Bianca had purposely called Amparo ahead to tell her she and Gio had picked up fast food on the way home and were already eating in the car so she could go ahead and close up the kitchen early and call it a night.

Even though they wouldn’t be engaging in anything incriminating for the security cameras to catch, just knowing that she’d soon be in the same room alone with him again did things to her—had parts of her body already reeling with anticipation. It was unreal.

Toni finished telling her about the photos and the stories the media were trying to twist into something. None of them had it straight, except they were all insinuating that it appeared Felix had two girls—one in Chicago and one in Big Bear. But none of the stories had any real facts other than some old photos of Felix with Shelley and the more recent ones of the day he’d been stranded in Chicago.

Bianca thanked Toni for the update then took a deep breath before calling Felix. He answered on the first ring. “Bianca?”

“Hey.”

“You had me worried, baby. How come you hadn’t returned my calls or texts?”

“I had my phone put away most of the day.” She closed her eyes before continuing hoping the rest would sound as innocent as possible. “I went to the show today with Gio and then we went to that meadow I like to go to. I forgot to turn my phone back on after the we left the show.”

Felix was quiet for what seemed too long and Bianca could only imagine what he was thinking. It was so unlike her not to check for his calls or texts and even more unlike her to not respond to them as soon as she got them. “Are you sure this is not about the stories they’ve been airing all day?”

She almost didn’t but then decided at the last second she would. “Maybe.” And so the lying began.

“Babe. You have to stop doing this. These stories are gonna continue. You have to let me explain before you go believing the worst. I don’t know how else to assure you that it’s all a bunch of bullshit.” There was noise in the background and she heard him tell someone he’d only be another minute. “I got a live radio interview to do right now. You can tune in to listen if you want. But we need to talk when I get back tomorrow. I hate that this shit keeps happening. More than anything I hate for you to be upset.”

Bianca squeezed her eyes shut, the guilt nearly blinding her. “I’m okay, really.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, but we still have to talk.” He gave her the information on where she could tune in to listen to the interview and she pretended to write it down saying she would listen. Then just before he hung up he caught her completely off guard. “So what did you see today?”

“Huh?”

“At the show—with Gio?”

She shook her head, drawing a blank and panicked. “Oh, uh.” Bringing her hand to her forehead, she spun around in the room, desperately trying to remember what movie they’d purchased tickets for. Without exaggerating, she could honestly say she hadn’t watched even a minute of it. And at the moment couldn’t even think of any movie. She snapped her fingers annoyed that her mind had completely zoned out. She finally blurted out the last action flick she’d watched.

“Really? Isn’t that old?”

Shit! She had no idea. It was just the first thing that came to mind. “Not the first one.” Was there even a second one? Not sure what else to do, she hit end and stared at her phone waiting for it to ring but it didn’t.

After a few minutes, she figured he’d been hauled off to do his interview and she relaxed. The anxiety of the nearly botched call hadn’t even worn off yet when the anticipation of being with Gio again began swirling inside her and she hurried to change into her bathing suit.

CHAPTER 17

Out of habit, Gio had clicked the TV on in his room as he walked in. Halfway through rushing to change into his swim trunks, the words of the reporter on the television hit him like a bolt and he grabbed the remote clicking record like he had back home anytime something about this aired.

“Felicita Morales, the widow of Trinidad Morales gave birth today to a baby girl, Trini Morales, named after the father she’ll never get to meet. Trinidad, who lost his life just over a month ago in the ring after a blow to the head during a fight that burst an aneurism in his brain, was only twenty-two when the tragedy occurred.”

Gio went numb. He stared at the screen as they went into detail retelling the story of the fight, Trinidad’s death and the ongoing investigation of the physician who released him to fight. He picked up the remote turning up the volume as the cameras zeroed in on Trinidad’s father who was being interviewed at the hospital. He spoke solemnly about the birth of his granddaughter. “It’s bittersweet day for our family,” the reporter translated from Spanish. “Even though we are very happy that God blessed us today with a part of my son.” The man’s eyebrows pinched and he brought his hand to his mouth unable to hold back the emotion.

Gio felt the anguish in his own heart as the man tried to continue speaking and suddenly he felt himself struggling to hold back tears as well.

“My son was so happy when he found out he was going to be a father.” The man went on even as the tears ran down his face.

Gio immediately thought of Noah and how horrible it would be lose him. To leave Roni behind with a baby that would never know him would be even more devastating.

The reporter went on to say that mother and daughter were doing well and that they would most likely be released from the hospital tomorrow then moved on to the next story.