Moreno's (Moreno Brothers Series) - Elizabeth Reyes Page 0,32
“Evening, Lourdes.”
“That’s Señorita Lourdes,” Alej snapped. “Have some respect.”
The brothers chuckled but kept going. “Is that what she told you?” Luis asked.
“I didn’t ask, asshole.”
They laughed again. “Yeah, well, maybe you should.”
“Hey!”
“Let it go, Alej.” Lourdes jumped in front of Alej, just as Luis turned his horse around.
“Hey, what?” Luis barked back.
“Nothing,” Lourdes said, holding her hand to Alej’s chest. “Nothing, Luis. Just go.”
The front door to Lourdes ranch house opened just as the Negretes started on their way again. An older man holding a shot gun stared at the brothers for a moment before turning to Alej and Lourdes, still standing by Atrevido.
“Lourdes? Que pasa?”
“Nada, Papa.” Lourdes turned to Alej and mouthed the word, gracias. “They were just talking, and I was on my way in.”
“Buenas noches, Señor.” Alej tipped his hat at the man but hopped onto his horse. No way was he sticking around and giving him reason to use that gun. “Saw her walking home in the dark, so I offered to give her a ride the rest of the way home. Have a good one.”
Without waiting for a response, he clucked his tongue, and Atrevido got moving. Any further thought of Lourdes was quickly replaced with thoughts of explaining this to Isa tomorrow. He was just glad now that she wasn’t scheduled to be back until late in the afternoon. At least she wouldn’t have a whole day in town hearing about yesterday’s gossip before he got a chance to talk to her. She might not even be aware when he got back in town from peddling in the city. There was still the chance he could get to her before she heard and be the one to tell her about it.
Thoughts of his dad’s words about mujeres encabronadas had him breathing deep. Only for an altogether different reason now.
Capítulo 9
Boom!
Isabella
As nice as it was to see her aunts and as bittersweet as she knew it was for her mother and her grandmother to say good-bye to them, Isabella had, as usual, been anxious to get home. They hadn’t even been in town for an hour when they heard the chisme. Isabella and her mom had just walked down to the mercantile to buy beans to soak overnight. It was the first thing Señora Navarro, the mercantile owner asked.
“¿Ellos hicieron las paces?”
Exchanging glances with her mom, Isabella could see her mom did her best to refrain from frowning. Neither had any idea who Señora Navarro was asking about if they’d made peace. But her mom and Abuela had always made her out to be the town’s biggest chismosa.
“Who?”
With an incredulous look, Señora Navarro, craned her neck back. “You haven’t heard? Cido y Alej. They had a brawl at the cantina last night and the juda was even called out.”
Surprised by this, and slightly alarmed, Isabella peered at her. “A brawl? ¿Con quien?”
“With each other! It’s why it was so surprising. I thought they were good friends.”
Glancing at her mom, Isabella shook her head slightly, certain Señora Navarro had heard something out of context. Too many times she’d seen Cido and Alejandro push each other in feigned shoving matches. But it did surprise her that the police were called out.
Turning back to Señora Navarro, Isabella shook her head. “We just got back in town. I haven’t spoken to either of them, yet. But I’m sure, whatever it was, they’ve made amends. They are good friends.”
They bought what they were there for and walked out. Isabella was just beginning to explain to her mother about all the times Alejandro and Cido had gotten into it, but it was always over something trivial and it never got seriously physical.
“They practically tackle each other over dumb disputes over their favorite futbal team but never anything—”
Isabella turned to Luis Negrete, who was tying his horse to the pole outside the mercantile. He smiled at her sweetly, though it surprised her because he’d been rather aloof since the day Alejandro showed up at her house and she’d been seeing Luis off almost two years ago. Not that she cared. She was actually grateful for it. Alejandro’s reaction when it came to any other guys showing interest for her, was even shriller now. He’d never made a secret of his sense of entitlement over her, but since their relationship had crossed over into new territory, she knew the intensity of that entitlement had now also soared to a whole new level. She didn’t even blame him because