frank’s arm, needing the support before she fell. “You okay?”
He brought his arms around her as Grace leaned against him, willing the spell to go away. What the hell was wrong with her?
“Maybe you shouldn�
��t be driving like this.”
Grace looked up at him, his face close enough she could smell the mouthwash on his breath, then glanced over to where Rose now sat in the front seat of the jetta and both she and Vincent were looking their way. She managed a smile before they drove away. “No I’m okay.” The spell was already passing, but she did need to get out of there. Now more than ever. “I’ll be fine. I just skipped breakfast but I’ll grab something.”
“You sure?” Frank searched her eyes, his hand still firmly on her elbow.
“Yes, I’m sure.” She smiled, fishing the keys out of her purse. “I’ll be fine as soon as I grab a bite.” His eyes still seemed unconvinced. “It’s the first thing I’ll do. I promise.”
Okay so she lied when she said it would be the first thing she would do, but it was for good reason. Some things were more important at the moment. She waved as she drove away feeling that familiar tightness in her throat. She didn’t think it possible and she prayed that she was wrong. Her health hadn’t been an issue in years. Unbelievably life could be getting even more complicated for her now.
Of course it would be Grace’s luck that there’d be three other people waiting to use the blood pressure machine at the pharmacy. A sad indication of her neighborhoods status level. Like her, most probably didn’t have insurance and had to rely on the free resources available to them.
She walked around through the vitamin aisles. For weeks she’d suspected her dizzy spells were a sure sign that her anemia was back. She’d suffered from it when she was younger but it had gotten better and since she’d read that it was curable with good diet and iron supplements, she made sure she ate well and took her pills. Unfortunately, she stopped worrying too much about it and began neglecting taking the iron supplements after a few years of zero symptoms.
Shock she w> Shock as told, was also something that could bring on the sudden drop in blood pressure, something she so often had when her anemia was at its worst. Nothing could have shocked her more than finding out about Sal and Melissa. She was certain that’s what had started it all, and now she’d hardly had an appetite since the break up. And the last thing on her mind lately had been to take iron supplements, in fact she’d run out years ago and with no symptoms she hadn’t bothered replacing them.
After grabbing a generic brand of iron pills she walked back to where there was only one person waiting for the machine now.
When it was her turn she sat down and even though she’d done this many times before she was nervous. The instructions on the machine said to push the stop button if she began to feel dizzy or faint. Grace remembered once becoming so lightheaded while taking the test she’d hit the stop button in a panic. She already felt dizzy and she hadn’t even hit the start button. But she had to know the severity—had to know if she was going to have to bite the bullet and use the insurance she was sure Alex hadn’t cancelled yet. Her anemia could get bad. And with the frequency of the dizziness she’d been feeling lately, this couldn’t be good. She couldn’t take a chance of falling into that kind of illness now that she was getting ready to start her own business.
Taking a deep breath she pressed the start button. The machine did its thing and began to squeeze around her arm. Her hand was ready to push the stop button but it happened too fast. An incredible wave of lightheadedness swept over her and before she could react everything went black.
*
It took Grace a few moments after the two unfamiliar faces staring at her came into focus to realize where she was and what had happened. She sat up quickly from the chair she was slumped in, immediately regretting it as a sudden jolt of nausea and lightheadedness threatened to take her out again.
“Sit back,” the older man in a white coat ordered.
How long had she been out that there was a doctor already there?
“You think we should call the paramedics?” the older plain clothed lady said.
“No!” There was no way she could afford a trip to the emergency room. “I’ll be fine. My blood pressure is just a little low and—”
“Yeah,” The man nodded. “That’ll do it. How’s your head feeling?”
“My head?” Grace reached up and within a second felt a small bump on her forehead.
“That’ll probably turn into a good sized knot for a few days from where you slumped over and your head clunked the machine. That’s what got our attention.” He motioned toward the pharmacist station and she realized he was a pharmacist not a doctor.
“How long have I been out?”
“Just a couple of minutes. We had just rushed over when you started coming to.”
They let her call someone, refusing to let her drive. She calleve. She d home figuring it would be the fastest since Joey and Taylor were further away. When she was finally able to walk around without feeling like she was going to pass out she grabbed the iron pills and walked down an the dreaded aisle where she knew they had the one other thing she needed to buy. She hurried and paid for her things before her mother could arrive and see. But she should’ve known. Her mother didn’t even bother to come. She sent Frank by himself.
“How are you feeling?” he rushed to where she sat waiting, the overly concerned expression making her a little uncomfortable.
“I’m fine, really,” she said, grabbing her things and standing up. “I’ve always had low blood pressure. Using that machine was not a good idea today.”
He continued with the concerned questioning most of the way back to her apartment until she changed the subject. “I think my mom and I finally decided on which place we should make an offer on. Did she tell you?”
“Yeah she did. The one on the corner. That’s kind of a busy spot. You sure you wouldn’t mind living on such a busy corner?”
Grace glanced up at her old building. “Anything is better than this place.”
Frank parked and she got out of the car immediately feeling lightheaded as she stood. She’d noticed that’s when it was the worst; after sitting for a while and then suddenly standing. Frank was at her side in an instant taking her by the arm then bringing his arm around her shoulder as they walked the rest of the way into her apartment. Not only was it uncomfortable, it was getting annoying. She moved her purse over to her other shoulder as they reached the stairs and was able to casually move his arm off her. “I’m fine Frank. Thanks.”
He finally got the hint and let her walk the rest of the way up without him holding her arm. Once inside she explained to everyone about what happened, adding that they need not worry she would be fine. Although she wasn’t really feeling hungry she boiled an egg, nibbled a few crackers and forced herself to drink a V8. Then she took her vitamin supplements. She needed to get better. The last thing she wanted was for Rose to see her like this.
After eating she walked to her room and pulled out what she’d purchased at the pharmacy and stared at it. Rose would be home in a few hours. Grace had told her she wanted her home early so she only had short while before she got home. She did what she’d planned on doing at Joey and Taylor’s then called them immediately after to explain why she wasn’t going over after all. “I’m better now but I wanna get some sleep before Rose gets back so I’ll can come over tomorrow. You’ll be there right?”
“Yes, but I really wish you’d stop being so stubborn and get your butt to the doctor already.”
Grace was silent for a moment. “Grace?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry, I’m seriously considering seeing a doctor now.”
“Good. You should’ve gone a long time ago.”
“Is Taylor going to be there tomorrow when I come over?”
“Yeah, why?”
Grwidth="0ace shrugged. “I just want you both there.”
“I don’t think he has plans but even if he does I’m sure if I tell him you want him here, he’ll cancel.”
Grace had to smile. She was so lucky to have them. “Thank you, Joey. I’ll see you then.”
~*~
With his anxiety reaching a ne
w level, Sal needed the distraction Sunday. He was glad Alex suggested he go with him to the gym. He’d been neglecting working out for some time now and working off some stress did him good.
Romero hadn’t had much luck with Melissa’s texts yet but he said there was still a shit load he needed to go through. The waiting was the worst.
He headed back to his parent’s house instead of going home after, with the excuse that he hadn’t been over in a while but really he was anxious to talk to Vincent. He was tired of the short texted answers. Sal knew Vince had spent the day with Rose and he’d pushed up the urgency that he find out more about Grace. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold back before confronting her about what the fuck was going on between her and the casino guy.
It was irrational to think he had any right. He knew this. But he’d never felt such desperation in his life. He had to do something. There was no way in hell he could stand by and watch the love of his life just slip away like this for nothing. All because some psychotic bitch had come up with a way to split them.
He sucked in a hard breath at the thought that Melissa may’ve pushed Grace into the arms… the bed of another man. Any relief he’d gotten from his workout flew out the window in an instant. A roar snuck up from inside him again as he slammed his fist against the steering wheel. That was it. Proof or not if Vince didn’t have any answers for him today he’d be getting them for himself. He wasn’t waiting on anyone anymore. Fuck the casino guy—Grace was his damn it.
At that very moment reality beat down on him like a mallet. As much as he hated to admit it, he did think just like his brothers when it came to women. Still it wasn’t just women he argued with himself. This was love. Since he’d never been in love until now, he’d never understood his brothers’ crazed thinking when it came to their wives. It was as plain as the rage he tried to mollify now—he got it—no mistake about it. He completely understood now.
Making You Mine (The Moreno Brothers 5) Page 33
