The Persistent Groom (Texas Titan Romances)

by Jennifer Youngblood

  “It looks like we’re gonna get more rain,” Ace said like he was searching for something non-confrontational to say.

  “Uh-huh,” she murmured absently.

  Ace turned on the radio and began humming along to a popular song. Silver’s thoughts went to Riley’s comments about the school. Hearing that Dinah was the one who orchestrated Gracie’s acceptance into The Wexton Academy was a bitter pill to swallow. And yet, she didn’t know why it had come as a surprise. Her ex-mother-in-law was intolerable—still trying to control Silver’s life, even though she and Riley had been divorced two years. Riley’s veiled threat made it clear that if Silver stepped out of line, Dinah would destroy Gracie’s chance of going to the school. It was ludicrous! As Gracie’s grandmother, one would think that Dinah would have her best interest at heart. But everything was a power play for Dinah, and she’d do anything to save face in front of her high society friends. Shortly after Silver divorced Riley, Dinah kept dropping hints that it would be in everyone’s best interest if the two patched up their differences and got back together. When that didn’t work, Dinah pulled Silver aside and flat-out told her to put on her big-girl panties, realize all men strayed from time to time, and that Silver needed to forgive Riley for his indiscretions and move on. The crazy part was that Dinah didn’t even like Silver, but getting her back together with Riley was a pride thing. Silver knew Dinah well enough to know that if she thought, even for a second, Silver was entertaining the idea of dating Ace there’d be the devil to pay. Her hand flew to her neck as she processed her thoughts. There was no way she could date Ace. She couldn’t run the risk of getting hurt again. It had taken her years to get him out of her system. Heck, if she were completely honest, a small part of her still longed for Ace. She glanced at the clean line of his rugged jaw and firm set of his chin. Then her eyes trailed up to his thick, unruly hair. She clutched her hands, ignoring the impulse to run her fingers through it. Geez! Who wouldn’t be attracted to him? But attraction was just that … attraction! If she ignored it long enough, it would fade. Right? Right! she answered for herself. She was a mother now with grownup responsibilities. She had to think about Gracie … put her needs first. But Ace seems like a natural with Gracie, her mind argued. He’s no longer a rebel without a cause. He’s focused with a career. What harm would it do to spend time with him? Gracie could use a good, strong male role model in her life. No! She had to be strong and resist temptation. Silver didn’t want to bring Dinah’s wrath down on her head by dating Riley’s former best friend. Gracie needed The Wexton Academy. The orientation meeting today went better than Silver had hoped. The Wexton Academy would give Gracie a firm foundation and start her schooling off right. Silver had no doubt that Dinah would close that door in a heartbeat if Silver crossed her. When and if Silver ever started dating again, it would need to be someone Dinah and Riley didn’t know. And it would have to be after more time passed … maybe after Riley moved on and found someone else.

  “We’re here,” Ace announced as they pulled into the restaurant lot.

  Nestled at the end of a busy strip-mall, it looked the same as Silver remembered with the sunshine-yellow painted bricks and red and orange striped awning. A passel of butterflies let loose in Silver’s stomach as she reached up and tucked both sides of her hair behind her ears. Seeing Ace again … coming back to this place that held so many memories … the prospect of reconnecting with Ace’s family … it was all coming too fast. Not to mention the things that Ace’s mother, Fabiana, had said to her over the phone. When talking to Fabiana, Silver thought for a split second that perhaps things could be different and she could make a go of it with Ace, but then Riley showed up and reminded her how things really were. It had been reckless to usher Riley out of her home and come here with Ace. What had she been thinking? Obviously she wasn’t thinking clearly. She’d been too dazzled by Ace’s charisma and stunning good looks. Riley would find a way to make her pay for that lapse in judgement, Silver was sure of that. Her thoughts ricocheted in the other direction. Maybe she should just enjoy the evening—stop fretting over what the future would bring.

  Ace took her hand and gave it a slight squeeze, sending a dart of electricity shooting through Silver. Then a crooked grin overtook his lips as he winked. “You’ve got this.”

  Silver felt an unexpected wave of warmth. For a second, she got lost in the depth of his dark eyes—reveled in the fact that he’d picked up on her feelings. Then she remembered that Ace had always been tuned in to her emotions. In the old days, they could merely look at each other and know what the other was thinking.

  She took in a breath, bolstering her courage. “Okay. It’ll be good to see Ariana and your parents again.”

  Ace grinned. “And Gracie will love the fried ice cream.”

  “Ice cream,” Gracie yelled.

  “Hoorah for ice cream,” Ace yelled, letting go of Silver’s hand and raising his fists in the air.

  “Hoorah … ice cream,” Gracie mimicked, also lifting her hands in the air.

  Silver chuckled, her mood lightening. Then she realized Ace and Gracie were both waiting for her to follow suit. She half-lifted her fists. “Hoorah for ice cream,” she said without enthusiasm to humor them.

  Ace clucked his tongue in mock disappointment as he turned to Gracie with a conspiratorial grin. “We’ll have to keep working on your mom, huh?”

  “Yeah,” Gracie giggled, looking happier than Silver had seen her in a long time. Even though Riley was only mildly interested in Gracie, mainly when it benefitted him, Gracie idolized her dad and eagerly scarfed up whatever crumbs of affection Riley would give her. It pained Silver to see it. Silver could tell that it wouldn’t take much for Gracie to get attached to Ace, more reason to end whatever this was before it got out of control.

  “You ready?” Ace said, motioning with his head.

  Silver squared her shoulders. “Let’s do it.”

  Chapter 5

  The tangy smell of salsa mingling with the fragrant smell of chips tingled Silver’s senses as they stepped inside the door. A fully costumed mariachi band played upbeat music in the far corner. Silver looked at Gracie’s reaction. She was clutching Ace’s hand, wide-eyed with excitement and trepidation of a new environment. Gracie insisted on holding Ace’s hand as they walked from the car to the restaurant. She was fast claiming Ace as her new friend.

  The minute Fabiana saw them, she threw up her hands and hurried toward them in a flurry of motion. “Hola, Silver,” she exclaimed, a broad smile on her round, beautiful face. She threw her arms around Silver, giving her a fierce hug before kissing her on both cheeks. Silver caught a whiff of tortillas and spicy Mexican food on her clothes. Other than the additional strands of gray in her short, jet-black hair, Fabiana looked the same as Silver remembered. Barely over five feet tall, Fabiana had a sturdy build. She was loud and bossy with a super-sized personality, but had a heart of gold. An intelligent light flickered in her lively black eyes as they assessed Silver.

  “Está muy linda,” she cooed, patting Silver’s cheek. “Just like I remember.”

  “Beautiful as always,” Ace interpreted when Silver looked to him for help.

  She smiled appreciatively. “Thank you.”

  Fabiana’s eye stopped on Gracie. “Who’s this?”

  Gracie buried her head in Ace’s waist, clutching his hand for all it was worth.

  “She’s a little shy at first,” Silver explained, “but it won’t take long for her to break out of her shell.” Silver touched Gracie’s shoulder. “Can you say hello to Ace’s mom?”

  Gracie peeked out. “Hello,” she said timidly. “I’m Gracie.”

  “She’s a beauty like her mom,” Fabiana proclaimed. “It’s nice to meet you, Gracie.” She turned her attention back to Silver. “It’s so good to have you here. It’s been too long,” she lamented.

  “Yes, it has.” Silver figured Fabiana had noticed the tell-tale physical characteristics of Gracie’s Down syndrome, but she didn’
t seem tripped up by it like most people, which was a relief.

  “Come into the madness and find a table,” Fabiana said, talking over the music and blur of voices. “There’s plenty of food.”

  “Ice cream?” Gracie asked hesitantly.

  Fabiana laughed, bringing her hands together. “And ice cream.”

  “Sorry,” Silver laughed, “Gracie has a one-track mind.”

  Ace shrugged. “I can’t argue with that. I promised her ice cream.” He looked down. “Didn’t I, Gracie?”

  “Yes,” she agreed, nodding her head.

  The room was crammed with people, excitement bubbling in the stuffy air. Silver had always loved the boisterous nature of Ace’s family events. Of course, his extended family numbered more than the guests at many wedding receptions she’d planned. It was astounding to think this was thrown together at the last minute. Then again, maybe the chaos and unpredictability added to the ambiance. Silver looked through the crowd, trying to pinpoint Ariana. She saw Raúl instead, Ace’s father. When he caught her eye, he offered a friendly grin and wave. She waved back. Raúl was quiet and reserved, but he exuded a gentle strength which Silver had always found comforting—the power behind the throne. Fabiana stood on her tiptoes, peering over the heads. Then she motioned to a teenage boy standing nearby who bore a strong resemblance to Ace at that age. “Antonio, come over here.”

  Silver did a double-take as the boy threaded his way through the crowd and stepped up. “That’s Antonio?”

  “Yep, he’s almost as tall as me,” Ace said, a touch of pride in his voice.

  “The last time I saw him … you …” she corrected, looking at Antonio, “you were just a little older than my daughter, Gracie.”

  “Hey,” he said, his voice soft and husky as he ducked slightly under her scrutiny.

  “Antonio, this is Gracie,” Fabiana said. “She would like some fried ice cream.”

  A kind smile broke over Antonio’s face, revealing a line of braces, as he leaned down so that he was eye-to-eye with Gracie. “It’s nice to meet you, Gracie. I’m Antonio.”

  “Hi,” Gracie said. She wrinkled her nose, studying Antonio, her eyes clouding with concern as she pointed to his braces. “It hurts?”

  Everyone laughed in surprise.

  “I told you it wouldn’t take long for the shyness to wear off,” Silver said.

  “Yeah, the braces hurt at first, but I’m used to them now. Would you like to come with me to get some ice cream?” Antonio said.

  Gracie nodded, then looked at Silver for permission.

  Silver’s first thought was that she didn’t want her daughter to go off with a teenager she’d just met … well, she knew him when he was a kid, but still …

  The hesitancy must’ve shown on her face because Ace draped an arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay. Antonio’s a good guy. He’ll take good care of Gracie.”

  “We have a kids’ table set up against the wall,” Fabiana added. “With crayons and coloring books.”

  Gracie’s eyes shone with anticipation.

  “Oh, I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” Silver said. She looked at Fabiana, trying to get the point across in a subtle way so Gracie wouldn’t realize she was being talked about. “We sometimes have a hard time with other children … due to Gracie’s condition.”

  “I have Down syndrome,” Gracie piped in, holding up her index finger. “I have one extra chromosome.”

  Fabiana’s eyes rounded, then she cast an appreciative eye over Gracie. “Is that right? We’ll, you’re certainly a smart little girl.”

  Gracie just beamed.

  “Antonio will watch over Gracie.” Fabiana arched an eyebrow as she looked him in the eye. “Won’t you?”

  “Absolutely,” Antonio said with conviction.

  Fabiana squared her jaw. “If anybody bothers her, you pop ‘em in the head.”

  Huh? Silver’s eyes rounded as she looked at Ace who laughed nervously. “Hopefully it won’t come to that.” He tightened his hold on her shoulders. “Promise.”

  “Of course it won’t,” Fabiana said with a smooth smile. “Everything will be great.”

  Gracie happily followed Antonio, being sure to keep close so she wouldn’t get separated from him as he led her to the kids’ table.

  A middle-aged woman approached. “Fabi, do you want me to fry up more tortillas? It looks like we’re getting low.” She was medium height and build, and very pretty.

  “No, mami, that’s not necessary. We’ve got plenty more in the kitchen,” Fabiana said. “They’re in the pan on the counter, wrapped in foil.”

  The woman shook her head. “We’ve already used those.”

  Fabiana’s hands flew to her mouth. “Me voy. I’ll help.” Before she rushed off, she turned in an afterthought, placing a hand on the woman’s arm. “Veronica, this is Silver … Ace’s friend.”

  A Texas-sized grin split Veronica’s lips. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you, Silver. Awesome name.”

  “Thanks.”

  Veronica’s eyes danced as she looked at Ace. “I didn’t realize you had a woman,” she teased, wiggling her sculpted eyebrows. “Muy linda.”

  “That means very beautiful,” Ace said low in her ear.

  Silver’s face flamed to the point of combustion. “Oh, we’re not together,” she countered.

  Veronica chuckled in amusement, her eye settling on Ace’s arm, which was still around Silver’s shoulders. “Sí,” she chirped with a wink.

  “This is my tía or aunt,” Ace said. “She likes to joke around,” he said shooting her a warning look that said, Take it down a notch.

  Veronica put a hand to her chest. “Who me?” she said innocently, batting her eyelashes. “I’m just glad to see that our football star has a good girl to keep him in line.”

  “Oh, it’ll take more than me to keep this guy in line,” Silver quipped, jutting a thumb at Ace’s chest.

  “Hey,” Ace growled, pulling her closer.

  Veronica laughed. “I like her.”

  Fabiana rolled her eyes. “Tranquilas, enough already, ladies. Don’t be ganging up on mi hijo,” she said sweetly, pinching Ace’s cheek. Then she clapped her hands, becoming all business. “Vámonos. We’ve got tortillas to make.”

  “Adios,” Veronica drawled. “Have fun tonight and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she said over her shoulder as Fabiana dragged her away.

  “Don’t pay any attention to her,” Ace mumbled. “She thinks she’s funny.”

  “I like her,” Silver said. She loved how easy going and welcoming Ace’s family was. It was a breath of fresh air compared to Riley’s uptight parents who daren’t breathe the wrong way for fear of giving the wrong appearance to their snooty peers. Silver tried to ignore the zing pulsing through her veins over being this close to Ace. Her shoulders warmed under his touch. His fresh, masculine scent with a hint of spearmint wafted over her senses, combining with the rhythmic beat of the music that seemed to be speeding up her heart. “Let’s go find a table,” Ace said, his warm breath tickling her ear and sending tantalizing shivers circling down her spine. He removed his arm from her shoulders and placed a hand on the small of her back, maneuvering her through the crowd. All eyes in the room seemed drawn to them as people smiled and nodded and parted before them like the Red Sea before Moses. Had Ace never brought a woman home before? It certainly didn’t seem like it. Hmm … the notion was pleasing. Silver’s mood was growing lighter with every step—like she could almost forget her problems and simply enjoy herself for once.

  “Ace, how ya doin’? Whassup?” A mammoth-sized man boomed, stepping in their path.

  “Jorge, how ya doin’?” Ace said, matching the man’s Latino drawl.

  “Who’ve you got with you?” the man said, his dark eyes flickering over Silver’s face.

  “This is Silver.”

  The man grinned, causing his thick mustache to curve up like a second smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  �
��This is my uncle Jorge,” Ace said, “my dad’s brother. Veronica’s his wife.”

  “It’s nice to meet you.” Silver went to shake, but Jorge grabbed her in a bear hug and kissed her on the cheek. Jorge. The name rang a bell. Then she remembered. Lucas, Ace’s first cousin joined the military and was killed in North Carolina when a rogue shooter came onto the base where he was stationed and opened fire. Lucas, trying to prevent the man from taking more lives, ran at him and wrestled him to the ground. He was shot in the process. Lucas was life-flighted to the nearest hospital, but died a few hours later.

  “I’m glad you could make it tonight,” Jorge said.

  Ace smiled. “Me too.”

  Jorge gave Silver a parting nod. “Enjoy the party,” he said, moving past them.

  Ace led Silver to a table in the corner and pulled out a chair for her.

  “Thanks,” she said, sitting down. She looked at the kids’ table, which was directly across the room from where they were. Gracie was feasting on a gigantic bowl of ice cream and Antonio, true to his word, was nearby keeping a close watch over her.

  Ace sat down and scooted his chair beside her. Silver’s heart flipped when he placed his arm around her. It went through her mind that she should put a stop to this, but it felt so good to be here with him, even though his nearness made it hard to form a clear thought.

  “Thanks for coming with me tonight,” Ace began.

  Silver nodded. “Where’s Ariana?”

  Ace scanned the crowd, then pointed. “There.”

  Silver looked over at the mariachi band. Ariana was standing directly in front, dancing full force to the cha-cha-cha with a good-looking, tall, blonde guy about her same age. Petite, but lean, Ariana’s dark hair was short and tapered around the ears and neck, but fluffy on top. She had on large earrings that dangled with her movements. She was dressed in a baggy-t-shirt with the top portion of the arms cut out, revealing toned, lithe arms. Her tight-fitting jeans had stylish rips down each leg, and she moved so fluidly in her silver stilettos, they might’ve been tennis shoes. Ariana bore a close resemblance to Ace with her dark features and olive skin. She’d always been a looker, turning heads wherever she went. But she seemed oblivious to the attention, content to walk to the beat of her own drum. Silver had always admired Ariana’s headstrong attitude and how she didn’t give a hoot about popularity. It had taken Silver nearly a decade and a painful divorce to adopt Ariana’s viewpoint, but she finally had.