Must Wait (10 page)

She gently rubs my knee as she softly speaks, “So I
guess this is goodbye then.”
I nod, staring straight ahead at the house. She turns
and reaches out to touch my face. She moves my head to
look at her. She leans into to kiss me gently and I let her.
I pull at the nape of her neck to deepen the kiss. I feel
pain within my heart knowing this will be the last time I
will ever kiss her.
She pulls away from me gazing into my eyes. “You
make me feel so vivacious when you kiss me. I never felt
this way before. You are so intoxicating. I will greatly
miss you, Pedro. For what it is worth, I loved you while
we were together. I respect you completely with your
wisdom of cherishing my heart and I will keep that
promise to you, Pedro. I swear.”
She leans in to kiss me again. As I kiss her back, I
feel my emotions soaring. I just want to cry. I push her
back from me before I do start crying.
I reach around her opening the door. “Goodbye,
Katie.”
I turn my head so I do not look at her. She climbs
out of the truck and closes the door. I watch her as she
walks to the front door of the house. I feel the tears
starting to well up in my eyes. I start the truck and drive
away as fast as I can. I see her look back at me as I drive
away. The tears are streaming down my face. I feel so
heartbroken yet again.

It was very hard for me not to go running back to
Katie. Paolo saw how badly I was hurting and he stayed
close to me over those last few days when I knew Katie
was still here at her mother’s house. He kept telling me
that the pain would lessen, but I am still waiting for it to
diminish. I knew it wouldn’t.

I went with him to pick the kids up from school. I
decided to stay in the truck as he ran up the stairs. I still
have not seen Olivia since that one morning at my house.
I knew I could not face her because she was right that
Katie would only hurt me. Paolo walks out of the school
walking beside Olivia. He is smiling down at her as he
talks. His eyes go serious as he stops looking towards the
Cantina. Olivia spots me in the truck and our eyes meet.
She walks away from Paolo, leaving him. She comes
down to the truck and looks at me. She places her hand
on my shoulder. I glance at her and I can feel myself
starting to tear up.

She speaks so softly, “I am so sorry, Pedro. She is
young and I knew this would happen to you. I wanted
more for you seeing how sensitive that you are.”

I feel my tears roll down my face as her hand touches
me. She slowly caresses my cheek. I have a hard time
looking at her without seeing Katie’s face.

“I know. You are a very sweet man. Katie is not right
for you. Trust me. You will meet the right woman
someday. This too shall pass.”

She rubs away my tears and looks at me with those
soft crystal blue eyes just like Katie’s eyes. She then
quickly jerks her hand away from me as she looks towards
the Cantina. She sees her dogs running towards her. She
backs away from the truck, leaving me to go back up the
stairs into the school. Paolo passes her without looking at
her as he makes his way back in to the truck. I dry my
face with the back of my hand as the kids are jumping
into the bed of the truck.

Olivia, I take it. Katie has really done a number on you.”
I nod my head in agreement. “Katie looks so much
like Olivia. I want to be mad at Olivia, but she did warn
me. She is so warm and caring. At least I will not have to
see her too
over the next two weeks since we
are
planting.”
Paolo looks over at me. “Olivia is off limits, Pedro.
Do you understand me?”
I glare over at him. “What type of man do you take
me for, Paolo? I would never go from the daughter to the
mother. Plus, I know you like to flirt with her.”
He laughs. “Not anymore. Her husband is here.”
I grimace at him. “How do you know that he is
here?”
“She just told me while I was walking with her to get
the kids.”
I raise my eyebrows. “We have to protect Olivia
from him. He is abusive.”
“I know, but the next two weeks, Parker will look
after her. I saw him in the school and we talked about it.
He thinks she is crazy to stay with him. He said that he
has a real temper and Rosalie has to yell at him to cool
off. Also, Katie’s grandpa is here too. He is protecting
Olivia as well. She will be fine.”
“Katie’s grandpa is here too. Hum, Olivia’s husband
in a big man from what I saw in the photos. He looks
about our size. I hope Olivia’s father can control him.
Paolo pulls up to the barn. “Parker will control him.”
I chuckle. “Parker is scrawny compared to us Araya
men.”
“Do not make fun of your best friend. If Olivia
leaves to go back to her husband, you will both be licking
your wounds over those women. Misery loves company.
You and Parker will be prowling in Limon looking for
women again.”
I laugh knowing that he is right. I need to get over
this girl. I have to focus on the farm and my son. Seeing
Olivia crushed me today. The emotion in her eyes and her
gentle small hands on my face reminded me of the last
time Katie touched me. I keep thinking back to those few
days and how she made me feel. I wish I could have made
love to her, but then I would be hurting even more. All I
do when I sleep is dream about her. When I am alone, I
constantly think about her. Those words she said about
loving me, I just clung to them. I keep replaying those
moments over and over again in my head.

A week passes and we are halfway through planting
the fields. I hear Parker’s motor bike approaching us, as
we put away the seeds for the night. Parker pulls up to us
and nods. Paolo throws the last of the bags into the fire.

I point to the cooler. “Parker, you want a beer? We
are just going to relax for a while.”
He nods opening the cooler. “I miss you guys. You
know that?”
Lasaro sits down. “You could be up here helping us
out instead of chasing that woman around.”
Paolo sits up. “How is she doing anyways with her
husband and father being here?”
Parker sits down. “Good, I guess. She is the crazy
one. Ryan, her husband is pretty cool. Her father went
back home after he banged Rosalie a few times.”
I sit up in astonishment, “Rosalie did what?”
Parker laughs. “You are missing all the drama back in
town. Rosalie fell for Olivia’s father, Henry.”
Paolo nods. “That is good. That means she is getting
over Dad.”
I snap my head towards him. “What?”
Lasaro laughs. “Rosalie and Dad were an item. You
did not know that, Pedro?”
I shake my head.
Parker leans
forward.
“So, I had some special
moments with Olivia. I still really like her even though
she is crazy. Her husband is going back home in a few
days.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Special moments. You just said
the guy is cool.”
He laughs. “I kissed her a few times. She is so hot
and wild. You should have seen what she did to Ryan.”
Paolo gets up and stalks over to the cooler. “Parker,
you really kissed her? Was she kissing you back because
you do not seem her type? Plus, you were supposed to be
protecting her.” Paolo finishes with a growl.
Parker stares up at him confused.
I put my hand up. “Paolo has a little crush on Olivia.
Don’t mind him.”
Parker laughs. “Don’t we all. Yes, she was kissing me
back and she can take care of herself against that husband
of hers.” He pauses for a few seconds. “She beats him,
Katie had it wrong. Olivia has aggression issues, not
Ryan. She ties him up and gets all wicked with him. Ryan
even told me that Olivia put him in the hospital once
during an aggressive sex session.”
Lasaro leans forward. “Hot damn. I was going after
the wrong woman.”
I put up my hand to silence him. “I knew it. I told
Katie that she had it all wrong.”
Parker glances over at me. “Yeah, Katie. I think you
should stay up here on the hillside for a while and hide
out just until Ryan goes back home.”
I shrug. “Is he taking Olivia back home with him?”
Parker looks into the fire. “No, he said her life is
here now. I think he is going to go back and forth. Pedro,
you need to steer clear of him. He will tear you apart if he
finds out. He is very strong, athletic type and fights a lot.
He is very smart, he will figure it out. When I spoke with
Katie…”
I lean forward. “You spoke with Katie?”
“Yes, a few times. She would FaceTime her grandpa
twice a day. He would talk to her on his iPad while sitting
at the bar. She told Henry all about you. She is sad, very
sad, Pedro. I think she misses you and is upset. Olivia
yelled at her for screwing with you and she told her to
leave you alone.”
I am confused. “FaceTime?”
Parker laughs. “It is like looking at someone through
a computer screen. You are talking to them live and you
can see them. Ryan setup the Internet in the Cantina. Oh,
so Henry bought Rosalie a tablet computer. All she does
is sit at the bar all day talking to Henry. She talks to Katie
too. Ryan has been doing most of the cooking. It will be
interesting to see what happens when he goes back home.
Olivia has some really strange friends too. They came on
a mega yacht and they are mooring off the beach.”
I look at him. “I want to talk to Katie. I have to
apologize for the way I treated her.”
Parker shakes his head. “I do not think that is a good
idea, Pedro. Her father is not a man you want to mess
with. I know you both love each other. I think you will be
seeing her soon if her grandpa keeps coming down to see
Rosalie. Ryan and Olivia are going to be on the boat
tomorrow afternoon. You should go see Rosalie and see
what she thinks.”
I nod my head. “Yes, I will go down and talk to her
tomorrow. I want to see Katie.”
Paolo shakes his head. “I do not think that is a good
idea, Pedro. I told you she was poison. Sounds like her
mother is too.”
Parker laughs at Paolo. “You won’t be saying she is
poison if it is you Olivia is tying down in her bed.”
Paolo smiles at him. “I see your point. Hum, an
aggressive lover, huh?”
I shake my head. “You guys worry me. So Olivia is
happy then. I could tell she was not over her husband.”
Parker laughs. “I am not sure. She gets upset when he
becomes overprotective. He was sure nasty with Marcus
and me in the beginning. Then she beat him that night of
my birthday outing. I felt pretty bad for him. She
punched him and his lip was swollen. He had rope burns
on his ankles and wrists. He was in pretty rough shape,
emotionally too. He threatened me to stay away from
Olivia. He knew what we had done together, she told
him. I was shocked that he did not go after me. I think he
was more afraid of one of her beatings again.”
Lasaro shakes his head. “I do not know if I would like
a woman hitting me. I guess he is a man for just taking it
and not hurting her back.”
I nod. “I agree. Katie gets nasty too. Her mouth is
horrible. I was glad Ramón was not home to hear the
things that she said to me. You can just imagine my
shock.”
Lasaro smiles. “Yes, I do not have to imagine.
Remember I was there watching Katie and her friend. I
heard her loud and clear with that dirty mouth of hers.
She is a screamer too.”
Parker looks at him confused.
I smile. “He was watching the girls make out on the
deck of Olivia’s house. He claims it was hot watching two
girls.”
Parker smiles back. “Oh, it is, Pedro. Every man’s
dream to watch, but it would be even better to have the
two in your bed with you.”
We all laugh as I listen to the guys trading sex stories.
This is the first time I ever heard my brothers talk this
way with Parker and me. Maybe I am naïve with my
expectations of women.

The following morning I get up early to start working
out in the fields. I know I am going to leave for a few
hours to go talk with Rosalie. I do not want to get too far
behind or make my brothers upset with me. I watch the
time as I am getting anxious. Rosalie might let me talk to
Katie. My brother nods me off to leave. I am so excited
as I race down the hillside to the Cantina. I pull up and
stay in my truck. I take in my surrounding first to make
sure the coast is clear. Rosalie walks to the steps, holding
out a beer for me. I jump out of the truck dashing over to
her.

She smiles at me. “Good boy, Pedro. I take it that you
know about Ryan then.”
“Yes, Parker told me to stay clear of him.” I followed
her back to the bar and I take a seat.
She smiles over at me, shaking her head. “You are a
love sick puppy. Do you know that, Pedro?”
I nod and tilt my head. “How come you did not tell
me about you and my father?”
“Pedro, it was never a secret. Everyone knew about us.
How could you not have seen it?”
I shrug. “I didn’t I guess. Parker told me you have a
new man. Katie’s grandpa.”
She laughs. “Yes, his name is Henry. He is very smart
and powerful. I like my men like that.” She laughs again.
I muster up the question, “Can I talk to Katie?”
“No, I do not think so. She is at school trying to
concentrate. She is having a hard time getting over you.
Olivia is furious with you both.”
“I did not mean to be so cruel to her. She scared me.”
“Katie has already asked to come back here. Henry
told her no, since it is not a good time with Ryan and
Olivia still working out their issues. Olivia still has some
more work to do with Ryan. Last thing she needs is
having Ryan losing his temper about her letting his
daughter run around with a farm boy. Once Ryan gets
over his next hurdle really soon, then we will start
working on getting Katie down here. She will have to
break it to her father that she is in love with you.”
I smile really wide at Rosalie’s words. “She is in love
with me?”
“Yes, Pedro! Does that surprise you?”
I raise my eyebrows. “Yes it does. I treated her
harshly. I pushed her away. She is so young and crazy.”
Rosalie frowns. “Yes she is, Pedro. She will mature,
not sure if the craziness with ever go away now since I
fully know her family and exactly who Olivia is away from
here. Katie has been through a lot with her brother’s
death and her parents’ lack of communication skills. They
will get there. You will get there. Just be patient, Pedro.”
I take a drink of my beer and put it down on the bar.
“When you talk to her again could you please tell her that
I am sorry and miss her greatly?”
Rosalie smiles. “Is that all, Pedro?”
“No, that is not all. Please tell her that I love her too. I
will get a passport to come and see her when school lets
out for her.”
Rosalie smiles. “How is planting going?”
I look over at the clock. “Good. I have to be getting
back. I will see you soon, about another week.”
Rosalie puts her hand up. “Okay, but remember when
Ryan is around to keep your mouth shut about Katie.”
I nod as I run off to my truck.