Isabel heard loud laughter from the direction Valerie had glanced at. She dare not even turn around to look. Michael’s cockiness after he’d had a few drinks came to mind. She’d told Valerie about that after her date that night. She was surprised Valerie remembered. Her stomach was one big knot now.

The guys made it back to the table. If Romero had tried to wash some of the stench off he hadn’t done a very good job of it, because it hit her as soon as he sat down. At that moment, she really wanted him gone. She couldn’t stand it anymore.

Sudden bursts of laughter continued from behind them, with Romero and Alex glancing back a few times.

“What’s with all the guys in uniform?” Alex asked, taking a drink of his beer.

Isabel pushed Romero’s hand away again and tried to answer sounding normal and not as hurt as she was feeling again. “My brother-in-law is a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy.”

Alex raised his eyebrows. “Is that right?”

Valerie nudged him. “I’ve told you so many times.”

Alex kissed her, with a smirk, “Yeah, you did, babe.” Isabel caught him giving Romero a look as if he hadn’t the faintest. “So how come your brother isn’t in uniform?”

There was more laughter again from the men at the bar. It seems they were getting even louder. Isabel gulped, feeling herself becoming more emotional by the minute. “He didn’t know about the party. It was a surprise.”

The band started another slow tempo song and she almost jumped when she felt a tap on her shoulder. “Dance with me, honey.”

Relieved for the excuse to get away from Romero she smiled at her father and stood up. “I really don’t know how to dance to this, daddy.”

“I don’t either. Just go with it.”

She didn’t even look at Romero as she walked away. It wasn’t until she was on the dance floor and saw a few flashes go off that she realized the press was there—of course. She should’ve known Pat would take advantage of any opportunity to get her dad’s name in the papers.

Her stomach nearly dropped when she saw Romero and Alex headed toward the bar. Her eyes darted to the bar area where there were still herds of uniformed men standing around but thankfully, Michael wasn’t one of them. She let out a relieved breath. “Something wrong?”

Her eyes met her dad’s and she smiled, shaking her head. “No.”

“Smile that way, honey.”

She turned to where her father was looking, in time to see a camera flash in her face. “Leave it to your sister,” he said, through his smile, “to turn her husband’s party into part of the campaign.”

Once the photographer walked away, Isabel leaned into her father, trying to think of something other than Romero and what he’d been doing with Cici today. “Daddy, are you sure you wanna go through with this? You don’t have to, you know? It’s not up to Pat and Charles. I get the feeling they talked you into this.”

Her father smiled. “I don’t mind running, even if I don’t win the election. It’s a good experience and I’m meeting a lot of people I wouldn’t have otherwise. I just don’t like all the extra media attention. And your sister seems to revel in it.” He nodded his head in the direction where Pat stood with Charles and someone who took notes and appeared to be interviewing them. “She and that damned campaign manager have interview after interview lined up for me all this week.”

“Well, you don’t have to do them all, Dad. You tell them what you can and can’t do.” Her sister made her so mad. She knew her dad, but even more so her mom, were looking forward to him retiring. Now he was going to be busier than ever.

“Speak of the devil.”

Isabel turned to see her sister waving them both over to where she and Charles were standing. Isabel glanced back at Romero. He and Alex were already back at the table with Valerie. She saw that rather than look concerned about having upset her, he was laughing about whatever Alex was telling him.

She and her father made their way over to where her sister and Charles stood with what Isabel could only imagine was a reporter. “Daddy, this is Scott Price with the La Jolla Sun. He just wanted to ask you a few questions.”

Isabel gave her sister a look, which Pat quickly ignored. The reporter wasted no time asking her dad about his plans to improve San Diego’s legislation.

Isabel and Pat stepped aside to where Charles stood, texting something. “Can you put that thing away for at least five minutes?” Pat scolded. “Isn’t everyone you know already here?” Without waiting for him to respond, Pat took a few steps away to stand by her father as if he needed her there for moral support.

“Hey bud, having fun?” Michael put his arm around Charles’ shoulder.

His words were a little slurred and Charles laughed. “Not as much as you, obviously.”

“Well, let’s do something about that. You’re the birthday boy.” He laughed, then sized Isabel up blatantly. “Ms. Isabel, umm, umm, umm.” He put his hand over his chest. “I’m sorry but my heart is breaking here.”

She felt her face warm and she casually glanced back at Romero. He was still engrossed in an obviously hilarious conversation with Alex. She wondered why the hell he was in such a good mood all of a sudden. Was it his little visit with the ex-topless waitress that had him so cheery? She’d never considered herself a jealous person but the thought of him touching another woman like he touched her made her want to scream.