His lips quirked up, but his eyes remained serious. “I just want to talk to your mom about something.”
Something flickered in my chest—curiosity, hesitation. But when I glanced at my mom, she was already watching him, her expression unreadable. Whatever this was, it wasn’t something I was meant to hear.
I swallowed, nodding. “Okay.”
I leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to Mami’s cheek before slipping past Sebastian, my fingers grazing his arm as I moved toward the door. The door clicked shut behind me, leaving Sebastian and Mami alone.
CHAPTER 21
Sebastian
The firehouse was quiet, the rare lull between calls where the guys either caught up on sleep or found new ways to waste time. The familiar hum of the overhead lights and the distant sound of a radio playing from the locker room filled the space, but my focus was on the half-empty water bottle I rolled between my palms, my mind somewhere else entirely. I was leaning against the counter in the kitchen when I heard footsteps approaching.
“Alright, Garcia,” Mateo drawled, dropping into the seat across from me with a lazy smirk. “You’ve been suspiciously quiet today. That’s not like you. Spill.”
Andres strolled in behind him, arms crossed over his chest, grinning like he already knew the answer. “I think we all know why.”
I sighed, already regretting telling these idiots anything. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Mateo snorted. “Oh, come on. Don’t play dumb. You’re practically wagging your tail like a damn golden retriever every time someone mentions Mariana’s name.
Andres nudged me with his elbow. “So? How’s it going? You guys official-official now? Or are you just still figuring shit out?”
I rolled my eyes, but the smile I tried to fight off still crept up. “Yeah, we’re together. It’s really good.”
Mateo raised an eyebrow. “Good? Just good? Because you look like a guy who just won the lottery, and I highly doubt it’s because of the overtime pay.”
I let out a breath, shaking my head. “Fine. It’s better than good. It’s everything, man.”
And that was the truth. I hadn’t felt this settled, this right, in years. Being with Mariana again wasn’t just some nostalgic trip down memory lane, it was something real. Something that made the world feel less heavy.
“Damn,” Andres muttered, shaking his head. “Look at him. Completely gone.”
“Tragic, really,” Mateo added, sighing dramatically. “I never thought I’d see the day when Sebastian Garcia became the poster boy for hopeless romantics.”
I shot him a look. “I will throw this water at you.”
Mateo smirked. Andres laughed, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “Nah, man, it’s good. You deserve this. She’s always been it for you, huh?”
I swallowed, my chest tightening at the weight of that truth. “Yeah. She has always been.”
Before either of them could grill me further, Nathan walked in, eyeing the three of us with his usual calm, assessing gaze. “What’s going on here?”
“Oh, you know,” Mateo said, grinning. “Just watching Garcia turn into a goddamn Hallmark movie.”
Nathan’s brows lifted slightly. “Mariana, huh?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
He was silent for a beat, then exhaled slowly. “I’m happy for you, man. Really.”
I smiled. “Thanks, Cap.”
“But…” Nathan continued, his voice even and careful. “Just be smart about it.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
Nathan crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. “I mean, she left before. You ever wonder if she might do it again?”
