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Sophie grins and laughs. “Well, no, but you know what I mean. He’s just got out of a big relationship and—”
“I’m Carlos’ little sister.” I cut in. “Apparently, that’s the problem…”
Sophie nods, either not noticing or ignoring my jab at the end. “True too. I’m sure he’s got a different image of you than you do of him. He’s always been friends with Carlos first. You second.”
I look away; the sudden spike of truth pierces my heart, and I don’t like it. I don’t like how wise Sophie has become with motherhood. Like she's practicing or something by fixing people like me. “I just hoped that maybe after all the years we’ve all hung out, he saw me differently.”
Sophie reaches over and squeezes my hand.
“I just feel stupid,” I say. “I feel angry. I feel like I don’t want to be here anymore.”
Sophie props herself up on her elbows and scratches her lower back. “How about a road trip then?”
“Huh?” I look at her in surprise. “A road trip where?”
“Up north,” Sophie points to the sky. “Luca was gonna have some men drive a van up to New York for the family up there.Theyare doing an exchange with someBratva boys,”she says in a Russian accent. “Extending branches of peace or something. It’ll be pretty easy. We could do it.”
“I dunno,” I say. I do know, though, that it sounds amazing. The last place I now want to be is in the house, in sight of the very pantry I had my heart broken.
“It’ll be quick and fun. A few days on the road. No men.”
“No men?” I ask.
Sophie nods. “Just us.”
I squint my eyes at her. “This isn't a trick? I know you and your ways now, woman.”
Sophie laughs and crosses her heart. “No tricks. Just something good and fun for you.”
“Fine,” I say. Secretly, I’m happy. The sun feels too cheerful for how I’m feeling. I’ve just been heartbroken because I’m someone’ssister. Maybe up north they'll have rain to cheer me up.
Chapter 5
Sebastian
Carlosislayingonthe couch with his feet kicked off the edge. I’m sitting there tight as a spring, still reeling after my horrible discussion with Mimi. It went in the complete opposite direction of what I wanted to happen. Not that I wanted her to be in my arms by the end—did I?—but more than that, I wanted her to understand.
Except that all that was understood was my stupid tongue getting tied up and making me look like an ass. I didn’t even understand you.
The TV flashes and the person on the game show begins crying; they’ve just won a hundred grand.
“Man, ain’t that a way to earn your money?” Carlos asks. “You could walk into one of those game shows poor as shit and come out with buckets.”
“Don’t they pay it out in installments?” I say, reclining myself back and trying to force myself to relax.
“Nah man, surely not. It’d all be a lie then. Who’s gonna go on the game show to win a payment plan?” We laugh, and he goes on. “Surely they give you one of those big ass fake checks.”
As if summoned, the co-host walks onto the set with an enormous check. She hands it to the lady, who’s now blubbering into the poor host’s jacket. He looks trapped and scared, he’s keeping his fake smile going for the cameras, though.
“Well, I shoulda been on there, but I got most of ‘em right,” Carlos says, sitting up and reaching out and taking a bite from his burger. “You were the dud,” he quips. “Couldn’t get an answer right even if you cheated.” He laughs and wipes his lips with a napkin.
“Just burned out,” I force myself to say. “Just preparing for the trip up north.” Carlos nods but doesn’t look away from the tv.
The sun is setting, and the day has come to an end. I’ve barely gotten out of my head since getting away from Luca. We moved records and discussed the trip up north all afternoon. I could at least distract myself from Mimi then, but now I was trapped in my home. Inmyhome, across fromherbrother. The very man I used as an excuse to not date her.
“Should hear back from Luca soon about the details of it all,” I say. “He’s had to vet your ID and everything. Got insurance covered.”
“Cool, cool,” Carlos says. He grabs his burger in both hands now.
