He laughs softly, the sound rich and warm. “No hard plans, honestly.” He meets my gaze. “I could be talked into sticking around.”
“Don’t you have a job to go back to?”
“Full-time, great salary. Would you like me to send you my last pay stub?”
I scoff and set the plates back down. “What, I was just making conversation.”
“No,” he muses. “You’re trying to find a valid reason to set this thing between us to rest.”
“I’m not—”
“You won’t,” he insists, his tone firm but light. “I’ve waited a long time to make sure you wouldn’t.”
I watch him, my lips parting in surprise. What does he mean, he’s waited a long time?
“Anyway,” he says, brushing the topic aside as if it were nothing, “I should go. Some family members I’ve never even met on my dad’s side are coming to pay their respects tomorrow.”
“Let me pack up your leftovers.”
He holds a hand out, shaking his head. “Keep ’em.” He points at me in warning. “Remember to eat them for lunch tomorrow.”
“Okay.” I feel a flutter of something in my chest. I swear I’m ten times more awkward when Rafael is around, but this man…God. Did he overorder on purpose? “Thank you.”
I walk him to the door, the cool air from outside brushing against my skin as he steps onto the porch, leather jacket swung over one shoulder. I watch him wave and walk down the steps, my heart racing.
Why is he so different? Different from what I expected, from what I’m used to. Different from anyone I’ve ever met. The thought lingers, sweet and uncertain, until I can’t hold it back. “Rafael?”
He turns to face me. “Yes?”
I feel a wave of regret hit me, but I can’t stop myself. This is so stupid.So, so, sostupid. “Did you… did you get my letter?”
His expression shifts, and for a long moment, he just looks at me. When he finally nods, my heart stutters. “I did, yes.”
Oh God, he did. Of course he did. I listened to Paige, and now I look like an idiot dredging up ancient history he wants to forget. Panic rises in my chest, and I spin on my heel. “Okay. Thanks. Bye,” I blurt, heading straight to close the door.
“Scarlett, wait.”
I exhale, forcing myself to stop and turn back around. “Yeah?”
“You were dating my cousin.”
Shame washes over me like a wave, tightening in my chest, and my expression must betray my thoughts, because he shakes his head.
“No, no. I’m not saying this to make you feel bad. You were drunk, and… basically a kid.” He smacks his pouty lips, as if recalling a distant memory. “But back then, I really couldn’t… do anything.”
I stare down at my shoes, trying to absorb what he’s saying. It makes perfect sense, of course, but I spent half a decade believing he didn’t care, that he just didn’t think I was worth his time. Why did this not occur to me?
“Look, for most of my life, you were just the girl who lived next door. Three years younger, which at the time felt like a lot.” He moves up the steps until he’s standing on the last one, bringing his face close to mine. “I never really paid much attention to you. Until your sweet sixteen. Remember that?”
God, his nose ring is so sexy.
“You weren’t there.”
He glances over his shoulder. “Well, you had it in your backyard,which…” He gestures toward his old bedroom window, facing directly into my yard.
“Oh.”
“I looked over and saw the party,” he continues. He sounds almost nostalgic. “Everyone was having a great time. There were lights, music, food, those cute yellow decorations hanging everywhere.”
