Romero

  “I’m told you’re in the security business,” her dad said as Charles set up to take a swing.

  Romero nodded. “Yeah. Security and private investigating, background checks—that kind of stuff.”

  “How long have you been doing that?”

  Romero felt her dad’s eyes sweeping over him, but nothing said he was impressed. He hated feeling like he was being scrutinized. He shook it off and answered as aloofly as possible. “I’ve been doing security for years but I only got the business off the ground this year.”

  It was her dad’s turn to putt and as usual, he took his time setting up. Both Charles and Art were on their phones again. Romero stood a few feet from Charles who’d stepped away to answer his call. The entire time he hadn’t paid any attention to any of their phone conversations until he heard a bit of Charles’s current call that caught his attention. “I know, my love. I’ll be done here in about an hour and then I’m all yours for the rest of the day.”

  Just hearing it brought a foul taste to Romero’s mouth. How could anyone miss Pat? They continued playing and her father continued to grill him casually. “Is your family originally from La Jolla?”

  Romero prepared himself to take the shot before answering. He swung and then watched as the ball flew through the air. He was getting pretty good at this. He turned to her dad who was still watching the ball. “Nah, I was born in Calexico, same as my uncles and dad. We moved up here a few years after they opened up their business. Said the schools and area in general were better for raising a kid. I was about four.”

  “What kind of business do they run?”

  He knew it was coming and even though he always told himself he didn’t give a shit what anyone thought. Annoyingly, he was beginning to realize that he did now, and maybe he always had. “A bar.” He glanced at her dad then back at Art, who awkwardly set up for his shot. “The Silver Dollar, over on First Street.”

  Romero could tell just by the look her dad gave him, he’d heard of it—maybe even been a patron at one point.

  “Never heard of it.”

  Romero figured that much. The uptight would-be Mayor was not about to admit to frequenting a topless bar. After shanking another shot, Art turned to Romero. “Your folks own The Silver Dollar?”

  “Yeah, my uncles do.”

  Art wasn’t judging like Romero had expected. “My buddies took me there for my twenty-first birthday.”

  Isabel’s dad ignored Art. “What about your parents? What do they do?”

  Romero set up for his next shot. Without looking at any of them he said, “Never met my mom, and my old man’s in jail.”

  By the time he took his shot and turned back, he saw he had the attention of all three. Even Charles, who’d hardly looked up from his phone the entire time stared at him. Romero wasn’t giving up anymore information than necessary. “Next hole.” He stuck his club in his bag when he reached the cart.

  When it was all over, he’d learned a few things about the men in Isabel’s life. Art was surprisingly down to earth and had a desperate need to impress his father. Having two uncles who made him feel like he was the shits his whole life, even with his sometimes rotten grades, Romero couldn’t relate to that, but he liked the guy so he felt for him.

  Charles was a major kiss ass with Isabel’s dad, something he’d never be. Sure, he’d gone out of his way to learn to play golf, but that’s only because he didn’t want to totally humiliate himself out there. And he’d looked up what her dad’s stand was on some of the more major things, but again he just didn’t want to inadvertently say something to open up a can of worms. He’d never cared enough to argue about politics.

  But what surprised him most was as sweet and loving as Isabel was, her dad was as cold as a dead fish. Art tried the whole time to tell him about things even Romero was impressed with, like the fact that he was the youngest lawyer being considered as a candidate to run for District Attorney in Los Angeles’s history. Her dad continued golfing as if he’d just been told the sky is blue.

  Romero could see he wouldn’t be impressing this man with his little security firm so he wouldn’t even try. As long as her family didn’t get in the way of him and Isabel being together he’d keep his business to himself.

  They stopped for a drink at the clubhouse. On his way back from the restroom, Romero caught the tail end of Charles’s phone call as he stood just outside, his back to Romero. “…I know I can’t wait either. I’m almost out of here. I’ll see you in a bit.”

  Somehow, it didn’t surprise him that Pat was a pest. Isabel had only texted him once the entire time and it had only been three words. The only words he ever needed to hear from her.

  I love you.

  They finished their drinks and Romero was finally done with it. He’d done it and came away unscathed—hadn’t dropped the F bomb even once. Sal would be proud.

  He called Isabel as soon as he got in the car, placing the earpiece on as he drove out the driveway.

  “How’d it go?”

  “Good.” He smirked. “I beat your brother’s ass.”

  Isabel laughed. “Even I can beat Art at golf. He’s always hated it.”

  Romero caught her up on how for the most part the few hours he’d spent with her dad had been uneventful. He told her about telling her dad that his old man was in jail and how he didn’t ask much else. That seemed to surprise her. “He’ll probably be asking me about it.”

  “You could tell him. I don’t care.” Since it was Saturday, Isabel’s day off, Romero had taken the rest of the day off as well. “So what are you up to? Are you home?”

  “No. Actually on my way to a late lunch with my sister.”

  “Gina?” Romero knew Isabel wasn’t exactly on speaking terms with Pat, hadn’t been for most of the week, ever since they got into it about Jacob. It had been exactly one week since her day with him at the mall and when Isabel asked Pat to not schedule any more of her time campaigning with him—the argument had ended with Isabel hanging up on her.

  “No, Pat.”

  Romero thought about overhearing Charles on the phone. He remembered the last time Isabel told him she was meeting with Pat it turned out to be a blind date. After last weekend, he wouldn’t put anything past Pat now. Maybe she set up some other kind of double date for them now. The heat was on again and he gripped the wheel. “Just the two of you?”

  “Yeah, she wants to talk.”

  He remembered Charles’s exact words. After this, I’m all yours. Something was up. “You’re not lying to me are you, Isabel?” There was a silence on the other end and the heat he felt, now scorched through his veins.

  “Why are you calling me a liar, Romero?”

  “Is he gonna be there?” His heart pounded now like it had when he found out she’d spent the day with Jacob.

  “He who?”

  “Jacob!”

  “No! Why would you think that?” She sounded almost exasperated. “It’s just me and Pat.”

  He stepped on the accelerator, suddenly feeling the need to be with her. The need to look into her eyes when she said it to him. She’d lied to him before, but she’d promised she never would again. “Where are you meeting her?”

  “Maxwell’s on the base. What is the matter with you? Why are you so upset?”

  That only enraged him further. “I’m more than fucking upset. Your sister’s up to something. Why the base?”

  “That’s just where she was at today. So she asked me to meet her there. Jacob’s gone, Romero. That’s what she called to tell me. He left yesterday and he’ll be out at sea for weeks so I don’t have to worry about running into him at the campaign office.”

  Both relief and suspicion seeped through Romero, and he still felt the tension in his arms—his shoulders. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, now will you tell me what set you off?” She lowered her voice. “Why did you call me Isabel?”

  Romero still didn’t understand why she hated that so much, but the only time he did fe
el compelled to call her Isabel was when he felt ready to explode. “Because anytime your sister’s involved now, I don’t know what to think. I don’t trust her for shit.”

  “Yeah, well you need to start trusting me. I hate when you get like this.”

  As if she could see him, he nodded, taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Izzy.” He really was. He didn’t want her hating anything about him and he could hear it in her voice, she was losing patience with him and that made him nervous. Trying to sound much calmer he asked, “How long are you gonna be?”

  The momentary silence made him even more nervous. “An hour, maybe… I miss you.”

  He exhaled slowly. Finally, something he could smile about but it reminded him of Charles’s phone call on the golf course. Maybe Pat cancelled on him last minute to meet up with Isabel instead. Who knew? Who cared? All that mattered is that his Izzy hadn’t lied to him. “I miss you too, baby. Hurry home.”

  He made a U-turn and headed back to the apartment. He’d started heading toward the base as soon as she’d said it. Visions of flipping over the table they all sat at when he got there had crossed his mind. Sal’s words came to him suddenly. The smallest of scuffles with this guy and it’ll be all over the papers the next day. Somehow, he was going to have to get a grip.

  ***

  Pat waved at Isabel from her table. She was on her phone. Isabel made her way to her table. Pat was one of those people who talked as loudly as if she were in the privacy of her own home when on her cell phone. Isabel always walked away from crowds and spoke softly so that no one could hear her conversation. She could hear Pat even before she reached the table. “When will you know how long you’ll be gone? Don’t they tell you these things?” She paused, giving Isabel an annoyed look as she sat down. “All right, all right. Just let me know as soon as you know something. Okay, honey. I love you.” She hung up, tossing her phone in her purse. “I swear I’m getting so sick of these surprise trips they keep sending him on. They expect him to just drop everything and go.”

  Isabel flipped through the menu, thankful that their first meeting after not speaking for several days didn’t feel awkward. “Where are they sending him?”

  “Miami. As usual. And then they can’t even tell him for sure how long he’ll be there. So I have no idea when to expect my husband back.”

  “That sucks.” Isabel’s attempt to sound sympathetic was weak at best. This is what her sister wanted after all. And to think Pat wanted Isabel to end up with Jacob who was headed in the same direction. No thanks.

  “Bell, the last thing I invited you here for is to argue. But Charles just told me about Romero.”

  Isabel finally pulled her starving eyes away from the menu. “What about him, Pat?”

  “Honey, his dad is in jail and his uncles own a topless bar?” Her sister’s mouth hung open and she shook her head. “I-I don’t even know where to start.”

  “Then don’t.”

  “I have to. Daddy is running for mayor and his daughter is associated with, dating—”

  “Living with,” Isabel said, taking a sip of her water. “He moved in with me. We’re living together now.” She loved the way that sounded so she smiled.

  Pat pressed her lips together. “Do you have any idea the amount of work that went into petitioning to get dad’s name on that ballot? Any idea at all how much work, time and money is going to go into campaigning for him to win this election?”

  As much as she was starving, Isabel was one second away from getting up and walking out. “What does any of that have to do with me?”

  Pat leaned in and lowered her voice. “You are living with a man whose family runs an establishment that degrades women and whose father is in jail doing time for who knows what. You don’t think the papers will have a field day if the word ever gets out?”

  Isabel stared at her. She’d never looked at it that way. Would the press really care about her relationship with Romero? She shook her head. “How does Romero’s personal life or family’s life affect dad’s ability to govern a city? You’re being ridiculous. I came here to iron things out, but if this is what we’re going to argue about then I’m leaving.”

  Her sister put her hand on her arm. “No, don’t leave.” She took a deep breath. “Fine. Lets talk about something else.”

  “Thank you.”

  “As soon as Charles gets back from this stupid trip of his, I want to throw him a party for his thirtieth birthday. It’s not until next month, but since we’re going to have so much going on with the campaign, I’ll take whatever weekend works out best between now and then. I was thinking maybe you could talk to Valerie about getting me a deal at her restaurant. I understand they have banquet rooms.”

  Isabel peered at Pat over her menu. Funny, she thought she’d come here to get an apology for the way she’d spoke about Romero on the phone this week. Of course, this lunch was more self-serving for her sister than anything. She should’ve known. “Sure, I’ll ask her.”

  “I hope the rooms are a good size because I’ll be inviting all of his friends and fellow Navy mates.” Her eyes met Isabel’s for a second before continuing to study the menu.

  “Oh, they’re big enough. How many people did you have in mind?”

  “A couple hundred, at least. This is why I wanted you to talk to Valerie for me. It’s going to end up costing me a small fortune, so I’m trying to figure out where I can cut down a little.”

  As promised, the rest of the meal her sister never brought up Romero. Instead, she talked Isabel’s ear off about the campaign, then the party for Charles and finally she grilled Isabel about the classes she’d be taking in the fall. She did throw in a few mentions of Jacob and how he’d been sent out as stand-in Captain while the Captain of the ship could recoup from an injury. “Charles says he’ll make a great Captain someday.”

  “Good. I’m happy for him.” She really was. “I remember that’s all he ever talked about just before he enlisted.”

  Pat tilted her head. “You were so in love with him, Bell. You really don’t feel anything for him anymore?”

  “First of all, I really don’t think I was ever in love with him, much less so in love.”

  “Oh, come on. You were with him for over two years and he was your first everything. How could you not be?”

  “I dunno, maybe I loved him, but honestly, now that I know what being in love really feels like, I know I’ve ever been in love before.” For a moment, she wished she could speak of Romero openly with her sister. “I’ve never felt what I feel for Romero for anyone—ever.”

  She saw Pat’s mouth pinch to the side and she knew right there. That would be the most she’d ever be able to tell her about Romero. “I still think you were in love with Jacob. I know he has feelings for you. I also think that if you just gave him a chance—”

  “Pat.”

  Pat lifted her hands up in front of her. “Okay, okay. I’m just saying.”

  “Well, don’t.”

  On her drive home she thought of what Pat had said about Jacob. But she was one hundred percent sure about it now. Never, not even in the entire two years she’d gone out with Jacob, had she ever experienced what she had with Romero.

  CHAPTER 17

  Cici

  This was the second time in a couple of weeks that Romero had wandered into a jewelry store at the mall. He’d gone there to check out the laptops at the home electronics store and just like the last time he was there, he ended up at a jewelry store. Just like last time, he told himself he was looking for a nice bracelet, maybe a necklace, something special Isabel could wear that came from him. And like the last time, he ended up looking at the engagement rings.

  “Looking for anything in particular?”

  He glanced up at the girl behind the counter. “Nah, I’m just browsing.” His eyes went back to the rings under the glass.

  “Browsing for engagement rings?” He brought his attention back up at the blonde girl. Something about her eyes was very familiar.
“No, not really. Just curious, what does something like this go for?” He pointed at a square looking diamond.

  When she didn’t answer, he glanced up at her. She angled her head slowly to one side, then smiled big. “Oh my God. Is it really you? Moe?”

  Romero studied her. He knew her from somewhere but he still couldn’t place her face. Then he glanced down at the gold necklace around her neck with the name Cecelia, and it hit him. “Cici?”

  “Yeah.” She put her hand over her mouth.

  “Holy shit!” He took a step back “Are you kidding me? You look so different.” She really did. The last time he’d seen her, that night, she had dark brown long hair. Now she wore it in a cute blonde bob. He would’ve never thought this was the same person.

  “So do you! C’mere.” She leaned over the counter and held her arms out. He leaned in and hugged her. Her perfume was as strong as he remembered her wearing it even back then.

  An older woman walked out of the back. “Cici, you wanna take your lunch now? You’ve been here four hours.”

  Cici turned around. “Okay.” She turned back to Romero then grabbed her purse from a cabinet inside the rows of glass counters.

  He hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast and it was almost three. For years, he’d been curious about what had happened to her. “Where you going for lunch?”

  She walked out from behind the counter. “Umm, I’m not sure. I’m so sick of everything in the food court.”

  “How long you been working here? I come here a lot and I’ve never seen you.”

  She touched her hair. “Almost a year. You probably have. You just didn’t recognize me. I still change my hair color and style a lot.”

  Romero smiled as they walked around the corner, his favorite restaurant coming into view. “How ‘bout Frisco’s. You can never get tired of eating there.”