I pull out my phone and take a picture. He sticks his tongue out, and I snap another.
It's early afternoon and we're back at his parents' house. Mateo insisted I needed food, because according to him, I turn into a Jade-asaurus if I haven't eaten, even after a mind-blowing orgasm.
"Slice that tomato?" Mateo asks, gesturing to the tomato in front of him.
I nod and grab a cutting board and knife.
"You want to hear something funny?" I ask.
"Hmm?"
I slice into the purple tomato. "Before meeting Addie, I didn't know tomatoes came in any color beside red."
Mateo chuckles, and his phone buzzes on the counter again.
"Maybe it's important," I say.
"Maybe your mom's call is important." He raises a brow and places slices of the tomato I cut on one side of the croissants.
"She needs money," I say, slicing more of the tomato. "Her electric bill is due in two days."
I slide the cutting board closer to him, and he finishes laying tomato slices on the croissants. He adds pinches of salt and pepper, and then a few leaves of basil.
He tops them with fresh mozzarella and slides the pan into the warmed oven.
It's scary. Scary because I can see it. Him. Me. Us. I can see letting him take care of me. I can see wanting him to. It doesn't matter how often I remind myself we can't be, that this is temporary, my body and my heart don't want to fucking listen.
"Will you give it to her?" he asks.
"What?"
"Will you give your mom money?"
I shake my head and duck under his arms, craving closeness. I hop onto the counter and am immediately reminded of our first tryst. His beard is rough beneath my hands when I pull his lips to mine.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me."
I push against Mateo's chest, and he stumbles backward. We both turn to the sound of Addie's voice. Her face is pinched, her jaw tight.
"Addie, I—" I start.
"I fucking hate you both," Addie says, shaking her head. "This is why he was at your apartment today and last week?" she asks me. "Because you're fucking my brother?"
Mateo and I share a look.
Addie holds up her phone. "I have both of your fucking locations. Did you forget?"
"He brought me soup," I say, jumping from the counter. "I was sick."
"You look fucking fine to me."
"I'm s—"
"Fuck you," Addie says, her lips curled into a snarl. And then she points at Mateo. "And you. I can't believe you. My best friend?" She huffs. "My best friend and my brother. Fucking Kevin. The bastard was fucking right."
"Addie, listen, it's not—" Mateo says, taking a step toward her.
"Don't you dare come closer to me. You know the worst part? The worst part is I fucking knew. Everything fucking pointed to it, and yet I chose not to believe it. I talked myself out of thinking the two of you could ever betray me like this. Silly fucking me for thinking either of you had any fucking standards."
