Forever Mine (The Moreno Brothers)

  “Lynni?”

  Hearing Sydney’s voice only made her tenser. She pressed the phone closer to her ear making absolutely sure Angel wouldn’t hear him. The smile on Angel’s face made her sound even more remorseful when she spoke.

  “Sydney,” she frowned, “I’m so sorry I forgot to say happy birthday to you this morning.”

  She could hear Sydney chuckle. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I didn’t even remember until I came in the kitchen and my mom had it all decked out with balloons and what not. We had quite a feast this morning.”

  “Oh.” She was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. Sydney’s parents were always that way. Even with her. She remembered a couple of years back when her mom had gone to Vegas for New Year’s, leaving her with the Maricopas. They’d celebrated New Year’s Eve eating pizza, playing dominoes for money, and watching horror movies. Then on New Year’s Day, Frances Maricopa, Sydney’s mom, surprised her by getting up early to make a huge feast of pancakes, bacon, sausages, eggs, and delicious home made croissants. She’d even decorated with streamers and balloons all around the breakfast nook. All of it, just for Sarah. She’d never felt so special. She’d cried the whole time they sang Happy Birthday. Even now, she felt tears flood her eyes.

  She looked up at Angel. He was watching her curiously. She realized he hadn’t taken his eyes off her the whole time. She winked hard trying to regain her composure.

  “Are you okay Lynni?”

  “Yeah, yeah.” She cleared her throat, “I was just picturing it. It sounds wonderful Syd. I wish I could be there with you to help you celebrate.”

  “You are here.” Sydney said, softly.

  “What?”

  “I got the slideshow you sent. I started to watch it but I kept getting choked up so I had to turn it off. I’ll try it again later.”

  She felt herself warm up and smiled. “Yeah, you have to, it’s good.” she said. She looked up again at Angel to see he was still looking at her, he hadn’t flinched once. “Listen, I gotta go, but I’ll call you later and you can tell me how your day went okay?”

  “I love you, Lynni.”

  Her eyes still on Angel she couldn’t respond the way she wanted, and it clutched her heart. She’d told Sydney how much she loved him for years. It felt natural. She even told his parents she loved them, but she couldn’t do it now. Not in front of Angel. It was just a matter of time before he knew, and this would only make it harder to explain.

  “Me too,” she whispered. “We’ll talk later okay?”

  After she’d hung up, Angel smiled at her warmly. “Wow. Such emotion, all that cause you forgot?”

  Sarah stiffened. She should’ve never called Sydney in front of Angel.

  “No.” She wanted to kick herself. “Sydney’s mom made a big birthday breakfast this morning and it just brought back memories of when she did it for me a few years ago… that’s all.”

  “Come here,” he held out his hand, smiling, “I promise I’ll try to control myself.”

  She lay down facing him, propping herself on her elbow and smiled. He rolled off one of his elbows to face her, and took a deep breath.

  “Sarah, I hope this doesn’t sound too crazy, but I like you a lot.” He stopped to kiss her fingers. “It’s insane, I just met you but I feel like I could spend every minute with you… if you’d let me.”

  Sarah stared, gulping hard. Her heart was swelling by the milliseconds. Was she dreaming? She didn’t want to blink, she was afraid he’d disappear. He didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he went on, staring right at her.

  “Last night, you said you didn’t have a boyfriend. I know it’s way too soon for that. You don’t know anything about me. I know I have no right to ask you this, but,” he paused. “You said you’re only gonna be here a short while… so, would it be too much to ask that until then we have an agreement?”

  “Agreement?” Sarah had a feeling what he was getting at, but she was done making an ass of herself. She wanted absolute clarity.

  He cleared his throat and it was obvious he was uncomfortable. “I mean, would you be okay if we agreed to be exclusive, while you’re here?”

  Sarah couldn’t believe it. She stared ahead but not at him, shaking her head subconsciously, trying to take it all in. When she focused back on him, his expression had changed. “Is that a no?”

  She shook her head even harder. “No.”

  Angel sat up quickly. “Are you seeing someone?” His voice was almost a whisper.

  Before she could say or do anything stupid again, she sat up to face him and she spoke right in his face “I like you too. I can’t even begin to tell you how much. Last night was the first night I’ve gone out since I’ve been here. It’s been a long time since I laughed that hard.”

  Her expression turned more serious. Her next statement was a risk, but one she felt was necessary. “I don’t have a problem with not seeing anyone else Angel, but I know all about you, and your brothers, and your friends. I don’t know if you’ll be able keep up with your end of the bargain. I just don’t want to get hurt.”

  She saw Angel’s eyes narrow and his lips press shut. He leaned forward and spoke with a bit of affliction. “You may think you know me but you have no idea. So, I’ll let the assumption slide this time. But if I say I’ll be exclusive, I mean it.”

  As much as Sarah wanted to believe him, she was terrified. There’d been so many broken promises in her life, so many let downs. She couldn’t bear another one. He must’ve seen the look on her face.

  “Sarah I don’t lie.” He was firm. “You can ask anyone that knows me, if it’s one thing you can count on, it’s my word.”

  The stab to her gut was deafening. How could she sit here and be such a hypocrite, when she herself wasn’t exactly being forthcoming? She smiled faintly then decided right then and there she would allow herself to be happy, very happy for the first time in too long. And then she was grinning from ear to ear. “Okay.”

  He stared at her blankly. Then, as if it suddenly hit him, his grin matched hers. He put his hand behind her neck, pulling her gently closer to him. He groaned as his lips met hers and then pulled her down again with him.

  CHAPTER 6

  Angel picked Sarah up early again on Sunday, and they ate breakfast at a greasy spoon. They sat on the same side of the booth. Angel had given up trying to hold back. The kissed her and caressed her every chance he got.

  Even when their food came he couldn’t keep his hands off her. Between bites he nibbled on her ear and pecked her endlessly. Sarah seemed to object whispering “People are watching.” It seemed to Angel, with all the giggling she was doing, she was enjoying it more than she was admitting.

  After breakfast Angel asked if there was anywhere in particular she wanted to go, hoping she’d say somewhere he could enjoy her in private. But much to his chagrin, she said she’d never been to, Old Town San Diego, and knew it was less than half an hour’s drive.

  Angel frowned. “You don’t wanna go there.”

  She pouted, making Angel smile. “Valerie said it’s a must see.”

  He rolled his eyes putting the last piece of sausage in his mouth. “She would, she’s a girl, and it’s nothing but shopping.”

  “No, I heard there’s a lot of history to see there too,” she said quickly. “And, she said the Mexican food there is great.”

  Angel smiled and kissed her nose. “Alright, whatever you want, but if it’s Mexican you want, I know somewhere better.”

  They spent the rest of the day in Old Town. They took a trolley that dropped them off at the most interesting points. But the rest of the time they walked and talked and laughed. Her laugh was infectious, and he found himself smiling and laughing with her all day. It was amazing to Angel how comfortable he felt with her, and so soon.

  When they got to the main shopping area Angel was on a mission. He was looking for something to get Sarah. He wanted something special she could remember their first
date by.

  They strolled into one of the shops. Angel took in all the junk on the counters. So far everything he’d seen was either too cheap or too cheesy.

  He walked over to where Sarah stopped and was looking at little turtle figurines with heads that bobbled. Angel tapped the little head to make it wiggle.

  “You like that?” He grimaced.

  “It’s cute.”

  “My sister has a bunch of those. Ever since her friends found out she liked them they’ve started buying her more. So, she collects them now.” Angel chuckled. “I remember the time some idiot brought one to the restaurant for her. My brother Alex broke the head off.”

  Sarah looked at him weird. “Why’d he do that?”

  Angel was still smiling. He picked out a couple of the turtles for his sister and turned back to Sarah, “She was only fifteen. That’s way too young for a boyfriend.”

  He watched as Sarah crinkled her nose and got that little wrinkle between her eyes. He was beginning to love all her expressions. “Maybe he was just a friend.”

  Angel smiled. “No such thing.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean there’s no such thing as guys and girls being friends.” Angel moved along the aisle still not seeing anything that grabbed him. He stopped when he noticed Sarah hadn’t moved.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” She walked toward him. “You really believe that?

  “Believe what?”

  “That guys and girls can’t be friends?”

  Angel stopped looking through all the junk on the shelves and turned his attention to Sarah. “Yeah, don’t you?”

  “No. I think it is possible.”

  “Really?” He lifted an eyebrow. “You have a lot of guy friends, Sarah?”

  Sarah cleared her throat and glanced back at the souvenirs on the shelf. “Not a lot. But I have some.”

  “Zat right?” He closed in on her and put his arms around her waist from behind. He spoke in her ear. “You wanna give me some names so I can start kicking ass?”

  He felt Sarah stiffen in his arms and he smiled. “Relax I’m only playing.”

  He’d had this conversation before with other girls. They all seemed to think any guy that waved at them or forwarded them some stupid text was their friend. That’s not what Angel was talking about at all. He knew it was debatable. But he had no intentions of arguing with Sarah on their first date. He kissed the side of her face and she seemed to lighten up.

  Sarah didn’t comment, instead she reached for a pair of earrings. Angel looked at them over her shoulder as she examined them. They were very delicate looking, the kind that hung off the ear, not studs. The stone that adorned them was shiny and flat.

  “Is that pearl?

  “Looks like it.”

  “You like ‘em?” he kissed her temple.

  “Yeah, they’re pretty.” She held them up to the light and Angel took them.

  “Sold.” He let go of her and started toward the register.

  Sarah followed. “No, Angel that’s okay. I didn’t mean-”

  He turned around and winked at her. “They’re yours now.”

  Angel helped her get them on when they were outside the small shop. She stared at him with that wrinkle between her eyes. “How do they look?”

  “Perfect” He said and then kissed her again and again.

  Angel had been to Old Town many times with his family. But he’d never really experienced it like he had today. He enjoyed every minute of it. It occurred to him that it didn’t matter where they went or what they did as long as Sarah was with him. He would even enjoy sitting through a chick flick. He winced at what the guys would say when they knew.

  He glanced down at Sarah leaning against him. Her head rested on his chest, his arm around her as they sat in the back of the trolley. At that moment he didn’t care what anybody thought. After only a weekend with her, he knew he had it bad. There’d be no way of hiding it. It was a bit alarming. He’d never been in love but this felt close. Too close.

  Something gnawed at him. Even through all the laughter, it still bothered him, and any attempts to block it were in vain. I’m only here for the semester. He squeezed his eyes shut and held her tighter. He’d change her mind. He had to.

  They exited the trolley and headed back to the parking lot and Angel’s car. Even with all the snacking they’d done Angel was getting hungry. As if on cue, Sarah squeezed his hand. “I’m starving,” she said, looking up at him.

  “Feel like Mexican?” he asked.

  She smiled big and nodded.

  ***

  They parked on a small quaint looking street, just off the main strip. The sign over the restaurant read: “MORENO’S” She felt her stomach tighten, and wondered if his parents or brothers would be there. What was he thinking? This was too soon, she wasn’t ready for it, but she didn’t want to hurt his feelings.

  He held her hand as they walked into the restaurant. It was much bigger than it looked from the outside. Angel tried to make it sound insignificant but she knew better. Valerie had told her about it and said it was actually a very nice restaurant. Even with what Valerie had said, she still wasn’t prepared for it.

  It was anything but insignificant. She was immediately taken by the high ceilings and the huge round metal chandeliers that held what looked like small red candles all the way around. There were dramatic arches everywhere and the walls were textured to look old with brick showing through some parts, just like the historic houses they’d seen in Old Town.

  The hostess at the front, a young pretty girl with big brown eyes and lashes that went on forever, was busy talking to one of the waiters when they walked in. Her uniform was snug fitting and it accentuated her large bust. Her dark hair was pulled back in a braid and Angel tugged it playfully, making the hair on the back of Sarah’s neck stand. The girl glanced at Angel and smiled. Then her attention turned to Sarah looking at her curiously.

  Sarah tried to loosen her hold on Angel's hand but he held it firmly. Jealously was new to Sarah and she didn’t like it at all. If this is all it took to make her see red she wondered what she’d gotten herself into. She swallowed hard and tried not to frown.

  “Who’s here?” Angel asked the girl.

  “Just Alex. Mom and Dad left about a half hour ago,” she said. “Are you here to eat?

  Angel nodded then turned to Sarah. “Sofi, this is Sarah. Sarah, this is my baby sister, Sofi.”

  His sister rolled her eyes and held her hand out to shake Sarah’s, “Sofia.” She corrected him. “And I'm hardly a baby anymore, Angel. Nice to meet you, Sarah.”

  Relieved, Sarah exhaled. She shook Sofia’s hand smiling “Nice to meet you, too.”

  She was right, Sarah thought. His sister didn’t look like a baby at all. In fact, if she had to guess she would’ve thought Sofia was at least her age, if not older. Sofia was taller than her, with a heck of lot more curves.

  Angel ignored Sofia’s comment and grabbed a menu. He led Sarah into one of the dining rooms. “I’ll put in our order, no need to send anyone over.”

  The room was very big, Sarah looked around impressed. Brightly colored Mexican artwork tastefully covered the walls. Clay figurines, like the ones they saw all over Old Town, adorned the many shelves.

  Through one of the arches, Sarah could see the other dining room and realized the music she heard when they walked in was actually a live trio of musicians singing. She stretched her neck to get a better look. There was a short man with an accordion, a taller one playing the cello and the pudgiest of the three was the singer playing a guitar. They all wore cowboy hats and thick mustaches. No wonder Angel hesitated about going to Old Town, why wouldn’t he? He had it all here.

  Angel took her to one of the more private booths near the back of the restaurant. “Look it over.” He handed her the menu, then kissed her. “I’ll go get us something to drink.”

  Sarah's eyes bounced around fr
om one dish to another on the menu. She was starving and everything sounded so good. She read everything that came with each plate and wondered if she’d get full. She was trying to decide between the green enchiladas and the wet burrito, when she heard male voices coming toward her. Her eyes lifted from the menu and saw Angel and what appeared to be a taller, buffer, more mature looking version of Angel, coming toward her. Alex. Her heart thudded a little faster.

  “Well, this is a first,” Alex said when he got close enough. He smiled mischievously, glancing at Angel then back at Sarah.

  “Ignore him.” Angel placed the chips and salsa in front of her, spilling a little of the salsa in the process.

  Alex slipped into the seat directly in front of her, frowning down at the spilled salsa, “No wonder they don’t let you wait tables around here.” When his eyes met Sarah’s his frown dissolved. “Are those for real?”

  Angel chuckled and introduced them. “Alex, this is Sarah. Sarah, this is my brother Alex, and he’s not staying.”

  He placed his hand over hers on the table. “Very nice to meet you, Sarah.”

  Sarah gulped, holding the menu tight with her other hand. “Nice to meet you, too.”

  Angel grabbed a napkin and wiped down the table were the salsa spilled. “Have you decided or do you need more time?” He asked Sarah.

  Sarah could barely concentrate with Alex’s hand still over hers. “Uh, are the green enchiladas good?”

  Alex squeezed her hand and smiled. “Everything here is delicious.”

  Sarah sat up a bit feeling her cheeks warm, as Angel threw the crumpled napkin at Alex and laughed “Knock it off. You’re such an idiot.”

  Alex didn’t take his eyes off Sarah but he let go of her hand.

  “Yeah,” Angel looked back at Sarah. “They’re real good, is that what you want?”

  She nodded and handed him the menu. “Okay. Let me go put in the order. I’ll be right back. And don’t worry; he’s outta here when I get back.”