Page 13 of Disgrace

Too late now.

• • •

“John, my man. You’re looking good.”

He heard his cousin’s greeting, and felt Andino’s firm hug, but John’s gaze was locked on the dark-haired beauty standing just a few feet away. After all, it was kind of fucking impossible for him to pay attention to anything when the love of his life was once again gracing his presence. She was the only thing that ever mattered.

Siena wore the brightest smile that matched the flower printed summer dress accentuating all of her curves and height. A dress that showed off all kinds of leg, and the four inch heels on her feet. She had let her long, dark hair down in soft waves. One of his favorite styles on her because he could wrap his fingers in the silky strands, and get lost. She’d painted her lips a striking red, and those blue eyes of hers never left him once.

Damn.

What had Andino just said?

John didn’t know.

His attention was somewhere else entirely.

“What?” he asked Andino.

His cousin only laughed, and the man’s green eyes looked John over. In his usual suit and shined shoes, Andino made John miss the fact he hadn’t worn proper Armani in months. Instead, he’d dressed down with jeans and T-shirts.

“Shit, you didn’t hear a word I just said, huh?” Andino asked.

John’s gaze drifted to a very patient, quiet Siena. “Not really, no. Sorry, man.”

Andino clapped John’s cheek with a gentle pat as he chuckled. “Nah, it’s okay. You’ve got a good reason to be off your game today. I guess they didn’t fill you in on who I was bringing along to visit, or what?”

“Leonard has his odd ways.”

“Sure, sure.”

“It’s good, though.”

So good.

John wasn’t the type who appreciated surprises, but this was far more than fine. Surprises were unknowns that he couldn’t prepare for, and he much preferred to prepare for an unknown. This, though? He didn’t mind this surprise at all.

“Anyway,” Andino said, turning to stand beside John. His cousin gestured in front of them. “I said, I hope you don’t mind that I brought someone else to properly meet you. I mean, I know this place is supposed to be sacred for you, and all. Focusing on you, but I might not get another time to do this before you come home.”

Yes.

The woman standing at Siena’s side.

Haven.

John had noticed the woman, of course, but his mind always tended to focus in on the most important things first, and then everything else second. Siena was, by far, the most important thing standing on the walkway in that moment when it came to John and his life. And shit, he had been counting down the days until he would get to see Siena again. Not that he had known today would be the day.

No offence to Haven.

Or Andino.

John said none of those things out loud.

“You don’t mind, do you?” Andino asked again.

John shook his head. “No, man. Of course, not.”

“Good. I want you to meet the girl I’m going to marry, you know. Properly fucking meet her, John. Not hear things about her from someone else, or see her in passing. Actually meet her with me. Take some time to sit down and have a real conversation with her. I talk about you all the time, and she’s a little out of the loop about me and you. Kind of a big fucking deal to me, and everything.”