She could see how torn Mateo was and because she cared about the man, she pulled away from him even though he tried to keep hold of her hand.
“I can find my own ride,” her voice wobbled. She turned away so that he wouldn’t see the tears on her lashes.
“Erin, wait,” he called. “Come with us.”
She turned, her tears obvious and watched as Allie dragged him toward his truck.
He met her gaze so she shook her head.
Mateo watched her, an apology on his face as he climbed into his truck and sped after the ambulance.
Chapter Twenty-One
It was after midnight when Mateo had finally gotten home.
As he crept through the house, he wondered what kind of reception he’d get from Erin. He’d been a bastard back in town. He’d had no clue how to handle the wrong woman clinging to him in grief, while he‘d pushed the right woman to one side. He’d tried to include her. To let her know that he wanted her with him, but she’d listened to Allie instead of him.
He’d heard the hurt in Erin’s voice and panicked when she’d turned her back and walked away. He should have been more insistent with Allie; instead he’d inadvertently pushed Erin away just when he’d accepted that a relationship with her was worth everything regardless of age and all the other crap that he’d thrown in their way.
He pushed into his bedroom and tried to make out her shape in the bed, but from what he could see she wasn’t in there. He flipped the lights on and his room was bare but her things were still in the room. The bathroom door was open so she wasn’t in there. She hadn’t been in the living room or kitchen because he’d walked through there and no one had been around.
Where the hell was she?
He went back out of his room and down the hall to his brother’s room. He’d called Diego to get her from town so he hoped like hell that he had. Mateo should have fucking checked.
Knocking on Diego’s door, it was suddenly opened and Diego stepped into the hall. “Keep the noise down.”
“You picked Erin up, right?”
“Yes, I picked your crying woman up from town.”
“Crying?”
“You’re an ass.”
“Where the hell is she?” He’d apologize for being a jerk and cuddle up to her for the rest of the night. Okay, he’d been a really big ignorant jerk and needed his ass kicked for the way he just left her without much fight. He couldn’t make it right when he couldn’t find her, though.
“She’s in my room.” Diego stood, his legs apart and his arms crossed in front of his broad chest. “And that is where she’s staying until morning.”
“Let me get this right? My woman is in your bed.” Mateo felt like his head was about to explode.
“You’re an ass if you’d think I’d make a move on someone who you can’t keep your hands off.” Diego brushed his over-long black hair back from his forehead. “She was upset after you abandoned her in town and planned to leave tonight. As you know, the chair in my room pulls out as a single bed so I insisted on sleeping on it and for her to take the bed.” He sighed. “I even offered to switch rooms with you so you could have the chair and stay with her, but she said she wouldn’t stay if I did that.”
“Let me talk to her, she’ll come back to my room.” Mateo tried to move Diego out of the way to get into the room.
“Look—” Diego started, when the door behind him opened.
Erin slipped out, but stayed beside Diego. “I don’t want you to argue with your brother because of me, Diego. I shouldn’t have put you in that position.”
“I like arguing.” Diego grinned.
“Are you going to give us some privacy?” Mateo asked his brother.
“I’ll be okay,” Erin added, which got his back up.
“Of course you’ll be okay. I’m not going to hurt you.” He felt that he was losing his hold on her and he didn’t like it.
“You already did,” Erin countered.