“I’ve heard the relationship between two sisters is far more profound than any relationship they’ll ever encounter with anyone else. Would you agree?”

Rose laughed. “I mean who talks like that?”

“Does he actually talk that way or does he just text like that?”

“No, just like with his text, not everything he says is heavily worded but yeah, he threw in a few like that when we were talking at the shower. He used the word consequently when the subject of getting a job came up. He said ‘Consequently my dad will be speaking to my uncle today about possibly hiring me for the summer at one of the restaurants.’ He might come out and stay with your in-laws for the summer.”

Rose’s reference to her in-laws threw Grace. She was already beginning to panic about the idea of Vince being so close to Rose all summer, then Rose used the term and her mind went elsewhere. Ever since she heard Sofia mention her sister-in-laws at the shower with the implication that she might possibly be next, she’d been trying not to put too much weight on the thought. But now that Sal had told her he was in love with her and she’d begun to allow herself to accept it as the truth, the likelihood that she might actually be his wife someday was beginning to feel more and more plausible.

“Earth to Grace.” Rose waved her hand in front of Grace’s face.

Grace shook he head and remembered Vincent. “I hope you don’t plan on spending any time with Vince this summer. Sal hasn’t mentioned him coming out for the summer and honestly the way he speaks of him, I highly doubt he’d be willing to have him work at the restaurant.”

“But Sal only knows what he’s heard through the grapevine. Vinnie said he’s never been close to any of his cousins out here in La Jolla. I’m sure if Sal gives him a chance he’ll see he’s not so bad.”

Grace rolled her eyes. “You’ve known him a whole week and already you know so much about him?”

Rose smiled sheepishly. “We text 24/7.”

Grace’s jaw dropped. “But you said you’re just friends.”

“Well yeah, what else can we be? We live so far from one another.”

“That’s what worries me. If he’s in La Jolla, that just might change.” Grace could totally see why Rose would be attracted to Vincent. He was a Moreno after all. The amazing-good-looks fairy had been more than generous when passing them out to that family.

Rose glanced back down at her phone and smiled brightly again.

Nothing good could come of this. She’d get to the bottom of Vincent coming down for the summer as soon as Sal got back from Vegas. She lay there, knowing it would be hours before she would actually get any sleep. So many thoughts swam in her head it was impossible to settle her mind down enough to fall asleep.

CHAPTER 22

The Hangover

Waking up to the worst hangover of his life and realizing he’d brought a woman back to his room was bad enough, but seeing who that woman was, nearly sucked the life out of him.

Sal stared at Melissa horrified. She stood at the door of the bathroom, holding two coffee cups, wearing a sundress, her hair and makeup perfect as ever. Did he really sleep through her getting ready that morning? “Why are you here?”

Her eyes widened and she looked him up and down with a smirk. “You don’t remember?”

It dawned on him just then that he was still naked. He walked past her in a hurry, grabbing his boxers off the floor and slipping them on. His head throbbed. “Remember what, Melissa?” He held out hope, based on the fact that she was fully dressed that what had happened wasn’t what he was thinking.

But she put one of the cups down on the nightstand and bent over to pick up the panties on the floor. “There they are. I couldn’t find these this morning.” She smiled wickedly and pushed them into her purse.

His patience gave way. “I asked you a question. Why are you in my room?”

“You brought me here last night.”

“I brought you?” He didn’t buy that for a second. Even in a drunk state, he would never do that to Gracie—not with any girl—but especially not Melissa.

“Yes.” She smiled, taking a few steps toward him. “We were pretty drunk but not too drunk to…” She glanced at the bed. “You were amazing.”

Sal put his hand up—a warning for her to not take another step. “Whatever happened was a mistake. I don’t remember any of it.”

“But last night you said—”

“I said I don’t remember!” He raised his voice with every word, feeling the enormous dread sink in and the pounding in his head double. “How the hell are you gonna hold me to something I said when I don’t even remember any of it?”

Her wounded expression did nothing to make him sympathize with her. They might’ve been drunk and he’d man up to whatever he’d done, but he knew somehow she manipulated this outcome. There was no way he’d allow her to even think she could make more of this than what it was—a horrible mistake.

“I don’t understand why you’re angry. We had a good time.”

“Because this should’ve never happened.” He wanted to punch a hole through the wall. Why the hell had he drank so much?

His phone rang somewhere near the bed and he glanced around then picked up his pants from the floor. He pulled the phone from the pocket and he saw it was Grace. No way would he take the chance of answering and having Melissa say something to make her presence known. “You need to leave.”