CHAPTER 2
The next morning, Valerie woke up with a raging fever. She’d been that way as long as she could remember. It went as far back as when she was a little girl. The most memorable time being when a dog had killed her cat and she cried all night. Her dad rushed her to urgent care the next morning because her fever was so high. The doctors attributed it to dehydration. Valerie knew that this time, the tequila added to it. She had more than a few more shots after Alex left the party last night.
Luke had already come by and picked up the keys to the property he was showing that day. She called early to let him know she wasn’t feeling well.
Valerie sat on the sofa sipping her Gatorade. She put up a front at the party last night after Alex left. Originally she planned on not admitting to Isabel just what a mess she’d actually been. But Isabel knew all about her crying herself sick from her past heartaches. There was no way to hide the embarrassing fact that she’d cried herself to sleep last night. So, she fessed up and let Isabel in on how pitiful she was.
There was very little she kept from Isabel anyway. Isabel wasn’t just her roommate, she was her best friend. They met in college their freshman year and were forced to share a dorm. At first they hated each other. They were polar opposites. Valerie a tiny, messy, blonde, party girl and Isabel was tall, brunette, as anal as they came, and all about hitting the books.
It wasn’t until one of the first times Alex broke Valerie’s heart that they bonded. That night Isabel had been the only one around to console her. After talking almost all night Valerie decided to help Isabel come out of her shell and live a little. Isabel wasn’t unattractive, just a little too simple in her taste in clothes and make up. Valerie always told her she had the sexiest eyes. Once done up, she was actually pretty hot. Unfortunately, most of the time Isabel chose to go with simple.
In return Isabel helped Valerie bring her grades up and stick with school. There were a few times she’d come close to giving up and just taking the state exam, but Isabel convinced her to at least get her associates degree before getting her real estate license. In Isabel’s family degrees were everything.
They kept in touch even after Valerie got her AA and ran with it, moving back in with her dad. By the time Isabel graduated with her bachelors in teaching, they were best friends, and now shared an apartment. After living in the same dorm room with Isabel for two years, Valerie knew there was no getting around her meticulous ways. She learned long ago to just go with the flow rather than fight it.
“Let’s check again.” Isabel handed her the thermometer.
Valerie took it and smiled. Isabel was going to be such a great mom someday. She sure knew how to baby you and boy did she know how to nag.
She’d been so busy last night playing the strong woman part and secretly wishing Alex would come back to the party. Valerie hadn’t really paid attention to Isabel. Not that Isabel had been neglected. She got plenty attention from Romero. For someone that seemed as put off by his first impression of Isabel, Romero sure stuck by her the whole night.
“So, how’d it go with Romero last night?”
“Don’t talk with that thing in your mouth. It won’t register correctly.” Isabel plopped down on the sofa across from her. “He’s…different. And good Lord, he loves to debate.”
Valerie smiled but followed her orders and didn’t speak. Isabel went on. “I mean he even admits he loves it. You know what he told me?”
Valerie’s lifted both eyebrows.
“He said when he goes to sports bar and his team is not playing, he figures out who the majority of the crowd is going for and he goes for the opposing team. Just so he can cheer when the other team scores.”
Valerie laughed and the thermometer beeped. She took it out of her mouth and read it: 102.4
“It’s going down.” She grinned tossing it at Isabel.
Isabel read it and frowned. “Valerie, this is still so high. You sure you don’t want to go to the doctor?”
Valerie shook her head and went to the fridge to get more ice for her Gatorade. “I’ll be fine.”
Although, this wasn’t the first time she’d woken up feverish because of Alex, it was by far the worst. It ranked right up there with the morning after she’d caught him that awful night. And here she thought because it’d been so long she was going to breeze through this like nothing. She actually expected to leave the party feeling like a brand new woman, one who’d finally conquered her demons. She frowned, putting the cold Gatorade bottle to her forehead. “I think you and Romero are cute together.”
“No way, Valerie. Don’t even start.”
“Why not?”
Romero wasn’t a bad looking guy at all. Like Alex and his brothers, he’d always worked real hard to stay in great shape. He had to. During his years as a bouncer, he needed to be strong and fit.
He wasn’t nearly as big as Alex but his build was impressive. He’d just always been the clown. Back in high school she’d been attracted enough to flirt with him and even let him kiss her once.
“Because he’s annoying and I find his lack of decorum appalling.”
“Decorum?” Valerie sat back down on the sofa. “Isabel, you are too much. You always said you have trouble finding taller men than you. Did you notice he’s much taller than you?”
Isabel peered at her over her glasses. “Yes, I noticed.”
“Well, then it’s settled.”