Tangled: A Moreno Brothers novella by Elizabeth Reyes Read Free Book Online Page A

her kids and prance around
her husband. But now she may not have to admit how right Romero had been.
    There was no doubt about it anymore. Commuting back and forth
from the kids’ school every morning to the university and back again while
still maintaining a house was hell . Especially because Isabel hated a
messy and disorganized home.
    She was still very grateful for the opportunity Elliot had given
her, but as soon as she got the confirmation she needed, she’d be letting him
know she wouldn’t be back after Christmas break. With another child on the way,
Romero would be happy to know she likely wouldn’t be going back to work now for
at least another five years. There was no way she was going to keep up with
everything she was doing now and deal with another baby. That would only
sweeten his Christmas gift, and even as she and Valerie sat there waiting
anxiously, they excitedly discussed the options on how to surprise Romero with
the news.
    “Oh my God, Isabel, he’s going to die.” Valerie touched Isabel’s
arm. “Don’t tell him I told you, but he really hates you working with
that professor. Alex said he’s a complete grump ass when the subject ever comes
up, so, of course, Alex makes sure to bring it up often.”
    Isabel rolled her eyes but laughed with Valerie. As if she didn’t
already know this. Romero had come a long way since she first met him when it
came to his explosive temper about a lot of things, but when it came to
anything like this, he still had a hell of a time trying to control it. Though
she wondered how hard he actually tried when it came to things of this nature,
because he was still very blatant about it.
    “You really think I hadn’t noticed?” She laughed. “I knew before
I even started working, so from the very beginning I’ve done my best not to say
anything I know will only irritate him more. But you know Romero. You can’t win
with him when it comes to this stuff. Right from the start I tried to keep anything
I did or discussed with Elliot to a minimum. I’d only been working for about a
week, and one night while we were having dinner, I was telling him about my day
at work. I noticed him getting tense, so I made the mistake of saying, ‘But you
don’t wanna hear about everything we talk about.’ Then I asked him how his day
was. Instantly,” Isabel said, snapping her finger, “that brow was up and he
asked why.” Isabel raised her own brow to imitate her sexy husband’s glare and
then his hardened tone. “Is it gonna piss me off?”
    Valerie laughed. “God, he sounds just like Alex. I don’t know
where Alex gets off making fun of Romero. He’s hated every single guy I’ve ever
worked with.”
    Isabel laughed then stood up to walk over to the counter where
the pregnancy test was. She still hadn’t told anyone about that conversation
she’d had with Elliot the day Manny had to pick them up. He hadn’t said
anything remotely inappropriate again, and she’d since decided she’d overreacted.
She turned to grin at Valerie as soon as she saw the result.
    “Positive?” Valerie practically squealed.
    Isabel nodded, feeling giddy herself. Within seconds, she and
Valerie were hugging and squealing like two crazy people.
    “Congrats, momma,” Valerie said, squeezing her tightly, then
pulled away. “Welcome to the insanity of my world of lots of crazy kids running
around.”
    Isabel felt choked up suddenly. She felt bad now that she was
this thrilled about something she should’ve just agreed to long ago. Romero had
been saying they should have another baby for years now, and she’d stubbornly
refused. How in the world was she going to keep this from him for a few more
weeks?
    Alex walked in the front door. “The girls left their bikes in the
driveway again.” He stopped when he saw Valerie holding her hand to her mouth,
looking ready to burst. “What?”
    Valerie and Isabel exchanged glances. Her best friend’s eyes
pleaded, and Isabel knew that, like her,