Romero pretended to concentrate on pouring his beer with as little head as possible, as if he hadn’t had it down to an art since high school.

“No, but I saw him.”

“What did you think?”

It’s not like he cared. He wouldn’t even begin to pretend he and Isabel could possibly have anything in common. But the thought of a seeing those cute facial expressions, while she lay under him, had begun to cross his mind. He had to know now, if Sal was going to be doing some cock-blocking.

“He’s exactly like you described—Alex, only not as huge.”

“I’ll introduce you if you want. He’ll probably come by a little later. He just makes me a little nervous.” Valerie put out her empty shot glass for a refill.

Romero took it. “Why’s that?” He poured the tequila a little higher this time. “Why does Sal make you nervous?”

Valerie glanced around. “I don’t know. He’s a perfect gentleman and all, but he’s so smart.”

“That’s stupid. He’s just like Angel and Alex only he’s gone to school longer than them.”

He saw Valerie’s eyebrow shoot up when he used the word stupid. But it was. So he stayed in school longer, that made him different? Romero grew up with all three. Only difference with Sal is he could hold out longer before blowing a fuse, but it’s not like he never had. And unlike his brothers, he’d never gotten hung up on any one girl, but there certainly wasn’t a shortage of them.

“I know,” she said sounding a little defensive. “For some reason he just makes me nervous, okay?”

Romero rolled his eyes. “I’ll introduce you, Izzy.” He handed Valerie her shot, “That is, if you really want to meet him.”

He glanced at her casually and saw she blushed again, but not quite as dark as she had when he called her sexy. “If I meet him, I meet him. Don’t go out of your way.”

She didn’t have to tell him twice. He certainly wouldn’t. As luck would have it, by the time Sal made it over to the bar, the girls had gone over and sat with Sarah and the other bridesmaids. Isabel spent the rest of the evening away from the bar and Romero found himself fighting the annoying urge to look her way every five minutes.

CHAPTER 5

Outranked

Even though it was heartbreaking all over again for Valerie, Isabel was proud of her. She’d confronted her demons. As sure as she was the day of the shower that she was completely over Alex, seeing him again had been so much harder than she had imagined. The devastating kiss he planted on her when he got her alone, almost did her in, but she managed to stand her ground. Isabel hadn’t been mistaken about Alex being shaken at the wedding shower. Valerie had lied tellin him she was seeing someone else now.

There were a few more events coming up before the wedding, but Isabel was determined to get Valerie through this. If that meant she had to be there for her at all the events, so be it. That made her think of something else—Romero. Since he was one of the best men in the wedding, he’d be at all the events as well. In the two weeks since the shower, she hadn’t quite been able to stop thinking of his smug smirk, and that look in his eyes when he called her sexy.

The woman doing her nails smiled at her suddenly, and Isabel realized she’d been smiling silly. She felt her face warm. What a goofball she must look like, sitting there staring into space with a big, inane smile.

As she usually did when her nails were drying, she wore her earpiece and spoke with one of her sisters or her mom. Since she’d been so busy lately with all the papers she had to grade, she had to get creative about making time to keep in touch with her family. This time it was Pat.

“Hear me out, okay?”

Isabel laughed. “Nothing good ever comes after those four little words.”

“But this is a good thing, Bell.”

“So why the forewarning?”

Her sister sighed. “Because I already know how you are. No is always the first word out of your mouth at the mention of anything out of your little comfort zone.”

“Not true.” But it was. She could almost see her sister rolling her eyes.

Instead her sister took a deep breath. “Whatever you say, Bell. Anyway, Charles has a friend visiting in a few weeks. He’s a highly ranked officer and—”

“Pat, you said you wouldn’t do this again.”

“Will you let me finish?”

Her sister would never stop trying to set her up with her husband’s highly ranked friends. Just like with her education and her career, Pat was such a control freak. She just had to have a hand in her sister’s love life as well. Isabel took a deep breath. “Go ahead.”

“He’s a very nice man, Bell.”

“So why’s he single?”

“Well… just like you. He hasn’t found that right person yet.”

Ouch! “Just give it to me up front. What’s wrong with him?”

The last guy Pat set her up with was the creepiest guy she’d ever met. Pat hadn’t met him until that night either. His eyes would bug out sometimes for no reason.

“There’s nothing wrong with him. I’ve actually met this guy a few times. Only I didn’t realize he was single, or I would’ve had you two meet a long time ago. He’s very good-looking, Bell. I promise, and he’ll only be here for a couple days. He’s stationed in Germany right now, but he’ll be back in California for good in a few months. Charles and I were going to have dinner with him when he flies out, so I thought it would be nice if you would join us.”