Perfect. See you guys tonight!
I put my phone down on the kitchen table, and Maya runs into the room, happily calling for me, “Mami! Mami!”
“Yes, mi amor?”
She wraps her arms around my legs. “Is it pancake time?!”
I crouch down and kiss the top of her head. “You bet. And you know I need my best little helper!”
She gasps. “Yes! I’ll help, Mami!”
Before I can begin grabbing any of the ingredients, the doorbell rings. Weird. I wasn’t expecting anyone today. Please don’t let it be Nico. I walk over to my front door and swing it open, mentally crossing all my fingers that he hasn’t decided to pop up again uninvited. When I open it, it’s not Nico standing there…it’s Mateo.
“Mateo? What are you doing here?”
“Hello to you, too, Chula,” he says, grinning.
“Right. Right. Hi, Mateo. What are you doing here?”
“Taking my girls to breakfast.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Did we have plans?”
“Does your man need formal plans to take you out?”
“First of all, you’re not my man?—”
He opens his mouth to speak, but I lift a finger to stop him. “And second of all, yes. You should absolutely let me know in advance about our plans. What would you have done if I wasn’t home?”
He lifts an eyebrow. “Where you would be, Analyse? You’re always home or at the school. If you weren’t here, then I would’ve driven to the school.”
I roll my eyes. “Not true. I’m out all the time. Doing tons of fun things. I’m the life of the party, remember?”
He barks out a laugh. “This is coming from the girl that wants to be in bed at eight so she can binge episodes ofLaw & Order: SVUshe’s already seen.”
My mouth drops open in offense. Before I can fire back, Maya comes running in, and launches herself straight into Mateo’s arms. “Mateo! Yay! Mami, Mateo’s here!”
He lifts her up into the air. “Hi, baby girl. What do you think about us going for breakfast?”
At the exact same time I say, “We actually were about to make some pancakes.”
And Maya goes, “Yes! Let’s go to the diner! They have the bestest pancakes.”
Little traitor. Looks like we’re going to breakfast with Mateo.
The bell above the door jingles as we walk into the diner, that familiar scent of bacon, syrup, and fresh coffeewrapping around us like a hug. Maya practically skips ahead, her little sneakers squeaking against the tile floors.
“Booth or table?” Mateo asks, glancing at me.
“Booth,” I say without hesitation. “Less chance of Maya falling off a chair trying to reach the syrup.”
“Rude,” Maya says, climbing into the booth. “I’m a big girl now.”
Mateo grins as he slides in next to her, and I take the opposite side, setting my purse down. He grabs a couple of menus from the edge of the table and hands one to me.
“Let me guess,” he says, leaning back with that annoyingly smug look of his, “you’re going to order the same thing you always get—two eggs, bacon, toast, and exactly one bite of Maya’s pancakes.”
I lift an eyebrow. “That’s bold of you to assume I’m that predictable.”
