Moreno's (Moreno Brothers Series) - Elizabeth Reyes
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No Regrets
Alejandro
The music was playing, the crowd was in good spirits, and all Alej’s could think was, What the hell had he been thinking? While his head reasoned that he deserved to have fun—deserved to let loose and the feelings of guilt were unwarranted—his heart said otherwise.
“¡Ándale, güey,” Cido urged. “You promised you wouldn’t be a downer. What’s the point in being here if you’re not even gonna try to mingle? See those two at the end of the bar behind me?” His friend took a swig of his beer, looking behind Alej all overly inconspicuous. “They been looking this way, and I’m pretty sure the guerrita is eyeing you.”
Alej brought his bottle of cerveza to his mouth and took a swig. He glanced over at the girls casually as Cido ordered two shots of tequila. Cido was right. The girl with the blond hair smiled sheepishly at him. Going against his better judgment and only because it felt like the polite thing to do, he smiled back, tipping his hat at her.
The bartender poured the shots and Cido paid him. “Come on.” Cido picked one up and handed the other one to Alej. “It’s New Year’s Eve, man. Snap the fuck out of it already, and let’s do this.” Clicking his shot glass against Alej’s, Cido lifted it in the air. “To moving on.”
Alej frowned but took the shot with him anyway. Feeling the burn in his throat and then his chest, Alej winced, chasing it down with his beer.
“Smooth,” Cido said hoarsely before taking another swig of his beer. “Hell yeah!”
Glancing at Cido, Alej watched as his friend lifted his beer in the air in the direction of the girls. When Alej turned to them, they were lifting their drinks at him as well and smiling big.
“I told you.” Still smiling big, Cido didn’t bother looking at Alej. Instead, he leaned in against the bar. “Hey, Chief, can I get four more of these? But I’ll take them down at the end of the bar.” Now he turned to an already panicking Alej and slapped a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go. I’m done with your mopey ass. Enough of this shit. You’re getting laid.”
“Wait. What?” Alej started off his bar stool but hesitated. “I said I’d go out tonight. Never said anything about getting laid or even . . .”
“Well, you can at least have some fun.” Cido tapped him so he’d move, and Alej did reluctantly. “We’ll play it by ear.”
They walked over and introduced themselves to Patty and Aleida, the blonde batting her lashes at Alej. First thing they mentioned was being sisters, even though there wasn’t much of a resemblance.
“You girls here alone tonight?” Cido asked.
“Yeah, but we’re not staying all night. We just stopped by to get a few drinks before heading out to a party.”
“Party, huh?” Cido smirked as the bartender dropped off the four shots. “This place ain’t good enough for you?”
“It is,” Patty said, glancing around. “But we’ve had plans to attend this party for some time now.”
Handing them each a shot, which they happily took, Cido raised his, motioning for Alej to take the last one off the counter. Alej did, despite the knot forming in his stomach. He could only hope these girls would leave for their party sooner than later.
“Here’s to taking chances.” Cido clinked Patty’s glass. “Living in the now.” He clinked Aleida’s then turned to Alej, lifting a brow. “And no regrets.” With one more lift of his glass, Cido tipped his hat at the girls and they all downed their shots.
“Taking chances. I like that. Speaking of,” Patty said with a wince after sucking a lemon wedge. “How do you guys feel about coche anchos?”
“Coche ancho?” Cido asked.
“Limusinas,” Patty clarified. “Our dad is very overprotective. So, when we told him we were going out for the New Year, he rented us a limu.” She bounced her eyes at her sister, who chewed her bottom lip. “Live in the now?” After Aleida gave the go-ahead nod, Patty turned to Cido with a big smile. “What do you say we go drive around for a while and then you two can be our dates for the party? Limo’s fully stocked with liquor.”
“Hell, yeah,” Cido said without even consulting Alej. Patty started looking through her purse as Cido turned to a now completely panicked Alej. “Hear that?” he said in a lowered voice. “A pinchi limo.”