Mendoza's Return

by Susan Crosby

  Rafe stopped talking as Wendy set down a pitcher and three frosty glasses.

  “Nachos’ll be up in a minute,” she said, walking away with purpose, hips twitching, which slowed the men’s conversation for a few seconds.

  “It’s a rumor,” Rafe finally said to Ross, “based on nothing more than Melina’s and my proximity on a couple of occasions. Purely speculation.”

  “Speak of the devil,” Ross said as Marcos led Melina, her sister Stephanie and Q into the dining room, seating them in direct view of the men, although not within hearing distance.

  Stephanie waved but didn’t shout out a greeting the way her sister Angie would have. Still, it was enough for Melina to notice. She followed Stephanie’s gaze then tentatively lifted a hand. Was she blushing? It was hard to tell from this distance, but Rafe thought her cheeks had gone rosy. Was she remembering the night before, especially what had happened in the shower? Or was she a little embarrassed, perhaps? Maybe she’d read June’s rumors online and was being teased by her companions, just as he was.

  “Is that the famous Melina?” Jeremy asked. “I haven’t met her.”

  “The blonde is Melina,” Rafe said. “The redhead is her sister Stephanie. The alpha male goes by Q. He’s Melina’s business partner.” Rafe looked at Jeremy, changing the subject. “Still no word on your father?”

  “Nothing,” Jeremy said, shaking his head. “He’s been missing for three months now, but I can’t shake the feeling that he’s out there somewhere.”

  Rafe exchanged a glance with Ross. “He could very well be right,” Ross said. “William’s car was found, but not his body. He was supposed to get married the day he disappeared, and there was no reason for him to run away. I haven’t turned up anything.”

  “And the police have given up,” Jeremy added, frustration in his voice. “And now there’s this baby, who mysteriously appears the same day that my father goes missing—at the same church, no less. We can’t find any connection to the two events, but it’s an odd coincidence, don’t you think?”

  “Here’s your nachos, gentlemen,” Wendy said. She was bright and perky without being obnoxious. “Y’all ready to order? Or do you want to hold off awhile?”

  Rafe couldn’t figure why Marcos thought Wendy wasn’t a good waitress. So far, she was great, letting them enjoy their drinks and appetizer before ordering dinner, if that was their choice. She was cute, friendly without being over-the-top. The job suited her well.

  The three men ordered their meals then returned to their discussion. Baby Anthony’s fate was up in the air, except that Jeremy and Kirsten were prepared to give him up to the child’s natural parents, if and when they were found.

  “We thought Kirsten’s brother, Max, was the baby’s father, because that was what this girl, Courtney, told him,” Jeremy said. “But that was apparently a lie. Then Courtney changed her story and said that a guy named Charlie is the baby’s father, not Max, and that Charlie is bad news. So, Kirsten and I are acting as court-appointed guardians for the moment, because another big revelation followed—Courtney admitted she’s not the mother. And then she gave Max the medallion the baby was wearing—”

  “What medallion?” Ross interrupted, just as Rafe was going to ask for replay of the complicated story. “What are you talking about?”

  “Baby Anthony apparently had on a small gold medallion when he was found in the car seat at the church. Or so the story goes.”

  “This is the first I’m hearing about it,” Ross said.

  “Because Courtney just turned it over, but she’s also lied so much that no one knew—or knows—what to believe. Is she just trying to confuse everyone? Is she playing a game? If so, why?”

  “Where is the medallion?” Ross asked.

  “At home.”

  “I need to see it.”

  “It’s just a trinket, Ross, but I can call Kirsten and have her bring it by. She and the baby are meeting a friend of Kirsten’s shortly since I wasn’t going to be home for dinner.”

  “If it’s not too much trouble. Or I can go home with you after dinner.”

  “Not at all. I’ll have her text me when she gets here so she doesn’t have to get Anthony out of the car.” He pulled out his phone.

  Rafe had been half listening, his thoughts drifting elsewhere, like to last night in Melina’s bed…and shower.

  “I’d say June’s ‘Around Town’ rumors are fact,” Ross said, leaning close. “Or you want them to be true, at least.”

  “We have a past.”

  “A legendary one.” Ross stood. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  Rafe winced. He wondered if Melina was hearing the same rumors and taking a lot of teasing. He pulled out his phone and sent a text message to her: “Free later?”

  He watched her pick up her phone and look at it, then over at him. She could’ve nodded or shaken her head but instead texted back an answer: “Not free, but reasonable.”

  He smiled at her, then wrote, “Eight? Your place?”

  “Don’t be late,” she wrote back.

  “Kirsten’s on her way,” Jeremy said. “I’m going out front to wait for her. Don’t eat all the nachos.”

  Which left Rafe alone at the table. He made his way across the dining room to say hello.

  “We’re celebrating my last day at the office,” Stephanie said. “Angie will be back to work on Monday.”

  “We’re celebrating a successful week,” Q added.

  “Stephanie filled in admirably.”

  “And I didn’t reorganize the file cabinets or anything.” She grinned. “I did change Angie’s desk around a little, just to mess with her.”

  “You wouldn’t be a good sister otherwise,” Rafe said.

  “Have you been abandoned?” Melina asked.

  “No. They’ll be back. I just wanted to say hi.” He started to walk away, then turned back. “Apparently we are the subject of public gossip,” he said to Melina.

  “You are the hundredth person to tell me that—or thereabouts.”

  He couldn’t read her expression. Did it bother her? “I’d contact June and demand a retraction, except I think it might add fuel to the fire.”

  “It’ll die on its own without that fuel,” Melina said casually.

  “Or not,” Stephanie said with a smirk. Her eyes sparkled as she sipped her margarita.

  Rafe excused himself, happy to get away from the curiosity in Stephanie’s eyes as Ross and Jeremy returned to the booth.

  Wendy brought their dinners just as they all took their seats. “Anything else I can get you?” she asked.

  “We’re good,” Rafe said.

  As soon as she left the dining room, the three men traded plates. She hadn’t gotten one right. They all smiled and shrugged. So, she got their orders mixed up. She’d still get a great tip, Rafe thought. What she lacked in skill, she more than made up for in amiability.

  Jeremy passed a plastic baggie to Ross. Inside was a small gold medallion on a chain. Ross stared at it, then set down his fork, opened the bag and dumped the item into his palm. The chain was delicate but the medallion itself looked like an old coin of some sort.

  “Something wrong?” Rafe asked when Ross remained silent.

  “I don’t know. There’s something about it. It’s ringing a bell, but I don’t know why. Obviously it has significance if it came with the baby. Can I hold on to this, Jeremy? I need to research it, if I can.”

  “Kirsten and I have tried, believe me, and came up empty. Have at it, Ross. I take it you didn’t come up with any clues from the baby’s car seat?”

  He shook his head. “The brand is sold in every Walmart in the country.”

  “May I see the necklace?” Rafe asked.

  Ross set it in Rafe’s palm. “Did you have it appraised?” he asked Jeremy. “Is it gold? If it’s a trinket it may be hard to track down its origins, but if it’s gold…”

  He passed it back to Ross, who frowned thoughtfully at it, then dropped it back int
o the baggie then into his pocket.

  “No, we didn’t have it appraised,” Jeremy said. “We tried to find a match on the internet, but that’s all. We haven’t had possession of it for very long.”

  “I know some dealers,” Ross said, picking up his fork. “The image is really resonating with me, though, so maybe it won’t be that hard to track down. I must’ve seen it at some point.”

  The men spoke of other things then, including how much Red Rock had changed since they were kids. Although Ross was forty-two and Jeremy thirty-seven, Rafe had heard about them all his life—all the Fortunes, actually. They were like royalty in this area. Rafe felt on an equal footing with them, all of them professional and successful.

  Marcos came up to ask how their meal was, and then the all-important question about how their service was. Gentlemen to the end, none of them mentioned Wendy’s error. Rafe figured she’d get it worked out on her own when less polite customers pointed out her mistakes.

  Ross and Jeremy took off after dinner. Q left, as well, leaving Melina and Stephanie alone. Rafe stood, figuring he’d join them, but another young woman came along and slid into the booth with them. Stephanie introduced her to Melina, then they called Wendy over and ordered something.

  Rafe was at a loss. He couldn’t go to Melina’s house for another hour. He didn’t want to go home. Just then Marcos came back to the table, their father behind him.

  “I know you’ve already eaten,” Luis said. “But maybe you have time to keep me company while I have dinner?”

  “Of course, Dad. I’ve got about an hour before I meet someone. Plenty of time.”

  His father had just gotten settled when Beau Bandero showed up—with June Adams. Rafe didn’t think there were two people in town he wanted to see less. He knew, however, he needed to be polite to both of them.

  “Evening, June. Beau,” Rafe said as Marcos started to walk past Rafe’s table.

  “Where’re you putting us?” Beau asked Marcos, who gestured toward a corner booth. “Okay, we’ll seat ourselves in a minute. Mr. Mendoza, how’re you?” he said to Rafe’s father.

  Rafe saw an entirely different Beau at that moment, respectful and genuinely happy to see Luis, shaking his hand and smiling, engaging him in conversation.

  Rafe glanced at June. “I was sorry to hear about you and Wade.”

  She shrugged. “Been coming awhile.”

  “Still, it’s hard. Especially on the kids.” Rafe shot Beau a look, but he seemed immersed in his conversation. “You going out with him?”

  Her brows lifted high. “I’m interviewing him, as you suggested. He offered to buy dinner. I don’t turn down free dinners. Money’s a little scarce these days.”

  “So it won’t show up in your column, I guess. Who’s in charge of writing speculation about you, June?”

  She cocked her head. “You mad about that, Rafe?”

  “I’m part of a dying breed, I think, of people who believe in an expectation of having a certain amount of privacy in our lives. And truth.”

  “I write what I see. If I don’t see it myself, I verify what information I’m given.”

  “You ready?” Beau asked June, who nodded a goodbye then preceded him to their booth.

  Rafe’s back was to them, which was just as well. He eyed Melina, saw her watching them.

  Something to talk about later.

  “You and Beau get all caught up?” Rafe asked his father, not doing a good job of hiding his irritation. Beau had always admired Luis, had come to him for advice when Beau and Rafe were teenagers. Rafe had always felt it was a betrayal of some kind that his father had counseled Rafe’s rival.

  Taquitos and guacamole had been delivered to the table without Rafe seeing it happen. Even though he wasn’t hungry, he snatched one up, dipped it in the guac, took a bite as his father sat back and eyed his son casually.

  “Yes, thank you. We did. And you have no reason to be jealous.”

  “Jealous? I’m not—” He clamped his mouth shut. “Yes, I am. You always seemed so much more patient with him than me.”

  “I was responsible for how you turned out, son. Beau needed a strong male influence. He found it in me. Being ranch foreman, I was usually around.”

  “His father is about the strongest man out there.”

  “Hard’s a better word for him. And he was too hard on Beau. Don’t you remember at your games how he’d chew Beau out from the stands? Embarrass him?”

  After a moment, Rafe nodded. “Do you think that’s why he has the no-parents-allowed rule at practices?”

  “No question. He’d probably ban them from the games, too, if he could.” Luis took a sip of beer then set his glass down carefully. “It’s probably difficult for you to see this, since you were going to succeed whether you decided to try for the big leagues or become a lawyer—but Beau only had one chance. The only thing he was good at was baseball. Mr. Bandero finally showed some pride in his son when the Astros signed Beau. Then he got injured, ending his career. And now you’re rubbing your success in his face just by coming back here—not because you’re doing anything in particular, but because that’s who he is. He doesn’t feel worthy. His father never inspired that in him. Just the opposite, in fact. Beau has to succeed now or else.”

  Rafe considered the long-winded argument. His father didn’t often speak so emotionally, so it obviously meant a lot to him that Rafe understand Beau’s situation. “He was never an easy guy to be around, Dad, but I can see that he has to put out winners now in order to prove he isn’t washed up at twenty-nine. But surely you know that I don’t kick a man while he’s down.”

  His father patted his arm.

  “How are you doing?” Rafe asked, changing the subject. “Except for dinner at Melina’s last night, you’ve made yourself scarce.”

  “I guess she was right when she said I needed to tell you how I was feeling. I’ve been sleeping better in my own bed.” He dipped a taquito into the guac and examined it as he said casually, “I accepted Patsy’s invitation last night because I was wondering if some thing was going on between you and Melina, even though you’ve said it’s just business. You avoided looking at each other so much, I decided there is something going on.”

  Rafe almost laughed. Apparently, they couldn’t look at each other, and they couldn’t not look at each other. Both led to suspicion.

  “No response?” Luis asked in surprise.

  “I don’t know what to say.” Rafe glanced at Melina, who was laughing with her sister and the other woman. “We’ve both grown up and changed. We are making a point of getting along so that Elliot can have a shot at playing ball on a team. Melina and I probably would’ve avoided each other, if not for that. I’m glad we got forced to work together. Everything is okay.” And in less than an hour, they would be in bed together proving just how okay they were.

  Rafe left his father at the restaurant ten minutes before eight. Melina had taken off a half hour earlier after stopping by Beau and June’s table then Rafe and his father’s to say goodbye.

  Rafe knew he had to move his car from the restaurant parking lot or June might have another news item to leak, but he didn’t want to leave it in the guest parking spaces for Melina’s building, either. In the end he parked on a side street and walked to her townhouse.

  When she opened her door, she greeted him wearing a floor-length, lacy black negligee showing off her tempting cleavage. Red-painted toenails peeped out from below the frilly hem.

  She didn’t look shy or hesitant or restrained, and he found her confidence incredibly sexy.

  But a couple of hours later as he walked back to his car, he found himself feeling dissatisfied, a feeling that carried over whenever they got together during the next week. During their brief time together each evening, they talked less and less, making love passionately, but in silence, and with little laughter.

  When they were done, he would leave her bed, dress in the dark and let himself out into the cold, dreary night, finding
less contentment each time, and yet, oddly, wanting her more, wishing she would talk to him the way she used to, wishing they could have breakfast together to start their days.

  Since his return to town, he’d seen endless patience in her—with other people. With him, she never relaxed, never let him linger, never let him just hold her tucked close to him.

  It didn’t bode well for when baseball season ended.

  Chapter Ten

  “You’ve lost weight,” Angie commented when Melina arrived at work on a Tuesday afternoon over a week later.

  “No, I haven’t,” Melina said, picking up her message slips from the corner of Angie’s desk.

  Angie stared coolly at her sister.

  “Okay, maybe a couple of pounds,” Melina conceded, although she knew it was closer to five, maybe more. “I’ve been busy. Between seeing patients and helping with Elliot’s practice almost every evening, I’m always on the go.”

  “And you forget to eat?”

  “I eat. Sporadically. Anyway, I could stand to lose a few pounds.”

  “You look great, Mellie, especially since you started swimming. This is about Rafe, isn’t it?”

  Melina pretended to read her messages but was really counting to ten. “Why would it be about Rafe?”

  “Women lose weight either for a man or because of one. Or for her wedding,” she added, holding her arms out, showing off her wedding-perfect figure, fifteen pounds lighter than when she got engaged. With her honeymoon tan not having faded yet, she was a knockout, but Melina thought it was Angie’s inner happiness showing through.

  “I’m just busy,” Melina said firmly, then headed into her office, shutting her door, ending the discussion. Of course it was about Rafe. Keeping him close while also keeping him at a distance was taking its toll on her. She wanted to curl up in bed with him after they made love, to talk about things she didn’t usually share with anyone, but he’d made it clear he was there only for the sex.