“You’ll figure it out, cousin. Don’t worry,” I tell her. “We have enough connections in the area, anything you do will be successful.”
“I want to accomplish things because of my ability and merits. Not because I knew someone’s uncle.”
“There’s no shame in how you get a job, as long as you get it,” Uncle Lucio tells his daughter. “We could all use a hand sometimes.”
“Brax knows all about that,” Mason, my little brother, says as he sits down with us. “Don’t ask me how I know, but I do.”
“You’re an asshole,” I say, kicking his chair with enough force to make his body jolt.
“Dad told me he wants you to stalk someone.”
Lucio starts to choke on his pasta. “What?” he asks in a strangled voice, barely able to breathe past the noodle in his throat.
“You okay?” Lulu asks her dad.
“Fine, sweetheart,” he says and clears his throat. “What is your dad telling you to do?”
I explain the entire situation. No point in hiding it. The entire family will know about it before we leave the bar tonight. Again, there’s no such thing as privacy with this group.
“Yeah, don’t do that,” Lulu says. “That would creep me the hell out.”
I nod. “I told him.”
“We’ve been out of the dating world too long. Your dad doesn’t understand the boundaries when it comes to social media and what’s acceptable behavior.”
“Thank you,” I tell my uncle.
“But you could maybe look her up and send her some flowers.”
Lulu drops her forkful of cake on her plate. “Dad, that’s no better. Sheesh. What’s wrong with your generation?”
Lucio shakes his head. “Honey, we’re romantic.”
“That’s not romantic. That’s pathological,” she replies as she grabs her fork again.
“How hot are we talking?” Mason asks me. “Like melt the snow outside hot or what?”
I stare at my brother, trying to remember if we dropped him on his head when he was little. “She was beautiful.”
“You’re a dummy,” he replies.
“See.” Lulu smirks. “We’re all in agreement.”
“Eat your cake,” I tell her, motioning toward her plate with my fork.
“If it was meant to be, you’ll find your way back to her, kid,” Uncle Lucio says. “The universe won’t be able to keep you apart.”
I stare at him without a response.
Is he right?
Is there such a thing as fate?
I’ve never believed in it. But for the first time ever, I hope he’s right.
6
IRIS
