The Man From her Wayward Past

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Get a gag for polo-playing brothers

Okay, it seems sensible at this point to re-establish contact with my brothers. Not only is it sensible, there is no one I want to share my happiness with more. Plus, the sooner I lay down some ground rules the better, as I don’t want them sharing embarrassing little snippets from my childhood with Luke—though I guess it’s too late for that. He probably knows most of them anyway.

I’m going to start in order of age and work through. And we ‘re talking age in terms of emotional development with regard to their sister, so that would be toddler to infant—Nacho through Ruiz.

Nacho—I hope this doesn’t come as a shock to you, but life has come full circle for me here in Cornwall and Luke and I have fallen in love. Your blessing means everything to me. You mean everything to me. And if I haven’t shown my love for you in the past, please forgive me. Yours, Lucia.

Lucia—I couldn’t be happier. Horse saddled and waiting. Talk again soon—Nacho.

Diego—You are my inspiration. You have proved that however difficult you make it for someone to love you—and, boy, have you and I made it difficult—there are some stubborn people out there who can see something in us that no one else can. Luke sees something in me. Perhaps I should introduce him to Maxie? Seems they’ve both got what it takes to tame an Acosta.

Maxie here, babe. So thrilled for you. I love Luke. Will tell Diego as soon as he comes off the polo field. Let me know if there’s anything I can do—anything at all … maybe plan a wedding?

Kruz—Don’t start, okay? So you won’t want to hear this, but it’s about time you and I were back in touch, don’t you think? I’m in love. With Luke. Luke Forster. And if you even think of telling him about the time when I ate dog food as a dare, you are so dead.

The Luke? Does that mean the Enforcer will be playing less polo? If Luke’s still on Nero’s team and playing against us, that can only be a good thing—no? Kruz.

Ruiz—No one pushed the boundaries more than you, so I wouldn’t want you thinking it might be amusing to tell the man I love about the time I had to be hosed down from the roof after an argument with Nacho. Or the day I reported him to the police for confiscating my gum.

Sorry, Luce—you can guess where Ruiz is. Do you need the services of an agony aunt, or is that just me? Oops. Forgot. I am an agony aunt.

Love you, Luce. Whatever you want is what I want for you. And if I can do anything for you at any time you only have to ask. Xoxoxo

OKAY, so admittedly some of those responses weren’t exactly what she had hoped for. It seemed the world went on turning and the only thing that had changed was how she and Luke felt about each other. Polo men were difficult, she thought, glancing at him.

Had anyone said this would be easy?

As their love affair progressed things moved fast towards the forthcoming party and the high-profile polo match on the beach. To draw the crowds Luke had arranged for several top international polo players to attend. He would head one team, while Lucia’s notorious brother Nacho would head the other. Luke’s parents were also expected to attend. The Fearsome Forsters, as Lucia had used to think of them when she was a child. Daddy Forster was a self-confessed stiff-backed son of old money, while Luke’s mother was so posh she’d make a queen look common.

Wanting to make sure she had everything covered, Lucia had called a meeting in the cosy kitchen for a final chat-through.

‘I’ll leave you two to get on with things,’ Margaret said when the meeting was over. She sensed love in the air, and Margaret’s blue eyes were sparkling with suppressed excitement.

It seemed all her ghosts had been laid to rest, Lucia reflected as Luke reached for her hand. She had no worries about her brothers coming to Cornwall to spirit her back to Argentina, where she’d resume Cinderella duties at the ranch. Luke would never put up with it, and she had moved way past that.

Margaret stopped by the door on her way out of the room. ‘There goes the old caravan,’ she said, reminding them that Luke had arranged for brand-new lodges to be raised on proper foundations in the holiday park. ‘I have fond memories of that caravan,’ she mused as it trundled past the window.

Lucia hardly dared raise her eyes to Luke’s.

If she had one worry now it was the thought of Luke’s parents attending the party. Mr and Mrs Forster idolised their only son, and Lucia couldn’t imagine that anyone would ever be good enough in their eyes for Luke.

As if sensing her concern, Luke put his arm around her shoulders. ‘Stop worrying,’ he said. ‘You’ve got everything covered. It’s going to be fine.’

Was it? Then why was she feeling a niggle of unease?

Later that day Luke was in the stables while Lucia was standing with Grace outside the guest house, waiting for the Argentinian polo circus to arrive. Grace was still working at the club, but now Lucia had left she felt guilty at leaving her friend behind. She hoped they could always be friends, and she’d thought this would be a great opportunity for Grace to meet the rest of Lucia’s family, about whom Grace had heard so much.

‘This is something no woman should miss,’ Lucia confided wryly as the first vehicles driven by her brothers and their entourage crested the brow of the hill.

‘You’re not kidding!’ Grace exclaimed as the parade of vehicles came closer. ‘Who is that incredible-looking man?’

‘Which one?’ Lucia intoned in a mock-weary tone. She was used to fending off questions about her brothers.

‘That big one with the wild black hair and tattoos.’

‘I’m afraid you’re going to have to be a little more specific …’