“So does that mean you are coming home?”

He felt a little relief. If she wanted him home then she didn’t hate his stupid ass. “Yes. I’ll be there in a couple of hours. You forgive me?”

She didn’t respond for what felt way too long and he held his breath.

“Just get home.”

It wasn’t a yes but he’d take it. Once home, he’d do whatever it took to make it up to her.

“I love you, Gracie.”

“Don’t say that to me right now.”

“But I do. I know I was an idiot and I swear I’ll make it up to you. But you can’t stop me from saying it, Gracie. I love you.”

She was quiet for a moment then said, “Well, I can’t say it to you right now. You don’t know the night you put me through.”

Jesus, she didn’t even know the half of it. “You don’t have to. I don’t deserve to hear it right now.” He didn’t even deserve her. “I’ll be home in a few hours and make this right.”

Even he didn’t buy that last sentence. How the f**k was he going to make this right?

***

The two aspirins Sal had taken just before boarding the plane did nothing to defuse his headache. He sipped the ice water the flight attendant brought him. It wasn’t just the hangover that made his head throb. Everything he’d woken to was a huge contributing factor.

If he had known Melissa was even going to be in Vegas he would’ve never come. First chance he got he’d be telling Jason off for not telling him she’d be there. He let his head fall back on his seat and gulped hard. He could only hope what happened last night didn’t come back to haunt him. He remembered Jason’s words and the saying, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” It was now something he’d be banking on. But with Melissa, you just never knew.

Blurry bits and pieces had begun to come to him about the night before. Like the two guys fighting just before he’d walked out of the bar. As much as he wanted to believe Melissa had snuck in his room that morning and somehow set up the whole thing up, there were two vivid moments that for some reason kept flashing in his mind. And although they were tiny bits they were very significant. One was of Melissa pulling his zipper down and another of her kissing his lips while she lay next to him.

Sal banged the handrail with his fist. The lady in the seat next to him shifted away from him. He apologized quickly. She just shook her head and continued reading her magazine.

Alex looked at Sal funny the second he walked up to him at the airport. “What’s wrong with you?”

Sal’s head no longer throbbed but the pain still lingered. “I’ve got a damn headache.”

Alex smirked. “The party was that good, uh?”

“This is why I don’t like to drink,” Sal said.

Walking out into the bright sun didn’t help either.

Alex clapped him on the back. “You gotta learn to pace yourself, man. So how was it?”

Sal had given some thought about telling Alex. He wasn’t going to because he knew Alex would be mad but he needed his take on how best to handle this. Honesty seemed completely out of the question, but he dreaded Grace finding out some other way, too.

He flung his duffle bag in the back of Alex’s truck. “I messed up.”

Alex stared at him across the bed of the truck. He didn’t say anything then his brows pinched. “Whatcha do?”

The more he thought about it the more the reality of just how badly he’d messed up sunk in. He rested one arm against the truck and ran his other hand through his hair. “God, Alex. I f**ked up bad.”

Alex crossed his arms in front of him. “Well, you’re not in jail so how bad can it be?”

Giving it one last thought before finally saying it out loud he let it out. “I slept with Melissa.”

Alex was stunned into silence for a moment then he finally spoke up. “Ga Damn it, Sal. Why the hell did you do that?”

“I don’t even remember it happening! I was so wasted. But she was there in my room this morning.” Sal shook his head disgusted with himself. He’d keep the part about not having found any used condoms anywhere to himself. Alex was already worked up enough. “Should I tell Grace?”

“Are you crazy?”

“What if—”

“Sal you’ll crush her.”

Leave it to Alex to make him feel even worse. “Don’t you think it’ll be worse if she finds out later somehow?”

“How?”

“I don’t know. But Melissa isn’t exactly predictable. She was pissed this morning when I blew her off, telling her it was a mistake and asked her to keep it to herself.” Alex’s scowl was still as fierce as when Sal first laid the news on him. “What if she calls or shows up at the restaurant again and mentions it?”

They both got in the truck. “I still say you’re better off taking your chances that Melissa won’t do anything stupid. Did she agree to keep it to herself?”

“She did say she wouldn’t tell my little girlfriend.”

“There you go. Gracie doesn’t need to know. Trust me.”

The ride to the restaurant was a somber one with Alex shaking his head every now and again. When they got to the restaurant Grace was busy in the kitchen.

“Don’t do it, Sal.” Alex warned, as he passed him. “I’m telling you.”

Sal followed him to the back, all the while thinking about the dreadful possibility of losing Grace if she ever found out. She turned and her eyes met his. There was that smile he loved so much. Damn. He’d only been away from her for a day and it felt like an eternity. He had to make sure she never found out. There was no way he’d survive her walking out of his life now.