Grace didn’t bother with makeup. Aside from some lip gloss and a little mascara sometimes she never wore the stuff. She wasn’t starting now. The dress she wore was one her mother had picked out. Grace didn’t mind the length, but it was tighter than she was used to and a bit low in the front.

Frank didn’t even attempt to hide what he thought of her in the dress. The bulging eyes and goofy smile said it all. Her mother smiled in delight. “You look lovely, Grace. Don’t you think, Frank?”

He stood up from the sofa. “Stunning,” he said.

Ruben took advantage of the invitation to ogle and eyed her up and down with his own perverted smile. Grace had never felt like such a piece of meat. It was degrading and she glared at her mom. Her mother ignored the glare and gathered her things.

After her mother played the concerned mom in front of Frank, telling Rose not to answer the door for anyone and giving her instructions on what to do in case of an emergency, as if this were the first time Rose had been left alone, they were out the door.

Frank drove them in his brand new Cadillac to a jazz bar on the marina. He said the last time he’d been out here he went there and the music was fabulous. Maybe it was that Grace had had such a long day but the slow music was making her sleepy. Add to a glass of wine to that—forget about it. She caught herself nodding off twice. Thankfully, no one noticed.

When the song ended, the musicians excused themselves for a break. “Your mother tells me you’re a culinary student. How’s that going?”

Grace nodded. “I’ll be done in a few months.”

He leaned over to her. The music that played on the sound system was almost as loud as the live music. He paused to take a drink and Grace took the moment to scrutinize him. He wasn’t unattractive by any means. He was tall, thin and dressed well. But he was at least ten years older than her. That, however, wasn’t reason enough to dismiss him. She knew better than anyone not to judge people by their age. The fact that he was a friend of Ruben’s was what made her question him. Anyone who considered Ruben a friend was suspect as far as she was concerned.

He noticed her scrutiny and smiled. “What are your plans once you finish?”

“I’m already working at a restaurant.” She glanced at her mom who eyed her, almost as if she was hoping Grace wouldn’t say anything wrong. “My hope is to move up once I’ve completed my courses. Then eventually open up my own restaurant.”

She didn’t feel the need to go into any more specifics. Luckily, she didn’t have to. Her mother immediately started in asking Frank about his casino. Grace endured two and a half hours of Frank telling them about how his uncle had left him the hotel he was now running and every detail about his journey in turning it into a casino. Her mother cackled at anything that even remotely sounded like a joke or quick wit.

By the end of the night, Grace was both physically and mentally exhausted. She could hardly believe her mother invited Frank in at the end of the evening for another drink. Thankfully, he said he had a long drive home in the morning and declined but he did say he’d be back to visit again soon. Wonderful.

Her mother had another think coming if she thought Grace would go through another night like tonight. She plopped in bed with her already snoring sister. With a day like the one she’d had, she was out within minutes.

~*~

Sal didn’t go into the restaurant on Saturday. Since Alex was hardly there during the week he’d go in on the weekends. Typically, Sal would drop by to check things out even if he wasn’t scheduled to be there. Today however, he didn’t want to. He checked first with Alex to make sure Valerie was feeling well enough to be left alone. She was. So after the day he had yesterday, Sal thought it better if he took the day off.

In college, Jason had become one of Sal’s best buddies. They roomed for four years until Jason got engaged and moved in with his fiancé. Even then, they stayed close and often met up for a round of golf or just to throw a few beers back and shoot the breeze.

“So did you meet with the investors yet?”

Sal frowned as they rode in the cart to their next hole. “Yeah,”

“How’d it go?”

“Not good. I’m beginning to think this whole branching out thing may not be such a great idea.”

“What?” Jason pulled over as they reached their next hole. “That’s all you talked about in school. You can’t let one bump derail all your plans.”

Sal got out of the cart. There were still a few players finishing up on their next hole so Jason and Sal pulled beers out of the ice chest.

“It’s just not what I was expecting.” Sal took a swig of his ice-cold beer.

“If you want I can talk to my dad. He knows a bunch of investors always looking to get in on a good deal.”

“It’s not that,” Sal took another drink. “I’ve got plenty of interested investors, it’s just all they’re thinking about is the money.”

Jason laughed. “Sorry to break it to you bud, but that’s usually all investors think about.”

Sal flicked his bottle cap at Jason. “I know that, ass. I’m trying to be flexible but if I leave it up to them Moreno’s will be the next El Torito or Acapulco’s. That’s not what I want.”

“Hey, that doesn’t sound too bad.”

The hole opened up and Sal gave up trying to explain why he wasn’t about to sell out his family name. Halfway through their last hole, Jason brought up an entirely new subject. “I need a favor.”