The schoolmarm act might have worked on Missy, but Jess wasn’t buying it. “Don’t bluff the bluffer. You know damn well what I mean.”
Victoria let out her breath, then glanced around to make sure none of her coworkers were in earshot. The only person nearby was a gardener, trimming the bushes near the pond. “Monday. Up until then, we’d behaved ourselves.”
Jess grinned. “How was it?”
Victoria glared at her. “Just because you and my brother have no filter doesn’t mean I feel the same way.” Still, she couldn’t stop a satisfied smile from crossing her face. “But since you asked, it was fucking incredible.”
“Damn. It’s not every day Victoria Blackwood drops an f-bomb.”
As the gardener moved to a closer set of bushes, Victoria lowered her voice. For all she knew, the man could be listening in. “You can’t tell anyone. I mean, Iknowyou’ll tell Connor, but otherwise, you have to keep it quiet. My father would be furious, and Rafael doesn’t want his brothers to find out. Besides, it’s just a fling. No strings, nothing serious.”
Jess snorted. “A secret fling? With no strings? Where have I heard that before? Oh,I know. In Maui when Connor and I tried theexactsame thing. Have you learned nothing from our mistakes?”
When Jess’s voice caught the attention of the gardener, Victoria broke into a sweat. “Keep it down. This isn’t the same.”
“Isn’t it, though?” Jess gave her another of those knowing looks.
No. Victoria could not, under any circumstances, delude herself into thinking that her fling with Rafael could turn into something more. Unlike Jess and Connor, she didn’t have the luxury of dating whomever she wanted.
Not as long as she lived at home.
But if she moved out, she’d have a lot more freedom.
She allowed herself to consider the possibility again. Wasn’t it time she grew up and took charge of her life? What could it hurt to make a few inquiries?
She brought out her phone. “Jess, can you give me the number of that apartment complex? I might give them a call.”
Chapter 23
Six Days Until the Wedding
On Sunday mornings, Rafael, his brothers, and their families usually joined Mamá for eight o’clock mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe. Though none of them liked getting up early, the morning service was their only chance to squeeze in their weekly obligation before brunch prep at Tres Hermanos. Skipping mass wasn’t an option. On the few occasions Rafael had been too hungover to drag his ass into a pew, Mamá hadn’t let him forget his sins. Every chance she got, she’d remind him she was praying for his soul.
After the morning’s service ended, Rafael convinced his brothers to beat a quick exit. Though the women wanted to stay and attend the parish’s Holiday Craft Fair, he’d had his fill of crafts, thanks to Missy’s wedding. After stopping at the bakery to pick up donuts for everyone, he and his brothers headed over to Martin’s.
Martin sent his two boys into the living room with a couple of donuts. “Go play. No getting crumbs on the couch, or your mom will kill me.”
When Tony snickered at him, Martin shook his head. “Just you wait. You’re next in line.” He filled the coffeepot with water and set it to brew.
Once the coffee was ready, Martin poured them each a cup. As the caffeine hit his system, Rafael slowly came to life. “I needed that. I almost fell asleep during Father’s homily.”
Tony spooned sugar into his coffee. “Don’t think Má didn’t catch you nodding off.”
“Did you go out with the crew again?” Martin asked. “You need to cut that shit out.”
Judgmental, much?“I wasn’t out drinking, viejo. I went to bed at eleven. I had a hard time falling asleep.”
Because he’d been up until one, talking on the phone with Victoria. Since they hadn’t been able to see each other in person since Wednesday morning, they’d spent the last four nights burning up the airwaves with lengthy phone calls. Calls which started off in a conversational tone but slowly dissolved into steamy phone sex.
Rafael knew he was behaving irresponsibly, but he couldn’t resist Victoria. Besides, part of the reason the wedding was going so well was because they made such a great team. Nothing they’d done together had put the wedding in jeopardy.
Assuming no one found out about their fling.
“You worried about the big wedding?” Tony asked.
Rafael nodded. Better they assume he was losing sleep over his job than due to virtual hookups with Victoria.
Martin topped up his cup. “Seems like you’ve got everything under control.”
