Starting Over at Trevino Ranch by Amy Woods

Author:Amy Woods
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-01-31T16:29:29+00:00

Chapter Eight

“What was I thinking?” Alex growled. “How in the hell am I supposed to keep my distance from her when she’ll be living just a stone’s throw away from this house?”

“Language, mijo,” his mother chided.

“Ah,” Jesse soothed, squeezing his aunt’s shoulders, which were at least a foot below his own. “Give him a break, Tia Rosa. He had a rough day yesterday.”

Alex glared daggers at his cousin, who’d claimed a soft spot in his mom’s heart when they were kids. As the oldest of the bunch, Alex was held to high standards, even as a boy, whereas Jesse could get away with just about anything by flashing that toothpaste-commercial smile of his.

“That is,” Jesse continued, “if you consider making out with your gorgeous high school sweetheart a rough time. Seems like there wasn’t much thinking going on at all.”

He winked, and Alex lunged at him, stopping when his mother released an ear-shattering whistle.

“Enough!” she said. “Quit acting like niños and finish helping me with these enchiladas.”

Rolling his eyes, he watched as Jesse apologized and kissed Rosa on the cheek, winning her over in an instant. Alex’s mother was correct—there was plenty to do before Gina’s welcome dinner that night, and little time to do it.

But he’d make sure to pay Jesse back for the ribbing another time.

“I still don’t think this is a good idea,” Alex said, knowing his words were futile. Once his mom got an idea in her head, there was no stopping her. If she wanted to give Gina a welcome party, she would, and it was best to just say yes to everything and stay out of her way. He supposed he should be thankful Rosa had at least agreed to keep it small—just Alex, her, Jesse and the kids. Gina would likely want to kill him once she arrived and witnessed the modest fanfare, but she probably already did anyway, considering how he’d behaved after that kiss.

Hands busy grating cheese, he looked at the ceiling and released a sigh, remembering the feel of his ex’s warm, sweet lips against his. Nothing on earth could have surprised him more than when their eyes met and she reached up to pull him close, taking him back to that place of pure bliss he’d never truly forgotten. In her arms, he’d always found comfort, pleasure...love.

Perhaps that was why he’d pulled away. The reminder of what he’d lost—what he could never have again—hurt too much.

But not as much as the wounded look in her eyes when he’d dazedly brushed the back of his hand across his lips, wiping away the taste of her...

And now she was coming to stay. For who knew how long.

“You okay, my darling?” his mother asked, resting a hand on his forearm until he paused the work and faced her.

Her skin was the same shade of brown as his own, and lined from a life well-lived. It made him think again, as he had so often recently, of the kind of life he craved, the kind of memories he wanted built up when his own hands looked like hers one day.

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