by Reeni Austin
She buried her face against his cotton T-shirt and held him tight, inhaling his scent. Her voice was a soft purr. “It’s okay.”
After a little while, Armando heard Victor’s throat clear behind him from inside the house. Slowly, Armando peeled himself away, keeping one hand on her back as he motioned toward the front door. He took a deep breath. “Katie. You remember Victor?”
Katie nodded and took Victor’s hand as she stepped through the door. “Yes. Hello again.”
“Hello.” Victor put both of his hands around hers. “Please forgive me for not realizing who you were when we met this week. I had a lot on my mind and I didn’t remember your name. I thought about bringing it up yesterday but—”
Quickly, Katie shook her head. “It wasn’t the right time, I know. There’s no reason to apologize. It’s a strange...uh…” she gulped, “situation, I guess you could say.”
Victor nodded. “Yes. That it is. But anyway,” he let go of her hand and stepped back, gesturing toward Cara, “this is Cara, my fiancee as of last night.”
“Oh!” Katie smiled and shook Cara’s hand. “Congratulations!”
“Thank you.” Cara beamed. “Seriously, I mean it, thank you. I heard you were responsible for our lovely evening last night. Everything was wonderful.”
“No big deal,” Katie said. “Just doing my job. But I’m glad you enjoyed it.” She peered down at Cara’s ring, trying not to gape at the enormous, glistening cluster of diamonds. Victor obviously spared no expense. “Wow. This ring is amazing.”
“Yes. He did very well.” Cara glanced at Katie’s hand and almost made a comment about the lovely ring she saw, but stopped as she sneaked an uncomfortable look at Armando. To change the subject, she looked around for Isaac and saw him lingering in the living room with Ramon. “Come here,” she said as she waved him into the foyer.
Isaac hesitated, looking up at Ramon for approval.
Cara groaned, and in a stern voice, said, “Come here, Isaac. We have a guest. Don’t be rude.” Her eyes narrowed briefly at Ramon.
Isaac ran to the door and wedged himself in between Cara and Victor, giving Katie a shy grin. When Victor prompted Isaac by patting his shoulder, he extended his hand. “Hi. I’m Isaac.”
Katie smiled down at him and took his hand. “I’m Katie. It’s very nice to meet you, Isaac.”
When Isaac let go, he skulked backward to stand next to Ramon—who hovered behind them, shooting Katie an icy glare. Cara shared a knowing look with Victor, then said to Katie, “I’m sorry. My son’s usually a bit more talkative but he’s had an unusual week.”
Victor cleared his throat. “Yes. He’s spent the whole week helping out here at the ranch. I’m sure he misses his friends at home.”
Katie acted like she didn’t notice Ramon’s angry eyes. “I don’t know if you’re interested, but if you’re staying for a while, my sister, Chelsea, works at a daycare just outside San Antonio.” Ramon grunted at Katie’s mention of Chelsea, but she ignored him and continued. “They have a great pre-school program and you could probably get him right in without a wait. It has a stellar reputation and kids love it there. He’d probably fit right in.”
Cara’s eyes perked up. “Hmm. I may have to take a look. We’re not sure how long we’re staying just yet.”
Determined to break the uncomfortable tension in the room—courtesy of Ramon—Armando touched Katie’s shoulder and said, “Let’s go outside. It’s a nice day.”
Relief passed across Katie’s face, and she nodded.
Cara and Victor quietly went to the living room with Ramon and Isaac as Armando opened the front door. On the porch, he stopped and asked, “Are you hungry? I’m so sorry, I didn’t even offer you dinner. We ordered pizza and there’s plenty left over.”
She shook her head and fidgeted mindlessly with her engagement ring. “No. I couldn’t possibly eat right now. Maybe I shouldn’t have come.”
“Why? Because of Ramon?” Armando rolled his eyes, then slowly started down the porch steps, making sure Katie was following beside him. “Please, don’t let him get to you. He’s been acting like a jerk to everyone since I got here today. Has nothing to do with you.”
Katie sighed, anxious. “No, I’m sure it does. He’s always acted that way toward me and my family ever since…” she paused, her voice trailing off for a moment. “I don’t blame him, I guess. If someone did all that to my sister I’d probably never forgive ‘em.”
Armando shrugged as they headed toward a flat, empty field. “Well, I can’t speak to that. I can only tell you Ramon’s too young to turn into a crotchety old man so soon. I think he’s just working himself too hard and he’s too proud to ask for help. He’s got this place,” he gestured toward the back area of the vast property where the barns and stables were located, “and he’s somehow managing two other ranches he acquired last year. I think today’s the first day he’s taken off in a long time. Victor said the only way he’s been able to spend any time with him all week is if he helped him work.”
Katie chuckled as she stepped over a large rock. “That’s funny to me. Don’t you and Victor have these big careers of your own? He’s in New York. You’re in Los Angeles. And now, here you are, walking along in your jeans and a T-shirt, staying here at Ramon’s house in Turnbrook.”
“What’s so funny about that?” Armando gave her a playful smirk. “I spent my best years in that house. And now, I’m just a regular guy, visiting my brothers on the weekend—”
Katie laughed, hard. “You’re not just a regular guy, Armando. I know that much. I’ve seen that big, fancy bio you have online.”
Armando squinted as he thought about it. “You mean, at the Hightower Investments website?” He huffed. “That’s all for show. Don’t believe everything you read.”
“Yeah, sure. So you don’t have a collection of sports cars, or a private jet, or a controlling interest in the largest hotel franchise in North America? And you’re never seen eating dinner with beautiful women. TV stars and models, and—”
“Okay, okay.” Armando stopped walking and turned to face her. “The sports cars, yes. The private jet, not exactly. I have access to a private jet anytime I need it, but I figured there was no reason to buy my own unless I just wanted to look like a rich, wasteful jackass.”
Katie burst into laughter.
Armando continued. “The hotel franchise.” He shook his head. “Too much headache. I sold most of my equity and now I’m just a shareholder. A silent partner, really. And as for the T.V. stars and models,” he let out a defeated sigh and shook his head, “yeah, that might’ve happened a few times. When you have money in L.A. you tend to run in the same circles as some of the more recognizable people in our society. But it never takes me long to see through a phony, bullshit exterior to the woman inside.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Is that why you’re still single?”
“I guess so.” His eyes narrowed, matching her expression. “Wait a minute. How’d you know about the women I’ve been seen with? I’m not usually named in those pictures because I’m not a,” he used air quotes for his next word, “celebrity.” Even when Armando had a serious relationship with a famous model several years earlier, he prided himself on staying in the background and keeping a low profile.
Katie shrugged. “You have to know where to look, I guess. But I’ve always kept tabs on you.” She briefly looked in his eyes, then gazed off in the distance. “Well, if you wanna call searching the internet, ‘keeping tabs,’ that is. Sorry if that seems creepy. I know you’ve been successful and I think you deserve it.”
“Thank you. And for the record, that’s probably no creepier than me scaring you in the parking lot last night. Or finding your little wedding website.”
“Oh.” Katie winced and groaned. “That. I wish you hadn’t seen it. My sister and her husband did it without my consent, as a gift. They’re dorks.”
Armando chuckled. “It’s okay. No reason to be embarrassed. It told me everything I
wanted to know about where you’ve been since high school. You went to a few colleges. Got a few degrees. Moved back here to Bexar County, and,” he inhaled dramatically and brought his hand to his chest in a sarcastic display, “found the dreamiest dreamy dreamboat hunk of a man you’d ever laid eyes upon, who’s a lawyer, like Daddy. And you found him just in time, too, because the whole family was holding their breath, afraid you’d still be single when you turn thirty in a couple years.”
Katie grimaced. “I told you, they’re dorks. Most of it was written in jest.”
“Most of it, huh?” Armando cocked his head to the side. “How much of it’s true? You don’t seem very happy about marrying this guy. Don’t let the pressure get to you.”
She looked down and gently nudged a rock with the side of her leather pump. Her voice was soft. “I’m not. He’s a good guy. He works hard. We have a lot in common.”
“So, that’s why you’re marrying him. Good guy. Hard worker. Common interests. It has nothing to do with the fact that he’s a lawyer who, according to the bio on his firm’s website, has some political aspirations? You know, like your dad, the district judge?”
“Daddy and Mitch are nothing alike, aside from that.” Katie set her lips in a straight line and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at Armando. “Do you know how offensive that is? That you think of me as some weak, simple-minded girl who wants to marry someone exactly like her father?”
Armando’s voice was deliberately calm. “I don’t think you’re weak or simple-minded. You sure weren’t in high school. It seems that maybe after what happened with me, you only dated guys you thought Daddy would approve of. And since Daddy’s a jerk, guys who live up to his standards probably don’t come along very often. That’s why you got engaged.”
She sighed, then bit the inside of her cheek and looked again at the rock on the ground. She took a long pause, then answered, “No.”
“Well, is it the pressure to get hitched before you turn thirty? Is that why you’re marrying this guy?”
Katie took a deep breath and met Armando’s gaze. “There isn’t that much pressure. It’s mostly just Mom. She’s a little old-fashioned. She thinks I’m gonna shrivel up and die if I don’t settle down and start a family soon.”
Armando scowled. “It doesn’t matter what she thinks. You need to do what’s best for you.” His face brightened with an evil grin. “Maybe you should remind her that you could’ve already had that, with me. Who knows where we’d be right now if they hadn’t stopped us?”
Katie drew in an unsteady breath and looked away, blinking fast to stop the tears that unexpectedly filled her eyes.
Concerned, he took a step forward, watching her. Waiting to see if she would respond. He gave her another moment, then gently asked, “Are you okay?”
She sniffled and wiped her palm across her eye. “I don’t know.” She paused for a breath. “It’s like it’s all fresh again. Crazy. Feels like it happened last week, not ten years ago.”
“I know.” Armando gritted his teeth. His own rage and sadness lingered much closer to the surface than he wanted to show. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to calm down.
Katie sniffled again and hesitantly said, “A couple days ago I actually did mention it to Mom, for the first time in years. She went off on me and scolded me like a child.”
“Oh no, I’m sorry. Did that scare you?”
Anger replaced the sadness in Katie’s eyes. “No, it didn’t scare me. It pissed me off!” Katie groaned and wiped away a stray tear that lingered on her cheek. “I’ve been on an emotional roller coaster for days. I’m sorry. I don’t know what I’m supposed to be feeling.” She let out a heavy sigh. “And there’s no one I can talk to. No one who’d understand—”
“I understand.” He placed a hand on each of her shoulders, staring deep into her eyes.
One side of her mouth quirked up with a hint of a smile. Her voice was soft. “Yeah. I guess you would.”
Their eyes locked. The scent of her perfume was intoxicating. Her lips were so close, it would have taken little effort to tilt his head down and kiss her. And that’s what Armando desperately wanted to do.
And he would have...if only she wasn’t engaged.
But she was mine first! he told himself. Unfortunately, he knew it was a weak argument. Although there was undeniable familiarity and an instant attraction, too much time had passed. They weren’t the same people they were when they concocted that crazy plan to run away after graduation.
And yet, there she was. His first love. The same beautiful girl who claimed his heart so long ago.
Would it really be so wrong to kiss her? Just one little kiss? Or maybe two. Or maybe he’d take her to that shady spot on the ground about twenty feet away where he could rip that pretty dress off and show her just how much she still meant to him and—
Shit.
Armando dropped his arms to his sides and turned his face up to the sky, then took a deep breath, trying to think about anything else.
Katie asked, “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” He closed his eyes and took another breath, blowing it out slowly.
“I’m sorry. Did I upset you?”
He kept his eyelids shut and shook his head. “No, it’s fine.”
“Okay. So...” Katie twirled her hair with her fingers. “Do you want me to go home then?”
“No.” Armando looked in her eyes. “Please, no. I asked you to come out here because I wanted to finish our conversation from last night but…” his voice trailed off.
She giggled. “But...you don’t know where to start?”
“No. I sure don’t.”
“Well, could we maybe start with finding a place to sit?” She shifted her weight from one leg to the other. “My heels are starting to sink down in the dirt.”
“Oh, shit! I’m sorry. I didn’t even think about that.” Frantically, he looked around, wishing they could go back to the house, but there would surely be ears listening in every corner. “There’s a pond right over there. Or at least, there used to be.”
Katie nodded. “I remember.”
“Oh. Yeah.” Armando smiled at her and started in the direction of the pond. It used to be one of their favorite make-out spots. How could he have forgotten?
After a few steps, Katie stumbled. “Ooh. No, my shoes don’t like this at all.”
Quickly, Armando bent down and put his arm under her shoulders. “Does this help?”
Chapter 10
Katie hobbled along through the field, with help from Armando. Her heart raced from the feel of his strong bicep against her back. She hoped he wouldn’t notice her labored breathing.
Damn it. The heat of his body awakened every part of her. Whipped her thoughts into a frenzy of rebellious desire.
Mitch had sure as hell never made her feel like this.
“You okay?” Armando asked. “Is it too hot out here for you? You’re still all dressed up from work and I’m just wearing this T-shirt.”
Oh yes, you certainly are wearing that T-shirt... It was perfectly fitted but not too tight, nicely displaying the lines of his muscles. “You must work out a lot,” she said.
He laughed for a bit as he tightened his arm around her, then he answered, “Yeah. Every morning. I’m addicted. Can’t start my day without it.”
Katie blushed, realizing she had ignored his question. “That’s nice.”
“Uh-huh. So, the heat isn’t getting to you? I wish I could take you inside the house but I really don’t want them listening.”
I wish you could take me, too. Yes, take me...She breathed deeply and tried not to appear distracted. “It’s not that hot. It’s actually kinda nice.”
“Good.”
A few more steps and they reached the pond. Or, rather, what was left of it.
Katie eased herself down to sit on one of the large rocks that served as benches. She scanned the pond. “Geez. It’s kinda sad to see it like this.”
“Yeah
it is,” Armando said. “Ramon could have some water hauled in but,” he sighed, “he’s Ramon.”
“Remember those cute little baby ducks? And there were rose bushes over there,” she pointed, “and some really pretty trees—”
Armando groaned and sat down beside her. “I know. Henry prided himself on the landscaping around here. Ramon thinks it’s all a waste of time. He just let it all go.”
“Why can’t Mr. Platt just have it done anyway?”
“He doesn’t live here anymore. He’s off traveling the country or something. Ramon owns the whole place now.”
“You mean, you don’t even know where he is?”
“No. He calls Ramon once in a while.” Armando shrugged. “Last I heard he was at a campground near the Grand Canyon for a few weeks. Before that, he was in Reno. And he apparently took the housekeeper with him. Elsa. That’s why the house is such a disaster.”
Katie chuckled as she gave the ground a light kick. “Well, I hope they’re having a good time.”
“Me too. He’s earned it after all these years.”
“So, you don’t keep in touch with him? He was like a father to you, wasn’t he?”
“Eh…” Armando winced. “It was a strange thing. We all respected him but we never really crossed that line to father-son relationship. And, of course, we knew he and Mama had something going on but there was never any talk of marriage as far as we know. So, he was always just the nice man who moved us to Texas and let us live in his house.”
“And you never asked if he and your mom were together?”
Armando’s eyes widened and he shook his head, rapidly. “No. Mama made it very clear right away that it was none of our concern.”
“Oh!” Katie gasped. “Remember that time you sneaked me into your room really late at night and we had to go past Henry’s bedroom and we heard—”
Armando held up his hand, quieting her. He groaned. “Please don’t remind me. It was bad enough living there, pretending like nothing was going on.”
