Page 10 of Raging Inferno

“Dad?”

“Yeah,” I reply, grabbing my fork.

“I’m going to need my own bathroom and the Wi-Fi in your house sucks. You should switch to Verizon.”

Make that two shots of tequila and a Dos Equis. Turning my head, I scan the busy restaurant in search of our waitress, but my eyes catch a familiar face instead. Sitting across the room with another woman is Gabby’s guidance counselor. The forlorn expression she was wearing at the meeting is gone and as her eyes find mine shock wears on her pretty features.

Features, such as those dark brown almond shaped eyes of hers. They’re mysterious and once they latch onto yours, you forget to blink. You forget to breathe. Then there are her lips. So full and inviting—they make your imagination wander to places you have no business visiting.

She’s got a face you don’t forget.

A face like hers sticks with you.

“Earth to Dad,” Gabby calls, forcing me to blink. Diverting my eyes back to my daughter, I watch as she glances over her shoulder.

“Eat your food before it gets cold,” I mutter, willing myself not to look back at Ms. Moscato. I’m about to lift my fork when Gabby waves across the room.

“That’s my guidance counselor,” she says.

“Yeah,” I reply shoving a forkful of refried beans into my mouth.

“She’s not as mean as she looks and suffers from a severe case of RBF.”

“RBF?” I question, raking my brain for the disease.

“Resting bitch face,” she reveals pointedly. Turning back around, she loads her fork and takes another bite. “It’s not her fault,” she adds with her mouthful. “I hear she’s had it rough.” Before I have the chance to ask how she knows anything about her guidance counselor, she begins to spill all her secrets, reminding me my youngest girl is the one with the big mouth and loose lips.

“My best friend, Sienna lives next door to Ms. Moscato. You remember Sienna, don’t you?”

As she rambles on, I steal another glance at Ms. Moscato and to my surprise, she’s staring back.

“Oh my God!”

“What?” I ask, slicing my eyes back to Gabby.

“You’re staring.”

“I am not.”

“You totally are.”

“Gabby.”

“She’s not married.”

“How would you know that?”

“She doesn’t even have a boyfriend.”

Jesus fuck.

“Gabby—”

“She’s got a kid though.”

“Again, how do you know all of this?”

Rolling her eyes, she releases an exasperated breath.

“I told you! Sienna lives next door to Melissa.”

“Melissa? Who is Melissa?”

“Come on, Dad. Keep up! Melissa is her first name.”

Melissa Moscato.

A pretty name to match a pretty face.

A face I can’t keep my eyes off.

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