Something about being part of a team, his team, even if it was just metaphorically, excited her and she smiled—probably a little too much.

“This is just a temp,” he added. “I’m having your name embroidered on one. Is Gracie okay?”

As silly and as trite as that was, that excited her even further. “Yeah, Gracie is fine.” She turned to the mirror and tried it on, pulling her ponytail out of the back opening. She turned back to Sal with a giddy smile. “How’s that?”

He stared at her for a moment before saying, “Looks good.”

Just like that, the moment they were having was lost. She’d finally felt at ease with him, even if it was on for a instant over a silly cap, when that hardened look she was so familiar with now washed over him.

He glanced over her shoulder. “Melanie, you still have your cap from last year?”

“I think so. It’s somewhere at home.”

“Let me know if I have to order you another one.”

Sal’s eyes met hers one last time as she removed the cap before he excused himself saying he had to make some calls. Grace sighed. She’d never figure him out.

She slipped the cap under the bar, but after spilling something that almost dripped down there, she decided to take it back and put it in her cabinet. She slowed as she reached the open office door. Sal was on the phone.

“Melissa, you have a way of always turning my words around.”

Grace held her breath, glancing around to see if anyone was watching her. No one was.

“Sweetheart, I think I’d remember if I said that.”

Someone walked out of the kitchen forcing Grace to keep walking.

“No, I’m not calling you a liar I’m just saying—” he stopped talking when Grace walked in.

Grace motioned that she was just putting the cap away.

He nodded and continued. “I’m just saying you obviously misinterpreted what I said.”

She could not get out of there fast enough. Sal laughed as she walked back to the bar, rolling her eyes. Chick magnet. The man had them coming at him from every angle.

~*~

Melissa’s phone calls were starting up again. Sal knew he should have never agreed to see her again. After a hair-splitting phone call with her, where she conveniently mistook him saying I’ll see you around, to mean I want to see you again, he finally got her off the phone without having to promise to get together with her.

He checked his e-mail to see if the investors he’d met with today had sent him the proposal they promised to have for him by the end of the day. It was still a little early, but he was anxious. This was the first time since he started looking into teaming up with others to expand the restaurants, that they were more interested in being silent partners than having a hand in everything. But they did say they had a few stipulations of their own. Stipulations that would be outlined in the proposal.

Sal almost went home first to change, but he’d hardly been in the restaurant this week. He was anxious to get there already. He told himself it was because Alex was waiting for him so he could go home to Valerie, but there was more to his anxiety about getting to the restaurant. Something he wasn’t even ready to admit to himself yet. He pushed it to the back of his head until he saw Grace when he walked in. Even then, he reasoned the thrill that he felt was nothing more than the comfort of being back in a familiar place with familiar faces. But after a few doses of her wide-eyed excitement, topped with how sweet she looked in the ball cap on he had to get it together—had to snap out of it.

One look at his inundated email inbox and Sal’s head nearly hit his keyboard. He kept saying he would go through it soon. Now was as good a time as any. He spent about an hour clearing it out and still, no proposal.

With his head swimming from all the emails he had to go through, he left the office to grab something to drink. He ran into Grace who hurried into the back.

“Sorry,” she said, smiling, her hand on his chest.

Her touch sent a bolt through him as if it were the first time he felt a woman’s touch. “Where’s the fire?” He managed to keep his voice steady.

“I’m off now and my ride is here.” She looked up at him.

This was the closest he’d been to her and Sal had to fight the incredible urge to get even closer. He moved out of the way, letting her by and walked into the dining room. It was still a few hours before closing time. Grace usually worked the closing shift but she must’ve come in earlier today.

Julie was manning the hostess desk at the front of the restaurant. He walked over to check if they had any late reservations or if tonight would be all walk-ins. There was a scruffy guy at the door in dreadlocks, as Sal walked up to the hostess desk. Sal didn’t miss the way the guy checked him out thoroughly. So much so, he made it a point to address him. “Have you been helped?”

The guy’s smirk was a bit too smug. “No, I’m good.”

What the hell did that mean? Sal looked him over for a second, before deciding he was probably meeting someone and turned to Julie.

He glanced at the night’s reservation list when he heard the guy purr, “Hey beautiful.” Sal looked up just in time to catch the guy wrap his arm around Grace’s neck and kiss her temple.

She turned to Sal and Julie and waved as she walked out with the grunge freak. Sal stood there stunned—or something. He wasn’t sure what it was feeling, but somehow the scene had left him rattled. Another boyfriend?

Forgetting about the reservation list, he stalked back toward the office. He didn’t even realize he was pissed until he slammed the door shut. He sat back in his chair, breathing hard and stared at the ceiling. What the hell was wrong with him?