He’s not. Stop it already.
12
ISLA
Five o’clock arrived,and I’d just returned to West End a frazzled mess after the catering event. My shift that would never end was far from over. I had another four or five hours to go before I could make the hour drive home.
Dudley and I had hit some traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge. There was a horrible two-car accident. Observing the totaled cars had unnerved me something awful.
I put my hand on my stomach and wondered what would happen to Pippa if something happened to me. The worst-case scenario haunted me a million times since her birth, but I hadn’t done anything about it. There wasn’t a will or guardianship set up for my precious lovebug. The only thing I’d done was give Alba the phone number of Ciro’s sister, Rosa. Not my own sister’s but Ciro’s.
There weren’t many people I trusted, but I’d trust Rosa with my life and my daughter’s.
“How did it go?” Falina asked the moment she saw me enter the kitchen through the alley door.
“Great. I handed out two dozen business cards.”
“Excellent. Take ten, then get ready for the dinner rush.” Falina side-eyed me weirdly.
“Sure thing.” I stretched my back and exhaled. “But I might need fifteen minutes to empty these jugs.” I placed my hands on my breasts. They ached something fierce. I hadn’t stopped breastfeeding, even though Pippa would take a bottle. I refused to stop. We both needed to connect after picking her up. Breastfeeding was best for both of us.
“Of course.” She smiled, understanding that I needed to pump. “And I almost forgot. Some guy was asking about you.”
“A guy?” I pretended to be oblivious, but it could have only been one guy asking about me.
“Yeah. Said he’d been in yesterday. Have you been holding out on me?” Falina was obsessed with finding a good man for me, hence Jon.
“Holding out on you? Absolutely not. What did he want?” I casually asked, though my heart felt like it might burst out of my chest and cover Falina in blood and scraps of flesh.
Since I’d moved to San Francisco, I had run into a couple of college friends. So, it was possible that someone I knew had come in and not Ciro.
Honestly, Isla. You’re grasping at straws.
I know.
“Just to see you. He was hot.” Falina fanned her face.
My already-racing heart kicked up a notch.
“Hot?” My stomach twisted into knots. “What did he look like?”Please, no seductive brown eyes.
“Dark hair. Tall and muscly. A perfect mega-watt smile that would charm the pants off any woman.”
Oh, Jesus.
Falina paused, thinking. “And a sexy, meticulously trimmed beard.”
“Oh, really?” I pretended to be fascinated.
Why had Ciro grown the sexy beard after we broke up?Jerk. I’d asked him several times to let his facial hair grow out a little, but he’d refused.Gah, he was so infuriating!
“Mhm… And hypnotic chocolate-brown eyes. He was by far the sexiest man I’ve ever seen, even on the cover ofGQmagazine. Like ever.” Falina flushed bright red, appearing heated or maybeinheat.
My legs nearly gave out. I caught myself leaning against the wall.Why did Ciro return?
“Hey. You okay? You’re white as a sheet.” She helped me to a bench along the wall. “Let me get you some water.”
Falina had described Ciro perfectly. I couldn’t see him again. Conflict and I didn’t mix. It was easier to give in and scold myself afterward for being a push over.
