Page 5 of His to Love
Chapter Three
Patton
Alexa had been working at the resort for three weeks when her brother could wait no longer and had to come and check on her. We met for drinks later in the evening, as Luciano had gone to the deacon’s home for dinner. “Ah, there you are.” I stood to greet him.
“It’s good to see you, Patton.” He gave me a hug before we sat down at a small table.
Waving the waitress over, I ordered him a drink. “Scotch—neat. And I’ll take another Guinness.” Turning my attention to my oldest and dearest friend, I asked, “So, how’d dinner with the deacon’s family go?”
The way his brow furrowed told me that it hadn’t gone as well as he would’ve liked. “Their son is home from college. Did Alexa tell you about that?”
“She did.” I didn’t think the guy was anything to worry about. “She said they’re all very nice.”
“I don’t like the way he looks at her.” Luciano shook his head. “I suppose his parents don’t see what I see in their golden boy’s eyes. He’s lusting after her, Patton. He looks at my little princesa with too much interest in his damn eyes. And she seems as oblivious to it as his parents are.”
“Maybe you, being her over-protective big brother, see something that isn’t really there, Luci.” I thought that was more probable. “She hasn’t said anything about him bothering her in any way.”
“You don’t think she’s pretty?” he asked me with wide eyes. “You don’t think a young guy his age would be attracted to her?” The waitress brought our drinks and Luci took his, gulping down a large amount of the scotch. He must’ve felt extremely tense to do such a thing.
“Alexa is gorgeous, you know that.” With her shiny, long, dark hair and doe-like eyes, she was a true beauty. “And I can see any man being attracted to her. She’s a wonderful person on top of being beautiful. But I just think she would’ve said something to me if this guy was hitting on her.”
“See, I don’t think she realizes what he’s doing.” He took another drink before adding, “He’s smooth, Patton. Too damn smooth.”
I could see that. Alexa hadn’t had much experience with men—she might not be able to pick up on any creepy vibes if the guy was smooth about it. “Perhaps you’re right, Luci. She’s lived a very sheltered life so far. Why not just have a talk with this guy and let him know that your sister isn’t available to be his plaything. It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve done that.” I’d witnessed him scaring off a handful of boys who’d had the nerve to come to the door to ask after Alexa.
“If he tells his father that I’ve threatened him in any way, then I’m afraid they’ll no longer want Alexa staying with them. And that would upset my mother, and I don’t want that.” The mention of his mother reminded me that he’d yet to tell me about her heart condition. “Luci, Alexa told me about your mom’s heart problems. Why didn’t you tell me about it when it first happened?”
“You were so busy, Patton. I didn’t want to bother you with my worries. And she wasn’t that bad off. If she’d been worse then I would’ve told you about it.” His smile told me he meant what he’d said. “So, you understand why I don’t want to upset her.”
“I do.” Who wouldn’t want to be careful about upsetting their mother if any bad news might kill her?
Huffing, he shook his head. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t trust that guy. You know he was initially only going to be there for a week? But he changed his plans and is staying for the month now. I think it’s only because Alexa is there.”
I wasn’t so sure of that. “She’s working a lot, Luci. She pretty much goes home and goes to bed then gets up in the mornings and comes back to work. I don’t think she hangs out with him at all.”
“I don’t know.” He looked away, clearly distracted by his thoughts. “I’ve just got this bad feeling.”
“You’re being silly.” He and his parents had always been so over-the-top about Alexa. “You have to trust your sister. She’s a good person. She wouldn’t get involved with a loser.”
“I know that, but you said it yourself—she’s naïve.” He tapped his finger on the tabletop. “That kid is slick. And he’s got those pretty-boy good looks, too. I can tell that he’s used to having his way with women. And if he has his way with my baby sister, I’ll have to kill him.”
“So dramatic,” I said, trying to remind him that he was prone to being that way over Alexa. “Let the girl live a little. Besides, you can’t kill anyone, Luci.”
After taking another drink, he put the now empty glass down on the table with a solid thump. “That’s not entirely true, Patton. Icankill someone. I just can’t get caught.”
I laughed, having seen this side of him more than once where his sister was concerned. But that was when she was a teenager. “You know that your sister is twenty-two now, right? You know that she’s never been out on a date, right? You know that’s pretty sad, right?”
Waving at the waitress, he ordered another drink. “I don’t see it as being sad at all. I see it as my parents and I have done an excellent job so far of making sure she doesn’t get taken advantage of or hurt in some way.” He handed his empty glass to the waitress then took the full one. “Thank you, mi amor.”
The pretty waitress blushed as she nodded. “You’re welcome.”
He watched her as she walked away, and the hypocrisy was not lost on me. “So, you can have an active sex life, but your sister can’t.”
“Don’t mention sex and my sister in the same sentence, Patton.” He winked at me. “And yes, I can and she can’t. She’s an innocent baby. You know this.”
I didn’t know if he’d ever stop seeing her as anything but his little princesa. “She’s not a baby. I agree that she is innocent, but not a baby. She’s a young woman, Luci. She deserves to get a taste of love—or even just sex—if she wants that.”
“Love, I can approve of. Sex with a horny womanizer, I will not.” Pointing up toward the ceiling, he went on, “She’s a gift from Heaven, might I remind you. One must be careful with such gifts. So, I will continue to be dramatic, as you say, until she’s found the right man.” He crossed his arms and nodded his head, sure that he was right.
