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“I miss you too.” These were notfriends-onlyadmissions and it had him smiling even bigger now. “I’m not waiting until next week to see you again, Vannah. You gotta squeeze me in your schedule sometime this weekend.”
Hearing her laugh softy relieved him to no end. As much as he’d attempted to bring it down a notch and make that last request sound playful, he knew it was bordering on the demanding.
“Today and tonight will be out of the question. My dad was pretty adamant that I meet up with them as early as possible. So, since our plans have changed, I can acquiesce him now. He’ll be happy about that. But the one thing I had agreed to do since yesterday was the show in Hollywood, he bought tickets for tonight. Not sure how late we’ll be out, and I didn’t ask about their accommodations, so I have no idea who’ll be coming home with me to my dorm tonight. But I don’t think they have any solid plans for tomorrow. I can figure some way of sneaking away I’m sure.”
Byron cursed himself for not having had the balls to just invite her to lunch with his nieces to begin with. He only had himself to blame for giving her an out. But at least the conversation had taken a turn. Despite their amazing time on the beach last week, all week he’d been careful to not sound too pushy—too needy—too much like already he wanted more than the just-friends relationship, she’d made all too clear is the most she was willing to do. Even his associates andmore-than-friendscrap, had obviously been an avoided topic all week.
She’d made the first move by admitting she missed him. That couldn’t be something she said to all her friends, right? And as busy as she’d been all week, when else could she have had time to sneak in anything with anyone else? Despite the all day-long texts, phone calls, and video chatting they’d done this past week, she’d pointed out she was doing it on her very limited down time. So, like Byron was doing with her, any available time she had from her busy life, clearly, he’d been her priority as well. Includingeverynight they’d spent talking until lights out.
Ever since their night at the beach, Byron hadn’t so much as considered calling back or even returning any texts from any other girls who’d reached out that week. As much as he was trying to not just make assumptions, it had to be a given that Vannah wasn’t making time for anyone else either, right?
After regrettably confirming he wouldn’t be seeing Vannah again today either, since she had plans with her family all day and night, they were off the phone. But she did promise to try and work something out so they might get together tomorrow.
With a busy morning at the shop, the time to pick up the girls came around before Byron knew it. He washed up and headed out to their school pondering on where he’d take them to lunch. The last couple of times had been Olive Garden and it was getting old. He knew they liked Mexican and decided King Taco it was. Their street tacos were the perfect size for his two Littles. He’d taken them there before and they liked it. Though, like a lot of things they were complete opposites when it came to how they liked their tacos.
You’d think Elsa who was the oldest would be the bravest, and more willing to try new stuff. But she always asked for her tacos plain. Lucy, on the other hand, liked hers with plenty of cilantro, onions, and green sauce. It always made Byron chuckle when he’d watch her eat tortilla chips. She’d dip each one into hot salsa, and after taking a bite, she’d suck air into her puckered little lips, because it was so spicy. Then dip it right back in for more.
Lucy and Byron were at the salsa bar at the busy taco place, while Elsa saved them a booth a few feet away. “I want some of that.” Lucy pointed at the bowl with the pickled carrots and jalapeños.
“The jalapeñoescabeche?”
Calling it by its real name had Byron pressing his lips together and breathing in deep. His mother was the only one who ever used the proper name for it. Everyone else he knew just referred to it as his first thought, pickled carrots, and jalapeños. Shaking off any more thoughts of his mother, he glanced back at his niece’s big eyes as she nodded.
“That’s some spicy stuff, mamas. You sure?”
“I’ve had it befoh,” she said wide eyed. “I like it.”
Neverbeing one to say no to either of his girls, Byron reached over for a container and grabbed a little of the stuff for her, since it was out of her reach. Glancing around for a bigger lid since the container for this stuff was bigger than the smaller ones for the salsas, he did a double take when something caught his eye. There was a couple headed out of the restaurant hand in hand. For a moment there, he thought it might be Vannah and was hit with a lightening like bolt of heat instantly, but it wasn’t her.
It couldn’t be.
“Uncle, B?” Byron turned to Elsa who was holding up the receipt for their food. “They’re calling our number.”
Pulled out of his thoughts about the couple walking out, Byron and Lucy walked over to Elsa. He motioned for Lucy to take a seat by her sister and took the receipt from Elsa. “I’ll be right back.”
He rushed over to the counter where the lady had his tray ready. When he turned back toward the booth where the girls were, he glanced out into the parking lot. Once again, he did a double take and froze.
“No fucking way,” he muttered under his breath feeling his insides ignite as he watched Vannah peck the guy on the lips and smile big before getting into the passenger side of a small sedan.
There was no mistaking that smile. It was her alright. Swallowing hard, Byron watched as the guy walked around his car, got into the driver side then proceeded to lean into Vannah for an even longer kiss.
Despite his insidesdetonating,Byron remembered his nieces, and he turned back to them. They were both staring at him in question as he stood there in place where he’d frozen, so he started toward them again. If it weren’t for them, he knew damn well he’d already be out in the parking lot very much causing a scene.
Once he put down the tray on the table in front of his nieces, his attention was on the parking lot again. It wasn’t until the car drove right by the window they sat at, and Vannah turned in the direction of the restaurant that he realized his delusional ass was still holding out hope it wasn’t her.
But it was.
Their eyes didn’t meet, and he was pretty sure she hadn’t even seen him, buthe’dseen her face full on. There was no question about it. It was her. What’s more, she was laughing now. While he couldn’t hear it, there was no mistaking that infuriatingly beautiful twinkle in her eyes when she laughed so heartedly.
“Is that someone you know?”
Byron glanced down at Elsa who was looking out the window as the car Vannah was in drove out of the parking lot. Lucy’s sudden reaction to biting into one of the pickled carrots distracted them both as they watched her suck the straw of her horchata.
“I told you it was hot, baby girl.”
“But it’s still good,” she said after guzzling down half her drink.
Elsa crinkled her nose. “Spicy food hurts my belly.” She sprinkled a little salt onto her plain taco and proceeded to elaborate on all the other foods that hurt her belly.
