Fire In His Eyes (Secrets & Seduction #1)(52)

Victor had his back to me, and Kat saw me first. “There you are, Mon,” she crossed the lanai over to me and gave me a quick hug. “Damn, girl. Victor was right. You are as skinny as pole. Not good,” she looked at me suspiciously.

Victor turned in his seat when he heard Kat make that statement. “I had the flu last month,” I lied to brush away any questions. “It was awhile before I was able to eat anything solid. My stomach was very unsettled.” Her eyes were still suspicious. “I am gaining it back slowly now,” I tried to reassure her.

Victor got up when he heard that, concern on his face. “You didn’t tell me you were sick?” He smiled but I saw a bit of doubt in his expression.

“Oh, I . . . it slipped my mind is all,” I offered lamely as he crossed over to me.

“Oh, well you are better now, though, right?” he asked and offered me a halfhearted hug.

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.” I hugged him quickly and stepped back.

Victor took my hand and tugged it slightly. “Come on and sit down with me and Joe. Tina, Maria, and Michael are here somewhere, too.” I followed him letting him drag me along, but I was looking around to see if I could spot his daughter. I had wondered if she would look like him. He noticed my glancing and knew what I was doing. He rewarded me with a breathtaking smile. “She’s with Joe’s two granddaughters. They came down from Jacksonville for the party.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” I offered and smiled back.

“Yeah, Stacey and Joe’s grandkids have been as thick as thieves all day. Brittany is fifteen, and Lucy is eleven, the same age as Stacey,” he said as Joe spotted me and waved calling us over. “Hey, Joe has seen you. Let’s say hello.” Victor took my elbow and brought me through the crowd of well-wishers over to the small group around Joe.

Joe came forward to greet me.

“Hey, Monica. It’s nice to see you, again. I’m glad you could make it. Thanks for coming,” he said and gave me a big bear hug.

“Congratulations Joe, on retiring.” I handed him an envelope with a card wishing him well on his retirement. “I hear you are planning on spending a lot of time visiting the grandkids. That ought to be nice.”

“Aw, you didn’t have to do that,” he said slipping the card into his back pocket.

“It’s just a gift card to the new seafood place, Bone Fish Grille, the one down on Henderson Avenue. I had heard you mention you loved fish and wanted to try it,” I shrugged.

“Oh, thanks. That was sweet of you, and about the kids, yes; I am looking forward to having the time to visit them more often, but not too much time.” His eyes began to twinkle and from my peripheral vision I saw Kat approaching. So that is what was putting the sparkle in his eyes just now, I thought to myself. “I’ve got a great reason to be spending time here as well,” Joe added. Kat went right to Joe, ducked under his arm, and gave him a peck on the cheek. Joe put his arm around her back and pulled her in closer.

“Don’t stick around on my account, you old codger. You’ll just be underfoot,” she teased.

“Not under your foot darling, but maybe under . . .,” Joe was caught off guard by the swift elbow to the rib cage Kat had given him. He coughed, and then laughed, and she kissed him on the cheek while blushing.

“Oh, here come the kids,” Victor interrupted. I turned in the direction Victor was looking and saw three young girls approaching. Two were brunette, one very tall and thin, and the other shorter and a bit rounder in features. Sisters obviously, and the third girl, shorter than the rest had blond hair and Victor’s blue eyes. It was startling to see this little girl with those eyes, but no one could mistake that this was Victor’s daughter. She was stunning.

I leaned over to whisper, “She’s beautiful, Victor. Beautiful.”

He reached over and took my hand and gave it a squeeze. He was smiling at his daughter as she approached, but he was holding my hand making those circles he used to do with his thumb. It was like a shot in the gut. I hadn’t expected it, but electricity shot through me, and I think him too, because he looked down at our hands and winced. He let go of my hand regretfully. “I know,” he whispered back. “She is beautiful. And, it scares the hell out of me.” I nodded sympathizing with him.

Victor turned in Stacey’s direction and called out to the kids, “Stacey, Monica just got here!”

The little girl with the sparkling blue eyes skipped ahead of the other two girls and rushed to her dad slamming into him around the waist and gave him a hug. Then she turned and offered her hand to me. “Hi, Mon. Nice to meet you. Dad talks about you all the time. Oh, is it okay that I call you Mon? That’s what Kat calls you,” she rushed out.

I took her hand and clasped it with both of mine and shook her small hand. She was eleven, but looked like she was eight. “Sure,” I smiled. “That’s what my sister calls me, too.”

“Ooo, you have a sister. You’re so lucky. I wish I had a sister. It sucks growing up an only child. Nothing but adults to play with when you’re home,” she pouted.

Victor ruffled her hair. “One of you is plenty,” he teased but was looking at me when he said it.

“It sure sounds like it sucks,” I told her and it made her smile that I was agreeing with her and not taking her dad’s side.