I still have that photo of him. Shirtless, in fatigues and combat boots, laughing. I don’t know how many times I gazed at it in bed at night, pretending it was me making him laugh, my words making him smile.
Later, I would stare at it, imagining his hands slipping into my panties. I can’t think about that right now though, not with the taste of him still on me and the feeling of his big hot hand against the naked expanse of my back. Way too distracting and this is not a good time for me to be distracted.
Ana and I head inside and claim a booth in the corner furthest from the cash register where our co-worker Ronda leans, her heavily lined eyes fixed on Travis as he enters behind us and takes a seat at the long counter. I hear Travis ask for a cup of coffee and Ronda’s low voice answering. I’m sure she is flirting with him, she flirts with every man who comes in these doors, and jealousy boils in my stomach.
Ronda is one of the gals who works the parking lot after her shifts, and she must be good at it because she has a bunch of regulars who aren’t just nasty old perverts.
I can’t stop my glare as I watch Ronda lean across the counter, giving Travis an unimpeded view of her breasts down the front of her uniform dress.
He doesn't even glance at what she offers, and I love him more for it.
Ronda plunks a cup down in front of him and stomps away to flirt with a couple truckers at a table across the room. Her laughter is louder than usual and she doesn’t hide the fact that her eyes are glued to the mountain of a man sipping coffee at the counter.
My man…
She’d better knock that shit off before I scratch her eyes out.
“So he found you?” Ana asks, smiling as she motions toward Travis.
”Obviously,” I snark, rolling my eyes at her.
“You okay with being found?” she asks, a small crease of worry between her eyebrows.
“Oh yes,” I reply. “I have been waiting for him to find me for ages.”
She smiles at me and I can tell she is truly happy for me. I wish I didn't have to wipe that smile off her face, but I know I’m going to.
“Ana, I have to ask you something, and I need you to not freak out or be scared,” I finally blurt out. Confusion knits her brow and she nods. Taking a deep breath, I rush ahead. “Do you know who the Cerelli family is? From New York?”
Her face pales and her hand flutters to her throat, clutching the ring she always wears on a thin chain around her throat.
“W-why?” She looks nervous, but not afraid, bolstering my confidence.
“You know how we are both from New York?” I ask. She nods, waiting for me to continue. “My stepfather was a lawyer for the Cerelli family. When he became a liability to them, they killed him and my mom. I took a bus cross-country to get here so he could find me.” I point to Travis. Ana pays close attention to me as I tell her the rest of my story, ending with Travis finding me yesterday.
A few long moments pass in silence before she asks, “What does all this have to do with me?” She holds a napkin in her hands and keeps folding and unfolding it nervously.
“I wish I could say nothing, but there is still a high likelihood that the New York Cerellis want to find me since I'm a material witness to a double murder. Travis has been in touch with Xavier Cerelli, the son of the man who had been looking for me.”
Her cheeks turn pink and she glances away anxiously at the mention of Xavier’s name. Still, no fear registers on her face so I continue.
“Xavier and Travis have made an arrangement: my guaranteed safety from the Cerellis in return for Travis’ assistance in locating his missing wife, Analise.”
She blinks at me, but otherwise remains still and silent.
“Ana, I've seen the file Xavier sent to Travis. I know that you are Analise Cerelli.”
At first I doubt that my words have any impact on her, until her chin trembles and her blue eyes fill with tears that slip down her cheeks. Finally she heaves a sigh and places a hand on her round belly.
“I knew I was going to have to go back soon,” she says simply. “I can't do this baby thing alone anymore.”
She buries her face in her hands, and sobs shake her slim shoulders. I slide out of my seat and into the booth beside her motioning for Travis to join us. He rises, abandoning his coffee.
“Ana, let's go to Travis’ house so we can talk in private. Would that be okay?” I ask her, seeing Ronda staring at us from the corner of my eye.
Pulling another napkin from the dispenser, Ana wipes her face before nodding. Together we slide out of the booth and cross the dining room on our way to the parking lot. The silence around us is heavy with secrets.
Chapter Fourteen