“I was an idiot.” He let out a soft laugh, unsure of where this was going.
“But I’ve always wanted to know,” she continued. “If you didn’t like me, then why did you try to kiss me that night at the club? Were you just drunk?”
Rafael froze, but Grace laughed. “You don’t have to be nervous. It was forever ago. I’m just curious.”
“It’s not that I disliked you.” Rafael pulled back from her, putting a hand on the counter.
Grace snorted, clearly skeptical of his explanation.
“I mean, maybe, yes, it came off like that. And maybe I did dislike you, but it wasn’tbecauseof you. I think I was just jealous.”
She frowned, scrunching up her nose. “Jealous of what?”
Rafael sorted his thoughts, trying to figure out what to say. “You were so young and easy-going and carefree, just as you should have been. Alma, too. I’d never been like that. I didn’t know how. My father would have thought I was ridiculous.”
Grace rubbed the tips of her fingers along the back of his hand, reaching for him. He turned up his palm, welcoming her touch.
Rafael pushed on, unsure if any of this was coming out right. “Somehow, though, I always felt like you saw me, or saw through me, maybe. You knew it was all an act, and I was drawn to that. I hoped some of your joy might rub off on me. I guess maybe I thought you seemed like someone who could really know me, not just the person I was pretending to be.”
Grace stared at him. “So, it wasn’t just that you’d had one too many glasses of sangria?”
Rafael pulled a face.
“I’m kidding,” she said, and then she tightened her grip on his hand. “I do want to really know you,” she said, almost in a whisper.
He started to pull her toward him, his other hand sliding up the back of her arm, but then they heard the sound of the doorknob rattling, and Alma emerged from the bedroom.
Grace turned away from him quickly, stepping backward. “Everything okay?” she asked her best friend. A flush crept up Grace’s neck and onto her cheeks. Rafael wanted to search every inch of her to see where else she’d turned that shade of pink.
Alma was pulling her hair back into a high bun. “Yes. Well, maybe. Obinna said he’s been doing a lot of thinking about where to go from here, and he realizes he might have put too much pressure on me, but he wants to talk it out some more. I’m going to head over to his place so we can hash it out for a while.”
“Good,” Grace said. “Very good, Alma. I really hope it goes well. I mean, I think it will.”
Alma shrugged but she was almost fluttering around the apartment as she collected her keys and her purse.
“Do you think you’ll be returning tonight?” Rafael asked, trying to sound completely nonchalant. He was truly hoping that his sister was going to work things out, that she might spend the night with Obinna and find that thread of happiness she’d been following ever since she’d met him. Admittedly, though, Rafael was also trying to assess whether or not he’d be able to spend the night with Alma’s best friend.
Alma thought for a moment. “Yes. Maybe. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but even if we’re back together, I want to manage my expectations. Maybe we shouldn’t go right back to living together again, you know? And my apartment will be ready soon.”
“That makes sense,” Grace agreed.
Alma glanced back at them before she started toward the from door. “Hasta luego.”
“Wait,” Grace said suddenly, rushing over and pulling her into a hug. “Good luck.” She whispered something else, and Alma looked at her with eyes full of tenderness.
Rafael gave a little wave. “Buena suerta, Alma.If he gives you any trouble, go straight for the towels.”
Alma smiled and gave him a little acknowledgment of their shared history, of the difficult home where they’d relied on each other so long ago.
Just like that, she was out the door, and Rafael and Grace were alone again. Every day since Alma had been there, it had been rare that they were alone together in the apartment, and even when they were, they’d hardly touched, anticipating Alma’s return at any moment.
Silence fell over the room in her absence. Grace and Rafael were as still as statues until he managed to growl, “Get over here.”
Grace moved toward him slowly, as if being reeled in on a tether. As soon as she was within his reach, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug.
“I need to tell Alma tonight,” Grace said into his chest. “Or tomorrow, whenever she’s back. I know I’m a terrible friend for not telling her sooner, but I didn’t want to distract from this thing with Obinna or add more to her plate. I almost blurted it out fifteen times today, though, and I can’t keep it from her any longer. I have to…” She swallowed. “I need to tell her we slept together.”
Rafael eased back so he could see her face. “That we slept together?” he asked, enunciating each word. “Or that we’re sleeping together?”
