Making You Mine (26 page)

They were in there for a while completely in awe of the two beautiful little creatures Alex doted over them, until their mother walked in to ask Alex and Sal if they could come out and help bring in the food that had just arrived. Sal handed the baby back to Valerie and Valerie asked Grace to take a seat on the bed.

The baby felt so tiny in her arms. She had that wonderful baby scent. “I see Sal’s staked his claim,” Valerie said, smiling. “Alex wasn’t surprised. He said he noticed something when Sal first told him about the interview he had with you. It’s normal for Sal to over think things but Alex said this interview really struck a nerve with Sal and he’d gone on and on about it.”

Sofia laughed. “I didn’t notice until the day she walked in with her hair down. You should’ve seen the look on his face. It was classic and he tried so hard to play it off.”

Though their comments made her feel good they also made her feel a little dumb. She hadn’t noticed a thing until his, “Oh, I’m impressed.” comment and even then she hadn’t been totally sure. Taylor was right again, damn it. But she supposed it was easy to be blind to these kinds of things, especially when it seems just too good to be true.

“You’re the first girl he brought home to the family, you know? Everyone is a little surprised, including my parents.”

Grace had to ask. “Why is it so hard to believe?”

Valerie and Sofia exchanged a glance that made Grace nervous. “Honestly, I was beginning to think he’d never find a girl that he thought good enough,” Sofia said, then added quickly, “Not that he thinks he’s all that. But my God, that guy is so picky about
everything
.”

“Tell me about it,” Valerie said. “I nearly gave up looking for a house for him. He drove me
nuts
. Alex had even told me at one point to just forget about it and let him find another agent because there was always something that wasn’t exactly perfect about
every
house I showed him. It took over a year.” She leaned over to make sure no one was coming down the hallway. “I was so sick of him.” Then she giggled. “Even after he finally settled on the house he bought, it was months before he remodeled and changed things to his liking.”

So far, Sal hadn’t suggested changing anything about her. The closest thing was when he asked her why she tried to conceal her accent.
I
love it. You wouldn’t be Grace without it
were his exact words.

“I don’t think he would,” Grace said, cooing, at the baby who finally opened a huge pair of eyes and yawned.

“No.” Valerie agreed. “I think Sal finally found someone who’s completely intrigued him. Alex had talked about the way Sal is around you and I saw the way he looks at you. Grace, I think he finally found a keeper—that is—if you’ll keep him.”

Both Valerie and Sofia laughed. Grace’s insides went wild. But she didn’t want them to know just how much that excited her. “I’m pretty intrigued too.” Was she
ever
.

Sofia sat the edge of her seat. “Growing up, I used to think I’d be the way my brothers were with me, when it came to their girlfriends. No one was good enough for their little sister. But so far I’ve been blessed with two wonderful sister-in-laws. I couldn’t be happier that you and Sal have hooked up. I think you’re perfect for him.” Her eyes opened in excitement. “So since you’re here today it must be getting serious, huh?”

Sister-in-law?
Grace gulped. “I don’t know. It’s only been a week.”

Isabel smiled at Grace. “Hi again.” She leaned over, looking as mesmerized as everyone was with the baby. “Oh my gosh. Look at those eyes!”

Grace lifted the baby, offering her to Isabel. Isabel took her, gushing. Romero sat on the bed. Grace giggled at the way he prepared himself backing far up so he was further away from the edge. He cradled his empty arms a couple of times.

Alex’s brows pinched. “What are you doing?”

“I’m practicing!”

Valerie laughed, standing to hand him the baby. She placed it gently in his arms and Romero’s eyes widened as she began to pull her own arms away. “Hold on. Hold on!”

They excused themselves and walked out. She walked in front of Sal through the hallway and felt him lean into her ear. “Just so you know. I’m
very
serious about us. I hope you are, too.”

Grace didn’t think she could get more excited than what Sofia and Valerie had said made her. She turned to him just as they walked out of the hallway together. She’d wondered when he walked in, if he’d heard Sofia’s question. “I am. She just caught me off guard I wasn’t sure what—”

He kissed her softly, before she could finish. “All I needed to hear were those first two words. Don’t worry about anything else.”

She felt her heart inflating a million times over as he stared in her eyes. What she felt for him this soon, was utterly illogical. She hadn’t been scared before but now she was.
Completely
. She wasn’t just falling in love with just him, she was falling in love with his entire family.

They walked out into the backyard and Sal felt a little alarmed when he didn’t see her sister and Vincent anywhere. Vincent had been one headache after another for years. The problem was his dad’s younger brother hadn’t been around much in the beginning of Vincent’s life. When he finally was, Vincent was a preteen and already out of control.

His mother lived too far for Sal’s dad to be too much help. The last he heard was that his dad was having to pay fines because the ass got caught tagging up the school walls after hours with his low life friends.

Grace glanced around. “You think they’re still over by the koi pond?”

“Let’s go see.” He took her through the front instead of walking through the crowded backyard. They didn’t have to walk very far. Vincent and Rose were sitting on the porch swing, talking. Rose was a very pretty girl and looked a little older than her fifteen years. Sal thought Vincent looked a bit too comfortable and the swing was big enough he didn’t need to be sitting so close. Vincent smiled when he saw them. “Checking up on me already? I told you I’d be cool.”

“The food’s here. Why don’t you guys come get something to eat?”

Vincent asked Rose something Sal couldn’t hear and turned back to Sal. “Neither of us is hungry yet. We’ll get some later.”

Sal frowned, lifting his hands with Grace’s hand still in one of them and parted them. “Can you get a little space in between you two? Come on, Vin. There’s enough room on that swing.”

Vincent laughed. “You’re kidding me, right?” But he complied and scooted over a little.

Grace squeezed his hand. “Sal!”

They turned back to the backyard. “I’m telling you,” he said in a lowered voice. “That kid can’t be trusted.” He turned back to Vincent. “Don’t go disappearing anywhere, Vin.”

“We’ll be
right
here.” The wicked grin only spiked Sal’s nerves.

They ate an excellently executed version of Grace’s casserole and after the cake was served, Valerie began working her way through the enormous pile of gifts. Those babies were set with every baby gadget and product out there. Even Sal hadn’t been able to help himself and bought the deluxe twin stroller that doubled as car seats.

Then came the clothes. Valerie made a comment pouting that she’d have no excuse to shop for them for at least a year. She wasn’t kidding. She got to Grace’s bags and Sal abstained from frowning, especially since Grace grinned silly when she saw Valerie pick up her gift bags. Sal knew Grace was on a tight budget. She’d even told him how she paid for a good portion of the household bills.

Valerie pulled out a pair of tiny San Diego Charger cheerleading outfits. Complete with pom-poms and matching booties. There were a lot of and awes and some clapping. “Yes!” Alex fist pumped. “But they’re a little short.”

Valerie rolled her eyes while others laughed.

After the shower, they drove Rose home, but not before a disturbingly long goodbye to Vincent. Much to Sal’s discontent, he’d watched as they exchanged phone numbers by calling each other on their cells.

“I can’t stress enough, Gracie,” he said to her as soon as Rose was out of the car and out of earshot. “The boy is bad news. I hope you warn her.”

“He’s so young and he has a tattoo.”

“Yeah, that’s how stupid he is.” Sal shook his head.

They drove back to his place and sat in the back again. Sal was beginning to hate taking her home each night. He knew it’d only been a week since they’d gotten together but what he’d been feeling for her had grown over a longer period of time and he couldn’t get enough of her now. Hearing her say she was serious too had made his day.

He also remembered her mention that she’d
never
. If that meant what he was sure it did, asking her to spend the night was out of the question. He’d have to be very patient. This wouldn’t be his first time with a virgin but definitely the first time he’d ever been with
anyone
he had these kinds of feelings for, so in a way this was a first for him as well. This was huge. Taking his time around someone that drove him this insane wouldn’t be easy. But he had no intention of doing anything that might make her uncomfortable.

Now, more than ever, Sal couldn’t imagine leaving for two days but he knew there was no way out of this. “Yeah, I’ll fly out at five and be there by six on Saturday.”

“In the morning, right?”

“Nah, man I couldn’t get anything earlier.” That was one fat lie if he ever told one. He only hoped Jason wouldn’t check. There was a flight available as early as nine in the morning. But it was bad enough that he’d be missing his evening with Grace that night, he wasn’t going to miss the whole day too.

He hung up before Jason got a chance to ask him what time his flight was the next morning. Curiously, there were plenty of early flights home Sunday. Knowing he’d probably be up late Saturday night, he made sure he didn’t book one too early, but he knew even his eleven a.m flight would be too early for Jason.

Grace was off, but he’d be picking her up later that evening. He actually could pick her up earlier and he really wanted to. Sofia had come in and said she could close if he wanted her to, but Grace was spending the afternoon with Joey and Taylor. Even though they were gay, it still annoyed him that they were taking time that he could be spending with her.

Sal hadn’t told her yet about the bachelor party. He was telling her tonight and he wasn’t looking forward to it. The things Grace did with her friends when he wasn’t around were things he didn’t have to worry about. Like today they’d all gone to a farmers’ market where some of their school friends were participating in a chili cook-off and then they were having an early dinner. He wasn’t sure how he’d feel about her going out to a club without him. Or even to have a few drinks on a Saturday night at places where it was known people went to hook up. So he didn’t want her to get the idea he was okay with even these kinds of things. He’d certainly have a problem with her taking off for the weekend, especially if her and her friends were planning ahead of time on getting
bombed
. After this damn weekend, she’d have a free pass.