C8 Pride Be Damned

Gabriel was in a rotten mood. He sat on a cushioned chair inside his father’s suite, silent, brooding, and glaring at a blank spot on the floor.

He was confused. He was more than confused. He was befuddled, mystified, knocked out of his wits. What had just happened? One minute he was sane, confident, in full control of all his faculties. The next minute he was reduced to a jumble of nerves, fumbling like an idiot.

Hurry back. Hurry back?

Why in blazes did he even say that? What made him say something so pathetic, something only a lovesick puppy would utter? He felt foolish, uninitiated, juvenile!

And all because of a pair of mesmerizing, hazel eyes, and a soft, enticing body accidentally slamming into him. The soft curves of her breasts had been imprinted into his body, her sweet, enchanting scent which still lingered on his shirt, made him wish he’d pulled her closer to him instead of letting go when she squirmed.

Gabriel couldn’t tell how he immediately recognized her. Years had passed since he’d last seen her, and she was barely a child back then. But the moment he looked down and gazed into those hazel eyes, he instantly knew the beguiling enchantress he held in his arms was no other than his betrothed.

Her eyes!

God, he almost kissed her right then and there just looking at those glowing orbs.

He raked his hands through his hair, frustrated by his ineptness. He shouldn’t have let her leave, should’ve gone with her when she did. He grunted as he pondered at the lost moment he could’ve shared with her. He was still berating himself for his foolishness when the door to the suite slowly opened.

His body tensed, all his senses prickling, and going into overdrive. He slumped back into his seat when the nurse entered.

What’s taking her so long?

He almost laughed at that. He couldn’t believe he was actually waiting for her, for Louisa, his betrothed.

Betrothed. He hated the word for years. Now, it no longer sounded so appalling. Not after seeing how she had turned out. He was actually surprised when he saw her. Pleasantly surprised.

He knew she would grow into a lovely young woman. She had always been pretty. Although, after seeing her again today, ‘pretty’ seemed too inadequate a word to describe her. She was breathtakingly beautiful!

Her cheeks had lost the pudginess of youth, replaced by a set of elegant cheekbones. Her chin remained adorably rounded yet without the characteristic stubbornness, it used to have. Her hair, now a darker auburn shade, highlighted the translucence of her flawless skin. But her best features were her almond-shaped eyes, which burned bright with a unique combination of intelligence and childlike wonder. A man could lose himself in those depths and make him profess undying devotion to the bearer.

Gabriel closed his eyes. What was wrong with him? Had he forgotten she was a shrew? Had he forgotten how she used to enjoy embarrassing him in front of everyone by contradicting his every word? How she constantly antagonized him? How she stole her brothers from him, wrapping them around her little finger, making them her allies? How she made him the odd-man-out?

A low growl escaped his throat as he raked his hands through his hair again, messing it up even more.

Besides, beautiful or not, she was nonetheless chosen for him. He did not choose her to be his wife. She was the embodiment of what he’d been fighting against all these years – his loss of control over his fate. He had not anticipated the wealth of emotions she aroused in him with just one accidental encounter. And it lasted for only a few minutes, not really long enough to base a decision that would impact the rest of their lives.

And yet...

Gabriel glanced at his watch. Half an hour since she’d left to get whatever it was she was going to get.

God, I can’t believe I’m really waiting for her!

Exasperated with himself, Gabriel heaved his overwrought body off the chair and decided to join his mother and Don Ramon at the small dining table where they were having coffee. He wasn’t dying to grill the older man about his daughter. He just wanted some coffee.

Pulling up a chair, Gabriel sat across Louisa’s father. He poured himself a cup and listened with growing impatience to his mother’s recitation of his father’s entire list of medications. Itching to get a word in, Gabriel drummed his fingers on the table, a habit the Montoya men shared his mother easily recognized. As predicted, his mother turned her attention to him.

“Why, Gabriel! Have you greeted your Tío Ramon yet?” she asked, pouring more coffee into Ramon’s cup.

“Not really. You two were already deep in conversation when I came in.”

“It’s okay, hijo. So, Gabriel, how are you doing? When did you get back from the UK?” Don Ramon asked, his eyes warm and friendly.

“Just the other day. My flight was uneventful,” Gabriel answered, smiling benignly at his betrothed’s father, consciously restraining himself from bombarding the man with a barrage of questions.

“Hope you’ve gotten over your jet lag,” Ramon nodded, sipping his coffee.

“I saw Louisa.” One sentence.

And a whole world of meaning behind it.

His mother glanced at Don Ramon, a silent message passing between the two friends. They both knew of Gabriel’s thoughts about the betrothal. After giving Don Ramon an almost imperceptible nod, his mother rose and excused herself, mumbling about calling home or something. Gabriel couldn’t tell; he really wasn’t listening. He was too busy trying to gather his jumbled thoughts.

“Well, how was it? I mean I’m glad you recognized her, it’s been so long since you’ve seen each other.” Ramon said, his eyes never leaving Gabriel’s face.

“Yes, it’s been quite some time. I must say, I was quite surprised,” Gabriel almost winced as soon as the word ‘surprised’ left his lips.

Surprised? What an asinine word! More like ‘shocked to the core’, ‘blown away’ or ‘struck speechless’, even.

But, of course, he could not tell Louisa’s father the truth. It would necessitate an explanation, and as of now, he could think of none. Not an acceptable and proper one, anyway.

Tío Ramon was speaking, but he could not make out the words. His mind seemed to get paralyzed whenever he thought about his earlier encounter with Louisa.

It wasn’t just about her turning into a virtual goddess; which was really not that earth-shattering considering she was beautiful even as a little girl. It was because of something more. Something she made him feel, something that went beyond the physical, something he thought was not possible.

Because when he held her, it felt right. Like she belonged there.

And when he looked into her eyes, he saw a future. His future with her.

For the first time since learning of his betrothal to Louisa, he didn’t want to rant and rave about the unfairness of it. For the first time in fifteen years, Gabriel couldn’t think of a reason to not honor it.

“Gabriel?”

He looked up to find Louisa’s father looking at him with lifted brows. Tío Ramon had apparently asked him a question and was waiting for an answer.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t get that. What were you saying, Tío?”

Before Ramon could reply, a soft knock on the door caught their attention. Gabriel’s mother opened it to admit a short, plump woman carrying a basket of fruits that looked humongous in her arms. Following closely behind was Louisa, chatting amicably with Angelo, her eyes bright and sparkling with genuine humor. Gabriel straightened in his chair, his body tensing for what, he could not tell. Just then, Louisa turned to him and smiled.

And the world stopped. Gabriel’s heart stopped.

It was then he decided, come hell or high water, he would marry Louisa Almendrez.

His own pride be damned.