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’t wait to get home and type Armando’s name into a search box.
     
     

* * * * *
    She ’s getting married?” Armando grabbed his jacket. He held his phone to his ear, ready to run to the exit. “To whom?”
    “ What? ” Victor asked. “ Is it the same girl? The one you were engaged to? I was too preoccupied to recognize her name at first. ”
    Armando pressed his lips together tightly, suppressing his sudden urge to scream. He also waved goodbye to his associates, trying not to make it obvious that he was suddenly leaving for reasons he wouldn ’t explain. It was the biggest Lakers basketball game of the season, and he was there entertaining a room full of clients in a private suite. Just another day at work for Armando. But after the news he just heard, work would have to take a backseat for a while. “Yeah. It’s her.”
    “ You sound a little frantic. Are you okay? ”
    “ Did she mention me?” Armando’s pace increased to a light jog outside the suite as he headed to his car.
    “ I already told you. She knew who I was, immediately. Asked if I was your brother. ”
    “ That’s all she said?”
    “ She said to tell you ‘hi. ’” Victor chuckled. “ So...you gonna tell me why it’s such a big deal to you, now? After all this time? ”
    “ Do you know who she’s marrying?”
    “ No . Oh wait. He’s a lawyer. I know that much. I don’t remember what else she said .”
    Armando sighed. “Okay. You said she’s working at Cortez Inn? Where’s that?”
    “ It’s on the Riverwalk. Nice place .”
    “ Why don’t you propose to Cara at a nice spot somewhere on the ranch? Seems a lot more personal than a restaurant.”
    “ She’ll suspect that, and I wanna surprise her. Besides, she’s a city girl. I don’t think she likes walking around in the country all that much. ”
    “ And Katie’s helping you get the room set up? What, like flowers and candles or something?”
    “ We’ll have a private deck overlooking the river at sunset. Just us. Katie’s an event coordinator, I think. She’ll make sure everything’s set up just right. Music, food. Flowers. You want me to tell her you said hi? ”
    “ No!” Armando cleared his throat. “I mean, no. Please. Don’t say a word about me, okay?”
    “ Uh...okay. Are you running? Sounds like you’re breathing hard. ”
    “ Yeah. Hey, can I call you back tomorrow?”
    “ Of course. ”
    “ And remember what I said. Don’t breathe a word about me to Katie.”
    “ I already told her you live in Los Angeles and— ”
    “ That’s fine. Just don’t tell her we spoke. Talk to you soon . ” Armando hung up and put his phone in his pocket. As much as he wanted to talk to his older brother, he was already too distracted with the task at hand. First, he’d have to rearrange some meetings, or maybe hold them all via teleconference.
    Two, he had to book a private jet.
    And three, he’d have to figure out what exactly to do about Katie McCormack.
     
     

Chapter 4
     
     
     
     
    Victor chuckled and walked into the the house, hearing silence on the other end of the phone after Armando abruptly hung up.
    Armando was always the most introspective of the three brothers ...and the most secretive. Katie McCormack was obviously still very special to Armando. Victor had never heard him react that way about a woman before.
    He walked past the room where Isaac lay sound asleep. A big smile spread across Victor ’s face. The boy was usually awake until at least eight o’clock, but today was their second day at the ranch, and Ramon let Isaac wear himself out with small, routine chores. And even though Isaac was exhausted by the time it was over, he told Victor and Cara at dinner that he’s a cowboy now. And tomorrow he needs to wear the right hat.
    Just as Victor was about to ascend the stairs where the lovely Cara awaited him, he heard Ramon typing at the end of the hall. So he walked down to his brother ’s office for a little talk, stopping just