“Then don’t, just come as my date and we can tell Ralph it’s to meet with my dad.”
“Fine. I’d rather be there to help you anyway.”
We leave it at that and get back to work since there is a closing we both have to attend in a few minutes. Though, just as we’re about to leave, our phones ping in unison from the group chat.
Lorena
Salsa night is tonight!
More texts come in from the rest of the group, but Tomás pockets his phone, moving to his office door to open it.
“We can discuss the details tonight at Hummingbirds?”
“Yes,” I breathe, waiting for him to open the door.
“Good. I look forward to dancing with you.”
His message in the group chat from the other day pops in my head.
“You were serious?”
“About dancing with you? Of course, I’d be a fool not to be.”
CHAPTER 19
TOMÁS
I’m on my second drink by the time everyone arrives at Hummingbirds. Everyone except for the one person I’ve been nervously waiting on to arrive. The disappointment I feel inside must have transferred to my face, since it’s the first thing Lorena comments on as she gives me a hug hello.
“Nice to see you to.” Her sarcastic jab goes in one ear and out the next. I’m too busy looking past her, scanning the room.
Where is she?
Tino taps my shoulder. “She’s outside,” he says, as if he can read my mind.
“Who?” My attempt at playing it off or being casual doesn’t land with him.
“Who do you think?” He offers me a sly grin, keeping his voice low so my sister doesn’t catch on. “Sarina.”
My throat tightens, nerves working their way up my airway.
“She said she’ll be right in. Don’t worry.”
“Why would I be worried?”
The question is rhetorical, but it’s answered for me when I feel my pulse quicken watching Sarina make her way through the crowd.
There’s a lot I should be worried about.
Mainly how I’m going to pretend that my connection with her is purely professional.
My heart skips a beat when Sarina stops in front of me. The off the shoulder dress she chose to wear has her skin glowing more than it already does. But it’s the confidence she exudes that has me in a chokehold, commanding every ounce of my attention. The way she stands with her shoulders upright, like she owns the room, not in an arrogant way, but in a way that makes you want to be a part of whatever she’s about to do next, has me entranced. It’s an electric feeling, and something that I so desperately need more of.
Lorena sandwiches herself in the middle of where Sarina and I are standing, face to face, but a good foot apart. She wraps one arm around Sarina’s shoulder and then attempts to get on her tip toes to do the same to mine, so I help her out by bending slightly. Bad idea. My attempt at being helpful has resulted in the three of us clumsily rocking back and forth, until Lorena gives up and steps back and then, as luck would have it, it’s me and Sarina, mere inches apart, arms grazing one another’s.
“My god Tomás, you almost knocked us all over,” Lorena scoffs.
I try to play off the nerves that are working overtime, making my pulse present in my ears. “Yeah,” is all I can say.
