Open minded.
It’s what Angel was determined to keep being—for Sarah’s sake. He turned to her with a smile. “This whole situation is weird, babe. I’m just gonna need some time to get used to it. That’s all.”
She reached out and placed her hand on his thigh and smiled. “My mom’s been kind of weird about it too. I guess the circumstances are strange for everyone including me.”
That made Angel feel a little better. He really was trying his damnedest here. They arrived at the marina, which had been transformed into this outdoor festival with all the local seafood restaurants both on and off the marina set up outside under tents offering samples and specials on their seafood dinners. The place was more packed than Angel had expected it to be for a weeknight. It made him think maybe he should talk to his dad about considering seafood and lobster dinners for a limited time just for this festival.
They tried several of the samples and walked around for a while before deciding which restaurant they’d go with for dinner. Angel made mental notes of what made him sway more toward one restaurant’s food than the others. Fortunately, Leo didn’t do anything else that had the hair on Angel’s neck standing like seeing the flowers Leo had brought. Of course this would happen on the same fucking night Angel decided to bring her one paltry rose. It didn’t matter though. The roses were a sweet gesture from her brother, while the single one was a romantic one from her boyfriend—completely different.
Angel finally succumbed to his bladder’s needs and excused himself to the men’s room, leaving Sarah and Leo alone for the first time all evening. He was already done and washing his hands when his phone buzzed at his waist. There were two texts from Romero. He clicked on the envelope and read them in order.
Hey, where you at?
You know some dude is getting all cozy with Sarah at the marina? Text me back and tell me what you want me to do; otherwise, I’ll just take care of this my way.
Angel texted back quickly that he was there with them and that the dude was her brother but then added something as he walked out of the restroom.
What do you mean getting cozy?
He turned the corner quickly, knowing Romero could totally misinterpret and exaggerate things of this nature. Sometimes Angel wondered if Romero wasn’t just looking for a reason to pound on someone. As funny as the guy could be, they all knew he had some serious issues with his temper. Beating up on deserving assholes seemed to be his way of unleashing some of that pent-up anger.
Instantly, Angel’s eyes were fixed on Sarah and Leo. When he’d walked away, he left them sitting across from each other on the bench table. Now they sat side by side with Leo leaning into her. She was showing him something on her phone, and they were laughing. Angel could see how Romero could misconstrue this. His phone buzzed in his hand again, and he clicked on the text from Romero.
Sarah has a brother???
Angel didn’t bother responding. He hadn’t told Romero anything about Leo and hadn’t planned to until he absolutely had to. The last thing he needed was to hear Romero’s two cents on this. If his friend were still watching Sarah and Leo, and Angel knew him well enough to know he was, he’d see Angel with them soon enough. As soon as he reached the table, Leo moved back across from Sarah, and Angel took the seat next to her.
Sarah was still giggling when he sat down. “I was just telling Leo about Romero’s uncles’ charades party,” she said, motioning to the screen where the video of Romero twerking was still going. “Valerie videotaped all the hysterical stuff and sent it to me.” She glanced up at Angel and then immediately behind him. “Oh.” She smiled even bigger. “Speak of the devil.”
Angel turned to see Romero holding a plastic bag of to-go containers. “Browsing the festival?” Angel asked with a smirk.
Romero scrunched up his face. “Nah, I’m not into this shit,” he said, holding up the bags. “I’m here for Manny and Max. I’ll need wheels for this weekend since my car’s in the shop, and you know those two. They’re already cashing in the favors I’ll owe them for borrowing either of their cars all weekend. Couldn’t just ask me to pick up a burger on their way home either.” He shook his head. “They got me jumping through hoops now. They wanted lobster and crab cakes and they want them warm.”
“Then you better get that to them fast.” Angel laughed.
“Yeah, I know.” Romero nodded then glanced at Leo curiously and then at Sarah. “I didn’t know you had a brother.”
“I didn’t either until a few weeks ago.” Sarah smiled, turning to Leo. “Leo, this is Romero, Angel’s friend. Romero, this is my brother, Leo.”
Romero did his usual lifting of his chin, taking in Leo. “What’s up, man.” He then turned back to Sarah. “You didn’t know until a few weeks ago?”
“Yeah,” she said, exchanging glances with Leo. “It’s a long story. Angel can tell you about another time or your uncles’ food will get cold.”
Angel didn’t miss the look of suspicion or confusion on Romero’s face as he took in Leo one last time before saying he had to go. But before he did he turned back to Angel. “You and Alex are in Hawaii this weekend, right?”
Angel confirmed with a nod as the waiter from the place they ordered dropped off their huge trays of shrimp, crab legs, and lobster. He spoke to Romero for a bit before turning his attention fully back to Sarah and Leo.
“The game’s in Hawaii?” Leo asked as he peeled the shell off a shrimp.
Again Angel nodded, reaching for a crab and the wooden mallet the waiter had left.
“It gets really messy,” Sarah warned Leo.
“You going too?” Leo asked, glancing up to look at Sarah but then went back to struggling with his shrimp.
“Nuh uh,” Sarah said, biting into her shrimp and then reaching for her napkin. “Unfortunately, I don’t get to go to Hawaii with him. Yet,” she added, smiling at Angel. “I will some day.”
“Yeah, you will.” Angel leaned in and kissed her, wishing he’d thought of it sooner and somehow arranged for Sarah to go with him.
It was a day game on Saturday, and they weren’t getting back until Monday evening. They would’ve had the rest of the day Saturday, all of Sunday, and even part of Monday to do some sightseeing.
The messiness of the dinner with them having to peel the shrimp and break the crab and lobster shells open kept them busy and the conversation to small talk as all three inhaled the food. By the time they were done and all sat there stuffed, it was getting late. Most of the vendors were beginning to wrap it up.
“So it’s a three-day weekend for you, right?” Leo asked as he walked one of the trays to a nearby trashcan. “Columbus Day on Monday?”
Sarah nodded, piling up her dirty napkins on the tray Angel held out for her.
“Any plans?”
Angel eyed Leo, who rounded up the rest of the trash on the table and began walking away toward the trashcan again.
“Nope,” Sarah said. “I have a paper I need to work on. Maybe I’ll hang out with my cousin.” She turned to Angel. “Oh wait. Valerie’s out of town this weekend too. I forgot about Havasu.”
Leo stopped suddenly to look at her. “Your cousin’s going to Havasu for the weekend? Is she going for the Oktoberfest thing at London Bridge?”
“Yes.” Sarah smiled. “I think that’s what she said.”
“Why aren’t you going?” Leo glanced at Angel for a moment but quickly looked back at Sarah. “I’ve been there a few times for that. It’s always a blast.”
Sarah crinkled her nose. “That kind of stuff is not for me. I picture it sort of like a Spring Break thing where everyone gets crazy. Lots of drinking and girls going wild.” She laughed softly, hooking her arm into Angel’s. “Not my thing, not without Angel anyway.” She turned to Angel and smiled. Those beautiful eyes of hers sparkled once again, reminding him why he was so damn whipped on her. Not only was she beautiful she always knew the exact thing to say at precisely the moment it needed to be said. “I’d just as soon
stay home with a good book.”
Waiting for a moment, Leo seemed to ponder something before continuing to walk his tray all the way to the trashcan. Angel got the feeling he wanted to say more but didn’t.
Despite having to endure watching Leo embrace Sarah again when they said goodbye, Angel was glad the night was finally over and Sarah’s first official meeting with her brother was done. Angel couldn’t say it’d gone badly, but he couldn’t say his unease about Leo was completely gone either. The fact that her dad had just up and disappeared still didn’t sit well with him. Though he wouldn’t in any way encourage Sarah to try to reconnect with him, it was still a red flag.
They reached her condo, and Angel could see the light from the television flickering inside, so he knew her mom was still up. Sarah came around the car, and he leaned against it, bringing her to him with one hand around her waist and pulling a strand of hair behind her ear with the other.
“So what do you think?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.
“I think he makes a pretty good first impression.” He smiled, staring into her eyes. “Even Alex thinks he’s cool.”
Her expression suddenly went from smiling to an adorably confused one. “I just thought of something. If Romero didn’t know I had a brother, how did he know who Leo was?”
Angel chuckled, kissing her on the forehead. “He texted me when I was in the restroom to tell me you were with a dude at the marina. I had to explain who Leo was before he went over there and got all Romero on Leo.”
Sarah’s mouth fell open slightly then she smiled. “Ah, okay,” she said. “No wonder.” Then she frowned. “Does he really think I’d do that? Sneak around to go hang out with another guy?” Before Angel could respond to that, she smirked. “I mean if I ever did I certainly wouldn’t do it in public somewhere where I know you and your friends frequent.”
Angel squeezed her hard feigning anger until she laughed. “Not funny,” he said but then added in case she was actually offended. “You know Romero. He’s ready to pounce at the first sign of drama. He’s always been like that. Kick ass first; ask questions later.”
She lifted her brow slightly, but her lip twitched so he could see she wasn’t too offended. “Well, I’m glad you and Alex have such a good friend who’s looking out for you guys, but you’d think after all this time he’d know things are a little different for you and me than they are for Valerie and Alex.”
“He does,” Angel said, hugging her tightly, knowing he’d soon be letting her go and he didn’t want to. “You know he does. That’s just Romero for you. But he did text me before doing anything, something I’m sure he wouldn’t have done if it had been Valerie.” He pulled away and smiled at her with a shrug. “So there’s the difference.”
“I guess.” She laughed then toned the smile down a bit. “You all ready and packed for Hawaii?”
Angel nodded but said nothing. It’d just dawned on him a few days ago that this would be the first time in a long time he’d be away from Sarah for longer than just overnight like all his other away games.
“You excited?” Her eyes brightened a bit in what he could only assume was an attempt to look excited for him.
Again he didn’t say anything but shook his head.
“Why?” she asked, confused. “This is Hawaii! I’d be excited.”
Lifting a brow slowly, Angel stared at her. “Would you really? Even if you were going without me?”
Her big smile waned and she pouted. “Probably not. But you should try and make the best of it, still.
“I will,” he said, kissing her softly. “I just know no matter what, with everything I see or do out there, I’ll be wishing you were there.”
“It’s a big game too,” she offered.
“Yeah.” He nodded in agreement. “And that’s probably what I’m most looking forward to, not the five-hour flight each way. Not the being on an incredibly romantic island getaway . . . with my brother.”
Sarah laughed. “Well, I’m sure he’ll make the most of the romantic island.”
That made Angel frown. “That’s neither here nor there, Sarah. You know all I’ll be thinking about is you the whole time.”
He reiterated that last statement nonverbally, using his lips for a few more minutes before he finally had to let her go. Tomorrow was his last day here, and then he’d be gone for the long weekend. He was only glad they’d gotten her first meeting with Leo out of the way and it’d been fairly painless. Already he was beginning to feel a little better about the whole thing.
Chapter 13
Sarah
“Are you sure?” Valerie asked Sarah for the third time.
Sarah nodded as they made their way back to their cars in the college parking lot where the buses were taking the team to the airport. To her surprise, Valerie had actually showed up to see Alex off the way Sarah had for Angel. Valerie and Alex were having one of their amicable weeks together, but Sarah was certain Valerie wasn’t getting her hopes up that she wouldn’t hear any rumors of what or who he would do in Hawaii this weekend. This was why she still had plans to go to Havasu for the weekend and was still trying to convince Sarah to join her.
Sarah was so grateful she didn’t have to worry about that kind of stuff with Angel. Though she’d never admit it, there was a little part deep inside her gut that worried she’d hear something. Even if it was just that Dana had tried cozying up to Angel or did something else equally as annoying, it still would piss her off no matter how much she didn’t want to give Dana the pleasure. Then there were the other older girls from the cheer squad, who would also be in Hawaii this weekend. Some of them had tried repeatedly to seduce Angel. Shaking the unnerving thoughts away, she turned back to Valerie. “I have a paper I really need to get done,” Sarah reminded her.
If it were anyone else, she might also add that she wasn’t going to rock the boat with Angel. When she’d mentioned Valerie’s invitation to Havasu to Angel, he didn’t say he’d mind her going, but he didn’t say he’d be fine with it either. She also knew Angel well enough. They all knew this would be a big college drunk-fest, and she’d been honest when she told Leo that kind of stuff wasn’t her thing, especially if Angel wasn’t with her. But if she said something like that to her cousin, it would feel like she’d be rubbing in the fact that Alex and Valerie didn’t have what she and Angel did. So she left it with the excuse of the paper she needed to write, which was not a lie.
After parting ways with Valerie, Sarah headed to the beach where she met Sofia for a run. They ran for a few miles then stopped at the end of one of the piers and drank some water, leaning over the side and catching their breath. She looked up and caught Sofie lost in thought, staring out into the distance.
Sarah glanced in the direction Sofia was looking and saw a giant naval ship. Earlier that summer, Sofia and Eric had broken up briefly after Sofia had allowed a former neighbor to kiss her—a handsome U.S. Marine who’d come home on leave. Even though she and Eric had gotten past it and worked things out since then, Sarah knew Sofia was still dealing with the overwhelming feelings of guilt. Sofia had confessed to Sarah, feeling confused at the time it happened because she’d never dreamed of hurting Eric yet she’d given into the temptation anyway. Sarah wondered if Sofia might be thinking about it now.
“Everything okay with you and Eric?” Sarah asked, taking another swig of her water.
Sofia snapped out of her stupor and glanced at Sarah with a nod. “Yeah,” she said, but it wasn’t very convincing. “We’re fine. It’s just that . . .” She took a deep breath and looked away.
“Just that what?” Sarah asked.
Sarah knew she was probably the only one with whom Sofia had shared the intimate details of what really happened with that kiss. She was pretty sure Sofia didn’t have anyone else to talk to about this.
“I just can’t shake the guilt,” Sofia said, breathing in deeply with a frown. “I keep asking myself why I did it. Why did I let him kiss me when I love Eric so much?
Why would I chance hurting and possibly losing Eric like that? The only thing I can think of is I didn’t even realize it but I guess my body . . . my heart was curious or even excited about something different even if it was only one time.” She turned to Sarah with a solemn expression. “I’d never say anything to Angel. I promise. This would be completely between you and me, but have you ever felt like that? You and Angel have been together for years now, and he’s pretty much been your first love—first everything, right?”
Nodding, Sarah confirmed that Angel was her first everything. As far as she was concerned, the few kisses, or even few times she’d made out with anyone before him, were insignificant compared to what she had with Angel. She’d certainly never felt the kind of emotion only Angel was capable of making her feel.
“So you’ve never had another experience with other guys?”
“No, I have but nothing remotely close to what I’ve experienced with Angel.”
“Okay,” Sofia said. “I’m not trying to make myself feel better here or anything. I’m just trying to understand how I let it happen. Do you think you’d ever give into a moment of passion with anyone else? Even out of curiosity?” Sofia lifted her brows in an almost hopeful way. “Especially if the guy was extremely attractive and it was just a harmless kiss?”
Sarah gave her a knowing look. “First of all, you and I both know, no matter what the circumstances, my giving into another guy’s kiss would never be considered harmless to your brother.” She smiled to try and ease Sofie’s obvious guilt. “Things are different with Angel and me, Sof. You and Eric were pretty much in love from the time you were kids. Your heart never even got the chance to consider the possibility that someone else might excite you. Not only was it different for me and Angel but I screwed up from the very beginning and we started off on a sour note. I already know what it’s like to hurt him even if I never intended to. I saw the hurt and pain I put him through, and like you, Sof, I will never do that to him again. We’re human. We’re gonna make mistakes. My mom always says, ‘A life without mistakes is a life without experience.’ Without these experiences, Sof, maybe your curiosity would’ve manifested into something even bigger—something that would’ve been far more destructive to your relationship. Be glad it was just a harmless kiss that gave you a taste of what it would be like to lose him. Stop beating yourself up. As long as you learned from it and Eric’s forgiven you, let it go.”