“He’s right, Rosa,” Anita said. She had noticed earlier that the Castillos didn’t have a dishwasher. Between her and Tanner it wouldn’t take any time to wash the dishes. They both had more than enough experience in that department. “I’ll help him clean up.”
Rosa glanced at her, then at Tanner. A wry smile appeared. “You know, that is agoodidea,” she said, getting up from the table. “You kids have fun.” She hurried out of the kitchen.
“Oh boy.” Tanner rolled his eyes. “Sorry about that.”
“About what?” She picked up several brownie crumbsfrom her plate and popped them into her mouth, unwilling to waste a single bite.
“Mom.” He stood and grabbed the dirty lunch plates. “She’s been after me to move out and get married.”
Hold up. “She has?”
“Yep. I guess twenty-seven is hovering over old-maid age. Or is it old-man?” He chuckled and put the dishes in the sink and turned to her. “Do you think it’s weird I still live with my mother?”
Well, the conversation had taken a strange turn. “No,” she said. “You and your mother have a good relationship. If you’re both happy living here, why not?”
“I think so too.” His expression sobered. “I guess I’d better give you a heads-up. She had this crazy idea the other night that you and I should go out.”
Anita stilled, gaping at the platter containing leftover veggies. “Oh,” was all she managed to say.
“Yeah. Nuts, right?” He turned on the tap and squirted dish soap into the sink. “Even though I told her that wasn’t going to happen, when you showed up today, I’m sure she got the wrong idea. Don’t worry. I’ll set her straight later.”
Her heart squeezed, but not as much as it had in the past. Today had been nice. Comfortable. For the first time in years she’d been able to set aside her nerves and gawkiness around Tanner and enjoy lunch with him and his mother. Now that there wasn’t a shred of doubt she was firmly in the friend zone, she was discovering that wasn’t a bad place to be.
She finished clearing the table while he washed and dried the dishes. He was rinsing off one of the tea glasses as shedipped the large mixing bowl that had held the egg salad into the soapy water. At the same time Tanner reached into the bubbles.
They touched hands. “Sorry,” she said, ready to pull away. But when his fingers curled around hers, she froze in place.
***
What am I doing?
If he were a smart man—and lately he hadn’t been acting that smart—he would apologize and release her hand and continue washing dishes as if he hadn’t touched her. But his IQ must be hovering in the negative range because he couldn’t think, only feel the spark pulsing through him from when their hands had brushed together, and he couldn’t help imagining himself reaching for her and gazing into her eyes like one of those melodramatic actors in the telenovelas. Everything had been going so well between them up until this point. And that was the problem. While he was insisting that they were only friends, he wanted so much more.
Not only was he a hypocrite, he was also hurling mixed signals at her. An abhorrent combination he needed to stop.
“Sorry,” he said, yanking his hand from hers. “Thought I’d grabbed a fork.” He inwardly cringed. Her soft skin felt nothing like a metal eating utensil.
From somewhere behind them erupted the strains of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.”
Anita’s brow shot up and she yanked her hand out of the water. “That’s my phone.”
The iconic disco tune continued.
“Interesting ringtone.” He pulled his own hand out of the water and grabbed the dishcloth.
“I finally figured out how to change it this morning. Now where did I put that thing?” She was digging through her purse with the fervency of a dog burrowing under a fence.
The catchy chorus sounded from somewhere inside.
Tanner muttered the next line, scrubbing the egg salad bowl.
“Found it!” She yanked the cell out of her purse and stared at the screen. “Oh, that was Harper. Do you mind if I go into the living room and call her back?”
“Go for it.” He rinsed off the bowl.
After she left, he shut off the water and leaned against the sink.We’re friends. Only friends. Get that through your thick head, Castillo.
During their talk in the living room he’d brought up their relationship in high school to reinforce that, but that hadn’t been the smartest decision either. Sure, she’d agreed that they were friends, and he was pleased that they were. But bringing up the past had brought up the kiss, and that memory hadn’t been far from his mind all through lunch. Fortunately, his mother and Anita spent most of the meal talking. They really did get along well. No doubt his mother was planning their wedding right now.
