Pausing her little spiel to take a sip of water before adding the clincher, she dabbed her mouth with her napkin and cleared her throat. “I’m even seeing someone now.” She shook her head, pretending not to notice the smile on his face going flat. “I tell you it’s crazy how life changes so quick—”
“You’re seeing someone?”
She’d seen this hardened expression on his face before, usually when someone flirted with her in front of him or when she happened to make a whimsical comment about Alejandro. But she continued to pretend not to notice. The waiter dropping the bread and butter off at their table was perfect timing. It gave her something else to focus on instead of Cido’s reaction to her comment.
“The bread’s really good here,” she said, reaching for a piece and buttering it.
“Isa, you’re seeing someone? What the fuck does that mean?”
With a lift of a brow, Isa peered at him. “That I’ve been dating some—”
“I know what the phrase means, Isabella. What I’m asking is what the fuck am I doing here then?”
Feigning surprise, Isabella shook her head. “Having a meal with a friend as we’ve done many times before. What’s wrong with you?”
“You’re seriously gonna sit there and act like you don’t know what’s wrong with me?”
“Yes, because I’ve never considered our relationship anything more than a friendship. I’m sorry if I ever—” She flinched when he stood suddenly and threw his napkin on table.
“Jodido pérdida de tiempo . . .” He continued muttering more as he stalked away, but it’s all she caught.
Isabella considered calling out or even going after him. Instead, she sat there frozen, wondering if it were really going to be that easy to be done with him. As bad as she felt, she really hadn’t said or done anything wrong. She owed him her gratitude for all he’d done for her but nothing more. Except for the times he’d gotten territorial and she’d let it go because it felt too awkward to say anything, she’d never done anything to suggest there was anything more than a friendship between them. Even he’d referred to her as amiguita on many occasions.
That he’d believe she was actually seeing someone now just went to show how different he and Alejandro were. Alejandro had always immediately picked up on her change in demeanor, even when she tried so hard to hide it. Of all people, Cido had always known what Alejandro meant to her. She’d put her life on hold for years because of her love for Alejandro, and he knew it. She’d been physically ill for weeks after the festival. Weeks! Por el amor de Dios! Did he really believe that after just a few months of knowing all hope was lost for the happily-ever-after she’d waited so long for, she could’ve moved on just like that?
Isabella took her order to go and brought it home to have with her mother. After catching her mother up over dinner about her exchange with Cido, she went to bed, glad she’d accomplished something else today. Even if no matter how much she accomplished, she was still left with such a sense of desolation. At the very least she’d gotten that monkey off her back.
The relief was fleeting. That very night Isabella got several drunk phone calls from Cido. She hung up on him each time, especially when he started getting disrespectful. Then days later the drunken phone calls became drunken serenading calls. At first, she actually got a kick out of listening for a bit before hanging up. He wasn’t half bad. But then he began changing the lyrics to well-known songs to suit what he wanted to say to her, which, again, got disrespectful, and Isabella had been forced to hang up and leave the phone off the hook for hours.
She’d warned him she’d be changing her number to an unlisted one if he didn’t stop calling. So far, it’d been a few weeks since she’d last heard from him, but she still cringed each time the phone rang now. Only reason she didn’t just change the number already was because she didn’t want him showing up at her apartment or worse her work.
The phone rang as she was getting ready for bed. Isabella stared at it for a moment, debating on whether to answer. Only because her mother wasn’t home from work yet, she did. To her relief, it was Magdalena. “Mujer, how’ve you been?”
“Good, good,” Magdalena’s cheery voice made Isabella smile as she sat down on the bed. “I’ve been meaning to call you. So much chisme going on.”
“Ooh, do tell.”
Magdalena filled her in on how she was seriously thinking of putting in her notice and finally quitting working for the Ochoas. Cido was drinking on the job more often than not now, and he and Octavio had been getting into it because of it. Then about how they’d started sending the new trucks they’d bought to Mexico a few times a week because Octavio said there’s a lot of money to be made there. Then how Pancho a new cook who’d driven one of the trucks, didn’t make it back with the rest of the crew after their trip down last week.
“Octavio blamed his visa. Said it’s expired and it’s why they didn’t let him back in the country. But the other guys on that crew are being really weird about it. They won’t talk about it but haven’t gone back since, and those men we’d see Cido and Octavio talking to all hush-like have been showing up even more now. If you ask me,” Magdalena lowered her voice so low Isabella almost didn’t hear the next part, “I think they’re doing something illegal, and either Pancho got pinched or worse.”
Isabella’s jaw dropped. “No way.”
“Isa, you’ve seen those guys that come around acting all shady. They don’t look like they mess around. Oh, and not only that . . .” For whatever reason, she went back to lowering her voice. “I’ve seen Cido looking out into the street from the truck all suspicious, like maybe someone’s watching him. I even asked him about it, and all he said was to tell him know if I ever see a certain car out there with a guy sitting in it. Isn’t that creepy?”
It was by far the juiciest part of Magdalena’s chisme, and they exchanged theories for a while before her friend said she had to go but that she’d keep her posted. Magdalena was right. It was creepy.
Isabella lay there pondering her mother’s take on fate and destiny, how everything happens for a reason. Maybe finding out about Alejandro when she had, while heart-wrenching was a good thing. If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have been in such a hurry to move out as they had. Maybe God sent Alejandro of all people her way, when he had, to save her from a potentially dangerous situation. God would know nothing would get her moving faster than needing to forget about him.
Bringing her hands over her already scrunching face, Isabella shook her head. Whatever the reason, no matter how positively she tried spin it, her heart would forever be shattered, and she’d never forget or get over Alejandro. Ever.
Capítulo 19
Letting Go
Alejandro
It’d been a while since Alej did the run down to Butcher’s Block to pick up meat, not since they’d opened the restaurant and started having their food delivered. Even before that, he’d been sending one of the guys to get it for them, but this weekend would be busier than the norm. The street the restaurant was on would be closing down for the weekend for a mariachi festival. Alej’s dad had forgotten to order extra meat in time from the place that delivered it every week. He just hoped they’d have as much chivo and carne asada as he anticipated they’d be needing.
Alej had only been there a few minutes when he spotted him. He nearly did an about-face and rushed the opposite direction, but it was too late. Cido had seen him and was already walking toward him with a big smile.
“Hey, you.”
He held his fist up for Alej as soon as he was close enough, so Alej tapped it, as they’d done so often back in the day. Apparently, Cido thought they were back to being pals after their run-in at the festival. Though Alej would be sure to tell him he was out of his fucking mind if Cido ever so much as suggested Alej hang out with him and Isa. Even now he could barely stomach looking at the guy without being obvious about how disgusted he still was with him.
“So, is it a boy or a girl?”
; Clearing his throat, Alej shook his head, not sure how to say it.
“Not born yet?”
“Carmela and my unborn child both passed just shortly after the festival.” Cido’s already light complexion blanched even further as his jaw dropped. “Complications of the pregnancy.”
He’d leave it at that. He didn’t owe Cido details, and Alej was in no mood to discuss it. The longer he had to stand there and look at him, the more it turned his stomach to think he was now living with Isa—the one girl this fucker knew Alej had never gotten over. Alej just wondered now how much about Alej being her first everything this guy knew. Even if she hadn’t told him, the thought had crossed Alej’s mind more than once now. Cido had to assume, when she hadn’t bled for days, that Alej was likely the only one she would’ve given that honor to.
“I’m sorry to hear it, man. That’s gotta be tough.”
“It was. Still is,” Alej said bitterly. “Time’s supposed to heal all wounds, but, in my experience, the biggest ones never heal. There are some things you just never get over.” Staring at him purposely impassive, Alej shrugged. “Hope this one’s different. We’ll see.”
Cido stared at him for a moment as if he was trying to decipher whether Alej meant anything more by that. But Alej refused to ask him how things were going for him. Last thing he wanted was to hear about him and Isa. Especially because just like in the past when it came to anything to do with his Isa that might piss him off, Alej already felt like going off on him. In fact, he stared Cido down, willing him to ask if he’d really gone there. Because Alej was ready to tell him he sure as fuck had.
“So uh . . .” Cido cleared his throat. “What are you doing now? You’re here, so I’m assuming you’re still doing the food trucking?”
“Nope. We have a restaurant now. Down in La Jolla. Listen . . .” Alej stroked his chin stubble, glancing away for a second, but he was done shooting the breeze with this asshole. He turned back to face him, feeling his brows inevitably furrow, tilted his head, and peered at him. “I’m curious. How long did you wait for Isa to try and find me before moving her in with you?” Cido’s stupid brows shooting up in surprise had Alej’s insides heating even further and adding more. “I mean you had to know—she probably even told you—that she’d moved here looking for me. San Diego area was the last place she knew I’d lived.”
Lifting his ballcap, Cido scratched his head. “Actually, she said she moved here because it’d always been her and her mother’s dream.” Placing the ballcap back on, this time Cido tilted his head with a smirk. “You remember how she raved about her trip to Sea World when she got back to Mexico.” Alej stared at the fucking liar, refusing to address his bullshit. “But now I’m curious. You said your wife passed just after the festival. So, it’s been . . .” He stopped to count silently on his fingers before looking up at Alej again. “Almost ten months since you became a single man again. Is that why I saw you recently around my truck a few times? You sniffing around my girl, Alej?”
“First of all—”
“No, you listen to me. She’s with me now.” Cido punched his own chest with this thumb as Alej nearly broke a tooth, he clenched his teeth so hard. “She moved in with me within weeks of coming out here because she wanted to. If you’re that full of yourself to think we could both spend all that time with her growing up and you’re the only one that meant anything to her, that’s on you.”
“You never had what she and I had,” Alej said through his teeth. “And you never will.”
“Oh, won’t I?” Cido smirked. “I’ve already had way more.”
It took every ounce of inner strength to not slug the fucking smirk off his face. “You’ll never even know—”
“She’s having my baby, Alej.”
That finally stunned Alej silent, and he swallowed hard. He tried his hardest not to react in a way that might please the cabrón, but it was a struggle to even breathe. This was even worse than when Cido first informed him they were living together.
“Escúchame, Alej.” An odd trace of remorse mixed in with Cido’s unwavering tone suddenly. “I’m sorry about your wife and unborn baby, okay? But I’m up now. It’s time for me to step up and protect my loved ones. I can’t have you lurking around upsetting Isa. So, I’m gonna say this just the one time. Don’t let me catch you around my trucks. Don’t let me find out you’ve been trying to reconnect in any way with my soon-to-be wife. You hear me? In her delicate and hormonally emotional condition right now, you trying to guilt her in any way, the way you did here with me today, will only cause her harm. And if it gets back to me, man”—he shook his head, staring Alej down with conviction—“I promise you, mano. Me aseguraré de que te arrepientas.”
Before Alej could respond to Cido’s threat, the asshole turned around and walked away. Alej stood there still barely able to breathe and full of regret. Why the fuck did he bring her up? This was the last thing his already mangled heart needed to hear. All this time his pathetic ass had held out hope that, when Cido had said they were living together, given her reaction to seeing Alej, it might not mean what he was thinking.
Rushing to the nearest trash can when he felt his insides turn violently, he leaned into it and threw up, again and again.
Isabella
It’d taken some persuading by not just Isabella’s mom but her friend Magdalena ,who she still kept very much in touch with, and now here she was. She was finally getting out, doing something fun for the day and hopefully getting pulled out of the perpetual funk she’d been in since seeing Alejandro again. In spite of everything she’d accomplished and the ostensible positive changes in her life, Isabella was still a mess inside. Though she’d managed to mask it well enough for her worrying mother’s sake on the outside. Every day she woke she wondered if she’d ever feel happy or even hopeful that she might be someday.
Ever since seeing Alejandro again, the stubborn hope that had lingered for years about someday getting her happily ever after had been completely deflated. It just didn’t seem possible now. How could it? She’d been daydreaming of her life and future with him since she was ten.
But she’d agreed to come out and enjoy a day of strolling the beach and then end it at yet another festival. She’d even done something she hadn’t in a while because for too long she just hadn’t seen the point. She’d done herself up a bit. Magdalena had been to this festival last year and had lauded it often, saying there’d been a ton of hot guys and she’d be there every year. Isabella hadn’t even given much thought to the fact that it was a mariachi festival until they meandered their way through it and every song she heard playing inevitably brought on thoughts of Alejandro.
She was hopeless.
All those years of listening to this music both in their pueblo and in the city when they went out on the weekends to vend in the big plaza were back in her head. She inhaled deeply as they continued to make their way toward the big stage in the middle of the festival where the mariachis were playing.
Magdalena suggested they buy food and sit and eat while they enjoyed the music and did some people watching. “What do you guys feel like?” Magdalena shielded her eyes from the bright sun with her hand as she glanced around at some of the vendors nearby. “We got corn dogs, pizza, a bunch of deep-fried crap, fried chicken.”
Isabella sipped her horchata as she glanced around at the vendors Magdalena had pointed out. “There’s no place to sit, though.”
“We can sit on the grass,” Magdalena countered. “There’s also restaurants we can go into and eat.” She pointed at the restaurants along the street where the festival was taking place. “You’re probably sick of Italian, but there’s a Cajun seafood place and what’s that? Mexican? That never gets old right?” Magdalen scrunched her nose before turning back to the restaurant. “I think I’m just hungry. You’d think I’d be sick of Mexican, but everything sounds good right about now.”
Turning to see the restaurant Magdalena was talking about, Isabella did a double take when she sa
w the sign on the small restaurant front.
Moreno’s.
About to chastise herself for making every thought about him—even this—she froze when she saw Alejandro’s dad leaning against the doorway of the restaurant. He wore an apron and appeared to be taking a break as he sipped on a bottle of Jarritos and took in the mariachi band.
“Oh my God,” she whispered, feeling the instant knot in her throat, as both Magdalena and her mother turned to her. “They finally did it.”
Magdalena and Isabella’s mom brought their attention in the direction her eyes were now glued to. Neither said anything at first.
“Who did what?” Magdalena finally asked.
Doing the math quickly in her head, Isabella panicked. Not only did she risk the possibility of being witness to Alejandro with his wife again, but to him and his happy family now. “We gotta go.”
“Isabella, por que?” her mother asked, searching her eyes and back at the restaurant again as if trying to convey Isabella would be fine.
“No puedo, madre.”
As expected, Magdalena eyed them both in question then turned back to the restaurant and her eyes went wide. “Moreno’s,” she said as if it’d just dawned on her. “Is that—”
“Yes.” Isabella started toward where they’d parked. “That’s his dad. But I can’t risk running into him and his new family. It’d kill me.”
Without further argument or even another word, Magdalena and her mother kept up alongside her as she rushed away quickly. Far enough from the restaurant she felt safe to beeline toward the sidewalk on the same side of the street as Moreno’s, it’s where they headed. They slowed only when they reached an alleyway entrance a few store fronts down from his restaurant, to make sure there weren’t any cars coming. She stopped in her tracks when someone came around the corner from the alley and nearly collided into them.
Moreno's: Moreno Brother's prequel (Moreno Brothers) Page 17
