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 beautiful.” Deanna’s eyes glimmered. “Your brother outdid himself with all the details, from the strawberries and champagne on the private flight to the long-stem red roses and the bridal bouquet waiting in the limousine to the beautiful little chapel where we were married at the stroke of midnight. It was very romantic.”
A little surprised by it all, Jeremy studied his no-nonsense brother. “Who would have guessed that you had a romantic side?”
“You probably have one, too.” His brother reached across the table and took Deanna’s hand. “All you have to do is find the right woman.”
Jeremy didn’t know about that. He hadn’t thought that he had a romantic bone in his body before, but he found his mind drifting in that direction ever since he ran into Kirsten Allen in the parking lot. Damn, that crazy dream must be making him soft.
As Drew and Deanna shared the details of the actual ceremony, Jeremy found himself drifting off, wondering if he’d prefer a big wedding or a small, intimate one. And that brought his thoughts back to the mystery woman.
He didn’t believe in visions and premonitions, but for some wild reason, he couldn’t quite shake the encounter he’d had with Kirsten or the feeling that he had to see her again.
“Are you listening?” Drew asked.
Jeremy glanced up, a little embarrassed that the couple had caught him gathering romantic wool, when he should have been listening. “I’m sorry. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“Dad?” Drew asked.
“Him, too.”
“Is it work-related? Is the medical group pressuring you to come back to Sacramento?”
“In a way, but …”
“Don’t tell me.” Drew leaned forward. “You’ve met a woman in Red Rock.”
“No, not really.” Jeremy glanced at his new sister-in-law, then back at the cocktail napkin he’d been shredding.
About that time, Deanna scooted her chair back and got to her feet. “If you guys will excuse me, I think I’ll powder my nose.”
Drew shot another loving look at his new wife, and something seemed to register between them, some form of silent, two-way communication.
Jeremy had seen his parents do that on occasion. Would he ever be able to communicate with a woman like that?
“What should I order for you?” Drew asked her. “A glass of wine?”
“That sounds good. Thanks.”
As Deanna headed for the bathroom, Jeremy couldn’t help thinking she’d made an excuse to leave so the brothers could talk in private, which was thoughtful but unnecessary. He really didn’t want to talk to anyone about the wild direction his thoughts had been going.
After Deanna was out of hearing range, Drew said, “Okay, what’s going on?”
Jeremy wasn’t so sure he wanted to confide in his younger brother, but Drew wasn’t a kid anymore. So he found himself revealing the dream he’d had and the woman he’d run into in the parking lot.
“Are you going to try to find her?” Drew asked.
Jeremy didn’t know what to say, what to admit.
“Maybe you ought to give Ross a call. I’ll bet he could make fast work of finding anyone.”
Ross Fortune was their cousin and a private investigator, so the suggestion made sense. But Jeremy wouldn’t go that far in trying to locate the mystery woman.
“I don’t want to come off like some kind of stalker,” he admitted. “Besides, Ross probably should focus his time on finding Dad, which he hasn’t been able to do.”
The truth of that statement echoed between them until Drew said, “I think we need to accept the fact that he’s gone, Jeremy.”
“You might be right, but I’m not able to do that yet.”
“I know.”
A pall fell over the brothers as they each tried to deal with their father’s disappearance in their own