Page 58 of Bit's Bliss

“I guess you all agreed to Trevino telling me since my dad was a member.”

“I don’t think that has anything to do with it. The way Trevino put it, I got the impression he told Brix he was making you aware of Los Caballeros with or without permission.” He smiled. “I like the two of you together.”

“I do too.” How many times today alone had it dawned on me that marrying Tiernan would’ve been the biggest mistake of my life? “We ran into Tiernan today in Cambria.”

My uncle didn’t appear surprised.

“You already know?” I asked.

“An alert went out about both sightings.”

“He said my dad told him I’d had a change of heart and called off the wedding. It was the same thing my dad told me, except in reverse.”

“Do you know your mom and dad met through me?”

“I don’t recall hearing that.”

“Probably because he and I knew each other from Los Caballeros, and that means I’ve known your dad a really long time. While I have no explanation for his recent actions, I know in my heart that he wouldn’thave done any of those things unless he felt he had no choice.”

“Why didn’t he talk to me about it? I could’ve helped. I still can.”

“I can’t speak for him, but my guess is he wanted to spare you.”

When the electric kettle switched off, I poured the hot water over the ground coffee I’d put in the French press. “I’m not being spared now. It would’ve been so much better to hear from him.”

“I agree, Eberly, but as your cousin said, we should give him the same benefit of the doubt the courts would.”

“You’re right. I’m just mad at him.” I looked at the time. “How long do these meetings usually last?”

“It varies.”

“Do you think someone has located him?”

Uncle Michael shook his head. “Trevino would’ve stopped the meeting to tell you.”

I smiled. “You’re right. He would have.” I thought about him asking me to trust him. I did, and my quick response was evidence of it. I knew in my heart that if he had any news, he’d figure out a way to tell me as soon as he could.

“How did you meet Tiernan?” my uncle asked.

“At a wine industry event my dad asked me to attend with him.”

“Did your father already know him?”

“If they’d met before, neither of them let on.” I recalled how bored I’d been. When I agreed to go, I thought for sure Justine or Isabel would be there, but no one from our group of friends was. I’d gone to get a plate of hors d’oeuvres when Tiernan struck up a conversation with me. I remembered thinking he was handsome and a good conversationalist. He’d asked for my number, and while I doubted I’d hear from him, he’d called the next day and asked me on a date.

“I keep wondering if there were signs I should’ve picked up on.”

“Do you mean with your dad or with Tiernan?”

I shrugged. “Both.” I shook my head and smiled. “The other day, I remembered having a conversation with my mom about Trevino. At the time, she said he was her favorite of the Avila boys.”

“She was a good judge of character.”

I looked up at him. “Apparently not.”

Uncle Michael shook his head. “What I’m saying, Eberly, is that shewas, and we should keep that in mind in regard to your father.”

“I wish I could. More, I wish he’d get in contact with me.”