well, that might dash the strides they’d made in healing their relationship.
If so, she would just have to come clean with Max. And if he blew up about it? Then she’d face the consequences.
He might get angry and tell her to go home, which meant she’d miss out on spending further time with the handsome doctor. And that would be a shame.
Chapter Two
Even after a stop at the bookstore, Jeremy still arrived early at Red, one of the most popular restaurants in town.
Jose and Maria Mendoza, longtime friends of the Fortune family, had converted the old hacienda into a classy, romantic eatery with antique furnishings, woven tapestries and carefully selected pieces of Tejano art that nearly matched the original décor, much of which had been damaged two years ago in a fire which had turned out to be a case of arson. The Mendozas had been forced to close for a while. But with time and a great deal of effort, they’d restored the landmark.
As Jeremy entered, he was welcomed by Marcos Mendoza, who was temporarily managing Red for Jose and Maria. Some might think the handsome and personable young man had landed his position because of his relationship with the owners, but Jeremy knew that wasn’t the case. Since taking over, Marcos had instigated some innovative and productive changes behind the scenes, and the restaurant seemed to be busier and more popular than ever.
“Welcome back to Red, Doc.” Marcos reached out his arm in greeting. “How’s it going?”
“Not bad.” Jeremy shook the younger man’s hand. “How about you? “
“Life is good. I can’t complain.” Marcos scanned the entry before returning his gaze to Jeremy. “Are you meeting someone? “
“My brother Drew and his wife.”
“Then I’ll take you back to the alcove. It’ll give you a little more privacy. And when they arrive, I’ll let them know where you are.”
“Thanks.” Jeremy usually preferred to eat in the courtyard, with the old-world style fountain that had been handcrafted with blue-and-white Mexican tile.
The Mendozas had heaters to make outdoor dining comfortable in the winter months, but it was already sprinkling, and the colorful umbrellas that provided shade from the sun weren’t going to keep the rain off them.
As Marcos grabbed three menus, he asked, “When did the newlyweds get back from Vegas?”
The couple had eloped, and while it wasn’t a secret, some of the details were sketchy. “They flew in last night.”
“Oh, yeah? So they’ll be staying in Red Rock?”
“I’m not sure what their plans are.” Drew ran the San Diego office of Fortune Forecasting—although he’d been overseeing the entire operation in William’s absence. And Deanna was his assistant. There was just so much that could be done via conference calls and email, so they’d both need to go back to work soon. But like Jeremy, Drew had been waiting on word about their father.
A beat of silence stretched between them, as they both considered the words Jeremy hadn’t actually said.
“Still no word about your dad?” Marcos asked.
Jeremy slowly shook his head. “No, not yet.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Isabella came in earlier today to have lunch with some of her friends, but I didn’t get a chance to ask her if there’d been any news.”
Isabella, who’d married J. R. Fortune, Jeremy’s oldest brother, was Marcos’s sister. So Marcos was well aware of the details surrounding William’s disappearance.
As they reached the empty table in the alcove, Marcos stopped and stepped to the side. “How’s this?”
“Great.”
Marcos removed one of the place settings, leaving three. “I’ll have a server bring you some water and chips. Would you like to start off with a drink? “
“Sure. I’ll have a Corona.”
“You got it.”
As Jeremy took a seat, he watched Marcos walk toward the bar. The ambitious young man had plans to open his own restaurant someday, and Jeremy had no doubt that he would do just that—and be successful.
Moments later, a young waitress with her long, dark hair pulled back in a ponytail brought the water, chips, salsa and his beer.
“Marcos said to tell you that the drink is on him,” the woman said.
Jeremy thanked her, and as she went on her way, he got to his feet, stepped out of the alcove and scanned the area for Marcos.
He spotted him near the bar, where he was talking to the bartender and pointing out something on a shelf. When Jeremy caught the manager’s eye, he lifted his longneck bottle and nodded in appreciation. Then he returned to his table and took a seat.
While waiting for Drew and Deanna, he reached for a warm tortilla chip and dipped it into the fresh salsa.
No one knew how to prepare Mexican food like the Mendozas, and Jeremy had made a point of stopping by Red at least once a week. Of course, each time he did, he often ran into one of the Fortunes or a Mendoza or two. The families had become good friends over the years. There also had been a few marriages along the way that bound them even closer—like that of J.R. and Isabella.
Jeremy had just reached for another chip when Drew and Deanna arrived. The two had been staying with J.R. and Isabella at Molly’s Pride, where he assumed they would take up residence again until they needed to return to San Diego.
Drew’s entire life had revolved around Fortune Forecasting, the company William had started. But unlike his brothers, Jeremy had never wanted to take part in the family business. Instead, he’d gone to medical school. And up until the past year or so, he’d been perfectly content with that decision and the life he’d made for himself in Sacramento.
As Drew and Deanna reached the table, Jeremy stood and greeted the attractive redhead with a brotherly hug.
“You look especially pretty tonight,” Jeremy told her.
And she did. Love and happiness radiated on her face, just as it did on Drew’s.
“Thank you.”
Drew pulled out a chair for her. As she took a seat, she flashed a loving smile at her new husband.
Jeremy couldn’t help thinking that falling in love and getting married had made a big difference in his brother’s entire demeanor, and as he made that decision, his thoughts naturally drifted to the mystery woman who’d stepped right out of his imagination and into his life just two hours earlier.
Drew reached for a chip. “We said six, didn’t we?”
“Yes, but I finished early at the clinic.” Jeremy motioned for their waitress, then returned his focus to his dinner companions. “So how was the wedding?”
“Absolutely
