Page 63 of Unsure in Love

I looked up, wondering who Barry was. Apparently, it wasn’t someone Damian liked because his fingers flexed on my thigh and he pulled in a deep breath. When he noticed me looking at him inquiringly, he explained, “Barry is Aunt Lucia’s latest fiancé.”

“Latest?” I blurted.

“Yes.” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “The most recent in a line of many.” He sent his aunt a pointed look.

Lucia scoffed. “Don’t listen to him, Cassandra. There has only been…” Her eyes rolled around. “Four… five… give or take.” She grinned sheepishly.

Laughter bubbled in my chest, and I had to purse my lips to keep it from spilling out.

“Give or take,” Damian grumbled. “So how is Barry?” he asked dispassionately.

Lucia sniffed. “I wouldn't know. The engagement is off.”

Silence ensued, but not for long. I took in Damian’s reaction… or lack of one. He gave nothing away immediately.

“Really? Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine.” Lucia waved a hand.

Damian nodded. As soon as Lucia sighed and looked away, I saw his glee. “Awe, Tía Lucia, that’s… terrible.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at his false sympathy.

“What happened?” he asked.

Lucia sighed again. “I caught him with another woman in London. A younger, leggy blonde,” she added, looking at me. “Barry is seventeen years my junior,” she explained.

I was chomping away on dessert, observing the hilarious way Damian and his aunt interacted. Being brought into the conversation, I said, “Oh… I see.”

“He was also a golddigger,” Damian said with a snarl. “And he cheated on you on the trip I paid for? That asshole.” He turned to his aunt with a hopeful expression. “You want me to find the fucker and rough him up a little?”

“Damian,” Lucia and I chorused.

“What? He’d deserve it.”

“Damian Luis Alvarez, you will do no such thing,” Lucia reprimanded.

The breath he released resonated with disappointment. I gave him a side glance, tempted to smile. He was protective of everyone in his life. I liked that. “Well, at least he’s out of the picture. I told you he was a no-good gold digger, anyway.”

Lucia rolled her eyes. “That’s what you say about all my financés.”

Again, I had to hold back a laugh. The fact that Lucia had financés was amusing. Age didn’t slow her down one bit. She was still wild, exuberant, and fun.

“Because they all were.” Damian sighed, sounding like a man beyond his patience with his aunt’s wild ways. “I wish you’d listen to me.”

“Enough about Barry,” Lucia said. “He’s my past. Jeremy is my future.”

Damian whipped around to stare at Lucia. “Who the hell is Jeremy?”

“My new beau,” she gushed, smoothing her hair. “I met him in London right after the whole Barry debacle. He’s amazing, and only ten years younger this time.”

Damian groaned, picked up his glass of water, and spat out a few words in Spanish before drinking.

“Damian, watch your language, young man.”

The laughter I’d been holding back finally escaped when Damian scowled but grunted out an apology.

Lucia smirked and winked at me.

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