Opening my door, he lifts me out and wraps an arm around my shoulders. “They do the best food here. Not just steak as advertised. You’ll see,” he says with excitement lacing each word.
He’s so damn cute when he’s excited, and it’s obvious how much he wants me to love this place as much as he does.
Walking through the doors, Diego holds my hand securely in his and his smile widens when a grandmotherly type of woman dashes over to him. Her grey hair is pinned to the back of her head, and her tanned face is wrinkled with happiness.
He wraps her up into a tight embrace before he turns her to face me. “Anna, I’d like you to meet, Rae.”
Anna flutters with her hands in front of her ample chest and pulls me in close. “You make my Diego a happy man.” She cups my face. “He’s been sad for too long.”
My eyes reach for Diego’s and he’s almost embarrassed at Anna’s words. The intense look on his face brings tears to my eyes. “He makes me happy as well.” A smile trembles on my lips.
She pats my cheek. “He glows.” Grabbing my arm, Anna pulls me between tables and chairs, bellowing, “Matthew.”
Seconds later a man of similar age to Anna appears. He’s thin and wiry and looks Mexican. His dark grey hair is long and fastened at the nape of his neck with a leather tie.
“Come meet Diego’s girl.” She beams and there’s a knowing glint in her eyes that makes me laugh. “Isn’t she pretty?” Now it’s my turn to blush at her words.
I hear Diego chuckling behind me as Matthew kisses me on each cheek. “You are very pretty.” He then disappears back through a door, which I presume to be the kitchen.
Diego slips his arm around my shoulders and leaning in he kisses the top of my head.
Anna continues to beam as she watches us. “Come.” She ushers us to a neatly set table with red and white checked linen, and a lovely bunch of wildflowers in the centre of the table finish the homemade look.
“This is real pretty,” I observe and get a gentle pat to my shoulder as I take a seat.
“I’m glad you like it. Our best table.” Anna hovers around Diego and after he’s said a few words to her in Spanish, she dashes off.
Diego rests his elbows on the table so I do the same and leaning forward I kiss his waiting lips. “Thank you for bringing me here,” I whisper. “I love it already.” Settling back into the chair, I feel happier than I remember being in such a long time.
Happy and free.
“I’m glad.” Diego has a wistful smile on his beautiful lips. “Anna has wanted to meet you for a while now.”
“How long is a while?” I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me.
“She got me talking about you from the moment I first saw you when I thought you belonged to Aiden,” he says. “It had me in knots at first because I thought I was falling for my brothers girl no matter how much you and Aiden said you weren’t together.”
I reach out and grasp his hands. “You irritated me at first with your sexy smile and you were always walking around with either shorts or sweatpants on and nothing else, including underwear. God I couldn’t get you out of my head.” I offer him a shy smile. “Once or twice I caught you watching me through the reflection on a window and my heart would stop.”
Diego wiggles his eyebrows. “So, you noticed I didn’t wear underwear.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Is that all you heard from what I just said?”
“Hell no!” He shakes his head. “But I like hearing that you noticed my undressed state.”
I narrow my eyes as I suddenly get the feeling I know exactly what he did. “You walked around like that for my benefit…didn’t you?”
His grin widens. “Maybe,” he chuckles behind the glass of water he holds.
Clearing his throat, Diego sits straight, seconds later Anna returns with a large platter of food. “A bit of everything.” She places it on the table and adds, “We want you to keep coming back with handsome Diego.” She blushes and runs off.
I cock a brow, “I think you have an admirer.”
He shakes his head but a smile graces his lips as he reaches out for a Buffalo wing. “She mothers me,” he admits, a sadness underlying his words. “It’s nice and makes me happy that she accepts you.” He takes my hand and sucks the sauce from my finger, meeting my gaze. “I’d already told them abou
t you and why we weren’t together. She told me I was stupid for not going after what my heart and soul wanted.”
“I wanted you, Diego. I still do.”