Read Online Mendoza's Return by Susan Crosby - Free Book Online

he?”
    â€œHe’s eighty-six and in pretty good shape, actually. He’s just stubborn. And I don’t think he has the desire. He says he’d rather join Grandma Rose in heaven.”
    The mention of Rose’s name stopped the conversation cold.
    â€œThanks for giving my dad advice last night,” he said, changing the subject. “He finally talked to me about Mom.”
    â€œI’m so glad. Your parents weren’t just married, they worked together. That’s a double loss and a constant sorrow. The last time I saw him was a couple of months ago, and he didn’t look well to me, but he seemed better last night. I’m guessing it’s because of you.”
    â€œThank you for saying that.” He picked up a taquito and scooped some guacamole onto it. “I saw him wasting away, too. It about killed me.”
    â€œWell, he seems to have a purpose now, which always helps.”
    â€œI invited him to move in with me, but he hasn’t agreed.”
    â€œGive him time.” She took her first bite of food. “Oh, man. Best. Chile. Relleno. Ever.”
    He caught glimpses of her as they ate without carrying on much conversation. He’d forgotten how much he liked just watching her, how gracefully she moved, how her blond hair fell over her shoulders, leaving a curl over her breast. She wore her Wranglers like a second skin, and her deep turquoise shirt turned her eyes the same color.
    For several years he’d been mingling in circles where the women wore a lot of black, whether dressed casual or elegant—edgy, sometimes fascinating women who were smart about business and capable of creating software to change the world.
    Melina seemed mostly interested in changing the life of one boy.
    As his father had noted, she didn’t even know how beautiful she was, how wholesomely sexy.
    â€œAre you okay?” she asked, looking uncomfortable at his long silence.
    â€œSorry. Just enjoying the food.” And the view. “Marcos says hi, by the way.” Rafe opened a foil packet containing one slice of cake and slid it toward her. “Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t tell him. Apparently we are the subject of speculation from having talked at the wedding and, as of tonight, from someone seeing me come here. Marcos guessed that we were having dinner together.”
    â€œI shouldn’t be surprised. As much as Red Rock has grown, it’s still a small town.”
    â€œParticularly when your families have been here for so long.”
    â€œWhich can be both good and bad.” She took a bite of cake, closed her eyes and savored it. “So,” she said after a long exhale of satisfaction. “Give me the details about what happened with Beau, please.”
    â€œBandero rule number one—I’m to be Elliot’s coach at every practice and game.”
    â€œEvery one? That’s a big commitment.”
    â€œRules are rules, as Beau says. Rule number two is that the same applies to you.”
    She sat back, looking perplexed. “I understand about being there for the practices, but why do I have to attend all the games? By then parents can be in the stands.”
    â€œBut not in the dugout.”
    â€œWhat?” She was stunned. “I’m supposed to sit in no-woman’s land?”
    â€œAmazing, huh?” Rafe had been just as surprised as Melina. “Rule number three—toughest one—if Beau doesn’t think Elliot is ready when the season opens, he will have to leave the team.”
    â€œNo.” Shaking her head, she put her fork down. “Rafe, that would be worse than denying him from the beginning. To work with him and get his hopes up then destroy them? No way. Absolutely not.”
    â€œThere’s no choice, Mel. And I plan on having Elliot ready to play, even if we have to practice every day. I’ve got enough family to get some scrimmage games going, give him some team