Pat nodded but looked confused and turned to Regina. “Why would you think Bell was insinuating he was using you?” She then turned to Bell even more quizzically, lifting a brow. “What ulterior motives would he have?”

God no! The last person she wanted to be having this conversation was Pat. She tried getting Bell’s attention so she could give her a look that would make her stop. If anyone knew how critical Pat could be, it was Bell. Already she’d questioned Regina a few days prior about Brandon’s rank and if he was planning on moving up or if he was happy where he was.

Over the years and after a lesson well learned with her scumbag ex-husband, Pat had eased up a bit on butting into her siblings affairs, but she could still be quick to judge. Regina was in no mood to hear her take on Brandon allegedly taking advantage of Sofia—no matter how long ago it was. She’d enjoyed riling Pat in the past with Ricardo the beach bum, but this was Brandon. She’d be damned if she would let Pat speak badly of him.

Unfortunately, Bell was too busy slicing pie to catch Regina’s pleading expression. “Regina’s Brandon and Sofie had a thing once upon a time.” Bell said, handing Pat a plate with a slice.

“What Sofie?” Pat took the pie but peered at Regina.

“Alex’s sister,” Bell said, handing Regina a slice.

“It wasn’t a thing,” Regina reminded Bell, knowing full well she was now sounding defensive, but she didn’t care. This entire topic was beyond annoying.

“Wait,” Pat said. “Sofie and Brandon? When? How long ago was this?” She turned to Bell with a frown. “I thought Sofia and Eric were one of those couples that have been together since childhood?”

Once again, the reminder that Brandon had been the only one to tempt Sofia ever, not to mention the fact that he’d refused to stay away from her—even took a beating for her—was not helping Regina’s growing insecurities. She’d now have to deal with seeing them react to one another every time her sister had something where all the Morenos were invited, and that happened a lot. There was no question now that Brandon was an equally significant part of Sofia’s past as she was in his.

Even though this subject had made her lose her appetite, Regina ate quickly. She was so over talking about this that all she wanted to do now was leave.

“This was a long time ago,” Bell explained, “before Sofie and Eric got married. Brandon grew up in the same neighborhood, so she’d known them both just as long.”

Of course Pat pressed on as Regina continued to inhale her slice of pie. “So Eric and Sofie weren’t always together? She was with Brandon before Eric?”

Regina pushed her chair back, unwilling to hear more about Brandon and Sofia’s longtime relationship. It obviously ran far deeper than Brandon had made it sound. She stood up, picking up her coffee cup. “I gotta go.”

Bell looked up at her, instantly apologetic. “Oh, honey, I hope you’re not upset. I didn’t mean to—”

“Upset about what?” Pat asked. “If it was that long ago, what does it matter?”

“It doesn’t,” Regina said, trying to sound as assuring as she could. Then she forced a smile, glancing back at Bell. “And I’m not upset. I just have to go. I didn’t realize how late it was.”

She knew Pat well enough to know she wouldn’t be letting this go. They could talk all they wanted about Brandon and Sofia when she left, but Regina didn’t want to hear another word about it.

The whole way home she replayed everything that had been said. Then she replayed the conversation that had begun to escalate between her and Brandon on their way home from the baptismal party, before they were interrupted by Pat’s call. All week she’d pushed it to the back of her head, slowly convincing herself she didn’t have to continue that conversation ever.

Now she wanted the truth. The whole truth. She believed Brandon when he said he loved her. She felt it in the way he looked at her, held her, and kissed her. But after today’s revelations, she just needed something that would confirm he was completely over Sofia, because now she wasn’t so sure Sofia was over him.

Brandon grew up in the same neighborhood, so she knew them both just as long.

Was it possible Sofia had grown up torn between Brandon and Eric? Could seeing him after all these years have reawakened feelings from the past? Had she actually followed Regina into Bell’s house that day so she could try to find out more about her and Brandon? Shaking her head, Regina decided that was crazy. But she knew herself all too well. This would fester away inside her if she didn’t at the very least finish that conversation she and Brandon had started after the gathering. What had him so worked up that day? There was only one way to find out. She’d ask him.

Chapter Twenty-Two

They still hadn’t talked about downsizing their living arrangements to just one place. There was no rule yet either as to whose place they’d be staying at each week. It just sort of happened. Regina was buying her place while Brandon was leasing, so it was likely that when it happened they’d end up in her place. This week they’d been at her place all week. Brandon had driven there after they’d gone to the hospital because Regina had mentioned she needed to get some things from her place, and they’d stayed there all week.

Brandon was in the shower when she arrived. She plopped onto her sofa, feeling completely exhausted. This week had been such a drain on her emotions. Just as she drove up and saw Brandon’s Jeep in front of her place, she’d started having second thoughts about bringing up the whole Sofia thing again. Did she really want to have this discussion this week? From the way he’d acted on the way home from the gathering, she knew there was potential for it to get ugly. But that was just it. The Morenos were a major part of her sister’s life, and Bell was a major part of Regina’s, so it was inevitable that they’d be running into Sofia and Eric again and again. Regina wanted this behind them. Whatever happened between Brandon and Sofia or whatever they had was in the past, but she didn’t want any surprises. Every new thing she discovered today alone had been a blow, and she was ready to just rip the bandage off once and for all—get it all out in the open.

Bell had called her twice on the way home, but Regina wasn’t up to talking about what she knew her sister was likely calling about. She’d let both calls go to voicemail, and she saw she had one now, so she hit the voicemail button to listen to it.

“Gina, please don’t be mad at me. The only reason I brought up Brandon and Sofia again was because I wanted to make sure you knew I wasn’t trying to insinuate anything about him. Everyone agrees it was all in the past and you have nothing to be upset or worried about, okay, sissy? Call me, please. I wanna hear you tell me you love me and you forgive me. I’ll be waiting.”

Regina smiled, hanging up and hitting speed dial. As soon as her sister answered, she said exactly what she wanted to. “I love you, and there is nothing to forgive because you didn’t do anything wrong.”

She heard Bell let out a sigh of relief. “Oh good, you know I hate it when we fight.”

For the first time that she could remember all week, Regina laughed. “I’d hardly call this a fight, and how could you hate it when we never do?”

“You know what I mean,” Bell said, laughing softly. She must’ve been home now because Regina could hear Romeo in the background, squealing loudly. “Seriously, I wouldn’t have even asked Alex and Valerie to come over and talk to you today if I knew it would upset you. Sofia is a sweetheart and all and completely devoted to Eric, but the news was kind of a shock to me, so I figured it would be for you too. Alex was fairly certain that Brandon probably hadn’t told you anything about it. I hated for someone to mention it one day and catch you off guard. That could be uncomfortable. Even from what Valerie finished telling me today on the phone after you left, there isn’t a whole lot to the story, but still, if it were me, I’d hate for something like that to be brought to light in a crowd with me being the only one who didn’t know. It could make things very awkward, and I just didn’t want to risk that happening to you.”