“For being you. For always being here for me.”
“Emelia, you’re my twin, why wouldn’t I always be here for you?”
Emelia gave him a soft smile, and moved to curl up in his lap. “I guess I’m just feeling sorry for myself today. I love you, you know that?”
“I love you too, Sis.” He kiss
ed her on the forehead. “But, do you think we can stop being mushy, otherwise, I’m going to have to check if my balls are still attached.”
“Eww, Diego.” She smacked his thigh as he chuckled against her. “I can’t believe you went there.”
“Yes, you can.” He chuckled and cuddled her closer. “Emelia?” he whispered against the top of her head. “If you ever need to talk, you know I’m here, right? I mean right here. Always.”
She loved her brother so much, and wished that she could talk to him about Dante, and about what she overheard all those years ago. But she remembered what it felt like to realize that the man who’d raised her as his own was not her father, and she didn’t want to be the cause of Diego’s pain when, or if, he ever found out.
Chapter Three
Dante had been back in Frederick, Colorado for a few days when he opened his front door, after persistent knocking, to find his brother Mateo, with bag in hand.
Mateo met his gaze, grinned and said, “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.”
Dante snorted and pulled his brother into a hug. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
None of his brothers were saints, so he knew, without a doubt, that he’d be in the confessional for a heck of a long time if one of them ever really wanted to confess before him and God.
“You won’t find me in there, brother,” Mateo nodded toward the church and stepped inside Dante’s home, “but I don’t mind shooting the shit with you.” He closed the door, and added with a hopeful look on his tanned face, “Over coffee and cake.”
Dante chuckled and rolled his eyes. “Now I know that it isn’t me you’ve come to visit. You just want to eat the cake that Barbara has made.”
“Of course I have. Why would I want to come and see you?” Mateo dropped his bag, and wrapped his arm around him as they walked toward the kitchen, and the fresh smell of baking.
“And there she is,” Mateo announced. “The woman I’m going to marry.”
Dante shoved him away playfully, knowing that Mateo made Barbara’s day when he flirted with her.
Barbara insisted on coming to his home every day to bake and tidy up for him. He hadn’t wanted to hurt her feelings by telling her that he was capable of doing everything himself, so he gave in.
She looked to be close to eighty, and he knew that she was lonely, especially after losing her husband a few years ago.
Mateo winked at him before going over to Barbara. He kissed her cheek and snatched one of the cupcakes she was busy icing.
“You’re looking mighty fine this morning, Barbara. My brother looking after you?”
He hid his smile at the blush on Barbara’s face as Mateo continued to flirt.
“Oh, you hush up, young man.” Barbara swatted his hand away when he went to grab another cake. “At least me being here keeps all the young ladies away,” she gave Dante a reproachful glance, even though he was completely innocent—he didn’t notice the women in his congregation. “Pfft, that Miranda and Marie, the two M&M’s, they’d make a bishop sin.”
Dante’s brows nearly reached his hairline, and one look at his brother had Mateo roaring with laughter. “The two M&M’s, huh?” Mateo commented.
“I’m sorry, Father,” Barbara looked sheepish, “but you’ve seen them, and you couldn’t get away quick enough when they had you cornered in church the other week.”
Mateo wiped at his tears of amusement. “That I have to see.”
He needed to change the subject. “So, what’s brought you here, without your fiancée, I might add?”
At least that got rid of the amusement on Mateo’s face, even if Dante did have a twinge of regret for dampening his brother’s spirit.
“She’s doing something with her own family, so I thought I’d come and hang with you before we head to Ramon’s wedding.” Mateo dropped into a chair and warmed his hands on the cup of coffee that Barbara had just poured. “I need . . .” he paused and glanced at Barbara, “I just need a break.”