Romero frowned. Jacob and all his damned medals came to mind. Fuck.

“Don’t sell yourself short, man.” Sal closed his trunk and they both walked along either side of his car. “You’re a good guy, and most importantly, you genuinely care about his daughter. That’s what really matters. You just gotta watch that mouth of yours.” They got in the car. Romero thought about his and Isabel’s family ever meeting—what a nightmare that would be. Sal shoved Romero’s shoulder just as he pulled the car out of the parking space. “What are you frowning about? You started your own business all by yourself and it’s doing well. Not too many can say that. Hell, offer to do some security for him. He’s gonna need it now. This may even open a few doors for you. Security in politics is huge.”

That reminded Romero of the conversation he overheard in the restroom. Open doors. He still didn’t know who had said it and which daughter he’d been talking about but he’d for sure be on alert from here on. “He’s got security already.”

“He’s gonna need more. Trust me.”

Romero stared out the window. It wasn’t a bad idea. “Maybe I’ll bring it up.”

“One thing, dude and I wasn’t playing when I said this earlier. You better keep that temper of yours in check. If her ex is gonna be around, you better be cool. Don’t blow this. I’m telling you. The press will eat it up. The smallest of scuffles with this guy, especially at one of these events, and it’ll be all over the papers the next day.”

Romero squeezed his hand into a fist, taking a deep breath. Just the thought of this guy trying anything or her sister pushing to get them together again would set him off. “I know.” He tapped his chest a couple of times with his fist and forced a smile. “I got this.”

Normally he really meant it. This time he was worried.

***

It wasn’t like Pat to show up unannounced, so when she did, Isabel worried. She opened the door quickly. “Something wrong?”

“No, not at all.” She glanced into her apartment. “Are you alone? Or is he here?”

Isabel stepped back to let her in. “Romero is working late tonight. He won’t be home until later.”

Pat’s head jerked back to face Isabel, the alarm screaming in her eyes. “He moved in?”

“Well… no but he’s been staying here a lot.” Isabel and Romero still hadn’t talked about moving in together. She was beginning to wonder if they even had to. He was there all the time now anyway.

Pats mouth pinched to one side. “It’s only been a couple of months, hasn’t it? And he’s already staying here a lot?”

It had been a week since her father’s announcement and she’d gotten into it with Pat the very next day over the phone about her little Jacob stunt. She wasn’t getting into it with her again, especially not about Romero, so she ignored her question. “What’s going on? Why are you here?”

The expression on Pat’s face changed suddenly. She was up to something again. “We’re almost all set up to start the campaigning full throttle. Charles found a great campaign manager—Gary Foster. He has an impeccable record of accomplishment.” Pat put her purse down and took a seat on the sofa. Isabel sat across from her in the chair. “Daddy’s friend owns several shopping centers in this area. He has a few vacant shops he’ll donate temporarily to the campaign for us to run everything. The donations are already pouring in.”

Pat filled Isabel in about all that was going to be done, from the signs and billboards to the radio interviews and finally got to the reason for her unexpected visit. “Everyone is doing their part. My firm will donate their time to look over all the legal aspects of what we can and can’t do. What we need most is for people to get the word out. That’s where you come in. Gary thinks you should let your union and the school district know that daddy has a plan to get more funding to the schools so they can stop making so many cuts. This way we can get their endorsements. And then maybe if you can commit to putting in a few hours a week to make phone calls and pass out flyers. It’s gonna be a lot of work but if we all pull together we can do this.”

Isabel waited for the catch. With Pat, there always was one. “That’s it? Just get the word out and put in a few hours in a week?”

Pat nodded, smiling. “Can you do that?”

Isabel eyed her suspiciously. “You came over here to tell me that?”

“Well…”

Isabel knew it. She frowned. “What?”

Pat sat up straight. “I ran into Jacob again—”

“No.” Isabel crossed her arms in front of her.

“You don’t even know—”

“I know you, so no! I can’t even believe you’re still pushing this.”

“Pushing what, Bell? All I was going to say was he asked about you. About you and Romero—how serious this thing with him is.”

“And you said?”

“Well, I wasn’t aware he was staying here so much and since it’s only been a couple of months I said… I wasn’t sure.”

Isabel glared, undoing her arms and placing her hands on her thighs. “You know I wouldn’t have invited him to daddy’s dinner if it wasn’t serious, Pat.”

“Bell, please listen to me. I know you think I’m just meddling, but I love you and I’m worried. That’s all.”