I put my hand over where she still held mine.
“I’m trying. It’s just, well it’s kind of terrifying.”
I lifted my eyes to Brianna’s watery smile.
“All the good ones are terrifying.” Her shoulders shook with a chuckle.
“Was being with Dad ever terrifying?”
I cracked up when she dropped her fork.
“What do you think?”
“I would guess…scary as hell.” I lifted a shoulder and held in a laugh.
“Oh, yeah.” She nodded slowly. “But I mean it, promise me you won’t worry.”
“I promise,” I lied. Worrying was something I did all the time, for my parents, my siblings, worrying they’d get upset if they saw me upset. So, most times, I just held it in.
Being in love was so scary because for the first time, the one I was the most worried about was me.
13
Victoria
“So, what’s my name?”I asked Anthony while the two of us ate breakfast at my desk early Monday morning. We were the only ones there and no one else was due in for another hour. We sat close with his arm draped over my shoulders, teasing me on and off with a few hot kisses trailing down my neck.
“Your name?”
“In the comic book. I was reading so fast I didn’t catch it, and I was distracted this weekend.” I rested my chin on his shoulder and peered up at him. “I was hoping it was something cool.”
A shy smile spread across his lips, and I leaned to kiss him again. My lips and chin were still raw from the other night, but I didn’t care. Kissing him whenever I wanted was heaven, and the way he kissed me back made my head spin. I felt the wet warmth of his lips down to my toes before he pulled away.
“Conquista.”
I’d sometimes overhear him speak Spanish at the shop and the rumbly gravel of his voice would make me go weak in the knees.
EverythingAnthony did had that effect on me. I had it bad, but now, instead of worrying about ignoring it so that we could stay friends, I reveled in it. I spent Saturday and Sunday elated and so damn relieved, while slightly nervous about telling my father.
“Isn’t that another word for victory?” I leaned my elbow on my desk and rested my head on my hand. “Kind of on the nose, don’t you think?” I tapped his nose as his shoulders jerked with a chuckle.
“Probably.” He nodded. “You’re the bravest woman I know. So maybe it has a double meaning. It…it seemed perfect for you.” He weaved a hand into my hair and rested his forehead against mine. “My green-eyed warrior.”
“What about the big sword I was holding? Does that have a double meaning, too?” I wagged my eyebrows.
I felt his smile when he kissed my temple. “Maybe,” he whispered.
“So, I was thinking,” I started before I looped my arms around Anthony’s neck. “Maybe after work we could—”
Our heads whipped to the chime over the door.
“God, I can’t wait until the holidays are over,” Lou grumbled as my father trailed him through the door. “Between all these late orders and everyone over at my house, I’m ready for New Year’s. Oh, good morning, kids.” He looked us over with a smirk.
I was about to laugh when Anthony scooted the chair away from me so fast it screeched across the floor.
“Good morning, Lou. Josh.”
“Good morning.” Dad’s smile faded as he looked between us. “Happy Monday. Let me have coffee before we head back to the garage. Lou is right, we have a ton of orders and we need to see how much we can get done this week.”
