“A romantic stroll on the pier? No way!”

“How romantic is it going to be, Graciela, with me and Ruben there?”

“Still, I don’t want him getting the idea that I’m actually into this.”

“It’s only until Ruben gets the job.” She heard her mom huff. “Fine, I’ll think of somewhere else. But it’ll be casual so don’t worry about changing when you get home.”

Great, she didn’t have a ride again. Unless Sal insisted on taking her home she probably wouldn’t even be there until almost ten. And she had that final tomorrow morning.

She stalked back into the restaurant already annoyed. Working fast to pull her apron on she rushed into the restaurant. She was shocked at what she felt when she saw Sal near the bar with that same girl he’d been talking to in the parking lot weeks ago. The girl was blonde and wore a pantsuit—the same kind she’d worn the last time only this one was black and hugged her body perfectly.

She was already tall and she wore ridiculously high heels. But most pointedly she was completely flirting with him and he seemed to be enjoying it. She kept touching his arm when she spoke. It killed Grace to admit it but they looked perfect together. She’d seen pictures of Valerie in the back room. She was blonde, too. Maybe Sal was partial to blondes also. God, what was she thinking? Of course, this would be his type—beautiful and sophisticated. She felt so stupid now. She gulped hard, trying to hold it together but the truth was she felt ready to fall apart.

He leaned against one of the bar stools and glanced at Grace as she approached. “I didn’t know they were floor tickets—my friend is gonna go wild. He’s already excited about just going.”

“Oh, it’s going to be awesome. Then after we’re all headed to Brewster’s in Oceanside to crack open some crab legs. Some of the players will be there as well. You have to go, Sal. The whole place is reserved just for our group. It’ll be so much fun. Your friend is welcome to come, too.”

“Players are going to be there? Shit, I know he’s gonna wanna go.”

“Good, then it’s a date.”

Grace turned her back to them, feeling her gut kicked in, then she heard Sal laugh. “I haven’t agreed to anything yet, Melissa.”

“Oh, but you will.” Melissa’s voice was so suggestive Grace wondered what else he’d be agreeing to on their date.

Feeling like a complete idiot for even allowing herself to consider the possibility of her and Sal, she rushed to the ladies’ room before she lost it right there in front of them.

CHAPTER 12

Relieved that Grace had stepped away, Sal was still pissed at the fact that she overheard his conversation with Melissa. He wasn’t sure what was going on with her and whoever she was talking to, but he didn’t like the idea of her thinking he was off the market. He already felt her apprehension about opening up last night when she told him about her dad. The last thing he needed was to put up another wall. Melissa could be that very wall, especially if her crap started up again. Why the hell had he listened to Romero?

When Melissa finally left, he walked around casually, looking for Grace but she had completely disappeared. She was back at the bar when he emerged from the back room after an hour long conference call. Feeling like a giddy high school kid, he walked up to the bar. “So you have a ride tonight?”

She turned to him but went back to making the drinks she was working on. “I do.”

Disappointed he glanced around the restaurant, trying not to show it. “Joey or Taylor?”

“Neither.”

He turned back to her. “Who’s picking you up?”

She continued making the drinks without so much as looking up. “The RTD.”

He smiled, feeling relief wash over him. “Nah, I’ll take you home.”

“Sal—”

“Don’t argue, Gracie. You’re not taking the bus. I’m taking you home.” He walked away before she could protest.

He had to make a move soon. He could hardly look at her anymore without staring at her lips and thinking about how much he wanted to kiss them… taste her.

Julie informed him they were solidly booked for the night with reservations. He really needed to step up the hiring. He thought he’d gotten better at not being such a hard ass, as Alex put it.

He walked back to the bar. They were fully covered but the kitchen was lacking. He watched Grace as she so effortlessly made her drinks. “How do you feel about working the kitchen tonight?”

She looked up at him her eyes suddenly huge. “Really?”

Jesus, what her bright eyes did to him. “Yeah, really. C’mon.” He motioned with his head.

She followed him to the back room. “Just put on a coat. We’re getting busy and I need someone that knows what they’re doing back there.”

She put the coat on and walked right up to him. “Thank you. I won’t disappoint you. I promise.”

Sal had to refrain from saying what he really wanted to—that at this point, there probably wasn’t a thing she could do to disappoint him. “I know you won’t. Your skill, but most importantly, your ease in the kitchen is truly impressive. Get in there and kill it.”

He couldn’t have paid enough for the smile she indulged him with. “That means so much to me. You have no idea.”

She had no idea what she was doing to him. For the next hour she worked the kitchen as naturally as she had worked the bar all night. He watched feeling a little irritated at how much the other cooks seemed to embrace her so quickly. The rapport she built with them, especially speaking Spanish, was almost immediate.