Making You Mine (18 page)

She didn’t bother turning around. She couldn’t. She knew her face was probably bright red so she simply nodded, hoping Alex would just drop it. No such luck.

“So I was asking her about the guy last night. Is
he
your boyfriend?”

Damn it. It was supposed to be Sal asking her not Alex. How was she supposed to turn this around now? “No he’s not. Just a friend.”

Sal took a seat at the desk. “Do
all
your friends bring you roses?” he asked.

Finally, Grace turned to face him then glanced at Alex, who was still smiling. “Do you two always ask your employees about their personal lives or am I just special?”

“No and yes,” Sal responded.

Alex waved. “I’m out. I’ll let you two work this out.”

Gracie fidgeted with her apron, still trying to figure out what was going on. She watched as Sal stood up and closed the door. “I don’t mean to pry, but I will since Alex brought it up. Who was that guy last night?”

This was it. Joey would kill her if she didn’t do this. Sal was obviously calling her out. “He’s a friend of my step-dad’s.” She cleared her throat. “Are you seeing that girl you were talking to outside?”

His eyebrow lifted and he smiled. “Melissa? No. She just got me tickets for the big game this weekend.” He leaned back in his chair apparently enjoying the quid-pro-quo. “So why’s your step-dad’s friend bringing you roses?”

She shrugged. “I think my mom gave him the idea I might be interested in him.” She stared him straight in the eye, feeling her heartbeat thud against her chest and trying desperately not to read too much into what was happening here, but it was impossible. “I won’t be seeing him again, but you’re going out with Melissa right? After the game.”

His expression went tense. “I’m not sure yet. I really don’t want to. She’s... well lets just say she’s a long story.” For the first time since she met him, he looked her up and down, unnerving her even further. “Where would your mom get the idea you were interested in that guy? He’s a little old for you isn’t he?”

Grace shifted her weight. “My mom gets a lot of crazy ideas.
She’s
a long story, too.” She bit her bottom lip debating on whether or not she should say what she wanted to and finally did, “Melissa sounded pretty convinced you’d be willing to go.” She glanced at her feet then back at him. “It sounds like fun.”

“Actually.” He paused for a moment, staring at her. “I may not even go to the game.”

Grace had to refrain from smiling. “But she got you tickets.”

“I can give them both to Romero and he can take Isabel,” he smiled. “What are
you
doing this weekend?”

Grace wasn’t sure she even wanted to hear about Melissa and she certainly didn’t want to tell him about her mom, but spending time with Sal sounded like heaven. “Yeah, okay. That sounds good.”

He smiled, flashing the dimples that were beginning to own her heart. “Then it’s a date.”

After agreeing and finally able to pull her eyes away from his, she was on her way out the door still unable to believe she had a
date
with Sal. As excited as she felt, she also could barely catch her breath. What if she was just
this
week’s date for him? She’d already cried for this man and nothing had even happened between them. What was she going to do the next time she saw him with another girl?

“Gracie.” She stopped and turned around to meet his eyes. “It’s Friday so technically the weekend starts tonight.”

Tonight?
She planned on going over Joey and Taylor’s tonight so they could help her mentally prepare. Now she was on her own. She gulped hard but nodded. “Okay. I didn’t have a ride tonight anyway.”

“Perfect.”

Grace walked out into the restaurant’s main dining room in a daze. Usually she left her phone in the back room but she brought it out with her in her pocket. She
had
to tell Joey but she didn’t want anyone to hear so she texted him.

We’re going on a date tonight!

She hadn’t even put her phone back in her pocket when it buzzed.

Get out!

She started to respond but it buzzed again.

I knew it! Sexy Mama! I knew it!

This was making her more nervous. She didn’t even know how to begin to be sexy. Taylor and Joey told her she didn’t have to try, that’s what made her even sexier. She always told them she didn’t know what that meant. Joey said her accent had a lot to do with it. The accent she tried so hard to hide but apparently it was still present. She didn’t know what was so sexy about it. She’d always thought people thought less of her because of it.

Gotta get to work but I’ll call you tonight
.

The day literally dragged, especially since Sal left to do some interviewing at Angel’s restaurant. Sofia came in to cover for him while he was gone.

“Hey, you.” Sofia walked up to the bar with a big smile. “I heard you handled the kitchen beautifully yesterday while we were busy.”

“Yep. And it was actually Sal’s idea.”

“I know. He also said as soon as we get a couple more bartenders you’ll be in the kitchen full time.” Sofia held up her hand to high five Grace. “That’s what you wanted right?”

Grace high fived her, letting the delight sink in. Everything was working out like she’d only dreamed, and spending time with Sal hadn’t even been part of that dream until very recently. Icing on the cake if this didn’t all blow up somehow. Things never seemed to work out for her like this.

Sofia laughed. “None of our vets do recipes either. Trust me. Just humor Sal if he ever wants you to. It’s not like he’ll have time to be policing you.”

Grace took advantage when she saw Julie walk up to the bar, by taking her order and she started putting the drinks together, trying not to think about what Sofia had just said. The bad feeling she had in her stomach about letting herself get caught up with Sal just got bigger.

“You know the blonde girl in the suits,” Melanie said. “She’s been here a couple of times. I wonder if he’s actually getting serious with her.”

“No way,” Sofia said, as she walked away. “Sal doesn’t do serious. She’s probably just another one of his many. I don’t think he left with anyone. He was on his way to Angel’s.” Sofia stopped and turned back to Melanie. “He’s coming back. Why did you need something?”

“No,” Melanie smiled. “Just being nosey.”

Oscar walked up to the bar with another order for her, reminding her about what Sal had told him. Maybe she’d bring it up tonight. This time of day usually got busy and Grace welcomed the distraction—anything to get her mind off worrying.

By the time Sal returned, things were slowing down. She saw him stop and talk to Julie, giving her that smile she wished he could reserve for just her. Julie was the only other single girl around his age that worked at the restaurant and Grace could tell even on that very first day when she walked in for the interview that she enjoyed flirting with him. Her phone buzzed in her pocket snapping her out of her thoughts. It was a text from Joey.

I can hardly wait! You better not forget to call me tonight. No matter how late. =)

She frowned texting him back.

I won’t cause I’m worried now.

She didn’t bother putting the phone back in her pocket she knew he’d be texting right back. Her phone buzzed almost immediately.

What now woman?!

That made her laugh. Joey always said she was a worrywart. But she had very good reason to be this time. She’d never been this emotional about
any
guy much less one who she wasn’t even in a relationship with. It scared her to death to think what it might do to her if something actually happened between them and like Sofia said—he didn’t do serious. Joey had been right. She evidently wouldn’t be able to handle anything less.

She texted back.

EVERYTHING! We’ll talk tonight. =/

They’d gotten so busy and with Grace continuing to think about Sal she’d forgotten all about eating.

At the end of the night, everyone trickled out until it was just Sal and Grace. He walked up to the bar where she’d just finished cleaning everything. “So did you think about where you wanna go on our
date
?”

The smoldering stare was the same one that made her insides mush the first time he told her he’d been impressed by her cooking. There was an overload of mushing going on now. She cleared her throat. “I’m kind of hungry. I skipped my lunch.”

His eyebrows pinched. “Why?”

“I dunno. We got busy and I just forgot.”

“You can’t be doing that, Gracie. I’m gonna have to write you up,” He smiled and she had to take a deep breath. His smile this close was breathtaking. “So what do you feel like eating?”

Nothing sounded particularly appetizing, but then she had a thought. “I know. Why don’t I make us something here? You can try out another one of my grandmother’s recipes.”

His brows shot up. “Sounds good to me. But it’s still a date, Gracie. Just so you know.”

“Got it.” She started walking toward the kitchen; her insides were completely out of control now. He had to stop saying that. She was ready to swoon again. And as obvious as her emotions were to everyone else, he was bound to notice.

A few minutes later Sal walked back into the kitchen, carrying a tin bucket of Coronas on ice and small bowl with sliced up lime wedges. “So what are you making?” He opened up a beer bottle then stuck a wedge of lime in it and handed it to Grace.

She took the beer. “It’s a surprise.” She squeezed the lime into the beer and pushed the wedge all the way in. It wasn’t until she sprinkled the salt on the rim that she noticed he was staring at her. Her heart fluttered and she took a longer drink than she normally would, hoping it would take a little edge off her nerves. “This isn’t on your menu either, but I think after you taste it you’ll consider adding it.”

Sal opened a beer for himself and leaned against the counter. “Consider? If it’s anywhere near as good as your casserole I’ll be demanding it is.”

Grace regretted taking such a big drink of her beer because she needed to burp now. It wasn’t happening in front of Sal. She turned her back on him and placed her hand on her mouth praying it wasn’t loud. Thankfully, it wasn’t and she turned around to face him again.

Grace looked up at him completely taken off guard by his question. She knew they’d be talking tonight but this was totally unexpected. Even when he mentioned this being a date several times, she didn’t actually expect him to take it this seriously. His eyebrows went up and he didn’t smile. Apparently, he was very serious.

Grace’s expression wasn’t what he expected when he asked the question and Sal wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing, so he waited while she picked up her beer and took another drink.

“You asked him if I was seeing someone?”

“No. He just mentioned it the day after he gave you a ride home—said you were
talking
to someone.”

She put the beer down and began pouring rice into a saucepan. “Did you say something to him about staying away from me or me being off limits?”

Sal took advantage of the moment to size her up. The craziest thing was happening. The more he had her here to himself the more intense his need to know if she was free for him to make his move got. “Oscar’s a good guy but he tends to look at women like objects. I just reminded him not to do that with you or any of the employees.”