I turn the phone slightly, catching Eva in the frame.
Mami’s eyes widen. “¿Y esa belleza?”
“This,” I say, sliding an arm around Eva’s waist and pulling her close, “is my girl. Her name’s Eva.”
Mami pauses, blinks twice, then gasps again, this time for a very different reason.
“¡Eva como la hermana de—!” She claps a hand over her mouth. “Ay.That’swhyNoah hit you!”
Eva laughs out loud, covering her face, while I just nod solemnly. “Yep. That would be the reason.”
Mami shakes her head, but she’s smiling. “You always did like to make your life more difficult. Butella es preciosa. You better treat her right.”
“I’m trying, Ma,” I say, looking over at Eva. “Every single day.”
We talk a little longer, Mami makes Eva promise to come visit soon, and warns me not to mess this up or she’ll come over and smack me herself. When we hang up, I’m still smiling.
As I drain the pasta and plate up our chaotic dinner combo, Eva slips her arms around my waist from behind.
“That was cute,” she murmurs. “Your mom’s intense, but I like her.”
“She’s gonna love you. Maybe even more than she loves me.”
“Impossible,” she says with a grin, then steals a tostone off the plate and pops it into her mouth. “Mmm. Okay, maybe not impossible.”
We sit down at the kitchen island, laughing and eating like the world isn’t falling apart around us. For now, in this tiny bubble of pasta, fried plantains, and bruised lips, everything feels okay.
After we finish eating, we move to the couch, Eva stretching with a satisfied sigh and leans back.
“Movie time?” she asks, eyes already scanning through the streaming options.
“Obviously,” I say, already walking toward the fridge. “But first, dessert.”
“Ice cream?” she calls.
I grin. “Chocolate or strawberry, babe?”
“Chocolate.”
“Of course.” I shake my head and grab both pints anyway, no way am I letting her steal mine halfway through. As I’m about to close the freezer door, a loud knock pounds through the house.
I freeze. Because I know who it is just by that knock alone.
Eva’s eyes meet mine from across the room, wide and knowing. I sigh and slide the ice cream back into the freezer like it’s some sacred ritual I just got robbed of.
“You ready, mi amor?” I ask quietly.
She nods. “Yeah. Let’s do this.”
We walk to the door together. I take a breath, then open it.
And there is Noah, pissed off and stone-faced, with Josy standing behind him holding Everly in her arms. The tension hits me like a wall. Noah’s eyes lock onto mine, hard and furious.
I step aside. “Come in.”
He doesn’t move at first. Just scans the room like he’s trying to figure out where to punch first. Then he walks in with Josy right behind him. She gives me a small, apologetic smile as she adjusts Everly on her hip.
Noah turns sharply once he’s inside, glaring first at me, then Eva.
