Moreno's (Moreno Brothers Series) - Elizabeth Reyes Page 0,84

that maybe they’d been each other’s firsts. Obviously, he couldn’t hold it against her that she’d moved on, if that’s what Magdalena was thinking. The guy had a pregnant wife the day they finally reunited for the love of God. He was as fair as he was loyal. He wouldn’t hold it against her after all those years for moving on. Except for the fact that he thought she’d done so with his best friend.

Isabella managed to move Magdalena off the subject before her mother woke and possibly start contributing to her theories. Her mother wasn’t nearly as relentless as Magdalena clearly was when she got something in her head. But she had thrown in her own two cents the day she and Magdalena tried in vain to console her on the way home after running into Alejandro again. She too was of the belief that Alejandro was still feeling much for Isabella. Even said his hasty departure that day felt more like emotional self-preservation, than a dismissal.

“He does have a wife and a child now, Mija.” Her mother had said that day. “And we’ve always known what a good guy he is. We both know it’s highly unlikely he’d ever consider leaving his family for another woman, no matter who that woman was. He can’t possibly be feeling everything I’m certain he’s still feeling for you and not be overwhelmed with guilt about it, especially if seeing you has him questioning whether he should give into his heart.”

But Isabella had to think of her own self-preservation now. Her grandmother had said it best. Accepting the harsh reality was always better than giving into false hope. And the last thing Isabella needed now that her heart was finally beginning to accept her reality was to go back to square one and begin setting herself up for yet another devastating emotional collapse.

They moved onto why Magdalena was up early and in her area that morning. To her surprise, it wasn’t just to come plead her case about her Alejandro theories. She had an interview at a clinic nearby. She told Isabella about wanting to go back to school for nursing.

Thankfully, they stayed on the subject of Magdalena’s future goals and possible new job. “If I get it, my parents already agreed we could look into getting a place out here, so I’m closer to work.”

To Isabella’s relief, her mother was only up for a short while before Magdalena had to go and they never did get back to the subject of Alejandro’s possible dead wife. The idea was just too tragic and surreal for Isabella to seriously consider. It just felt wrong. So wrong she didn’t even tell her mom about it.

After Magdalena left, Isabella showered and readied herself for her afternoon shift at the restaurant. Glad for the distraction, because it was impossible to not think about everything Magdalena had dropped on her since last night, Isabella kept herself busy at work. She’d gotten through just about her entire shift before she got the call.

“Line one is for you,” Pauly, one of the waiters, said sticking his head in the back where she’d been finishing up her work .

Reaching for the phone absentmindedly, Isabella hit line one but brought her attention back to the paperwork in front of her. “Isabella speaking.”

“Eres tu!”

Starting to smirk, at her amiga’s usual enthusiasm, Isabella pressed her lips together when she realized this was likely about Alejandro again. “What, loca?”

“I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of it sooner. You’re the one Cido was talking about.”

“The one what?”

“His pregnant girlfriend. The one he warned someone—Alejandro—to stay away from.”

Jerking up straight, Isabella squeezed the phone’s receiver tightly at her ear. “He said that?”

“No, but it makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?” Magdalena said, making Isabella breathe a tiny bit easier—just another theory. “I spoke with Jose Luis again and asked him if he’s heard anything else about Cido’s pregnant girlfriend. He said he hasn’t and, as far as he knows, no one’s heard anything about her, nor has he ever brought anyone around. Then he said the only girl he’s ever heard Cido make reference to is someone named Isa. And get this, he said the only time he’s ever heard Cido even mention going on a social call since he started working there months ago was when he stopped by on his day off one evening a few weeks before the whole sting went down to get something he’d left in the truck. Jose Luis teased him