Must Wait Read Free Page B

the
details of the town and the school. She turns her head to
me. “What do you do, Pedro?”
I smile after clearing my throat. “I grow coffee beans.
I have my own farm and I also have a son. Maybe he is in
one of your classes, Ramón?”
She nods laughing. “That is your boy?”
I look into her eyes, trying to search what she meant.
“Um, yes, is he being bad again?”
She laughs. “Honey, you do not know what bad is.
No, your son is extremely sweet and has perfect manners.
You and your wife have done a great job raising him.”
I am at a loss of words. “Sorry. He does not have a
mother raising him. She died giving birth to him.”
Olivia places her hand over mine. I feel this odd
warmth from her. I can’t figure it out. “I am very sorry,
Pedro. I can see that you are still hurting all these years
later. I know this all too well. The pain will never go
away.”
I stare down at her to see that she has pain in her eyes
as well. “Olivia, have you lost someone too?”
She nods. “I lost my son. He died in an accident back
in June. Very difficult time, but that is why I am here—to
start fresh.”
I shake my head looking over at Parker who was
listening to her as well.
Parker leans in to her. “I am very sorry for your loss.
You will love it here.” He pauses for a minute. “I am
hungry. Let’s order some snacks.”
She nods. “Yes please, I think the drinks are starting to
get to me.”
Parker glances over at me with a wicked grin across his
face. I look down at Olivia with a feeling of sorrow. She
left her home to get away from her pain. I wonder who
else she has left behind.
    Parker reaches across the bar to pull over a plate.
Olivia moves back to get out of his way. She reaches out
gripping my bicep to brace herself. She glances up at me
to apologize. “I am very sorry, Pedro. I felt like I was
going to fall backwards as Parker was getting the plates.”
    I stare at her face, seeing a woman who is hurting. I
want to ask her more questions regarding her family if
there is any family. She moves forward away from me. I
decide to go with my questioning since I am very
intrigued by her. “Do you have other family?”
    She glances up to my eyes. “Very odd, Pedro, with
those eyes. Who did you inherit those green eyes from?”
I scowl down at her not understanding why she is
asking me. Her mouth falls open as she stares up at me. I
decide to answer her question, “My grandmother was
Scottish, so I assume from her. Why do you ask?”
She shrugs. “I was just wondering. You remind me of
my husband when he was young. My son too. Same build
with the dark features and he has green eyes as well.”
Parker leans in to her. “Husband? You are married.”
She smiles. “Yes, but I do not know for how much
longer.” She looks over at the clock on the wall. “I should
get going home while it is still light outside. I have to walk
my dogs before it gets dark. Parker, please, when you see
your friend, please send him my way for those repairs.”
Parker nods. “Which house did you move in to?”
She glances behind her. “That road there. Go up about
2 miles, then make a right across the hillside for ½ a
mile.”
I smile. “The house with the glass doors overlooking
the hillside?”
She nods. “Yes, you know of it?”
I start laughing. “This is a very small village. Everyone
knows about everything around here. That was my
grandmother’s house, the one who is from Scotland. She
came here as a nurse and met my grandfather. She came
from money and I think she poured a lot of it into my
grandfather’s farm to make it more profitable. Now me
and my other two brothers run all that land that she
invested her money in. How funny is it that you bought
her house?”
She looks at me oddly. “The realtor said it was a
vacation home?”
I nod my head. “Yes, the owners after grandma. They
fixed it up and modernized it.”
She starts laughing. “Modernized it, sure. Maybe for
1970s. I will work on it. I am still