Eduardo claps his hands. “Okay, it is settled then. Jameson will take you girls, but now I need to see what I can find out about Mr. Martinez.”
Mateo stands. “I’ll meet up with you in a bit. I have somewhere I need to be, and then I’ll meet you at the club?” he asks, and Eduardo nods. “Jameson?”
I shake my head no.
I grab Evie by the hand and drag her out. “We have some catching up to do.”
Evie barely has time to grab her bag as I’m ushering her out by the arm. I hear Eduardo laugh, and I get it. If I spend the rest of my life telling her how much I love and cherish her, it still won’t be enough for the rest of the time I wasn’t there with her. The only thing I can do from this point on is devote myself to her.
Chapter Twenty
EVIE
“All Around Me” by Flyleaf
“Hurry up, Evie. I don’t want to be late to meet Ramón!” Mateo shouts from the kitchen.
Where did I put my bag?I lift the pile of clothing from my bed and see the offending object. “Okay, just a sec.”
I hear him pacing around out there. Bro needs to calm down before he goes bald from tugging at his hair. Sure enough, as I proceed to sling my cross-body bag across my shoulders, letting it rest over my right front hip, I see his hair standing erect on one side. I walk over to him, lick my hand, and smooth the hair down on that side.
He steps back, I’d say disgusted if going off his facial expression. “What- the-ever-loving-fuck?”
I shrug. “Your hair was sticking straight out on the side.”
He lifts his hand up in protest. “So, you thought you should just…” He motions with his hands flying back and forth between my hand and face. “Lick your hand and rub at my hair?”
I chuckle. “Um. Yep, that’s exactly what I did, bro.” I grab my water cup and swallow the ice-cold brew that resides thereinstead of the H2O thatshouldoccupy the space, but I’m not one to do things Ishoulddo.
He shakes his head in defeat. “Whatever. I just can’t with you today.” He walks out, and I follow him, locking the door behind me. I hurry to catch up with his long strides.
“Mattie, are you okay? You seem all…” I move my hand upright, making a circle around his person. “Tense,” I finish.
He continues walking, sparing me a side glance so I can see just enough of his exaggerated eye roll as he continues ignoring my question.
“Are you suffering from FSB or something?”
At this, he stops mid-trek to the car. He pivots and turns around to me. “I’m afraid to ask…” He rubs a hand down his face. “But I will against my better judgment anyway. What the fuck is FSB?”
I smile slyly. “Why, fatal sperm build-up, of course.”
He rolls his eyes upward as if they will pop right out of his head at any moment. He pivots and turns around without further comment. I can see the remark hit its desired mark because, if I am not mistaken, I see his shoulders rising as he tries to stifle a laugh.
Walking up to his usual coffee spot where he meets Ramón for chess, as I follow behind like a scolded child. I guess he is still sore about the saliva thing.
I walk in and see Dylan at the front counter. He sees me and smiles brightly. I don’t return the enthusiasm, but I am not a total bitch, even though every bone in my body wants to scream ‘cheater.’
I notice Mateo is already seated with Ramón, and I once again feel like an outsider hanging out with them, as if I am intruding, except now that we had spent some time with him over the holidays. I see how much he enjoys his time with Mateoand how lonely he is. Two men finding a sense of purpose with one another—filling a missing familial void.
I get a text message and glance quickly to notice that it is from Jameson. My smile widens, but the text message has me a little confused.
Jameson
Where are you?
I look at my phone, wondering why he is asking this when I already told him we were coming to see my brother's friend.
Evie
