12. Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Mateo
"That was your first week back in Cold Spring?" she says with surprise, as though she’s only now piecing together the significance of that moment.
I let my gaze settle over hers. "One of the very first things I did after Lily picked me up from the airport was ask if you were seeing anyone."
Her eyes widen slightly. "Really? And how exactly did you manage that without giving yourself away?"
I chuckle. "She happened to mention you were babysitting Davey. I saw my opening and... took it."
She tilts her head, a faint blush blooming across her cheeks. "You always have a way of doing that—cutting straight to the point. I couldn't believe it when you called that night to ask me if I wanted to go for a hike with you. Like it was the most natural thing in the world."
"I couldn’t wait to see you again." I confess, my tone turning serious.
"And that's exactly what you said that night," she says, a soft smile lighting up her face.
"If I could have," I clarify, "I would have seen you every day."
"You were the best part of every day I got to see you—every single one." She pauses, her gaze wistful. "Until you left."
"I should’ve never left the way I did," I admit.
"I understand why you left," she says pulling away, her tone laced with hurt. "I just wish you had talked to me. I thought… I don’t know what I thought. But when you left without saying goodbye, it crushed me."
I exhale sharply, my regrettable choices coming back to haunt me. "I did it for Lily," I murmur. "My actions had heavy consequences, and leaving felt like the only way to solve everyone’s problems—Noah's, hers, mine."
"What about me?" she asks, shaking her head. Her expression is a mixture of frustration and lingering pain. "Look, I can’t blame you for wanting to run away. What you went through was pretty rough. But what I do blame you for is for leaving me. I had just started letting my guard down, finally putting aside all the preconceived notions I had about you. Even Lily’s warnings to keep my distance. And then you blew it."
Her words hit me like a punch. "I’m so sorry," I say, my voice filled with regret. "I thought walking away was the only thing I could do to stop hurting everyone, and to prevent hurting you. "
"But that's just it, Mateo!" she exclaims, her voice breaking. "You did hurt me. You…you made me fall in love with you, and then you left—just like that. No goodbye, no explanation, no call. Nothing. And when I saw you again at the wedding…" She pauses, her voice shaky. "I didn’t know what to say, how to act. I was so confused. I thought maybe I had imagined everything. That maybe you didn't owe me an explanation or an apology because the connection I thought we had was all a figment of my imagination."
My throat tightens as I force myself to meet her gaze. "You didn’t imagine it, hermosa " I say. "I felt it too—every moment of it. I should have talked to you. I owed you an explanation back then, and I owe you an apology now. Please... forgive me."
She turns away, her silence cutting deeper than words. The temporary reprieve from her angry gaze leaves an ache of its own, twisting painfully in my chest—a yearning to see that endless blue ocean in her eyes once more.
"What can I do to make this right?" I ask, wishing I could rewind the clock and start over.
She lifts her gaze to mine. "Tell me why you didn't talk to me before you left?"
"I was ashamed," I admit. "I had an affair—with a married woman who, as fate would have it, turned out to be the wife of my future son-in-law. And if that wasn’t enough, for a time, I believed their son was mine."
I pause, my throat tightening, the memory as suffocating as it is vivid. "For the first time in my life, I looked in the mirror... and I hated the man staring back at me. I despised the fact that what I'd done was affecting my daughter's future. I couldn’t face you, hermosa . I couldn’t bear the thought of disappointing you too. So I left."
"If you had reached out before leaving, or even after," she begins, "I would have told you that the only one to blame was Marian. She was the one who was married at the time. She was the one who cheated."
"I also wasn't ready to face the fact that I'd fallen in love with you," I say, my voice unwavering, each word a vow I’m desperate to keep. "You're almost half my age. But it doesn't change the fact that I fell in love with you. I love you, Annalisa."
"Don't call me that," she murmurs, her defenses still raised.
"Please forgive me." I say, bracing myself for the rejection I fear will come.
"Okay," she nods. "I forgive you, but don't you dare hurt me again."
"I promise," I say, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek.
"Say it," she says. "I need you to realize how important this is to me."
"I promise," I repeat. "I will never disappoint you again. I will never hurt you again."
She sighs and then smiles faintly, looking up at me. "Is this considered our first fight?" she asks.
"I wouldn't call it a fight," I say, matching her smile. "It was a heated discussion."
"You know what most couples do after a fight," she teases.
"What?" I ask, feigning ignorance.
Her smile deepens, a faint spark of trust returning to her gaze. "They have makeup se—"
I cut her off, my lips capturing hers in a kiss that is as tender as it is a silent confession of everything I feel for her. When I finally pull back, just enough to meet her gaze, my voice is steady. “Let’s set a date, hermosa . Let's get married.”
A radiant smile breaks across her face. “Are you serious?” she whispers, her words brushing against my lips before she leans in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to them.
"I'm dead serious," I say, kissing her back.
"We just got engaged," she says with a laugh, stealing another kiss.
"I don’t want a long engagement," I murmur, my lips lingering on hers.
"I have to figure out what I’m going to do with the business," she whispers against my mouth.
"You were serious about moving to Mérida with me?" I ask, my lips grazing hers.
"I go where you go," she smiles, kissing me again.
" Hermosa ," I murmur, my voice hushed as I press another kiss to her lips.
"Uh, hum?" she murmurs against my lips, her smile teasing.
"I want you to come to Mérida with me but only so I can tie up loose ends and move here permanently," I say, my words carrying the weight of my commitment.
"What?" she says, pulling back to look at me, confusion flickering in her eyes.
"I want to live here," I say, my gaze steady, determined. "I want to be close to Lily, to my grandchild—and most of all, I want to be here with you. This is where I belong. You have something extraordinary here, and you need to keep building it. Make your business a success so undeniable that your father will have no choice but to eat every bit of the humble pie he deserves."
Her eyes widen as the realization settles in, and I can see the spark of excitement shining in her gaze. "Thank you!" she exclaims before throwing her arms around me and kissing me with sweet abandon.
***
I can’t stop smiling as I get ready for bed. Lisa’s forgiveness feels like a lifeline, pulling me out of the storm of regret I’ve been lost in all these months. It makes me realize just how much my happiness and peace of mind are tied to her love—her unconditional acceptance of every flawed piece of me. I’m far from perfect, yet she loves me anyway. And now, with her by my side, I know we can face anything as long as we're together.
A soft knock on the door pulls me from my thoughts, and my heart lurches. Excitement mingles with a flicker of fear. Did she change her mind? Is there more she needs to say? Bracing myself, I open the door.
There she is. Standing in the dim glow of the hallway. A flowing white silk nightgown hugs her frame, the matching robe slipping off one shoulder in the most tantalizing way. Her red hair cascades down in soft waves, framing her face with an almost angelic beauty. My breath catches, and for a moment, I’m certain I’ve never seen anything—or anyone—so stunning in my life.
“ Hermosa ,” I murmur, my voice rough. “Is everything okay?”
Her gaze locks with mine, her eyes shimmering with an unmistakable longing that sends a jolt through me.
“No,” she whispers, her voice charged with intent. "You said that if I ever needed anything, I'd know where to find you."
As she steps closer, the delicate scent of her perfume weaves through the air, wrapping around me and fanning the overwhelming desire I have to touch her. My pulse quickens, each beat an echo of anticipation between us.
“I remember,” I murmur, my hand lifting to rest on the doorframe, drawing me nearer to her, unable to resist the magnetic pull of her presence.
She smiles, tilting her head. Her voice dropping to a sultry whisper. “I’d like for us to properly make up after our official first fight.”
I wrap my arm around her waist and lift her effortlessly off the floor, her soft gasp melting into a quiet laugh as her arms encircle my neck. Holding her close, I cross the threshold back into the bedroom.
I meet her gaze as she is suspended in my arms, her blue eyes shining with unwavering certainty. I search for even a flicker of hesitation, but all I find is the quiet assurance that this is exactly what she wants.
I lower her gently to the floor, and cradle her face with my hands, my thumb brushing across her pink lips as I lean in. My mouth claims hers in a kiss that is as fierce as it is full of promise, a wordless vow of everything I feel but haven't been able to put into words.
With one hand, I push the door closed behind us, shutting out the world and letting it slip away as if it never existed.
***
I groggily reach out, swatting at the alarm clock on my nightstand before realizing it’s my phone vibrating insistently. My bleary eyes struggle to focus on the glowing screen—three o’clock? Unknown caller?
For a moment, I stare at it, torn between curiosity and exhaustion. My gut says to let it go, and with a weary sigh, I drop the phone back onto the nightstand, choosing to ignore it.
Turning my head, I glance at Lisa. Her warm body is curled up beside me, her features bathed in the soft glow of moonlight. Strands of her red hair cascade across the pillow like a fiery halo, framing a face so beautiful that even in sleep, she leaves me utterly spellbound.
My chest tightens, a surge of love swelling within me. What did I ever do to deserve the privilege of waking up next to her?
I nuzzle her neck, the soft warmth of her skin brushing against my lips as I try to gently rouse her. She lets out a sleepy grunt in protest, shifting closer to me, her body instinctively seeking mine.
I breathe in the familiar scent of her hair, my arm tightening around her waist as I pull her closer. The world feels still, wrapped in the quiet perfection of this moment. But the peace is short-lived as the phone buzzes again, shattering the calm.
With a reluctant sigh, I reach for it, pressing it to my ear. “Hello,” I murmur, my voice rough and thick with lingering sleep.
“Darling," a familiar voice purrs through the line, instantly pulling me into full awareness. "It's Marian."