Snap!
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er husband’s sexy eyebrow was arched sharply, and Isabel smirked as she watched Romero turn to his uncles in the back seat of his SUV. “No shoving or name-calling in the crowd this year,” he warned them sternly. “This is a Christmas parade for crying out loud. We’re supposed to be in a jolly mood.”
“Not when someone’s fat ass is blocking my Mandy’s view,” Manny shot back.
“I remember that,” Romeo said from his car seat next to Manny. “That was funny, Uncle Manny.”
It surprised Isabel that her son would remember that since he hadn’t even been four then.
“Yeah, well funny or not,” Romero said firmly, but Isabel saw the unmistakable smirk, “it’s not happening this year. We’re gonna get banned from coming to this thing soon.”
Thankfully, when they arrived at the beach, the Morenos were all there and set up. They’d reserved a whole area for their group and made a makeshift kid area up front where they could better see the lighted boats go by. Isabel smiled, knowing this year there’d be no danger of any fat asses blocking her kids’ view. They already had the canopy set up with hot chocolate, pan dulce, and all the other food needed for their evening under the stars.
Isabel was glad to see her sisters and her mom there. The kids were off and running almost immediately, though Isabel insisted they say hello to everyone first. After saying hello to everyone herself, she sat down in the empty chair next to her sister Gina. She knew the chair was for Gina’s husband, Brandon, but he was off chatting with some of the guys. It would also be a while before Manny, Max, and Romero got their chairs set up then argued about the bonfire, so she made herself comfortable next to her sister.
Gina immediately shared her blanket with her. Isabel’s mom, who was around the same bonfire as Gina, asked Aida to join them, offering the chair between her and Isabel’s other sister, Pat. Fortunately, it wasn’t too close. Isabel was looking forward to chatting with Gina about her pregnancy. It was almost impossible to talk about it at home where Romero was constantly within earshot of her phone calls.
“So he still doesn’t know?” Gina whispered.
Isabel had warned her sister about why his uncles couldn’t be told, so Aida couldn’t be let in on the secret either.
“No,” Isabel whispered back, glad that Aida and her mom and Pat were engrossed in a conversation of their own already. “But I can tell he’s getting suspicious.” She giggled. “He knows this time of year I get very sneaky, so I’m sure he knows I have a surprise for him. He just has no clue what it is.”
“What about work?” her sister asked. “Are you gonna keep working until you’re due?”
“Oh heck no!” Isabel said, shaking her head, and remembered to lower her voice again. “If I could, I’d quit now, but Elliot . . .” She turned to see where Romero was. He was close at the table with all the food but far enough he couldn’t hear them talking, so she turned back to Gina and pouted. “He’s counting on me to stay at least until Christmas break.”
Gina laughed. “Bell, that’s in, what? Less than two weeks? You act like it’s months away.”
“I know,” Isabel said, smiling, and then leaned her head against Gina’s shoulder. “But I’m so tired all the time now, Sissy,” she whined softly and buried her face into the blanket on Gina’s shoulder then turned sideways so she could continue her whining. “You know how it is in the beginning. All I wish I could do after dropping off the kids in the morning is go back home and sleep.”
“Oh yeah, I’d forgotten about that. How are you doing with the morning sickness?”
“That’s another thing,” Isabel said, liking how comfortable it felt leaning against her sister’s shoulder. “It’s getting worse and worse, and it’s not just in the morning. You know that, right? It hasn’t been easy keeping it from Romero, but I keep telling myself the surprise is gonna be so worth it.”
“Oh my God, I’d be dying. Not only that, I think Brandon might be a little miffed at me for keeping something this huge from him.”
“Really?” Isabel asked curiously, and she was seriously beginning to think she could fall asleep right there on Gina’s shoulder. “But it’s for the sake of surprising him.”
“Well, you’re braver than I am, let me tell you. I can’t even imagine doing what you’re doing, Bell. I’m surprised Romero hasn’t suspected.”
“I know. Me too,” Isabel said, taking a deep breath. “And the worst part is I’m starting to fumble all my lies.”
“You crying, Izzy?”
Isabel’s head jerked up at the sound of Romero’s voice. He stood there, holding what looked like two cups of coffee.
“No,” she said, wondering just how much he’d heard because his brow was up but not in a playful way.
“You’re surprised I haven’t suspected what?” he asked Gina. Gina turned to Isabel, eyes wide open, but before she could say anything, Romero went on, his tone like none she’d heard in years—none he’d ever used on Gina. “What lies are you fumbling, Isabel?”
And there you had it. He hadn’t called her Isabel in years either because she hadn’t seen him this mad in years.” Sh-she can’t tell you,” Gina said.
“Why’s that, Gina?” he shot back, his tone even deadlier. “And what exactly is she doing that makes her braver than you?”
“It’s a surprise,” Isabel said with conviction, reaching out for the cup in his hand.
Romero stared at her then her sister. Reluctantly, he handed both cups to them just as Brandon walked over, holding some sweet bread he handed to Gina first then to Isabel.
“Oh, here,” Isabel said, standing up. “Let me get out of your chair.”
“You’re fine,” Brandon said. “I can stand.”
“No, no,” Isabel said. “Come sit with your wife. Our chairs should be all set up.”
“They’re right behind you,” Romero informed her, slipping his hand in hers, but that look in his eyes hadn’t eased up.
“You see,” Isabel said to Brandon. “My chairs are right here.”
She started toward them but kept going when Romero tugged her hand so she continued to walk with him. A few yards away, he stopped in front of her and faced her. Feeling her brows furrow, she stared at him a bit concerned. Clearly he was still visibly shaken, and she had a feeling what he might be thinking—it’d be the only reason he’d call her Isabel and be so coarse with her sister.
Almost since he’d first met her and gotten to know Isabel’s sister, he’d referred to Gina as his baby sister even if she was older than he was. He’d always spoken to Gina just as sweetly as a big brother would. So the tone he’d taken tonight was too telling of what had been going through his mind. Not once had he ever taken that tone with her. Pat, yes, on more than one occasion, but Gina, never.
“Look at me,” he said, staring into her eyes. “What were you and your sister talking about back there?”
“I told you,” she said as his eyes searched hers. “Your Christmas surprise.”
“She said she couldn’t imagine doing what you’re doing.” He squeezed her hand, still searching her eyes almost desperately. “She said you’re braver.”
“Maybe I am.” She smiled, touching his face.
“Why?” She saw the flicker of terror in his eyes as he squeezed her hand tighter. “What are you doing, Isab—?”
“I don’t know, Ramon,” she said, feeling more than annoyed with him suddenly because she was certain now what he was thinking, and while she couldn’t really blame him, it still wasn’t fair to her. How dare he? She felt her own expression go as hard as his. “What do you think we were talking about?”
Instantly, his demeanor changed as if it hit him just then how wrong he’d been. He tried to kiss her, but she pulled back, so he wrapped his arms around her tightly. “I’m sorry,” he said immediately against her ear.
It wasn’t until that moment that she realized just how convinced he must’ve been about what he was thinking because, when he pressed against her now, she felt how erratically his heart was beating. She tried pushing him away, but he held her tighter. “I’m sorry, baby,” he said urgently again.
“I know what it sounded like Romero, but, Jesus, can you give me some credit?”
“I know,” he said finally, pulling away to look at her, but brought his hands to her face, cupping it. The intensity in his eyes was still there but different. He looked truly sorry now and at the same time relieved. “I-I just . . . I didn’t know what to think. You called this guy brilliant, you’re around him all the time, and then I hear this—”
“Stop,” she said, furious with herself now for having slipped and told Romero she thought Elliot was brilliant.
She knew it then and this only confirmed it. It’d been a mistake. It wouldn’t faze most men, but Romero wasn’t most men. She already knew he was struggling with this whole thing. Adding that to everything else he already had to tolerate about her working so closely and alone with Elliot was just stupid.
“Listen to me, sweetheart. We’ve been over this already. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”
For a moment, she was tempted to just tell him that she was pregnant and would be quitting soon, but she was so looking forward to his Christmas morning surprise. This would be hands down her best surprise for him ever. She did, however, want to ease his mind a little, so she let him in on something else.
“I haven’t said anything to Elliot yet.” He was watching her so closely she hoped he didn’t pick up on that slight insincerity, but she was afraid he might put two and two together if she told him it was a sure thing. “I haven’t decided yet if I’m going back to work after the holidays.” His eyes widened immediately and she smiled. “I said I haven’t decided, but this has been a lot of work, and I have been missing my time at home. I feel guilty that I don’t put together the kind of meals I used to anymore because I’m too tired and don’t have the time.”
His bright eyes lost some of their shine for a moment. “I don’t want you quitting because of me. I swear to you I won’t be such a dumb ass anymore.”
Isabel frowned. “You’re not a dumb ass.”
“I’ve been acting like one, and just the other day, Izzy, you said you really enjoyed doing that lecture.” He was doing it again, searching her eyes, only this time he seemed more worried than angry. “If that’s your dream, if it’s what you really want, I promise you, baby, I’ll stop being so fucking paranoid about this whole thing. I don’t want you to feel like I made you quit.”
Well shit. She was going to have to fess up and admit he was right after all: that it had been too much for her and she really didn’t want to work anymore. She truly did miss being home and running a tight ship as she always had. It’d been so hard to keep up lately, especially with her being so tired now. But she didn’t have to tell him all that just yet.
“I haven’t decided,” she said with a smile. “But I promise when I do it’ll be my decision completely.”
“Mom!” Isabel turned at the sound of Amanda’s voice. “Romeo’s playing with the fire.”
“He’s fine,” Manny hollered. “Don’t listen to Mother Theresa. We got this.”
“I hate when your uncles call her that,” Isabel said just as Romero tugged her hand and they started back toward the bonfire. “She’s only doing what I ask her to, and that’s looking after her brother, and they call her that every time.”
“I’ll talk to them,” Romero said then stopped and turned to face Isabel again. “I’m really, really sorry about how I reacted, okay? I’ll apologize to Gina too. I swear to you I know it doesn’t seem like I am, but I am trying.”
Isabel nodded, but for two reasons, she didn’t do so quite as enthusiastically as she had in the past when he’d apologized before about this. One, it was getting annoying and insulting that he’d so easily think the worst of her. And two, a part of her felt as remorseful as he looked. Romero may be Romero and react too quickly to his gut feelings, but his gut feeling in this case wasn’t that far off. More than ever she was glad she’d be done with this job in less than two weeks.
She had no fear of being tempted to do or even behave in an improper way around Elliot. But she was a horrid liar and Romero read her too well. If she was completely honest with herself, she hadn’t been comfortable around Elliot ever since his admission about being more intrigued by women who could do things to his mind. His other subtle comments hadn’t helped with the unease either.
The day she’d done her full lecture when she’d finished and they’d been alone again, he’d told her he didn’t think he could be any more fascinated with her than he already was. This time she was sure she saw more in his eyes, heard more in the undertone. She’d stupidly thought her being pregnant would be a deterrent—a wall that would keep him safely from looking at her like that again. She still thought she could be wrong, and it was unfair to think that way of Elliot when he really hadn’t done or said anything inappropriate, but she still couldn’t help feeling slightly uncomfortable by it. It was why she’d called Romero and asked him to meet her for lunch instead of hanging out alone with Elliot for another hour.
Using the thrill she was still feeling about giving the lecture, she managed to mask her unease from Elliot’s compliment when she called Romero that day. Even then, she hadn’t done a very good job because he still asked if she was okay.
She’d figured something out about Elliot. He wasn’t just good at expressing himself. He was masterful at it. He really did have a gift for mesmerizing audiences, not just with his words but how he delivered them. As silly as she thought so at first, the idea that he was trying to use his gift on her was beginning to feel more plausible.
They didn’t award PhDs to just anyone. Even with all her highly accomplished family members, Isabel was certain she’d never met someone as intelligent as Elliot. He was as close to a genius as she’d probably would ever meet. He could say things to her without actually saying them. Make her feel things without doing a damn thing.
Mind fucked.
She’d heard the ugly expression before and never thought she’d ever say this, but it was really beginning to feel as if that’s what Elliot was trying to do to her. She wondered now if maybe he’d been trying to tell her something else when he talked about liking what women did to his mind. Maybe it was a turn on to him—something he practiced and enjoyed doing to women—playing with their minds.
He knew she was married and pregnant, knew she wasn’t stupid or the type of woman who would cheat, and she was certain Romero had gotten his unspoken message across loud and clear on Thanksgiving that he too had picked up on something disquieting about Elliot.
What’s more, like the first time she blurted out her reminder about being married with kids, she’d reiterated the fact plenty times more. Albeit not as stupidly as that first time, but he knew without a doubt she was hopelessly devoted to her husband and family. Yet she couldn’t shake the niggling feeling that all these things were a challenge to him, and that challenge was a turn on for him. She got the feeling that maybe he’d mistaken her unease for allure.
She even wondered now if he’d ever had plans for Thanksgiving at all. Was his telling her about his excitement about Mammoth, because he’d otherwise be alone, his way of garnering sympathy from her so when the time came he could pull what he did? Only someone as smart as Elliot would be so conniving and think that far ahead. What better way to get a sneak peek into her world—her marriage—and see for himself just what he was up against.
A man like Elliot likely never felt challenged. He was probably enjoying this. Of course there was still the possibility that she was way off. But if there were any chance that she wasn’t, she was glad that the risk of Romero picking up on anymore of her discomfort when it came to Elliot wouldn’t be for much longer.
There was no way Isabel could be too hard on Romero for feeling something was off-kilter. Only there was no way he could possibly know what was really going on.
~*~
“You guys can’t call Mandy Mother Theresa anymore.” Romero said, tossing another piece of wood in the bonfire. “I already told you Izzy doesn’t like it.”
“But we’re just teasing,” Manny said with a frown. “Mandy knows we’re just playing.”
“Yeah, it’s all in fun,” Max added. “We don’t mean nothin’ by it.”
Romero knew just as they’d called Romeo a momma’s boy for years, Mandy had been Mother Theresa to his uncles for just as long. According to these two, Izzy had created both the roles. Romeo was a momma’s boy because she coddled him to death, and Mandy was turning into Izzy. Romero loved that his daughter was just like her mom. Already she’d skipped the first grade, so she obviously had Izzy’s brains, but she was also just as much a stickler about keeping things clean and organized. She often got on Romeo’s case about not putting their toys and books back just so. And since his uncles were like immature kids still incapable of cleaning up their language, they too got scolded by Mandy many times. So she’d since been labeled Mother Theresa.
Like his uncles, Romero didn’t think Mandy minded the name. He could tell she got a kick of ratting her uncles out or calling them out when they let her and Romeo do things they weren’t supposed to be doing. Because like her mom, even at her young age, she was smart enough to know that even if Manny and Max as the adults gave their permission, Izzy would likely still raise a brow and tell her she should have known better.
Normally, this was funny as shit to Romero. Not only did half the time his six-year-old daughter have more sense than his grown ass uncles, but they knew it and playfully resented it. But tonight he was still too damn on edge to appreciate the humor of it. “Yeah, well it upsets Izzy.” He placed his hands over Romeo’s ears. “So knock that shit off already.”
“I heard you had some apologizing to do to Isabel’s sister earlier,” Alex asked with a smirk.
Romero frowned. “Yeah, I snapped.”
Sal bent over to pick up his youngest. “Is that right? You and Pat still not getting along? I thought that’s been water under the bridge for years.”
“Nah, not Pat, Gina,” Romero clarified.
“What?” Angel asked, surprised. “You snapped at your baby sister?”
“I misunderstood what she and Izzy were talking about. That’s all.”
“Oh, I gotta hear this,” Alex laughed. “Valerie said you were groveling all over the place.”
Romero rolled his eyes, unamused, motioning to his son standing in front of him as an excuse to not have to give them the embarrassing details, but just then Mandy walked over holding Romeo’s heavier jacket. “Mommy said to put this on and come over and sit with the kids,” she said to Romeo, who crossed his arms defiantly, refusing the heavier jacket even after Romero nudged him. “The parade is gonna start soon,” she added with a big smile just as Izzy did when she was trying to coax Romeo into something.
With that, Romeo’s eye widened as he let his sister put his jacket on him, even waited patiently while she zipped it all the way up. She took him by the hand and they walked away. The rest of the kids who’d been gathered around the fire ran off with them.
“No excuses now, Romero,” Eric said, taking a sip of whatever the hell he was drinking. “Let’s have it.”
Grudgingly, Romero reminded them of the time he’d shared about his client with the almost cheating wife and how he’d recorded the wife confiding in her sister about it.
“This guy”—he pointed at Manny, shaking his head—“has been all up in my face about his theories about Izzy and the professor she’s working with and how I better keep my eyes and ears open because that kind of shit happens all the time.”
“Don’t even tell me,” Sal said, his mouth falling open. “You grilled her sister?”
“No!” Romero said, disgusted as if what he’d done was any better. “I just overheard them talking and it sounded bad.” He glanced back to make sure Izzy wasn’t anywhere nearby. “I walked up behind them just when Gina said she was surprised I hadn’t suspected anything. Izzy even said she was beginning to fumble her lies.”
“What lies?” Manny asked, not looking nearly as amused as the rest of the guys, who were already laughing.
“I guess she’s got a big surprise for me for Christmas.” The guys laughed even more now. “What are you two laughing about?” He addressed Angel and Alex. “Like you two wouldn’t have been thinking the same thing if you were in my place?”
It didn’t stop them from laughing, but Alex actually nodded. “Maybe,” he agreed.
“But I wouldn’t have snapped at her sister,” Angel said.
“I didn’t really snap at her. I was, well, you know how I can get when I’m hot.” They all laughed again, nodding as if they knew damn well. “I never talk to her like that is all. So I felt bad.”
“You sure that surprise thing isn’t just some bullshit story she’s feeding you, and maybe they was really talking ’bout that professor?” Manny asked.
“Yes, I’m sure,” Romero said with as much conviction as he could muster.
“Of course it’s not bullshit,” Sal said, looking a little surprised that Manny would even suggest it was.
Alex put his hand on Manny’s shoulder. “Yeah, Manny, why you getting my boy all stirred up? He’s bad enough as it is. And we all know Isabel wouldn’t do something like that.”
“Even if she ever did,” Eric said but then quickly added looking right at Romero, “and we know she wouldn’t, but if she ever did, she’s too smart to be discussing it openly here in front of the whole damn family with the kids running around and all.”
That made Romero feel even stupider. Izzy was the one always going on and on about Mandy being a sponge. She soaked up everything she heard and asked a million questions. There was no way Izzy would risk discussing something so damning within earshot of her daughter. Within earshot of any of them. She’d been sitting right by Aida too.
So why couldn’t he shake the idea that there was more than just a Christmas surprise that Izzy was keeping from him? There was more to the unusual moods she’d been in lately?
The girls and kids called the men over to sit with them because the parade was about to begin. The lighted boats started their way around the marina, each one brighter and bigger than the last. They all watched oohing and aahing.
Romero snuggled up against his wife under the blanket she’d brought. She smelled so damn good and not like that new perfume she’d gotten either. Another thing that had made him a little nuts for about a day there. All these years she wore the same damn perfume, the one he always told her he loved. The one fucking year she decides to go back to work—side by side with another dude—and she decides to change it? But it was true. The new perfume she’d bought wasn’t sexy at all. It was soft, sweet, girlie. Most importantly it was very subtle. Not something you’d wear to get someone’s attention. She even said she’d be putting a bottle of it in Mandy’s stocking. That’s how sweet and innocent a fragrance it was.
He glanced down at his kids sitting with the rest of the kids as Mandy pulled the blanket she was sharing with her brother over his shoulder to make sure he was covered all the way. For the first time in a while, he smiled genuinely. He was surrounded by the people he loved most in the world, and from the looks of it, none of them were going anywhere. They’d always be this close, and all their kids would be growing up just as close.
Romero couldn’t have asked for a more perfect life, and at that moment, he decided he was going to just drop the whole paranoia about Izzy keeping something from him. She obviously had something big up her sleeve, and maybe getting it all to come together the way she always wanted everything to be so perfect was becoming a pain now that she was working. He’d seen it firsthand more than once when they planned something like one of the kids’ birthday parties or the baby showers she threw for Valerie. Things usually got pretty intense when it came down to the wire.
Last year when they’d gotten the kids bikes for Christmas, it was imperative that everything was planned out just so. Right down to the kind of huge bows they used. Like with everything else she put together so painstakingly perfectly, this surprise could be what was making her moody.
In any case, Christmas was less than two weeks away. If she was still acting strangely even after then, he’d have to deal with it head on, but for now he’d back the hell off and just enjoy his perfect life.