Suspicious Minds (Fate #3) (3 page)

“That’s cool that you don’t even have to take your dogs in these
days,” he said, still studying the Wagg’n Wheel’s van. “They come to you.”

Before Sal could respond to that, Romero waved them over. The
kids and the pups were instantly off and running. The girl had already stepped
inside, and Romero stood just outside, looking in.

“Oh my goodness!” Lorenzo heard the young woman say as the
puppies made their way up the small ramp she’d put out. “They’re adorable!”

Vivianna made the introductions, giving their new groomer their
puppies’ names. Lorenzo stretched his neck out curiously to peek inside the
van. Even as the girl came to the door, he was still trying to catch a glimpse
of the inside of the van behind her. It looked very state-of-the-art.

“Hey, Sal,” she said as Lorenzo brought his attention to her now
as she made her way down the ramp.

“Hi, Olivia,” Sal said, as he reached out and shook her hand. “How’ve
you been? It’s been a while.”

“I’m good,” she explained as Lorenzo peered at the girl in a
ponytail. “Staying real busy, so I can’t complain.”

He couldn’t be sure, but his insides were already tightening up. The
more he looked at her, the more familiar she seemed. It wasn’t a good kind of
familiar either. This wasn’t just Sal’s new dog groomer; she was Romero’s
cousin. And if she was who he thought she was, this could get
real
awkward. But he held off having any kind of inward freak out just yet because
he could still be wrong.

“Well, you’ve met Baloo and Yogi,” Sal said, smiling down at the
two little fuzz balls wagging their tails rapidly. “This is my cousin, Lorenzo.”
He turned to Lorenzo, who froze the moment his eyes met with hers. “Enzo, this
is Olivia.”

He caught the instant she, too, made the connection and froze.

Olivia.

It’d been over a month since the night they’d had together and he’d
hightailed it out of there like a little bitch. He’d since tried in vain to
remember her name, but he was sure it hadn’t been Olivia. All he remembered was
it was short and uncommon. At least to him it was. Maybe all this time he’d
been feeling like a dick for running out on her like that, and he didn’t have
to. It appeared she hadn’t even bothered giving him her real name. At least
he’d
given her
his
real name. For all he knew, she could already be in a
relationship—married even—another cheating
whore
.

The sudden reminder of whose cousin she was snapped him out of
that thought instantly. He was certain Romero would not take too kindly to
hearing Lorenzo refer to his cousin as a whore, regardless of the
circumstances.

She nodded, barely acknowledging him with a tiny smile, and then quickly
turned back to Sal as he explained they’d all get out of her hair and let her
work in peace. Lorenzo stood frozen to the spot, barely able to catch his breath
and failing miserably at keeping his eyes off her while she explained to Sal
what she’d be doing and how long it would take her.

For as much as he tried to focus on the puppies, his nephew and
niece, inside the van—anything—he
could not
keep himself from staring at
her. Those big golden eyes that practically sparkled when she smiled still
captivated him, even though they weren’t nearly as poignant as he remembered
them. She was self-confident and apparently a master of her trade. It was
obvious how much pride she took in her work and how much she enjoyed it. The
way she sort of dumbed it down for the kids, who also seemed to hang on her
every word, was impressive.

This close, he could see the pink scrubs she wore had light beige
paws all over them. Her outfit couldn’t be simpler and sexually innocuous, yet
when she turned and climbed into the van, the swell of her ass triggered
memories of his hands all over her, squeezing that ass. The shift in his crotch
was so instant he jerked his head away, focusing on the damn dogs again.

As unforgettable as that night with her had been, he’d since managed
to squash any thoughts of her and what gazing into her eyes had done to him. He’d
done a pretty good job of killing any and all memories of what it felt like to kiss
her the moment he even began thinking about it. At least he’d thought he had. That
inner voice that cried out so hysterically that night for him to get the hell
out of her place had been instantly rebuking any thoughts since then.

For the most part, it hadn’t been too hard to do so. He knew
nothing about her, not even her name, and he had zero intention of ever going
near where she lived or even stepping foot in the bar where he’d met her. He’d
been home free. Damn it! It’d been weeks since he’d last thought of the
nameless girl with the bewitching eyes whose mouth he hadn’t been able to get
enough of. Now he stood there, unable to muster so much as an ounce of restraint
to help keep his eyes off her.

The kids whined when Sal told them they had to go inside and let
Olivia do her job. Instantly, those eyes of hers lit up. Lorenzo felt himself
suck in a sudden breath and had to look away.

The night they met at the bar she’d smiled a few times as they’d
flirted, but he’d seen something indescribable in them. Something haunting he
thought he could relate to instantly drew him in. At the bar, he’d chalked it up
to him just being horny and the anticipation that he’d soon have her under him.
She’d made it pretty clear from the get-go she was attracted to him and had the
same non-verbal cues telling him that they both were looking for the same
thing. But the shine in her eyes now was genuine. No mystery hid behind it, unlike
that night.

Maybe any relationship issues or whatever it was that had made
her go out that night and screw someone else had worked themselves out. She
appeared happy enough now.

“That’s okay, Sal. They can stay,” she said then looked back down
and smiled at an already-dancing-in-place Vivi. “Just as long you promise not
to touch anything.”

The whole time Lorenzo stood there listening, almost transfixed
as Sal, Olivia, and the kids went back and forth because Sal didn’t think it
was a good idea for the kids to be in her way. In the end, they’d promised to
just sit quietly and watch, and Sal gave in.

She waved at all three of them as they walked away, showing a
complete disinterest in Lorenzo, and he was glad for that. It was insane what
seeing her again had done to him. He’d begun to think what he’d felt that night
was a fluke. It made absolutely no sense. Their entire conversation that night
had been generic flirting, nothing of substance. They were two people out
looking for the same thing—a glorious release with no strings attached. But
what he felt when he held her . . .

Tonight’s different. I need this.

Admittedly, he’d thought of her words from that night more than
once in the weeks following that night. What had she meant by
needed this?
Obviously, she was either going through something or had just recently gone
through it, but he hadn’t dared ask her to elaborate.

Seeing her now only confirmed something further. He’d been right.
She wasn’t like the girls he was used to doing the hit-it-and-quit-it thing
with. If he ever ran into any of those other girls, they’d immediately smile
wickedly—offering a silent invitation to hit it again if he ever wanted to.
Olivia
wasn’t the first girl to utter the words “I don’t usually do this” to him. She
was just the first girl he actually believed, and he still had no idea
why
.

Sal nudged him, and he turned to see both Sal and Romero staring
at him. Romero smirked.

“
Hello?
” Sal said a bit annoyed.

Lorenzo regarded them both, confused. “What?”

“I asked you if you want to take two cars or one.”

Romero laughed now. “Yeah, like three times! And you just stood
there staring out into space.”

Shaking his head, Lorenzo forced a smile. “I’ve just had a lot
going on at work. I was still thinking about everything I have to anticipate tomorrow.”

He agreed to take one car, his. Sal
was
paying for the
nine holes of golf they’d be playing. Sal told him more about the puppies he’d
gotten for the kids and some funny stories about the many adventures they’d
already had trying to train the pair.

It was the distraction Lorenzo needed to get his mind off Olivia.
Then they got on the fairway, and his cousin asked him about the last thing he ever
wanted to talk about again.

“So you and Linda don’t talk at all anymore?” Sal asked as they
waited for the guys before them on the first hole to finish up. “I thought for
sure you two would work through whatever it was that went wrong. You two seemed
so solid.”

It surprised Lorenzo that Sal still didn’t know the details of
what had happened. If he did, Lorenzo was certain he wouldn’t be stupid enough
to bring it up. The only ones who knew why things had ended so abruptly were
Vince and Daniel. He was actually glad that Daniel, his emergency room
attendant friend who’d called him that awful night to tell him about Linda
being brought in, was in a relationship now and never around anymore. Hanging
out with him was just another reminder of that night. But it surprised him that
Sal didn’t seem to have a clue how badly things had ended. His wife and Vince’s
wife, Rosie, were sisters. He knew his brother told Rosie everything, and he
figured she’d likely told her sister who in turn would’ve mentioned it to Sal. It’s
what married couples did, right?

It’d been long enough, and Lorenzo was over it, but he still didn’t
see the point in talking about it. So he figured if he was honest enough about
it Sal would know why he’d prefer not to. Sal had asked him about it once
before when it was still too raw, and Lorenzo had been vague. Even then, Sal
seemed to have the notion that it was just a silly argument or something they’d
eventually get over. It was likely why he was now asking, so Lorenzo made sure that
after today his cousin never brought it up again, even as casually as he was
now.

“She went back to her ex,” he said simply then added, “Nikki’s
dad.”

It was enough to stun Sal silent as they made their way onto the
first hole but only momentarily. “And you’re sure she’s back with him? It hadn’t
worked between them before, right? It’s why she was with you.”

“I have no idea if she’s with him still or not,” Lorenzo said,
surprised by how little he cared anymore, “but she decided she wanted him back
in her life even before we’d broken up.”

He took a few warm-up swings before setting up for his first putt
of the day, feeling that familiar heat seep in again. Okay, maybe he didn’t
care if Linda was still with Patrick or not because, regardless, he wanted
nothing to do with her ever again. But the thought of how effortlessly she’d
lied to him on the phone that night still burned him up.

He clenched his jaw then his golf club, turning back to Sal
before taking a swing. “The bitch lied to me about where she’d be the weekend I
found out.”

He turned back to the ball and took a swing. The ball flew higher
and further than he’d ever sent one before. Lorenzo watched it, gulping hard and
refusing to fall back into that state of mind. It was in the past now, and while
he vowed to never forget so that he’d never be taken like that again, he refused
to stew about it forever.

Sal was still staring at him, and if Lorenzo weren’t mistaken,
his ever the “let’s be rational about this” cousin didn’t seem convinced. Time
after time and for good reason Sal had accused not just Lorenzo and Vince but
his own two hotheaded brothers of reacting before thinking. Considering what a nice
and respectable girl Linda had always appeared to be, Sal was likely having as
hard a time as Lorenzo had when he’d first arrived at the hospital that night of
believing that she’d be capable of doing such a thing. So he figured he may as
well burst his cousin’s bubble about how
all
women had it in them to
blatantly lie and cheat. Even the sweet respectable ones.

“She was caught red-handed, Sal.”

“Did you see them
together
?” Sal asked as apprehensively
as Lorenzo expected him to be.

This only annoyed Lorenzo further as if that were the
only
way he’d be convinced.

“No,” Lorenzo said, lifting an irritated brow. “But when I asked
her straight out, she admitted she fucked the guy the night before. No way of
getting around that, right?”

Lorenzo moved out of the way, hating how the memory of that night
could still make every muscle in his body tense. At least the thought of Linda
cheating no longer made him nauseous. The pain may have been long gone, but as
much as he hated to admit it, the anger and disgust would always be there.

“I had no idea, Enzo,” Sal said, sounding remorseful. “I wouldn’t
have brought it up if I’d known.”

“It’s cool,” Lorenzo said, fidgeting with his golf gloves. “I’m
over it now.” He glanced up to see his cousin looking every bit as remorseful
as he’d sounded, so Lorenzo shrugged. “If anything, like my dad always says, ‘Every
experience, good or bad, is a learning experience.’ I’ll never get sucked in by
any
girl like that again. That’s for sure.”

He wouldn’t say more because he knew Sal would disagree.
Obviously there were exceptions to the rule. Not
all
women were liars
and cheats. Sal would certainly point out that his Grace and Vince’s Rosie were
perfect examples of that fact. But Lorenzo had found out one thing first hand
with Linda. He
sucked
at knowing the difference. Clearly his radar for
detecting a cheat was way off since he would’ve
never
believed Linda to
be one.

No way was he ever taking that chance again.

Two

Olivia

Uncle Lou had called again to make sure Olivia and all
her siblings made an effort to pay their respects in person and showed up for
Uncle Janks’ services. Olivia hadn’t been able to make either the funeral or
the burial, but she had called Manny and Max to give them her condolences, and
she and Emi were now on their way to the repast after the burial.

Now she had Isaiah, her oldest brother, on the phone, following
up on Uncle Lou’s request. “Yes, we’re on our way,” she said, rolling her eyes
with a smile. “I just had to go home and change first. I didn’t want to show up
in my scrubs.”

She thought about what she’d changed into: gray pinstriped slacks
and a sheer long-sleeved black button-up top. It was supposed to be sexy when
worn with a black silk bra that would show through. But she thought it
inappropriate, so she’d worn it with a full black lacy camisole underneath
instead. It did take from the dressiness, but she’d worn her big black pumps to
dress up the outfit. Emi thought she looked nice and sexy. Her only other
comment was reminiscent of one of Lorenzo’s comments the night they met. “How
in the world do you walk in those high heels?”

Olivia swallowed hard, brushing away thoughts of
him.

“Emi’s with you, right?” Isaiah asked.

“Yes, I’m right here,” her younger sister chirped since Isaiah
voice was coming through the speakers.

“Good girls,” he said, and Olivia could practically hear her
brother’s big smile.

“How did it go?” she asked.

“Not too good but don’t worry about anything,” he said quickly. “I
got a plan. I’ll tell you about it when I’m off in a couple of days. In the
meantime, you two just make sure Nathan stays out of trouble.”

Both she and Emi promised and Olivia hung up. “Okay co-pilot,
which way now?”

Her sister gave her the turn by turn until they were at Moreno’s
restaurant in downtown La Jolla, where the repast was being held. Her two other
brothers, Nathan and AJ, had been able to make that morning’s burial, but
Olivia had clients she couldn’t cancel on with such short notice, and Emi had
her SAT’s to take. So now here they were, awkwardly entering the restaurant
they’d heard so much about.

Since they’d all moved out to Southern California from Texas
almost two years ago, per Uncle Lou’s insistence, they’d made an effort to
spend time with their only California relatives. They’d only seen their uncles
and cousin a handful of times a year before they’d moved here. Since moving out
to California, just about every time they
had
spent time at their cousin
Moe’s, one or more of his friends, the Morenos, had been around, and Olivia had
heard much about their restaurants.

Her stomach churned as she and Emi let the hostess at the front
know what dinner gathering they were there for. She knew exactly why her
stomach was in knots but was trying not to think about it. Ever since the shock
of finding out last week that Lorenzo was part of this family, she’d been
trying not to freak out about the possibility of running into him again.

When they’d gotten the call about Uncle Janks’ passing and then
Uncle Lou calling to make sure they would be attending at least one of the
services, she tried to remain calm. She’d been around her cousin Moe’s good
friends often enough for almost two years now and had never met Lorenzo. What
were the odds that she’d be seeing him again so soon? What were the odds that she
would be with someone who’d have mutual acquaintances with her! And what were
the odds that the only one-night stand she’d
ever
had would turn out to
be the best sex she’d ever experienced?

Granted technically she’d only ever had one other partner and the
experiences she’d had with him surpassed what she was sure many girls—
women—
had
likely ever experienced. But despite all that, she’d never felt with him what
she felt the night she’d spent with Lorenzo. Of course, now she’d forever
associate one-night stands with great sex
and
utter humiliation. Though
she had a feeling the great sex part was likely just dumb luck.

She’d had a feeling from the moment she’d gotten a good look at
all of him she’d be in for something amazing. Not just because he oozed sex
appeal and confidence, but his eyes had taken hers hostage from the moment he
first gazed at her. She’d also known that she shouldn’t expect anything beyond
the one night, and she hadn’t. But she also hadn’t expected for him to bolt
without so much as a goodnight kiss the
moment
it was over. The
experience had started out as exciting and incredibly arousing as she expected
a night with a man who carried himself like Lorenzo might be.

As silly as it seemed now, she remembered thinking how it felt
almost fateful that he’d sat down next to her the second she’d convinced
herself being at that bar that night had been a mistake. But the way it ended,
especially after such unbelievable kisses, was mortifying and disheartening to
say the least. She’d since decided she wasn’t the one-night stand type of girl
and that was a onetime deal she’d
never
try again.

Running into him again had nothing to do with fate either.
Clearly, he had no interest in more than what she’d given up to him already. She
knew he wasn’t even interested in another round because he knew where she lived
yet he hadn’t bothered to try to contact her. As of last week, he now had yet
another way to try and get a hold of her, but he was making it as clear as he
did that night that getting a hold of her for any reason was not on his
to-do
list. Try as she may to pretend it didn’t bother her even a little bit, deep
inside it did. It shouldn’t. But it did. It was why she knew meaningless sex was
not for her.

It did, however, serve its purpose. Ever since her night with
Lorenzo, she’d stopped obsessing about the recent news she’d gotten via social
media that her ex, Jay, was now engaged to Margie—her best friend. The only
drawback was she’d started obsessing about her night with Lorenzo instead. But
she didn’t think some harmless daydreaming about a meaningless night with
someone she’d likely never see again was a big deal. That is, of course, until
she found out she just may be running into him again. Not only was he related
to the Moreno’s, Sal was going to be a regular client now.

Something else made this whole thing even worse. Since finding
out last week that her one-night fling was related to the Morenos, a certain
conversation had come to her. It was one she’d overheard earlier that year while
hanging out at one of her cousin Moe’s barbeques with the girls. They’d been
talking about kids, and she clearly remembered Sofia, Sal’s younger sister,
saying her cousin
Enzo
was going to be an instant family man since he
was now engaged to a girl with a daughter. The cousin she spoke of hadn’t been
there that day, but Olivia remembered the conversation well because she’d
thought the name unusual and asked if that was really his name or short for
something else.

Yes, it’s short for Lorenzo
.

What were the freaking odds that the one time she had let loose
and done something so unlike her she’d end up with an engaged relative of the
family she and her siblings had been getting closer to for months. A family she’d
likely forever be in touch with? Since that was a while back, for all she knew,
Lorenzo may already be married. It would certainly explain his hasty exit and his
no need
of her number for a possible follow up. Maybe the guilt had been
too much to bear. Not only did she face the possibility of having to face him
again now but having to face him
and
his wife.
Wonderful.

The only thing she could hope for now was if that were the case—that
he’d stepped out on his fiancée or possibly even wife—he wouldn’t be stupid
enough to ever tell a soul about it. She certainly wouldn’t be telling
anyone
.
Given his reaction to seeing her again at Sal’s place, she felt fairly
confident that their night of lust would stay between just the two of them.

The hostess showed them to the staircase that led up to the
banquet rooms where the dinner was being held. Both she and her sister took in
the incredible detail in all the Mexican decorations and painted murals on the
wall.

“Wow, Ollie, this place is way bigger and nicer than I expected,”
Emilia said, her big eyes taking in the sights.

Olivia agreed, letting her sister slide this time for still
calling her Ollie. Instead, she was glad for the brief distraction as they
continued oohing and aahing all the way up the stairs. The hostess had told
them the banquet room their dinner was in was the third door down, and they
easily found the repast.

As expected in typical Hispanic fashion, rather than a banquet
room full of somber people, music was playing, lots of cheerful conversation taking
place, and food and drink flowing. Olivia and Emi followed their ears to the
loudest table in the room, which of course led them to their uncles. Manny,
Max, and cousin Moe, along with some other family members, sat talking loudly
and laughing.

“Hey, pretty ladies,” Manny said when he saw them.

Instantly, they had the attention of everyone at the table, and
Olivia felt her face heat. Olivia and Emi gave them all their condolences, while
Moe kidded about the demons from hell who thought it was bad down there
before
cranky ass Janks showed up.

They’d been chatting with their uncles and cousin for all of ten
minutes when Sal and his two brothers, Angel and Alex, arrived, and to Olivia’s
horror, Lorenzo was with them. As if the sight of him alone weren’t
breathtaking enough, he was in a dark blue military dress uniform, and he
looked
amazing
. Olivia took advantage that they arrived all together to
give them all a generic group hello but couldn’t even bring herself to make eye
contact with
him.

For once she was eternally grateful for Uncle Max’s nonstop
talking. She concentrated on listening and laughed along with everyone else as
he told the stories of Uncle Janks.

“You know the only one he
never
unleashed his foul mouth on
was his wife, Aunt Martha. God rest her soul,” Manny said with a chuckle. “Oh, she
kept that man on a tight leash, and he was on his best behavior around her
always
.”

“Yeah, he was,” Max laughed. “What was that he’d always say when
she would call herself his trophy wife?”

Manny laughed so hard he wheezed. “That’s right. That’s right! His
wuss ass would always wait until she was out of the room to ask, ‘What contest
in
hell
did I ever win to end up with that trophy?’”

They all laughed, including Olivia and her sister. She wouldn’t turn
and confirm it, but unlike last week when Lorenzo had barely acknowledged her,
this time she’d thought she’d picked up on him stealing a few glances her way.
And now from the corner of
her
eyes, she saw that he was
staring
at her, but she refused to turn and look.

Adding to her already unnerved state, Manny brought the attention
back to her and Emi. “I talked to Nathan earlier. Says you’re still doing a
helluva job,” he said with a big smile then turned to the rest of the crowd. “Ever
since their mother’s passing a few years ago, this one”—he pointed at Olivia—“as
young as she is, she stepped up and took on her mother’s role in that house.
And let me tell you with four siblings those were some big shoes to fill. All
the while she started up her own business too.”

“Wow,” she heard someone say, but whoever it was, was on her left
where Lorenzo was still standing and Olivia didn’t dare look to see who’d said
it.

Max nodded with his own big smile. “So proud of you, baby girl.”

Feeling her face on fire now, she smiled with a shrug. “I had
Isaiah and Nathan, and it was a team effort.”

“Nah,” Max said immediately. “There’s nothing like a woman’s
touch in a home to keep everything in order.”

“What are you talking about?” Romero said. “After grandma passed,
you guys were on your own raising me the rest of the way. And look how I turned
out.”

“Exactly!” Both Manny and Max said at the same time and everyone
laughed.

Max pointed at Emi this time. “You and your sisters keep those
boys in line or”—he pointed at Romero with his thumb—“tell ’em they might turn
out like this one.”

Romero rolled his eyes as everyone continued to laugh. Once Manny
stopped wheezing with laughter, he started in on one of his many knuckleheaded
stories about Romero growing up. Giving into temptation, Olivia glanced over in
Lorenzo’s direction and instantly locked into his intense gaze. The heat she
felt was for an altogether different reason now, and she looked away as fast as
she could. It wasn’t fast enough, and she could feel her heart pounding in her
chest.

She took the second Manny paused from talking to excuse herself
and Emi. “We’re gonna go say hello to Isabel and the other girls,” she said to Moe
and his uncles, nudging Emi and again doing everything in her power to not look
in Lorenzo’s direction again.

For a moment, she’d actually gotten a little excited that he was
here alone, but then Angel and Alex had also joined the group of men alone, and
she knew for a fact those two were happily married. Not that she thought a
remote chance existed that anything would happen between her and Lorenzo again.
She just thought it’d be less awkward if no fiancée or wife was in the picture,
at least not the first few times she was forced to be around him.

The thought only spiked her heart a little faster now. They were
headed toward the group of women Moe’s wife Isabel sat with, and Olivia didn’t
recognize all of them. One of them could be Lorenzo’s wife. Great.

“Okay, is it just me, or is everyone in that Moreno family sexier
than heck?” Emi asked in a lowered voice. “Did you get a load of the eye candy
in the uniform? Holy cow!”