Falling for my nemesis

The ghost is back in love valley

I was glad the wedding party was over; I finally got to have a long sleep and spend time with my daughter without worrying about seeing Dre again. Now that the wedding was over,he was bound to head back to New York and his shiny life along with his fiancee. It hurts me that he moved on so quickly, as if his life never ended. It was the painful truth I had to accept. Only my life was put on hold when Andrea was born; Dre's life never ended. He would get married to his beautiful Spanish fiancée like he planned. I thought about Dylan's plan to get back at him, and I wondered what use it would be. I was the one who got hurt, and it would always remain that way. I looked across the street from my bedroom window; I was looking at the Hidalgo mansion. The windows had their shutters down as always, and I couldn't see beyond them. I found myself wondering if he was still in there and what he was doing. I also wondered if Querida was there with him and if he was kissing her just as he used to kiss me in that same room. I jerked myself out of my silly thoughts.

I gave myself a cold shower and headed down for breakfast. I planned to spend the day at the gallery,making up for the time I lost during the wedding. Perhaps when I drowned myself in work, I would not remember that Dre Hidalgo dared to show his hand in Love Valley.

"Good morning. Morning dad." I said that when I got downstairs.

"Mommy!" Andrea yelped as she wrapped her tiny arms around my neck. I nuzzled her neck; she smelled of baby powder. She was an exact copy of my younger self, with the same head of full brown curls and milky skin, but Andrea didn't have my brown eyes; hers were as blue as the summer sky,just like those of the man who should have been her father if he hadn't denied her.

"Hey,sweetie. How are you?"

"Super! I helped grandma water her flowers this morning!"

"That's great. Aren't you the sweetest girl?" I said, sitting down at my place at the table. Breakfast was already laid out, and I poured syrup over a pancake and stuffed my mouth with a fork full. That was when I noticed my parents' gloomy mood.

"Andre is back in town." My father, Parson Jack O'Connor, said grimly, stabbing his bacon with his fork. He was the pastor at the local church, and although he was cool, he was a strict father who had gotten even tougher in the last six years.

"Yeah, I know. He should be gone by now." I said it uneasily. I didn't want to have this conversation with Andrea.

"He isn't going away,honey. Mrs. Smith told me he would be staying because he's on vacation." My mom replied from behind the cooker, where she was flipping pancakes. My heart began another funny dance, and my palms became so sweaty that my fork slipped out of them.

"You know what this means,Alexa. We can't afford any more scandals. We've been through enough as a family on his account." Mom said,coming to sit at the dining table. She had worry lines etched on her face.

"I didn't ask him to return,mom. I don't see how that is my fault." I was exasperated.

"No one said it was your fault, honey, but we all know what he's put you through and how much we've worked to bring you this far."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"What your mother is trying to say is that we do not want to see you anywhere close to that boy. I would get a restraining order if I had to. I am sure the Hidalgos won't want that either." My father cut in. I looked from my mother's face,reddened from the morning's sun,her brown hair tousled, and her apron a bit rumpled, to my father's serious one, and I was tempted to scream in rage, but I kept calm for my daughter.

"None of you would have to worry about that." Dan's voice cut through the uneasy silence that had engulfed us all. He stopped briefly by the door to shake hay out of his wide-brimmed farmer's hat. I was very close to snapping at everyone.

"You won't have to worry because I have cleaned my hunting g*n and I have loaded it too. I am waiting for him to show his face here so I can shoot him and finally send him to hell, where he belongs."

"Can you all please stop this? Please ?" I said it quietly. I would shout, but that would startle my baby. Everyone fell silent and stared at me. My mom opened her mouth to say something else but shut it when she saw my face. I guess it was ugly.

"Come on, baby. Let's go." I said,pulling Andrea out of her chair.

Being in my flower shop with beautiful flowers and wonderful fragrance had a way of making me feel better, so this morning I was happy to be here. I arranged the vases carefully on the shelves.

"Help mommy wipe down that table there,would you, honey?" I said this to my daughter, handing a small towel over to her. She happily took it and set about her task. I was tending to the red roses when the glass door opened and Dylan walked in with a parcel in his hands and a smile on his face.

"I hear my favorite toddler is around today." He said. Andrea ran up to him, and he crushed her small body against his in a bear hug.

"Uncle Dylan, is that for me?" She was tugging at the parcel. Dylan gave it to her. I stood by the corner, watching the both of them with a contented smile.

"I would never visit you without a present,angel." He said. She ran off with the parcel, and I was sure the silver wrapping wouldn't make it. Dylan turned to me and kissed me on the cheek.

"No one would babysit for me today, so I brought her along."

"You should bring her here more often. She has a green thumb too." He said. A short period of silence passed between us. I knew what he was about to say.

"I am not sure about this,Dylan." I said.

"You know I would never stop asking, nor would I stop waiting for you."

"Andrea…"

"I want her too. She could be mine too."

"Oh Dylan…"

"What about our plan to make Dre jealous?"

"It isn't worth it. I thought about it. I should accept that I was a fool and move on."

The screen door opened again, and we both turned at the same time to see the intruder. Andre Hidalgo was standing in my shop, and I didn't hesitate to notice that he was alone. I couldn't help but notice the tension between both men as they stared each other down.

"Interrupting something here?" Dre said,his voice as rich as the last time. I noticed how close I was standing to Dylan, and I wanted to move away, but he held me back and kissed me on the cheek.

"I'll see you later,darling." Dylan walked away without saying a word to Dre. The door closed behind him again.

"I see you spend a lot of time with your boyfriend." He said. I sized him up; he was more handsome in jeans and casual tees than he had on now. I felt awkward in my baggy jeans and paint-stained tee.

"Why are you here,Dre?"

"I needed to pick some flowers for Querida. I came to the best florist shop in Love Valley."

"Why, thank you. What's your preference?" I asked,walking away from him and towards the carefully arranged shelves. I didn't want to be so close to Dr.

"You." Came the single reply.

"Excuse me?" I spun so quickly that I lost my footing. He caught me before I fell; I was in his arms before I knew it, and it felt just like six years ago. In a moment,my anger was so small I couldn't see it. I leaned against his hard chest, and with my ear pressed against his chest, I could hear the steady beating of his heart. He didn't push me away, either.

"You're my preference; I would like to have you,Lexie. I want you so badly that I could take you here." He said,stroking my hair. I didn't speak; I didn't want to break the magic.

"What about your beautiful fiancee?"

"Forget about her; right now,it is you and I."

"Dre,"

"Yes, Lexie,"

"Did you think about me these past six years?"

"Everyday Mi amor. I thought about you every day until living became a curse."

"Then why did you leave? Why didn't you stay back with me? Why is that woman here with you?" I didn't know I was crying until I felt his fingers against my cheek as he wiped my tears. I sank deeper into his embrace. I didn't remember when I last allowed myself to cry in a man's arms.

"I had to, Lexie. I wish I could explain, but I can't." He raised my cheek until I was looking him in the eyes. Drawn in by those blue pools I could only see in Andrea's face, I wanted him to kiss me, so I leaned in for it.

"Mommy!" Andrea's voice broke the spell. I turned around to see her waving a new toy at me, but she stopped when she saw the stranger. I jumped out of Dre's arms as though I had stepped on embers.

"Mommy?" Dre repeated,staring at me with wide eyes.

"You have a child?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?"