Okay so… I MAY have gotten into a bit of a writing frenzy this weekend and somehow managed to churn out another chapter. And I am NOT sorry at all! I had SO much fun with it! Lol. XD So, without further delay, here's the latest installment. This chapter picks up right after chapter 20 with Alejandro, Heather, and Diego going over to Canada to visit Heather's side of the family. And what better way to start than with Heather's perspective. Hope you all enjoy!

(Heather's POV)

Sometimes I wonder why I keep doing this to myself?

I have no reason to keep going home for holidays.

I'm an internationally acclaimed talk show host and I'm married to a high ranking Politician with more combined money than either of us know what to with, but… for whatever reason I keep going to visit and 'pay dues' with my parents.

Ever since my grandpa died 20 years ago, I lost all incentive to go back home since now it's just people I either hate or mildly tolerate in attendance.

But, Alejandro always insists on seeing my parents to 'make things equal' between both sides and Diego likes to go to see Natalie so… I really can't fault him there since she's about the only person I'll like in this entire visit too honestly.

Luckily it's just Thanksgiving so we don't have to be harangued into some weird-ass week long stay.

Besides, we always rent a nice condo in Toronto for a few days whenever we come over here.

Although Alejandro's parents wanted to return to their Ottawa residence for the past month to catch up with some friends so we've been staying here with them at their Ottawa residence. Actually Gerardo and Elena were already out for some cocktail party and Diego told Alejandro and I he wanted to go see Natalie after she was done at her gym.

And truth, I saw no reason why he couldn't go out and neither did Alejandro?

Besides, I get it. I'd find it boring as all get out if I was his age and he might as well do something that he wants to do before we get sucked into the shit circus that is my family gatherings.

Sometimes I'm always half tempted to ask my mom if we can just invite Uncle Liam's side too sometimes.

Sure Will would be included, but at least Cassandra could at least show up so I won't be surrounded by people I hate and at least have someone else there besides my husband, son, or niece to make things tolerable.

Ugh… whatever.

Either way, I was taking advantage of my time to do what I wanted as I started to read through the guest lists and content ideas for the next season of my show starting after New Year's.

Which reminds me, I'll be hosting the televised New Year's Eve Program in Madrid this year and I need to find the perfect dress for it.

I kept looking over my choices until I felt the cushion on the couch shift behind me as I felt lips brush against my left ear as I heard a very familiar playfully seductive and teasing tone remark, "So, I just finished up my teleconference and since I can't help but notice it's just us at the moment, care to take advantage of our rare moment at some 'privacy'?"

Alejandro started kissing me just below my ear and progressively working his way down the side of my neck, causing me to bite my lip for a bit of self-control while I let a smirk slip.

I turned around from where I was on the couch as I quirked up an eyebrow and teased back, "Is sex literally the only thing that goes through your mind when we're alone?"

He grinned and shrugged before responding, "Not always… I think about 'being with you' even when we aren't alone as well, mi amor."

I rolled my eyes and gave him a shove before saying, "You're insufferable."

All he did was laugh before coming around to the front of the couch and genuflecting on his knee in front of me as he grabbed one of my hands in his and said, "Come now, Heather. Why don't we both take a brief intermission from our itineraries and enjoy things a bit? Besides… you look absolutely divine this evening, mi ángel. How can you possibly expect me to resist such a temptation? Especially since it's been a little while since we've been able to take our time and do this a bit more 'properly', wouldn't you say?"

He was pulling all his usual stops as he looked me directly in the eye and even used his other hand to rest on the side of my face and smoothed his thumb over my cheek.

I just looked off to the side as I started plotting.

Hey, just because we're married and I want it just as much doesn't mean that I still don't like to make him 'work for it'. I smirked before saying off handedly, "I don't know? You're going to have to persuade me a little better than that."

All he did was lean in a little closer as he said, "Well… perhaps we can go to my old room and I can lay out my agenda for you then, sí?"

Eventually we both grinned as he grabbed my hand and we started chuckling to ourselves as we ran upstairs into his old bedroom.

Even though we barely made it behind the closed door before we both 'got to it'.

Besides, I am technically on 'vacation'… why not enjoy at least some part of it?

Meanwhile in Downtown Ottawa
(Diego's POV)

So far… this was a pretty decent trip downtown.

Although, I was surprised no one recognized who I was when I decided to get my haircut in that barber shop while I was waiting for Natalie to finish her training at the gym.

Sure, I got a very good trim from the barber regardless, but still.

I was waiting outside now as I kept looking around as I leaned against a nearby street lamp and tried to look for somewhere to eat and see if Natalie wanted to join me since I didn't tell I was coming into the city and wanted to surprise her with an 'appearance'.

Usually we'd always go to a diner or some public establishment that I could never go to under normal circumstances back in Spain.

Plus I like to indulge in a little time outside my 'normal' every now and then.

And I was thankful for the distraction to keep my mind off 'something else' now that I'm in Canada again and going to Toronto tomorrow morning...

I shook my head and looked back at the entrance of the gym.

Eventually I saw Natalie walking out with her gym bag as I smiled. I was about to call her attention until I stopped and quirked up an eyebrow in curiosity as she stopped short and looked around a little before going around the corner in the opposite direction of me.

Honestly, come to think of it, I don't see any of her family's usual chauffeurs around.

Where is she going? And why does she seem so… 'off'?

Curious, I started off in a light jog to catch up until I was following her from a safe distance to see where exactly she could possibly be going.

As much as this felt incredibly 'off' and I felt almost like I was stalking my cousin, but… seriously, what is she doing?

I kept following her from a safe distance for almost 3 blocks until we reached quite a poorer looking neighborhood in my opinion. Not entirely run down but a lot of the apartment buildings, shops, and row houses looked a bit 'worse for wear' at best.

Either way it was definitely not a place I'd expect Natalie to go to, at least not as far as I knew with her?

My curiosity kept progressively taking over my brain as I saw her stop in front of what looked like a mechanic's garage.

And even more oddly I saw her take her hair out of a ponytail before combing it out with her fingers. She then started taking out a headband from a side pocket of her gym bag and pulled back her hair with it, almost looking like she was practically trying to 'gussy herself up' or something?

Okay, seriously… What is happening here?!

Eventually I saw her look around the corner and saw her break out into this smile as she leaned in the entryway of the garage, now smirking and crossing her arms as she looked like she was possibly talking to someone.

I quirked up an eyebrow as she went into the garage and I started to slowly make my way closer.

All I heard inside the garage was a radio playing 80's classic rock by the time I got close enough to the entrance of the garage? Eventually I looked around the corner and went wide eyed at what I was seeing. Natalie was smiling and pretty much fully 'embracing' a guy probably somewhere in our age group.

He was a couple inches taller than Natalie and allowed him to rest his chin on the top of her head as he smiled and continued to hold her close as I continued to try to figure out who he was.

He was pretty built up to say the least in a grease and motor oil stained white T-shirt and an equally stained pair of old worn blue jeans and beat up looking work boots. I caught sight of a tattoo on his left bicep that I couldn't quite make out since most of it was covered by his shirt sleeve.

And the rest of him looked just as 'rough and tumble' from my perspective.

He was mostly clean shaven with his dark brown hair shaved on the sides with the hair on top of his head pulled back into an extremely short top knot under fade style.

Everything was quiet until I heard the guy comment with his chin still resting on top of her head, "Surprised you wanted a hug with how gross I am right now from working."

I felt like I was going into shock as I saw Natalie continue to smile even more than I've ever seen her do even with me as she said, looking almost content, "I don't care… Unless you think I'll get pissed at you for getting stains on my clothes?"

He just smirked as he kept holding her and said, "Well, no promises on that one, chica. Then again, guess I shouldn't complain since you're the only thing that will get this close to me that doesn't have an engine or set of tires attached to it."

"Not even your mom?" Natalie teased back as she kept hugging him and he jabbed back, almost playfully joking, "Just let me enjoy this, will ya Nat?"

Nat? She lets him call her 'Nat' too? WHO EVEN IS THIS GUY?!

They both laughed and my jaw practically became unhinged as I saw them both back away a little before immediately leaning in for a kiss.

Both of them continued to hold the kiss for a couple more seconds before the guy pulled away and left a lingering kiss on her forehead, making Natalie smile like that again as he rested his forehead against hers and they both just looked at each other and kept smiling.

Eventually I finally got use of my body back as I walked more into view of the garage door to the small, grungy auto shop as I got out, "Natalie?"

Immediately she went wide eyed and whipped her head over as she defensively got out, almost accusing, "Diego? What the hell are you doing here?!"

Before I could even say anything, the guy tilted his head at me as he said, pointing toward me, "Wait, 'Diego'? Oh, you're Nat's cousin, right? The Olympics guy?"

But, I ignored him as I crossed my arms and quirked up an eyebrow as I started, "Yes, a lot of people know who I am. But, I'll get to you in a second. And, Natalie, you're asking me? I was waiting for my cousin outside her gym to see if she wanted to get dinner with me, but it seemed like you had a 'taste' for something else."

She immediately gave me a look as she said, "Diego, stay out of this. And I swear, I still will light your pants on fire with the lighter in my back pocket if you don't back off."

Then for whatever reason 'whoever this guy was', cut in and sounded almost 'upset' in some way, "Wait, hold on, lighter? Nat, are you hitting the cigs again?"

Well… it seems I have 'something' in common with 'whoever he is' in this regard with Natalie.

Natalie almost looked like she was losing her last bit of patience as she countered defensively, "No! I haven't been smoking anymore thanks to my cousin Sherlock Holmes over here. And just like Sherlock always has to stick his nose into fucking everything! Seriously if you nark on us then I swear…"

Eventually I motioned down with my hands as I said, "Nat, come on, I'm not going to say anything! You know I won't if you don't want me to. Now, just… who the hell is this anyway?!"

Everything went dead silent again except for the radio going in the background until Natalie bit her lip and looked away for a second before she said, motioning to the guy next to her, "Diego… this is my boyfriend, Felix."

Okay, so as long as you all don't want to run me off the map with pitchforks from the confusing as all Hell cliffhanger I decided to end on here… then allow me to explain. Lol. XD And I'll start with the latest addition to Natalie's subplot that is her 'secret' of a little over 2 years. And said 'secret' being her boyfriend of a little over a year and confidant, Felix Heredia. You all will get to know Felix in time along with his relationship to Natalie and how they met, considering they likely weren't supposed to cross paths with the sorts of economic backgrounds they grew up in. But, for now, here's a brief summary on his character. Felix is a year older than Natalie at age 19 and works as a mechanic in a poorer Ottawa city neighborhood where he lives with his parents near Natalie's (and José's former) boxing gym. They 'met' when Natalie was 16 and he 17 and over time got into a relationship that they've been trying to keep secret (mainly from Kelsey and José) all this time… well, until Diego found out and caused Natalie to go into a defensive tirade. But again, all will be expanded on with time. ;) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed a further peek into Diego's POV again and also enjoyed seeing Aleheather still being well… 'Aleheather'. Lol. XD Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and constructive feedback is always very much appreciated.

Stay classy, safe, and see you all next time!

Dexter1995