For the Love of His Life by Fiona McGier Page B

crashed your car and tried to bribe the police officers, telling them you’d get them in your next big movie if they just took you to the meeting you’d already blown. You called him instead of your lawyer because you figured he would get you out faster. Then you told him that you couldn’t find your watch and lost track of time, and the only reason you left the hotel room was that you ran out of condoms.”
    Raul felt even more ill as he listened to her words. The pain seemed to be coming from his stomach, but he didn’t just feel nauseated anymore. He felt ashamed.
    “Jared told you all of that?”
    “Yeah. We’ve always been tight since we’re so close in age. When he’d come up here for the summer, I was the one he wanted to hang out with. I taught him how to paddle a canoe and a kayak. I taught him how to swim in a lake; and I taught him how to find the best places to set up your tent. He used to tell me that if we weren’t cousins, he’d want to marry me. He’s a sweetie.”
    She leaned over and replaced the warm washcloth with another cold one.
    “But don’t worry. No one else knows all of that except me. Gram-Marie would have a shit-fit and so would my parents. Jared said he had to let someone up here know what you were capable of, so I could do what I could to keep you out of trouble. So far I thought I was doing pretty good. I guess I should have thought of going with you to the bars, but I’ve never been a heavy drinker. Don’t get me wrong, I like wine with food, and a really cold beer on a hot day is excellent. But that’s about it for me. The few times I’ve ever been really drunk in my life aren’t happy memories. I usually woke up feeling like you do and embarrassed by the things that other people told me I said and did. So hanging around in bars for hours until closing time is not my idea of a good time. My bad.”
    Raul reached his hand over toward the glass and Veronica leaned forward.
    “Do you want me to hold the glass for you again?”
    “Nah, I think I can do that much for myself.”
    “So are you feeling any better? Did the pills kick in and work their magic? That’s why I gave you three of them, though the bottle says only two at a time, maximum. But you looked like you had an industrial-strength hang-over, which calls for desperate measures.”
    “Yes, they took the biting edge off the pain. You can go now. I think I’ll just try to sleep it off.”
    “Not a chance, dude. We’ve got to get some food into you then get you near a phone at the same time as Gram-Marie is there. We’ll call Jared and put him on speaker-phone and try to work out a deal.”
    “Why? I bring trouble where-ever I go. It’s a part of the bad-boy image my agent uses to sell me to the public. I don’t want to get anyone up here hurt because of me. I should just leave and let you go back to your peaceful lives.”
    “And what about Jared? What about the movie he wants to make with you? What about all of the time and money he’s already spent getting things in the works? Are you going to throw that all away because you’re afraid to face my ninety-pound, white-haired little grandmother?”
    Even though it hurt his head, Raul shook it slowly, saying, “No, it’s not that I’m afraid of her. It’s that you all are family. You have something I’ve never been a part of. I have a Mom and no one else. I don’t want to be responsible for any of you getting hurt. Jared will be able to find a better actor to play his Hank Maynard. And I can go back to living my life the way I’m told to.”
    Veronica leaned forward to turn the washcloth to the other side again and he met her gaze, looking steadily back at her.
    Just like in the movies , Raul thought. Only my eyes are hurting from jiggling back and forth looking at both of her pupils.
    Veronica smiled at him and he fought the urge to run his fingers through her hair and drink in the smell of her skin while he lost himself in her dimples.
    “Why, Raul