Tino
No way. You’re a friend of Marco’s.
Me
Thank you.
I put my phone away with a sigh. “I don’t get it. The guy doesn’t even know me, and he’s giving me his services for free.”
Miguel held his apartment door open for me. “That’s just how some family works.”
I scoffed and followed him down the stairs. “Not mine, that’s for sure.”
He didn’t say anything until we were in my car. He stared out the windshield as he spoke. “I think we all want our families to love us and always be there for us.” He sighed softly. “But we forget our parents and siblings are just people. Sometimes they’re great, and sometimes they suck. So, like I said the other day, we sometimes have to create our own families out of people who love us for who we are and will be there for us when we need them most. I get the impression that Marco, Sean, and Liam are like that. They decided we were family, and that was it. Now we have a whole tribe of people who have our backs even though they hardly know us.”
He turned his head to look at me. When I glanced at him, I saw that his eyes were shiny. “It’s just hard to give up the hope that my own family might someday be that for me as well.”
I didn’t know what to say to that, so I just covered his hand with mine. I had long ago given up on my own family. I barely spoke to my mother. I hadn’t spoken to my father in years. I never went to their apartment. I’d been making my way on my own for so long that it felt strange to have people willing to help me without expecting anything in return. “I hope you know you can count on me to have your back when you need me.”
Miguel smiled. “I know. Same goes for me. I’ve got your back.”
I gave his hand a light squeeze. “I know.”
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
MIGUEL
Since it was Friday, Talula’s was packed. We managed to find two seats at the end of one of their long, family-style tables. The place was lively with conversation all around us. The brick walls and exposed beams in the high ceilings did little to dampen the sound. The harried server came by to give us water and take our drink and food orders. I got my favorite personal pizza, the New Yorker. It had four different cheeses. Yum. Zach got a bowl of meatballs as well as a personal pizza. I guessed it took a lot to feed a body that size with all the work he did.
When the server brought his beer and my sangria, we clinked glasses, and Zach said, “To friends who have your back.”
“I’ll drink to that,” I said. I sipped my sangria and asked, “So, do you want some help packing? I’m pretty good at it.”
He looked surprised by the offer. “Sure. I have to get boxes first though.”
“We can probably get some at the hotel. We always have deliveries coming in.”
“That’s true. I can check tomorrow before the brunch service.”
I heard a woman’s voice behind me. “Zach?”
He looked up in surprise. “Allie?”
I turned to see Zach’s sister standing behind me. It was obvious they were related. They had the same black hair and bright-blue eyes. Zach stood and came around the end of the table to give her a hug. “Hey, it’s good to see you.” He looked at the woman next to Allie and said, “Hey, Marissa.” He put his hand on my shoulder. “This is my friend, Miguel.”
“So, this is the Miguel I keep hearing about,” Allie exclaimed.
“Um…what?” I said intelligently.
Allie put her hands on her hips. “Zach talks about you all the time.” She glared at me. “So does Cody, ever since you spent the afternoon with him and taught him that Bruno song.”
I put up my hands. “In my defense, Zach was already playing it for him when I got there.”
Zach nudged me with his hip. “Way to throw me under the bus.”
“No one needs the wrath of a toddler mom aimed at them,” I retorted.
Allie laughed. “He’s barely a toddler anymore. He’s going to be four in May.”
