Romero (The Moreno Brothers 4)

“Where you going Wednesday?”

“My dad is running for Mayor, after all. They’ll be announcing it Wednesday night at a dinner on the Navy base. You think you can make it?”

Romero stopped chewing and stared at her. He still hadn’t met her father. Because he was also in Alex’s brother’s wedding, the wedding and the events leading up to it had taken up a lot of their weekends, these past several weeks. And since his business had picked up so much work he’d been really busy lately. But she knew Romero wasn’t anxious to meet him. “I have something going on late Wednesday afternoon. What time’s the dinner?”

“I don’t have all the details yet but she’s calling me back tonight.”

“I thought you said your dad didn’t wanna run?”

Isabel got up and poured herself some milk. “He said he wasn’t so sure he wanted to. But I guess he changed his mind.” She wouldn’t tell him she knew Pat was behind it all. He had enough reason to dislike her sister. She’d begun to notice how when Romero was bothered by something he’d stare off into space. He was doing it now. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” He was obviously surprised that she noticed. “I just got a busy day today.”

Isabel was actually looking at a day off. The district was making so many cuts lately they kept adding collaboration days to the school calendar. She got the day off but, of course, she didn’t get paid for it. “Where are you working today?”

“I just signed a contract with the uniform distributor. They have several factories; they want us to drop in and do a surprise security inspection. Make sure they’re covering everything the way they’re supposed to, then I gotta meet with some dude that wants his girl followed around. He thinks she’s cheating.” He shrugged. “It’s crazy how many people out there think their partners are fooling around. How do you think someone is cheating on you?”

The question confused Isabel. “Why not? If she’s done something questionable or he’s noticed something different about her lately.”

“Exactly. If you think it so much you’re willing to hire someone to find out, you already know.” He drank some of his coffee and continued. “You’re just in denial, holding on to the miniscule hope that you’re wrong.”

“That’s not fair though. Everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt. Their partner could just be having a bad week—month.”

Romero shook his head. “I’ve yet to prove even one of these clients that thought their spouses or partners were cheating, wrong. I actually feel bad taking their money just to tell them something they already knew.” His expression went suddenly hard. “I think I’d know.”

In the relatively short time she’d known Romero, she’d seen that lethal expression several times now. Most memorably, the morning of Michael’s call. She touched his hard arm. “I’ve always been a firm believer that cheating is inexcusable. I’ve seen it so many times on television and even read articles of people trying to justify it. I was lonely, felt neglected, my partner treated me badly—it’s all B.S. If you’re not happy and there’s no working things out, you leave. Plain and simple, you don’t sneak around. I just don’t see the point. If someone else makes you happier, then you do the right thing and end the relationship you’re in.” She leaned in closer to his face that had somewhat relaxed a little. “So you’d never have to worry about me cheating, my love.” She kissed him. “And if you keep me as happy as I feel now, I don’t see how anyone else could ever make me happier.”

He finally smiled. “I don’t think it’s something I ever wanna think about.” He kissed her longer than she did then stood up. “I gotta go. What are your plans today?”

“Clean and grade some papers.”

Romero glanced around with a smirk. “Clean what?” he laughed. “This place is spotless.”

Isabel smiled, picking up her plate and glass from the table. “I’m cleaning out the fridge and the restroom could use a good scrubbing.”

After putting his watch on and grabbing his keys off the counter he walked over to Isabel and pulled her to him by the waist, kissing her like only he could. “My perfect, Izzy,” he whispered.

“Will you stop saying that?” She giggled. “God are you ever gonna be disappointed when you find out I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. And you could never disappoint me.” He patted her behind then let her go. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Romero hadn’t slept in his own apartment in days. Strangely, neither he nor Isabel had addressed the fact. It’s like neither wanted to bring up the idea of moving in together. It only made sense. Why pay two rents? Then she could stop taking Valerie’s money for her half. But it felt too soon. And if he wasn’t bringing it up, maybe he thought so, too.

***

The plans Romero had for Wednesday weren’t anything that couldn’t easily be rescheduled. It was just a meeting with another client who suspected her husband of cheating. Romero knew he could either reschedule or have someone else meet with her. It was no big deal, but he saw it as his way of getting out of having to meet Isabel’s dad under these kinds of circumstances. Meet him during a dinner where he announces he’s running for mayor, surrounded by a bunch of other snobs? Could there be a f**king worse time? Nope. He wasn’t rescheduling shit. He’d just tell Isabel he’d have to meet her dad another time.