Chapter 24: Chapter 24

For the second time in as many days Natalia asked herself “What the hell am I doing here?”

It wasn’t too late to run away this time. Nobody knew she was driving a blue Focus and if she could make it to her car before anyone answered the door she could spare herself from making a dreadful mistake.

She turned around, all set to do an all out sprint to the car when she heard the lock turn.

“Damnit,” she cursed and spun around just as the door swung open to reveal a beautiful middle aged woman with warm eyes the same ethereal blue as Brad’s.

She cracked her lips into a tentative smile. “H—hi. Um, my name

is—”

“Oh my. Oh my. Please come in. Oh my. This is quite a surprise,” the woman babbled as she seized Natalia’s arm and practically dragged

her inside. The woman fanned herself as if she was having a hot flash. “I cannot believe the Natalia Cruz is in my home. Martha is going to have a fit when I tell her. Come in, dear. Do you want anything, tea, coffee,

food.”

Natalia’s mouth fell open as she allowed herself to be dragged along behind Brad’s mother into the kitchen. She hadn’t really thought of the reception she would receive, but she certainly hadn’t been expecting this. Natalia found herself being plopped down into a chair as the woman fussed for about thirty seconds on what to serve her. When she finally paused to take a breath, Natalia cut in.

“Mrs. Wellington, that is very kind of you. But I don’t want anything to eat or drink. I’m just here to speak to Brad.”

The woman smiled warmly as she smacked the heel of her hand against her forehead. “Oh yes, of course. The reunion. I forgot you and Brad were in the same class.” She sucked her teeth and pouted and Natalia fought hard not to laugh. “And here I thought Oprah was granting me a wish or something.”

This time Natalia did laugh as she instantly relaxed in the presence of the endearing woman. She shook her head then. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mrs. Wellington. But, nope, no Oprah, just me,” she smiled as she lifted her shoulders.

The woman chuckled, waving her hand in the air. “Please, call me Barbara. And are you sure I can’t get you anything? The boys went off to play a round of golf with their father this morning. They should be home any minute. You are welcome to stay and have lunch with us.”

Barbara seemed earnest enough, but she shook her head. Brad would not appreciate being forced to share a meal with her, especially after last night. “Again, thank you, but I can’t stay. I just wanted to speak with Brad before I left.” She stood to her feet. “Can you please tell him I said good-bye?”

“You can tell me yourself.”

Natalia twisted around at the sound of the deep, husky voice that sent chills down her spine. Her stomach plummeted to her feet when her eyes clashed with his. There was a wealth of emotion in his gaze. Most of

it was anger, but there was also something else there too. Goosebumps broke out all across her skin as she tried to put her finger on the other emotion that lingered in his haunting blue eyes.

She cleared her throat as she gave her head a subtle shake, trying to focus her now jumbled thoughts. “B—brad. Hi. I was just telling your mother—”

He stepped inside and crossed the room to open the refrigerator. “That you were leaving. I thought you would be here for another day.”

“I will, but I didn’t think I would see you before I left so I asked her if she could tell you good-bye.”

He poured himself a glass of orange juice, not bothering to meet her gaze. “I heard that already. Is that all you came here to tell me?” He lifted the glass to his lips at the same time he fixed his penetrating stare on her.

Damn, why did he have to make this hard for her? He knew she owed him an apology and he was determined to drag it out of her—she glanced at Barbara—in front of an audience no less.

“No, I also came to a—”

“Hey, mom—whoaaaa, we have company,” Brian Wellington said as he barreled into the kitchen. With the exception of his dark hair, which she knew he got from his father, Brad’s older brother looked pretty much just like him with his classic good looks, adorable dimples, and piercing blue eyes.

He stood rooted in his spot, peering down at her, so she smiled warmly and stuck out her hand. “Hi, I’m Natalia Cruz—”

“Oh, shit—”

“Brian!”

He ducked his head. “Sorry, mom, but she’s that famous singer— the girl Brad used to like.”

‘Brian!”

Brad’s older brother shrugged, a mischievous grin lighting up his handsome face, when both Brad and his mother called his name simultaneously. “It’s true. Did my brother tell you he used to talk non- stop about how talented you were back in school? Couldn’t shut up. And now—”

“Natalia and I need to talk—alone. Excuse us.” Brad blurted out as

he seized her wrist. And before she could utter a protest she found herself being tugged outside through the kitchen entrance that led to a huge tennis court.

Brad seemed determined to put as much distance between them and his brother as he walked to the other end of the court. He didn’t stop until they were well hidden behind the large palm tree that blocked the view from the house.

“Sorry about my brother. He can be a little obnoxious.”

“He wasn’t obnoxious at all.” She grinned playfully. “I didn’t know you used to rave about me—“ She giggled before lifting her hands in mock surrender at the withering look in his eyes. “Okay, okay. I was just

joking.” She sobered then when she remembered why she was there in the first place. “Besides, I didn’t come here to tease you. I came here to apologize.”

“Go on,” he said as he folded his arms across his broad chest and waited for her to finish.

She blew out a long breath as she went over the apology she’d rehearsed in her bathroom mirror earlier. “I consider you a friend, Brad, and at one point you were my friend when no one else was. You have never once been unkind to me, so I hope you can forgive me for what I said last night. I had no right to criticize the decisions you made. From what I hear you’re a damn good surgeon and—”

“A damn good architect, but you didn’t know that did you?”

Her brows knitted together as she frowned. “What are you talking about?”

A smug smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “If you come back inside I’ll show you. Oh, and you might as well stay for lunch. It’s going to take you that long to finish eating your humble pie.”

*

“Ugh, I’m an idiot,” Natalia groaned as she closed her eyes. “You said it not me. Would you like for me to show you another

award? If you give me a second I can autograph one of my designs.” She glowered at him. “Are you done gloating?”

“Almost.” He smirked.

She rolled her eyes before she returned her gaze to one of Brad’s bedroom walls that was entirely dedicated to his accomplishments as an architect. Again, she berated herself for having diarrhea of the mouth. Brad had managed to not only live up to his parents’ expectations but had also pursued his own passion of creating beautiful works of art. He’d double majored in pre-med and architectural design in college and then earned a Master’s in architecture while attending med school. He’d gone

on to design several buildings. Including the building that now housed his practice which he owned with his brother, as well as the surgical wing at the hospital where he’d completed his residency.

Natalia felt like three times the fool. She’d been forced to sit through lunch while Brad baited her until they finished the meal, and then he’d shown her why indeed she would be eating humble pie for a long time.

She turned from the wall to face him, surprised that he was only inches away from her. When had he gotten so close? Instantly her body became aware of him and she struggled to mask her physical response to him. She wanted Brad to know that she had changed, that she wasn’t the same over eager teenage girl who seemed like she was always in heat, but if she didn’t get her body under control she knew there would be no hiding the fact that his nearness was causing her internal thermometer to rise.