“She didn’t. The demon was inside Matteo.” He makes a sound like a cymbal crash—badum-tiss.
“She must really not have wanted to marry him.”
“I can’t blame her. Matteo’s my brother and I love him, but he’s a pendejo.”
“You know the families are going to look to us next.”
“It’s in their nature.”
“Don’t be surprised if they plan us a wedding for next week using all of Caro and Matteo’s leftover stuff.”
“I’m sure my mom is already working on a spell to change the first names on the invitations to ‘Cat and Diego.’”
I cover my face with my hands and groan at the thought of it. “What am I thinking, coming back to Florida? They’re going to suck me back into family drama the second I sign a lease.”
“We’ll manage it together. It can’t be any worse than exorcising a demon out of my brother.”
“Don’t tempt fate, Diego,” I warn.
“All I’m saying is we can be adults with healthy boundaries.”
“Still…how about we keep this quiet for now? Me moving to Miami, I mean. I want to explore what’s happening between us without expectations or pressure. Let this be our own for a while.”
“And Tío Nestor’s.”
I turn to see Nestor peeking around the edge of the doorframe. He waves.
“Nestor, can you keep a secret?” I call over to him.
“Oh, of course, of course, mi nenita. You know me. I don’t say nothing to nobody.” Nestor mimes locking his mouth with a key and tossing it over his shoulder.
That’s a damn lie, but I don’t call him on it. Instead, I take Diego’s hand and lace our fingers together. “We’ll tell them when we’re ready.”
“When you’re ready. We’ve always been on your timeline, Cat.”
I open my shields to his emotions and realize that’s true. He’s always been ready for me.
He lifts our joined hands and kisses my knuckles. “You know what happened when you found me in that broom closet?” he asks.
“No, what?”
The corner of his mouth twitches. “You swept me off my feet.”
I’m still laughing when he kisses me.
EPILOGUE
Four months later
In a stunning turn of events, my sister Crystal elopes with Diego’s brother Lorenzo. Apparently they hooked up after the wedding-turned-exorcism, and managed to keep their romance under wraps better than Diego and I did.
Our mothers are despondent at the missed opportunity to host another “wedding of the century.” But like a good brother, Diego steps in and throws Crystal and Lorenzo a reception at his Miami restaurant. Since the moms finally got the merger they wanted, I announce that I’ve moved in with Diego.
My mother is ecstatic. “Honey, I’m so glad to have you closer. New York was just too far away. We missed you.”
Diego’s mother has a mercenary look in her eye. “Does this mean you’re open for business again? I could use a new gown for the Temple gala next month.”
Diego grits his teeth. “Mami, we talked about this.”
