Moreno's (Moreno Brothers Series) - Elizabeth Reyes Page 0,89

one night. But I promise you, before that, I’d planned on waiting forever for you.”

He waited unsure but hopeful that she’d believe him because it was absolutely true. Isa searched his eyes for a moment without saying anything. Then she tilted her head suddenly as her brows furrowed. “Earlier when you thought I was pregnant, you said it didn’t matter—”

“It didn’t.” He shook his head, smiling at her widening eyes as she stared at him in disbelief. “Eres el amor de mi vida, Isa. After all the years I waited to find you and then seeing you again for the second time since we’d lost touch, I realized my life would never be complete without you. When I heard about the Ochoas’ arrests, I wasn’t sure if you’d been swept up in that mess as well. I scrambled to find you to help get you out of jail. Then I thought of the possibility of them running away to hide in Mexico once they made bail and taking you with them. When I saw the way you looked at me the day I ran into you again, I knew. Even after all these years, I’ve always been able to read you, and I knew you were in as much pain as I was. I kept thinking about it after. Maybe you were pregnant and set to marry him but, like me, it was only because you felt you had no choice. You thought I’d never take you back now. It’s when I decided, short of an actual betrayal while we were together, there’d be no sacrifice I wouldn’t be willing to make to have you back in my life. I’ve been looking for you for weeks now.”

Isa touched his face now, inhaling even as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I owe Magdalena a ton of gratitude.” She smiled when he peered at her in question. “My ex-coworker and good friend now. She was with me that second time we ran into each other. She’s the reason why I’m here tonight. I’ve never met someone so persistent, but if it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t be here.”

Alej listened as she told him about everything her friend had uncovered—the conclusions and theories she’d come to and insisting Isa reach out to him to find out if any of it was true.

When she was done, Alej kissed her again softly. “I owe her a lifetime of gratitude because it’s what her persistence has given me now. A lifetime of happiness.”

Feeling Isa wrap her arms around his torso and rest her face against his chest, felt as perfect as it always had. Alej kissed the top of her head, praying he’d never wake from what still felt more like a blissful dream than reality.

“Marry me, Isabella.” She turned up to look at him wide-eyed as her lips quivered. Alejandro nodded with a smile. “I’ve always known it’d be the first thing I’d want to do once I had you back in my life. I’ve waited long enough, Isa. Even finally getting this restaurant going has been bittersweet because you were missing from the picture. Please complete my life and say you’ll marry me.”

“Of course I will, Alej,” she squeaked, bringing her hand over her mouth. “I’ve been dreaming of becoming your wife since I was ten. I just can’t believe it’s finally going to happen.”

“Believe it, mi cielo. Te adoro.

“Y yo a ti.”

Epílogo

Isabella

Technically, they waited to get married. But after having waited so long for their happily-ever-after, Alejandro refused to wait even another day to have Isabella back in his life on the daily. The very next day Isabella gave notice at work, not even a two-week notice. She put in her notice effective that day. It felt rude, but after all the years she’d waited, it felt more than justified.

Her mother was supposed to have moved with her into the house Alejandro and his dad were renting once their lease was up on their apartment, even though Isabella moved in with him immediately. But Isabella hadn’t lied about her mother being very independent as she’d explained to Cido when they moved out of his place. A few weeks after Isabella had moved in with Alejandro, her mother let her know a studio apartment had opened up in the same building they’d been living, one she could afford on her own, and the landlord was allowing her to transfer her lease to that one. She also let her know she intended on