My Saving Grace

Chapter 10

I never saw Antonio again for the rest of that year.

One night after work, I had even tried to hit up a few strip clubs in the LA area to see if I could catch him in his act, but he wasn't at any of them. With each walk out the door, I'd felt more pathetic than ever.

On my way home, thoughts of him flaunting his tall, tan body for the female population's pleasure had clouded my mind, and I'd clutched the steering wheel tightly, feelings of jealousy running through my veins.

I had no claim over him--we'd been nothing more than strangers in the same car--but god, if he'd ended up in my bed that night, I wouldn't have let him leave so easily.

Of all the guys out there, I just had to be attracted to a professional male stripper.

Until now, I still couldn't attach the Antonio I'd briefly met to his career. He'd been so formal, composed, and dressed with such class...I guessed looks were deceiving after all, just like he'd said.

As the months passed, my work consumed me to the point where Antonio became a subject of the past, but whenever I did walk by the Ralphs on Sunset Blvd, he was the first thing on my mind.

During the third weekend of October, I flew up to Minnesota for my college homecoming football game and was able to reunite with Alexa Langley, whom I'd missed more than anything.

She was as gorgeous as ever and still had the outgoing, reckless personality I loved. She also proposed that I fly out to New York to spend New Year's Eve with her, and I'd quickly agreed to the idea. Besides, my holiday break lasted until the day after New Year's.

Thanksgiving was spent at my grandparents' house in La Jolla, and before I knew it, Christmas came right around the corner. After a productive day at work, I decided to go Christmas shopping for my family, Peter, and Ella.

For the past few months, my father had begun seeing a woman he'd met at one of his company charity events. Her name was Jennifer, and she worked as a human resources manager in San Diego. At forty-five years of age, she'd been married once, but like my dad, had lost her spouse; he'd died in a car accident.

From what I'd heard so far from my dad on the phone, Jennifer seemed like a wonderful woman, and I was looking forward to meeting her at our family Christmas reunion.

When I was younger, the thought of my dad in a serious relationship with someone felt like a betrayal to my mother, who I knew loved her husband very much. Then as the years passed, I gradually embraced the idea of my father being able to find happiness again.

Mom would want him to be happy. I did, too. So, I sure hoped Jennifer was the one.

Two days before Christmas, Nick and I drove down to San Diego. Alyssa, his girlfriend, was spending Christmas with her parents in LA this year. Something told me they were going to end up getting married; I'd never seen two people so right for each other, apart from Mom and Dad, of course.

Derek and Claire Weston's love had been unbreakable, a kind of love I wanted for myself someday.

"How's life as an engineer going for you?", Nick asked as we cruised down I-405.

"Great. I feel like what I do actually matters, you know?"

"Yeah, it definitely does. You thinking about maybe working for R&D soon?"

"That's the ultimate goal, bro." I smiled.

"You'll get there. I know you will." He gave my shoulder an affectionate squeeze.

"Thanks for the confidence booster."

"Anytime, sis. So, how many guys have you slept with since moving here?"