Family Matters Book 3

Book Three: Matters of the Heart

Kyle Montero has spent a lifetime wrestling with his inner demons and self-doubt. Ever since he turned his back on his shadowy past, he’s been striving to make things right and rebuild his life. Jana Lynn Davis, a single mom, is attempting to piece her life back together after divorcing her abusive, controlling husband.

Will Kyle find love anew in Jana, or will his past rear its ugly head? Can Jana move forward with her new life and open her heart to Kyle, or does her ex-husband have other plans in store for her?

Kyle

I never imagined my life would turn out this way. Here I am, a 27-year-old, helping run my cousin’s latest casino in Reno, Nevada, a convicted felon and recovering addict.

I’m not proud of my past. Who could be, considering all the things I’ve done? I had a wonderful girl, got caught up in my insecurities, fell in with the wrong crowd, and ended up hurting the one person I loved most.

When I discovered she had found love again with my cousin, who was like a brother to me, I spiraled further into my darkness and ended up colluding with some really bad people to hurt her even more.

Since I’ve been out and undergone rehabilitation and therapy, she and my family have forgiven me for my past mistakes, and we’ve begun to repair our fractured relationship.

But I haven’t forgiven myself yet. I still don’t feel I deserve happiness after all the pain and sorrow I’ve caused.

My cousin, Xavier, thought I needed a change of scenery to get my life back on track, and honestly, I couldn’t agree more. I love my cousin, and I’m glad my ex, Cassie, found love again with him.

Their relationship is special, and I can see that he’s the better man for her.

Watching them together, the way they steal glances at each other when they think no one’s looking, the way they can soothe each other with just a touch or a look, is something I’ve always yearned for.

I thought I had that with Cassie, but now I realize, my relationship with Cassie was meant to be nothing more than a close friendship.

I agreed to help oversee the construction of their new casino here in Reno, alongside my cousin, Austin, Xavier’s younger brother. I was excited about being here.

It was a new city where no one knew me, where I wasn’t constantly reminded of my past.

I could start anew here and finally feel worthy of some happiness, or at the very least, figure out who I am and finally forgive myself for what I’ve done to my family.

What I knew for sure was that I needed to focus on myself first before getting involved with anyone else. How can I be good for someone else if I don’t feel good about myself?

At least, that was my plan when I accepted Xavier’s offer.

But then, during our interviews for new staff, a petite, dark-haired beauty with the most captivating blue eyes I’d ever seen walked into my life, making me rethink my goals.

Her and her 4-year-old mini-me, who was just as beautiful. The moment I saw them and they looked back at me with their big blue eyes, it stirred up feelings I thought were long dead.

Jana Lynn Davis, a petite, kind-hearted woman going through a tough divorce, walked into my life and turned it upside down.

Her daughter, Athena, stole my heart the moment she smiled up at me. Jana was interviewing for one of the head waitress positions at our casino.

We had all agreed to hire her even before we met her, just based on her application.

Then, on the day of her interview, when we saw her arguing with her jerk of a husband in the parking lot with her daughter hiding behind her, we all went into protector mode, especially me.

After a week of interviews, Austin and I returned to Las Vegas with Xavier and Ethan to pack our things.

We were going to come back to Reno and stay there to ensure the casino was ready for its grand opening.

Austin planned to stay during the week and return home to his pregnant wife, Chelsea, on the weekends.

As for me, I wasn’t sure yet if this move was going to be permanent, but I packed all my belongings just in case.

My sister Ashlie, and her son Lucas, also came out here to help us. She has a degree in finance and Xavier had hired her to manage the casino’s books.

I believe this move was as necessary for her as it was for me. Lucas’s dad had tragically died in a hit-and-run accident shortly after Lucas was born.

She’d been raising him alone, with the support of our dad and Lucas’s grandparents on his father’s side.

Her love life hadn’t been particularly successful until she met Rodney Hutchinson, a cop with the Reno Police Department, just recently.

They’d met a year ago when she was here on a business trip. So, when Xavier offered her this job, she seized it, and honestly, I haven’t seen my older sister this joyful in a long time.

Her son Lucas is an incredible kid. At just 12 years old, he’s already more mature than most guys my age. My sister has done a phenomenal job raising him to be a courteous, respectful, and responsible young man.

He never got to know his father personally, but my sister and his grandparents ensured he knew him through the stories they shared. I love having them around.

Ever since I got out of prison and started rehab, Ashlie has been my rock.

I don’t think I could have made it this far without her. Depending on how things pan out with Rodney, I suspect her move to Reno might become permanent.

If I choose to stay here for good, at least I’ll have some family close by.

Chelsea has made a few trips to Reno with Austin. She’s in Marketing and has been assisting us with the Casino’s advertising. She and Ashlie have been spending a lot of time with Jana.

Lucas and Athena have also formed a strong bond. He looks out for her like a big brother, much like how Damien, Xavier’s eldest son, is with his younger siblings.

I’m grateful to them for welcoming Jana and Athena with open hearts. The divorce has been hard on them, and it doesn’t seem like Jana has any family here to support her through this ordeal.

From the day Jana and I met, we’ve been practically inseparable. When I’m back in Las Vegas, we text and video chat daily.

When I’m in Reno, we’re either working together at the casino or hanging out at home with Austin, my sister Ashlie, her son Lucas, and Chelsea when she’s in town.

I’d decided that despite my strong feelings for her, I didn’t want to pursue anything beyond friendship for now.

Given her situation with her now ex-husband, and my own personal demons, I didn’t want to rush things and potentially ruin what we had before it even began.

Besides, I had to consider Athena’s feelings too. She was already dealing with so much due to her parents’ divorce, I didn’t want to add any more stress or trauma than necessary.

She’s such a sweet girl and all I want is to shield her from any more pain than what her father has already caused.

Jana and I have built a solid friendship over the past few months. She’s so easy to talk to and so much fun to be around. We have a lot in common.

We enjoy the same movies, have similar tastes in food, both love watching basketball and football, and we both prefer a quiet night in over a night out clubbing.

The trust between us is deep. So much so, that we’ve opened up about our pasts. I told her everything about my past, and she shared about her troubled marriage.

We both agreed we have a lot to work through before we can consider a romantic relationship.

But that doesn’t mean we don’t acknowledge the chemistry between us and haven’t indulged in playful and flirtatious banter from time to time.

She’s quickly become one of my closest friends, and I hope I’m one of hers.

The construction of the casino is progressing well and on schedule. The staff we hired have been working hard to get everything set up inside. We’ve formed a strong bond with this team we’ve brought on.

The casino’s grand opening is in two weeks. Xavier and the rest of the family are flying up here next week to assist with the final preparations, including hosting a staff party two days before we open.

We’ve decided that our parents will stay in the suite above the casino while the rest of us stay at the rental house.

Since everyone is bringing their kids, it makes the most sense for us to stay here since it has a backyard and a swimming pool for the kids to enjoy.

Jana and I are busy setting up the bar area. She’s arranging the tablecloths and centerpieces while I stock the bar.

I can’t help but pause and watch her as she moves around the room.

I’m captivated by the way her ponytail bounces as she walks, the natural sway of her hips, and the meticulous way she drapes each tablecloth perfectly over the tables.

I can’t help but fall deeper in love with her each day we spend together.

“The tables are all set,” she announces as she approaches the bar.

I was busy stocking the shelves when she walked in. As I turned, I saw her meticulously arranging the napkins and snack dishes on the bar.

“Looks good.” I admired the beautifully set tables and gave her a warm smile. She paused, taking a moment to appreciate her handiwork.

“Doesn’t it?” She giggled, turning back to face me. “Need a hand back here?”

“Nope, almost done.” I continued arranging the bottles as she took a seat, watching me. Austin and Chelsea joined us, settling on the barstools next to Jana.

“Everything’s set.” Austin grinned, helping Chelsea onto her stool. “I think we can give the staff a break until we open next week.”

I surveyed the casino, a sense of satisfaction washing over me.

“Sounds good.” I leaned against the bar, returning his smile.

“Great, I’ll let them know,” he nodded. “How about we all, including Ashlie and Rodney, celebrate with dinner and dancing tonight?”

“I’m in.” I grinned, and we all turned to Jana.

“Sure, I just need to find a babysitter,” she replied, a hint of shyness in her voice.

“No problem,” Ashlie chimed in, joining us. “Rodney’s parents are watching Lucas for me. They won’t mind watching Athena too.”

“Are you sure?” Jana looked at Ashlie, uncertainty in her eyes.

“Absolutely. They’re already expecting her. Lucas is setting up their fort in the living room as we speak.” Ashlie laughed. “Why don’t you drop her off around six and we can head out from there?”

“Okay.” Jana smiled at her, checked her watch, and turned to us. “I need to pick her up from daycare. See you all tonight.”

She waved and headed towards the employee area. As soon as she was out of sight, Chelsea and Ashlie turned to me, smirks on their faces.

“Why are you two looking at me like that?”

I sighed, knowing they were up to something. They exchanged a glance but remained silent. When they turned back to me, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Did you two suddenly forget how to speak?”

“Are you okay with going out tonight?” Ashlie asked, barely suppressing a giggle.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I retorted.

“Just checking.” She grinned. I stared at them, utterly confused. Why would they question my willingness to go out with them, Rodney, and Jana?

We’ve hung out before, but this would be the first time we’d be dancing…after dinner…just the six of us…Austin and Chelsea…Ashlie and Rodney…me and…OH SHIT!

Realization dawned on me, and my eyes widened.

“He’s got it!” Austin laughed, pointing at me.

Chelsea and Ashlie joined in, laughing at my expense. I groaned, realizing they’d tricked Jana and me into a date.

They’d been trying to get me to ask her out for months, but we’d both insisted on remaining friends.

I glared at the trio, hoping they’d stop laughing, but it only made them laugh harder.

“Don’t be like that, Kyle.” Ashlie patted my arm, still smiling. “You two need this.”

“And how do you figure that?” I crossed my arms, scowling at her.

“We know you two want to stay friends, but we also know you’re crazy about each other,” Chelsea interjected, defending their actions.

“This way, you can spend time together without the pressure of a date.”

“Three couples going out for dinner and dancing sounds like a triple date to me,” I grumbled.

“Not if we don’t call it a date.” Ashlie grinned mischievously. “And we’re not calling it a date, right Chels?” she asked, turning to Chelsea.

“Okay then,” Chelsea says, bumping fists with Ashlie. She gives a firm nod of approval. I glance over at Austin, who’s just shaking his head at their antics.

“Seriously, it’s a fucking date, right?” I let out a groan.

“Absolutely,” Austin chuckles. “And there’s no escaping it. Not unless you want to face their wrath.” He gestures between Chelsea and Ashlie with a wave of his finger.

Chelsea and Ashlie are grinning at me, their faces glowing with the triumph of a bet won. I let out another groan, dragging my hand down my face. Jana is going to be so pissed.