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“See?” Carlos crosses his arms. “Let him stay, man.”
“Bro, who says I wasn’t gonna?” I mutter defensively.
A swirl of glitter and tulle barrels into the circle we've formed as my baby sister marches toward me. “You’re finally here!” she says, jabbing a finger into my chest. “And you didn’t say hi to me?”
“I literally just showed up—”
“On my quinceañera?”
Taylor winces, grabbing Huck by the arm. “We're, uh… gonna go get some food. Good luck with this.”
Before I can apologize to my sister for the fifth time tonight, Sofia jerks a thumb in Devon’s direction. “He's trying to throw his friend out.”
“I was not throwing him out!”
Marisol’s gaze flickers to Dev, head tilting as she takes in his appearance. “He's the one who brought my cake. He can stay. Plus, he's cute.”
Dev chokes out a laugh, and Carlos loses his shit.
All I can do is stare at my siblings in disbelief. “What the hell is happening right now?”
Marisol just shrugs. “It’s my birthday. I decide things.”
Devon clears his throat quietly. “I can go if it’s a problem,” he says, even though he doesn’t sound like he wants to.
“It’s not a problem,” Carlos answers immediately.
“Yup,” Sofia adds. “My big burro of a brother is the problem.”
“Wow. Bunch of little traitors. I see how it is.”
Mom's voice cuts over the music, calling for Marisol to get ready for her official first dance. The birthday girl herself throws me a smirk, spinning around to bounce off into the night. Sofia follows with an equally smug look on her face, and my brother fist-bumps Devon before leaving as well.
Then all that's left is us.
An awkward silence passes through, despite the thumping music. I take in his clothes—well, my clothes, really—as he rocks back on his heels. “So,” he finally says, clearing his throat. “Your family's fun.”
I huff out a breath. “You should see us on Christmas.”
That earns me a small smile. “Sorry if I crossed a line by staying. The kids roped me into games, and I couldn't say no.”
“Sounds about right.”
Another heavy pause settles in, and for some reason, I fucking hate it.
“Look,” I start, making sure he meets my gaze before continuing. “I didn’t mean what I said earlier. About you not being invited.”
Devon’s shoulders tense just a fraction. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not. I was being a dick.”
He studies me for a long moment, then drops his gaze to my suit. “You look really good.”
The blood in my veins heats… slightly.
“Thanks.” My gaze darts toward the field where my little cousins are still running wild with my aunt and uncle. “I didn't know you were good with kids and shit.”
He shrugs. “They don’t expect much. Just gotta show up and not be an asshole.”
