Love in Country (De La Fuente Family 4)

“Not bad,” I add, “just tired.”

Rae bites her lip and when she lifts her head tears hover on her lashes. “I stayed at the hospital all night.” She shrugs. “Diego wanted me to stay with him.” She wipes at a tear.

“Aiden doesn’t know. Kasey does and he’s promised to keep it quiet. He, um, walked into the room and found me asleep in Diego’s arms.”

“Aiden told me that he thought there was something between you both.” It’s nice hearing Rae admit that there is.

Even though Rae is now shaking her head in denial. “There can’t be anything between us, Sarah. I’m fifteen years older than him. God,” she cries, “my daughter, Andie, is only five years younger than him.”

I have no clue as to what to say because I’m not really used to having a friend who is a girl and the fact that it’s Rae feels weird…but, good.

“Look, I know Aiden keeps screwing up with you because of me, and I’m so very sorry, Sarah. I really am. I honestly have never had a sexual interest in Aiden, and

I can’t even imagine anything because that’s just an eww factor, you know? He’s a brother really. I think from now on I’d like it if we could really be friends. I know we got along before but this time needs to be different. I’ll try if you will, and if you promise to keep an open mind and not read things between Aiden and me that aren’t there.”

I nod and wipe at one of my own tears. “I’ve asked Aiden if we can have a fresh start. I think it would be good if you and I got one too.”

Rae smiles. “I’d like that.”

Smiling, I ask, “What are you going to do about Diego? It sounds like he’s really attracted to you, and the feeling might be mutual, right?” I cock an eyebrow.

“He’s under my skin and I have no idea how to handle him. If our ages were fairly close then our attraction to each other wouldn’t be a problem, but the gap is large, Sarah.”

I nod. “Tell me about him though. Has he said anything?”

“He wants me to give him a chance. He admitted that he hasn’t been in a relationship before but that this time he really wants to try with me…You should have seen Lucia’s face though at the hospital when she relayed that he wanted to see me before anyone else. She wasn’t happy at all.”

I can see how a mother would want the best for her son and the issue with their ages is a problem, but I’ve learned that love has no boundaries.

“I slept all night with him,” Rae blurts out, interrupting my musings. “He wanted to hold me.” Rae wipes at another stray tear. “And I wanted the same.”

Well, if anything, this conversation has certainly shown me that everything Aiden has said is the truth. Now all I have to do is get my man to think first before he acts, then we’ll have a lasting relationship.

AIDEN

“I see you’re out of the doghouse,” Mateo comments, resting his arms along the paddock fence.

It’s been two days since I woke up and had Sarah’s forgiveness for not really thinking about her. I know she doesn’t expect me to be thinking about her all the time, but when it matters she should be the first one on my mind—the first one that I go to.

“She has you by the balls as well, huh?” Mateo snickers. “Didn’t take long for Erin to get ahold of mine either.”

I give my brother a glance from the corner of my eye and grin when he starts to laugh. “That’s too much information, bro.” I shake my head. “But yes, I managed to get Sarah to forgive me.” I sigh and look back at the horse and its foal in the paddock. “I’m thirty-six, Mateo, and it’s been forever since I was in a relationship, so I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing. I just know that I want her to be mine forever.”

“The engagement’s back on?”

“Not yet,” I reply. “I told her I’ll be asking her again soon.” I smile because it’s going to be an engagement that she won’t forget, once I’ve arranged it all that is.

“I’ve promised her that she’ll be the first to know about it, but I think I’m going to have to ask Greg to help me.”

Mateo shakes his head and grins. “I wondered about Greg,” he adds. “I thought I saw him kissing another guy way back when. It was in Texas, and I’d had a bit to drink so I wasn’t sure, which is why I kept my mouth shut.” He frowns. “Then why was he married to Sarah? Didn’t she know?”

“She knew. Let’s leave it at that.” I don’t want to rehash everything with him.

“What’s going on between Diego and Rae?” Mateo turns and leans against the fence, his gaze glancing at the house where Lucia is watching us through the kitchen window. “Lucia was spitting mad earlier because of Rae. I’ve never seen her like that before.”

I throw my head back and stare up at the sky because I have no idea what the hell is going on. “Ask Diego because neither are talking.” I’m sure Rae said something to Sarah because every time I mention it the subject gets changed.

“I haven’t seen Diego be like this with anyone else. If it wasn’t for her age then I’d be teasing the fuck out of him,” Mateo pushes away from the fence and faces me. “Talk to Rae about staying away, Aiden…before Lucia decides to protect her baby.”