Page 27 of Forever Mine

“Nope. No clue who that was. I’m even more concerned for my girl now,” I say quietly.

“Told you.”

“Told me what?”

“That she’s your girl.”

Fuck. I didn’t even realize I called Monica mine. She’s not mine.

I sigh in frustration.

“She’s not mine, Tom.”

“You wish she was, though.”

“Yeah.”

“Just keep on being there for her, man. She’ll see that. She’ll realize that you’re one of the good ones,” Tommy tells me. His cell vibrates with an incoming text, and he smiles as he reads it. “The guys want to meet up for drinks. You in?”

“Nah. Been a long week. I want to relax at home,” I tell him. “Do me a favor and keep looking for any information on that guy. Something isn’t right.”

“I will. Maybe call some of your contacts at home. If he isn’t Army, maybe he’s also from Texas, and you’re remembering something from there.”

“Hard to ask anyone there about a guy who only existed a few years ago,” I comment dryly.

“You need his fingerprints, man. We could run them and find out everything,” Tommy says jokingly. I don’t smile.

“You’re right,” I tell him.

“Woah, dude, that was a joke. Pretty sure it’s all kinds of illegal to take someone’s prints without their knowledge,” Tommy warns.

“I’m not gonna arrest him or report him. I just want to find out his real name and see where I know him from. See if Monica really is in any danger,” I say.

“Don’t do anything that could getyouin trouble, Gabriel. I know you like this girl, but you can’t do anything from prison. And if this guy is dangerous, she needs you here. Remember that,” Tommy says as he stands up, throwing a wad of bills on the bar for his meal. “You wanna meet up next week?”

“Can’t. I’m going out of town for a conference, and then heading home for my mama’s birthday,” I explain. I haven’t been home in almost a year. My mãe is turning sixty-seven years old, and her health has been declining for the past few years. My pai told me to come home soon. I have a feeling they’re going to tell me her health is worse than I think it is.

“Text me when you’re back, and we’ll meet up.”

“Tell the guys I said hello,” I tell Tommy.

“Will do,” he says as he slaps the bar once before heading toward the door. I pull cash out of my wallet for my meal and leave it next to his before following him outside. Tommy has already pulled out of the parking lot when I see Monica’s car careen into the lot. There are a lot of small white sedans in Colorado, but she has Mardi Gras beads hanging from her rearview mirror and a small stuffed otter on the dash. It’s hard to miss. Even if I didn’t see those two things, I’ve memorized her license plate. I know, I’m pathetic.

“Ms. Valducci,” I say as she steps out of her car.

“Oh. Hi, Gabriel,” she says quietly.

“Here for dinner?” I ask.

“Just grabbing a to-go order. I’m really beat,” Monica tells me, her eyes cast downward. She rarely looks me in the eye anymore. I wish I could cultivate a friendship with her. Let her see that I’m a good person.

“I just finished dinner here. Nice place,” I comment, suddenly realizing she’s about to go into the restaurant and see her boyfriend with another woman. I’m at a crossroads. Part of me wants her to see them so she’ll dump him, and part of me wants to protect her from the pain. “Listen, Monica, I really don’t want to do this to you, but I think I saw your boyfriend in there, and he wasn’t… alone.”

She winces, and pain flashes in her eyes.

“I’m not surprised,” she whispers.

“You’re not?”

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