Miguel smiled. “You’re right. Having a child together meant the marriage had been consummated, and there was no going back. I heard it was years before my aunt’s parents spoke to her again.” His smile faded. “I don’t want to be cut off from my family, but if I do what they want, it will chip away at me bit by bit until there’s nothing left.”
I couldn’t help myself. I put my arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer to me. “I’m really sorry, Miguel. I wish there was more I could do to help.”
“Thanks,” he replied. “I guess I’m most disappointed in my sister. I never expected her to do a one-eighty in her support of me.”
“I hear you,” I said. “It was kind of the opposite with me and my sister. She couldn’t stand me when she was younger. She was always saying I wasn’t her father, and I couldn’t tell her what to do. I was just trying to keep her safe and fed.”
Miguel frowned. “That’s the second time you said something like that. What’s up with your parents?”
I blew out a breath. “My parents aren’t…great. They were both more interested in drinking than raising kids. My older brother moved out as soon as he turned eighteen. I was fourteen and Allie was nine at the time. I kind of took over running the house. Allie wasn’t my biggest fan for a long time. It wasn’t until I went away for basic training after high school that she realized everything I’d done for her. Thankfully, her friend Marissa’s parents caught on and took her in while I was gone. When I got back, she threw herself at me and told me she was sorry. Now we get along really well. She even made me Cody’s guardian if something happens to her.”
Miguel sat up straight and turned to look at me. “That’s a pretty big responsibility. She must think Cody’s safe with you.”
“That’s what she told me.” I shivered a little. “I mean, I know he’s safe with me, but he’s better off having his mom.”
“True.”
We finished our beers, and I got up to get two more. As I returned to the living room, I caught Miguel’s expression when he didn’t know I was looking. His mouth was turned down and his eyes were sad. I wanted to shake his sister. Hell, his whole family. He must have felt so alone.
An idea came to me as I handed him his beer and sat beside him. I turned so I was facing him. “Do you have any spare makeup with you?”
Miguel’s hands immediately went to his face. “Is my eyeliner messed up again?”
I shook my head. “No.” I cleared my throat, my nerves trying to get the better of me. “I thought it might be cool to see what I look like with a little bit of makeup.”
Miguel blinked and stared at me. “Were you drinking before I got here?”
“No,” I said with a chuckle. “I just want to see what I look like.”
“Okay,” he replied, drawing out the word. “I have some in my glove box. If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
He narrowed his eyes and stared at me a little bit longer. Then he shrugged and got up to go to his car. He was back a few minutes later carrying a small zippered bag. He looked around my living room, such as it was, and pointed to the other end of the couch, where there was an end table with a lamp. “Sit there and take the shade off the lamp.”
I did as he asked while he took out his supplies. He had more makeup with him than I thought he would. He stood there with his hands on his hips, staring at my face. I could only imagine what he saw. I wasn’t nearly as good-looking as Miguel and my stubble was two days old. Miguel wagged his finger in my face. “None of that.”
“None of what?”
“I saw the look on your face. You’re all up in your head, worried because you’re not as cute as me.” His smirk and cocked hip made me laugh, and I relaxed.
“Much better,” he said. He picked up a narrow brush and a small case. He opened the case and said, “Close your eyes.”
I felt the brush drag across my eyelid. It was a strange feeling. Miguel seemed to be taking his time. Every once in a while, I’d feel his finger lightly brush my eyelid. It felt good to have his hands touching me so carefully. Finally, he stepped back and said, “Open your eyes.”
Miguel had a fond smile on his face. “Not bad,” he said. “It just needs a little eyeliner.” He picked up an eyeliner pencil and told me to close my eyes again. That felt stranger than the eyeshadow brush, especially when he pulled on my eyelid.
He let out a breath. “Okay. I think that’s enough for an experiment. Do you have a small mirror?”
I shook my head. “Just the one in the bathroom.”
He let out an exaggerated sigh. “Well, now that we’re friends, I’m going to get you some more mirrors.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I protested.
Miguel just grabbed my hand and led me toward my bathroom. He turned on the light and brought me to stand in front of the mirror. For a moment, I was startled by the person looking back at me. Miguel had used a silver-gray eyeshadow that made my eyes look huge. The blue of my irises really stood out. The eyeliner almost made me look exotic.
When I turned to Miguel, I saw that he looked nervous. “It looks good.” I ducked my head. “It’s not something I would wear every day, but maybe on a special occasion.”
