My sister Livie joins in, teasing us. “You two look cozy. Guess it’s true what Mom said.”
“What’s that?” Daisy asks, smiling, though it doesn’t quite meet her eyes.
“That you’re finally together,” Livie says with a wink.
I laugh, leaning down toward Daisy so my lips are close enough for only her to hear. “We need to talk to her later.”
She tilts her head toward me, just slightly. I catch the faintest whiff of sunscreen and chlorine, and for a second, I forget to breathe. She’s breathtaking.
“What?” I ask when I miss whatever she was trying to say.
“I said we do, but for now, let’s keep this story straight.” Her tone is hushed, her words just for me.
It’s not the story I’m worried about. It’s the fact that pretending feels way too much like the thing I’ve wanted for years.
And with my whole family watching, I have to keep my hand exactly where it is when all I want to do is pull her closer and never let go.
Livie doesn’t even give us a chance to answer beforeshe’s pulling two chairs over, practically pinning us in with her enthusiasm.
“Come on, join the party,” Daisy says, waving at Alex, Livie’s husband, to join us too.
Livie plops onto the edge of Daisy’s chair, forcing her to scoot closer to me. So close, her bare knee brushes mine. So close, I can feel the cool dampness of her skin against my leg. I shift automatically, draping my whole arm along the back of her chair. It’s what a boyfriend would do, but really, it’s just so I can keep touching her.
“So,” Livie says, pointing between us, “who made the first move? You or him?”
“I’m dying to know,” Jaime, my cousin, says. Jaime and I aren’t really close. We grew up semi-close, but his family spent half the time traveling and living in between places, which made it harder to form a bond.
So imagine my surprise when he updated his status on socials to show he was in a relationship with my ex. Did he even know I dated Violeta? No, he didn’t. A small part of me always wondered why I was wasting my time with her instead of chasing after who I truly wanted.
Daisy laughs, awkward but adorable. “Depends on what you consider a first move.”
“Her,” I say.
At the same time, she says, “Definitely him.” Damn it, we need to get on the same page.
Everyone laughs like it’s the cutest thing in the world, and Daisy hides behind her lemonade glass, sipping to avoid the follow-up questions. I don’t blame her.
I lean in just enough so only she can hear again. “We’re supposed to get our stories straight, remember?”
She side-eyes me over the rim of her glass. “Okay, okay, sorry. Sorry. I’ll hush now.”
My chest tightens. I don’t want her to be quiet. No, Iwant to be on the same page as her while simultaneously trying to gauge if this is something she can do past this weekend.
“Mateo, help me with this umbrella,” my uncle calls from behind us.
I start to move, but Daisy’s hand lightly grips my thigh to stop me. “Stay,” she says, her voice laced with concerned. My entire body goes still under her touch, just like it always does. I look at her with questioning eyes.
“I don’t know what to say,” she whispers.
I lean in closer, holding her neck with one hand and brushing her hair out of the way with the other.
“Play pretend. Just keep notes in your beautiful brain so you can share with me later.” I kiss her forehead and walk to the other table to help my uncle.
By the time I wrestle the umbrella into place, more of my family members have gathered. Some are further away in the cabana where my mom is, others spread around the pool area.
The resort’s pool deck is all gleaming white stone and low, airy cabanas with straw roofs. I look over to see Daisy tense. Her body language speaks volumes. Her gaze darts toward the cool blue sweep of the pool, the rows of sun loungers, then back to someone walking her way. Her shoulders are tense, her eyes narrowed, and she uses her drink as a shield.
Then, I see why.
