Page 3 of His to Love
Chapter Two
Alexa
“Mom, I got the job!” I was full of excitement as I drove to my new home.
“Congratulations, I knew you could do it,” she gushed. “How is our friend Patton doing?”
“He seems fine. He sends his regards and he told me to let you and Daddy know that he’ll watch over me for you guys.” I shivered as adrenaline rushed through me. “Ahh! I can’t believe it! I got a job—the job of my dreams!”
“I am so proud of you. Your father will be too. I’ll let him know the good news as soon as he gets home from work. Are you going to the deacon’s home now, Alejandra?”
“I am. Should you give him a call first?” I wasn’t sure how I would be able to do that, as my father had made all the arrangements with Deacon Soliz.
I heard the sound of papers rustling before she said, “I found the note your father left me. It says to punch in nine-six-nine-seven on the keypad to get into the house. You’ve got the address, right?”
“I do.” I was surprised how easy everything was going. I was so afraid I would feel out of sorts with so many changes happening at once, but all I felt was excitement and happiness.
“The note also says that both the deacon and his wife work and don’t get home until six each night. So, you’ll be alone in the house for a while. Are you okay with that? If not, I’m sure Patton will let you hang around at the resort until then.”
“I’d actually like a little time at the house by myself anyway. That’ll give me a chance to unpack my things so that when they do come home, I can spend some time with them and get to know them a bit.” Feeling incredibly optimistic about the job interview, I’d brought all of the basics I’d need for my new life with me.
I knew it would be odd to live with people I’d never met before, but it was worth it to finally have the chance to be on my own. Plus, I could always hang out with Patton if I felt too uncomfortable.
Patton and my brother had been friends forever. He’d been at our home almost every day as I grew up. I felt at ease with him and always had. He was a familiar face in a sea of unfamiliarity.
“I knew Patton would hire you. He’s always been a good boy, and now he’s a good man. I’m glad he and Luciano have kept up their friendship all these years.” She sighed heavily with nostalgia. “I’m glad my children have a man like him in their lives. I’ve always adored him.”
I had too. “Yes, Mamma, me too.” As a teenager, I’d had a pretty major crush on him—not that he or my family ever knew about it. He was ten years older than me, and I’d finally realized that my crush would only ever be just that. He’d never see me as anything but a kid. So, I stopped thinking of him in a romantic way.But the man has gotten even hotter through the years.
Growing up, he’d had the thick, dark hair of a teenage heartthrob. As a man, Patton kept it on the neater side even though the unruly waves were impossible to tame completely. The blue of his eyes was enhanced by the thick fringe of his dark eyelashes. He’d always been muscular, and it was nice to see he’d kept up with his exercises. I wondered if all his brothers had also kept in such good shape.
There was no doubt that the Nash boys had been blessed with good genes. But it was Patton’s jaw line that really set him apart from his brothers. They all had softer features, whereas Patton’s firm, square jaw made him appear tough. It was his eyes that made him approachable. His eyes told of his deep compassion and artistic nature. He was a rare man with many fascinating sides.
“I’ve just remembered that you’re driving through that horrible Austin traffic. You shouldn’t be on the phone. Call me once you’ve settled in. I love you and I’m so proud of you. I know this is the right decision for you. Bye now.” And that was that—she ended the call without letting me say a word.
But that was my mother. She wouldn’t drive in traffic. Not that she ever had to—we lived on the outskirts of Houston where there was little traffic. She’d drive to the local grocery, the library, and church but that was about it.
My father wasn’t much better with traffic. He made it to his job as a supervisor of the cleaning staff at the Conoco Building in downtown Houston. He could drive there each weekday with ease. But if he had my mother in the car with him, he got jumpy. She’d gasp, hold her chest and her breath anytime she saw another car enter the highway—it didn’t make her a very good passenger. It was too much for him.
If they wanted to go into the city, Luciano drove them, as he was able to tune out Mother’s antics. With the age difference between us, my brother was usually the one to take care of the things our parents needed as they got older.
Mom had been forty when I was born. Being a devout Catholic, she’d never taken any form of birth control. She’d married our father when she was twenty-one and it had taken eight years before she got pregnant with Luciano. Another nine passed before she got pregnant with me. And I was the last baby she had.
She could have called Luciano a miracle baby too, but for some reason she only called me that. And as a little miracle I had to be protected at all times. Sent to a Catholic school for girls, I was not only kept safe, but chaste as well.
It seemed to be their mission to make sure no male ever touched me—I was their little miracle, and they didn’t want anything to tarnish that. It had left me naïve in the ways of love. And as far as sex went, I knew next to nothing. Sex education was not part of the curriculum at the school I’d attended.
“The destination is on your right,” the GPS informed me.
Turning into the driveway, I looked up at a nice house that was much larger than I’d anticipated. With only one child, I had expected it to be on the small side. But the deacon’s home looked like it could fit a brood of children in it.
There were no cars in the driveway but there was a two-car garage. I tried to avoid blocking it, as I was sure that’s where the deacon and his wife would park once they got home.
After I took my luggage out of the trunk, I rolled it up the cement walkway before entering the code into the front door’s keypad. I heard it click open and went inside.
The foyer was well-lit by the window at the very top of the—at least—fifteen-foot-high wall. A desk along the far wall had a vase of fresh flowers and a note with my name at the top of it.
Alejandra,
