Moreno's (Moreno Brothers Series) - Elizabeth Reyes Page 0,49

the tears from her eyes about living in Las Cruces and how, only recently, she and her mom had moved to National City. As soon as she was done, she asked the million-dollar question.

“Are you and Alejandro still working together?”

The huge smile on his face instantly waned, and he shook his head. “I haven’t talked to him in well over a year. Last I heard he left San Ysidro, but I don’t know where he went.”

Instantly deflated, the knot at her throat grew heavier but not for the joyous reason it’d lodged in there in the first place. “You didn’t stay in touch with him?”

“Nah, my old man and his had a falling out. He and I tried to stay close, but it was tough since we both sided with our dads.”

“A falling out? About what?” Isabella couldn’t even imagine. They’d been so tight for so long.

Cido shrugged. “Business. It happens, I guess. I thought maybe he and I could still remain friends, but he stopped coming around, and I didn’t go see him for a while. When I finally did try to call and see how he was doing, his phone had been disconnected.”

He explained that Alejandro and his dad were out here before Cido and his dad. How they tried working together again but Alejandro’s dad didn’t want to do the fifty/fifty thing anymore. He wanted Cido’s dad to just be his employee not partner. So, his dad had to finally walk away and try getting his own thing going.

Cido turned to look at the truck proudly. “We have three now. My uncles and dad partnered up when they came over the border.” He shrugged with a somewhat wounded frown. “My dad says everything happens for a reason. So, it’s probably better that we kept it in the family only. Just sucks that it cost me my friendship with Alej.”

“You really have no idea where he’s at now?”

He shook his head, lifting his Padres ball cap and scratching his head. His expression went a bit poignant. “None. But he knows I’m here, and he’s never come down to try and reconnect. Did he stop staying in touch with you, too?”

Cido asked this like it was something Alejandro had purposely done to her as well. She quickly explained about the moves they made. How without being able to exchange the information after each had new addresses, they’d lost touch. She said it with conviction, because she was certain there was no way Alejandro had willingly stopped staying in touch with her. She felt bad that, clearly, it’s what he’d done with Cido, but it was almost insulting that he’d imply that might be the case with her. Isabella knew it wasn’t.

Nodding and lifting a brow as if he’d picked up on Isabella’s wounded words, he didn’t comment further about that. “It’s been almost . . .” he thought about it for a moment then turned to the window where his dad was just handing a customer a plate. “Apa, how long has it been since we lost touch with the Morenos?”

Octavio mimicked what Cido had done earlier lifting his own ball cap and scratching his head. “Casi dos años?”

Isabella’s heart dropped. Almost two years? “And you’ve heard nothing of where he might be?”

Cido stared at her for a moment, his eyes dropping to her lips then were back on her eyes again. “No. For all I know, they may’ve gone back to Mexico.”

Isabella shook her head. She was certain that wasn’t the case. For years and in all the letters he’d written her, he spoke of how determined his father was to come out here and make it. It’d been his life’s dream. He wouldn’t come out here and just give up.

“So, how’ve you been?” Cido asked, smiling again. “You said you and your mom moved out here. Does that mean you’re not married yet?”

It’d been about three and a half years since she left Mexico and it still seemed wrong for Cido to be even asking. Isabella still hadn’t given up even after all this time. Her heart was still holding out that she’d find him and they’d finally be together again someday.

“No,” she said, shaking away the irrational annoyance. “I was actually hoping I might still find Alejandro.”

She left out that it’s why she’d been so emotional when she’d realized she actually found Cido and his dad. It seemed rude. While she was happy to see her old friend again, it didn’t even come close to what