Andres was staring down at my lips.
“Tapatio,” I answered.
He smiled and held up his plate. “Same here.”
I smiled back and crossed my ankles together. His chest expanded as he inhaled a long breath before my eyes trailed to the finger he brushed along my knee. “Are you into Adam?” he asked quietly, leaning in so no one would hear us.
With the half-eaten taco in front of my slightly opened mouth, I looked at him.
His eyes were as hard as stone.
“Is that what this is about?” I asked.
I shifted my head and caught Carmin’s eyes, but she quickly turned her head and laughed loudly at something Adam must have said.
Okay, he clearly has no clue about Carmin’s feelings . I placed the taco back on my plate “I wish I was, but—” I began to answer him, and shook my head. “No, I’m not.” I couldn’t lie about liking Adam—there was no point.
“You sure?” He pressed, with his hands on my knee. “I’d leave you alone if you are, you know.”
I could feel the warmth of his hand radiating through my jeans and I shook my head again. I knew that if he left me alone, I wouldn’t like it.
“It’s not that,” I whispered, my heart beating like a drum.
“You’re acting so strange. Different than on the phone.” He took a bite and swallowed before giving me a goofy grin. “You don’t have to be shy with me.”
That wasn’t the problem . I looked around and noticed how tiny the room seemed now that a bunch of people sat close enough to be listening. I decided to change the subject instead. It wasn’t that I was shy around him necessarily.
“So how long have you played baseball?” I asked, glad I hadn’t thought to ask him this when we’d talked on the phone.
“Since I was a kid.” Andres finished off his third taco and grabbed the fourth.
“My dad’s a fan of the sport and I’ve always enjoyed it.”
I nodded before continuing, “Do you want to play after you graduate?”
He shrugged and shook his head. “Nah, it’s just for fun. I’m going to work with my dad and help him start up a family business of kitchen remodeling.”
“Well, you’ll be graduating this year. What about college?”
He froze and looked at me again, as if caught off guard. Was this a sore subject? He cleared his throat and waved his hand like it was no big deal.
“I don’t think it’s necessary. He has all the licensing and experience already. I just need to help him promote and expand.”
“But, you could learn so much more,” I insisted.
“Peach, my dad needs my help,” he replied exasperated. “So that’s what I’m going to do.”
I decided not to press the subject. “Okay … if you’re sure.”
Julio walked past us and headed toward the kitchen. Dre had mentioned over the phone that their mom died when he and his sister, Victoria, were little, so I knew his dad and grandmother were the ones who raised them. Julio reminded me of my own father, a tall, strong man who took care of his family. My chest suddenly felt heavy.
“You could say that … and I like the work. I’m very hands on.” If he wasn’t so close to me, I would’ve missed the sexual innuendo. I stayed stark still as he reached up to move a lock of hair behind my ear, his finger trailing down against my neck. With my eyes at half mast, I refused to close them all the way, reminding myself there were people in the room who were watching us. Carmin specifically. Each time I thought I felt her watching I’d sneak a glance, but she wouldn’t meet my eyes. I decided to play it safe.
“What about you? Do you know what you want to be when you grow up?” he asked, finally breaking the spell I was under. I took a sip of my soda to help my suddenly dry throat before answering.
“A photographer,” I said proudly.
“Really? Of what, landscapes?” His eyebrows shot up in interest.
This was an easy question for me. I shook my head. “No. People. You know—portraits, candids, maybe weddings eventually…” My
“Tapatio,” I answered.
He smiled and held up his plate. “Same here.”
I smiled back and crossed my ankles together. His chest expanded as he inhaled a long breath before my eyes trailed to the finger he brushed along my knee. “Are you into Adam?” he asked quietly, leaning in so no one would hear us.
With the half-eaten taco in front of my slightly opened mouth, I looked at him.
His eyes were as hard as stone.
“Is that what this is about?” I asked.
I shifted my head and caught Carmin’s eyes, but she quickly turned her head and laughed loudly at something Adam must have said.
Okay, he clearly has no clue about Carmin’s feelings . I placed the taco back on my plate “I wish I was, but—” I began to answer him, and shook my head. “No, I’m not.” I couldn’t lie about liking Adam—there was no point.
“You sure?” He pressed, with his hands on my knee. “I’d leave you alone if you are, you know.”
I could feel the warmth of his hand radiating through my jeans and I shook my head again. I knew that if he left me alone, I wouldn’t like it.
“It’s not that,” I whispered, my heart beating like a drum.
“You’re acting so strange. Different than on the phone.” He took a bite and swallowed before giving me a goofy grin. “You don’t have to be shy with me.”
That wasn’t the problem . I looked around and noticed how tiny the room seemed now that a bunch of people sat close enough to be listening. I decided to change the subject instead. It wasn’t that I was shy around him necessarily.
“So how long have you played baseball?” I asked, glad I hadn’t thought to ask him this when we’d talked on the phone.
“Since I was a kid.” Andres finished off his third taco and grabbed the fourth.
“My dad’s a fan of the sport and I’ve always enjoyed it.”
I nodded before continuing, “Do you want to play after you graduate?”
He shrugged and shook his head. “Nah, it’s just for fun. I’m going to work with my dad and help him start up a family business of kitchen remodeling.”
“Well, you’ll be graduating this year. What about college?”
He froze and looked at me again, as if caught off guard. Was this a sore subject? He cleared his throat and waved his hand like it was no big deal.
“I don’t think it’s necessary. He has all the licensing and experience already. I just need to help him promote and expand.”
“But, you could learn so much more,” I insisted.
“Peach, my dad needs my help,” he replied exasperated. “So that’s what I’m going to do.”
I decided not to press the subject. “Okay … if you’re sure.”
Julio walked past us and headed toward the kitchen. Dre had mentioned over the phone that their mom died when he and his sister, Victoria, were little, so I knew his dad and grandmother were the ones who raised them. Julio reminded me of my own father, a tall, strong man who took care of his family. My chest suddenly felt heavy.
“You could say that … and I like the work. I’m very hands on.” If he wasn’t so close to me, I would’ve missed the sexual innuendo. I stayed stark still as he reached up to move a lock of hair behind my ear, his finger trailing down against my neck. With my eyes at half mast, I refused to close them all the way, reminding myself there were people in the room who were watching us. Carmin specifically. Each time I thought I felt her watching I’d sneak a glance, but she wouldn’t meet my eyes. I decided to play it safe.
“What about you? Do you know what you want to be when you grow up?” he asked, finally breaking the spell I was under. I took a sip of my soda to help my suddenly dry throat before answering.
“A photographer,” I said proudly.
“Really? Of what, landscapes?” His eyebrows shot up in interest.
This was an easy question for me. I shook my head. “No. People. You know—portraits, candids, maybe weddings eventually…” My
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