Love in Country (De La Fuente Family 4)

My heart thuds in my chest at what he has to say. “What?” I whisper.

“You’re not the only one who has been looking to purchase a property I was in the realtor’s office earlier to ask them to take my name off the lease but to keep the monthly payments coming out of the same account.” Greg sits next to me. “On the way out front, I saw Aiden there with Rae, and he was asking about two bedroom properties in town. He looked kind of friendly with her.”

And isn’t that the icing on the cake. My mind spins and no matter how much I try to tell myself they are purely friends my heart aches.

“Look, Aiden lives here so he’ll know the area. He could just be helping a friend out. I thought you should know, but at the same time please don’t jump to the wrong conclusion until you’ve spoken to him, okay?” Greg pats my hand and quickly disappears to his bedroom.

For now I will carry on with the purchase of my own home and just wait to see what happens, because I’m so very tired of everything, especially of the constant jealousy.

AIDEN

Lucia has been looking at me as though I’ve grown two heads or something for the past couple of days and I don’t know why, and part of me is afraid to ask. Although I’ve always called her Lucia, she’s been my stepmother for more years than I had my real mom. She’s always been there for my siblings and me regardless of how we treated her to begin with, which hadn’t been pleasant.

She’s also not known for holding her tongue, which has me worried as I lean against the doorjamb in the kitchen watching her knead bread.

“How long do you plan on standing there before offering to help me?” Lucia asks, a soft smile on her lips.

I laugh. “Now, Lucia, you know how my bread always turns out.”

She snickers. “Come and keep me company then.” Her right brow raises and I know that there is no escape at the moment.

Sitting myself down opposite to where she works, I inhale and the fresh aroma of bread teases my nostrils. I love that scent. It always reminds me of when I was a little boy.

“What’s going on with you, Aiden?” She looks closely at me and makes me want to squirm like a child. “And I want the truth.”

Her words surprise me because I’ve only ever been honest with her. Lucia has always had my respect, and lying isn’t something I’ve ever done with her since I grew out of my rebellious teenager years.

“Don’t look like that. I’m not accusing you of anything, but I want to know what is really going on between you and Rae, especially as I haven’t seen you around Sarah for a while.” She stares, letting her question sink in before she concentrates on the bread.

I’m not off the hook and need to answer, but I’m not sure how. “Rae has only ever been a friend and that’s all she ever will be. As for Sarah…I love her. She’s bought one of the cabins near the river, but I’m not sure whether or not she still has plans to be with me.” My heart aches at the thought and I know that it’s something we’re going to have to talk about. There is so much guessing and presuming between us that we really do need to sit down and talk.

“You do realize”—Lucia interrupts my thought—“that everyone is tongue wagging about Rae being your girlfriend. No one believes a word about you just being friends.”

“You included?” I ask, annoyed that there appears to be gossip going around that my own family believes.

“I want to believe you, but I’ve seen you both together…all the time, Aiden. When you’re together you’re always touching…a hand here, a caress there. You smile at her most of the time when you’re having a conversation. You basically act like lovers.”

I open my mouth to deny all of what Lucia has said when I realize that she’s right. Until recently, I’ve never thought about it before because it’s just always been so natural between us. I have a feeling that no matter how many times I tell them that Rae is like a sister to me I won’t be believed. It sounds like a case of ‘protesting too much’.

“I guess we do look guilty. I can’t say I’ve ever thought much about how we are when we’re together. Rae is a beautiful woman but I’ve never been interested in her in that way, and I know that she isn’t interested in me either.”

“Then why haven’t you been following Sarah around? You’d be out of the house like a shot the minute she’d pull up before. Now that Rae is here I haven’t seen you looking for Sarah for a week or two.”

Six days since I last saw her.

I frown. “Sarah’s still been here?”

Lucia gives me a funny sort of look. “Of course she has. She’s the only vet in town and a damn good one. Your father won’t have anyone but Sarah look after the animals. You know that.”

“I haven’t seen her around.”

“Probably because she’s tried to stay invisible, and you’ve been too busy or distracted to notice.” I hear censorship in her words.

I drop my head into my hands. “I haven’t seen her in six days. She hasn’t messaged me or replied to my message asking if she’s okay. I’ve been busy with filming and working around here. Most nights I’ve had the intention of going to see her.” I run my hands through my hair. “I guess I’ve also been putting it off because I’m tired of her not trusting me.” I look at Lucia and let her see how much I’m really hurting because I want and need Sarah’s trust.

“How can she trust you when the gossip about you and Rae is hot and you’ve stayed away from her?”

“She knows I’m only friends with Rae,” I mumble. “I’m exhausted, Lucia.”