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And also, because it would give me a moment to breathe, and eat, and think. That was hard. Way hard. Some guys bristled when I told them about my dating rules. Some laughed and accepted it. They never called again. Isaac? He chose friendship over losing me, and I would not forget it. I would be the best old/new friend he ever had.
“You going to eat that?”
Isaac had finished his serving of enchiladas and eyed mine like it might be up for grabs. I held my plate protectively. Even the best friendships had limits, right? “I’m working on it.”
My phone buzzed on the couch arm next to me, and I paused the TV and picked up my phone, putting it down between us so I could eat while I read my sister’s text.
Gia: The man is throwing a fit. They’re saying he’ll need surgery. And then he can’t drive for six to nine weeks! Maybe longer, but nobody wants to say it. Mamá is ranting about bingo night tomorrow. I can’t do it, Carmina. I’ll drive them to every appointment, but I’m not volunteering for bingo night. I don’t enjoy it the way you do.
In my distracted state, I missed Isaac’s fork coming in for an attack and stealing a bite of my enchiladas.
“I will kill you.”
He only laughed. “Well, I would never steal food from a date, but since we’re just friends, I thought it was allowed.”
“You know what friends do?” I pointed to the fridge. “They go get a second serving and warm it up, andtruefriends ask if they can bring any back for me.”
He got up. “Would you like some more while I’m up?”
“I’ll take a corner of yours, if that’s okay.”
“Sure.” He got up with his plate and headed into the kitchen. I didnotwatch him lean into my fridge, however, because friends do not check out each other’s backsides.
“Is your name really Carmina?” he called over his shoulder.
“You were reading my text?”
“I would never read a date’s texts. That’s just rude. But since it was right there and we’re friends and all—”
“Okay, okay,” I interrupted. “I get it.” He was so irritating, and yet I couldn’t stop smiling. After laying down the law, perhaps I deserved a bit of teasing. “My family calls me Carmina as a pet name. I’m just Carmen.”
“And what’s this about bingo?”
“Isaac!”
“I’m sorry. I promise I don’t make a habit of reading other people’s texts. But seriously, what’s this about volunteering?”
“Don’t worry about it.” I’d be worrying enough for the both of us. My parents bought that fifteen-passenger van specifically so they could pick upAbuelita’ssenior friends and get them to church events. Like bingo night.
I texted Gia back while I could do it without Isaac leaning in.
Carmen: I’ll take care of bingo pickups tomorrow. We’ll figure out the rest later. Is Papá in a lot of pain?
Gia: No. They gave him some pain meds.
Well, that was a relief. I un-paused the TV after Isaac sat down next to me with his second helping of food. Before he took a bite, he held his plate out for me to steal back a portion. Which I did. I made my enchiladas with the exact amount of kick to please my palate. The leftovers were something I shamelessly looked forward to.
“So, is bingo an every Saturday night thing?”
I stared at the ceiling. For me it was. The man was not going to let this go. “Perhaps. But it’s messy, and you don’t need to get involved.”
“Carmen.” Isaac’s large, warm hand came to rest on my knee, and I looked down at it, frowning. Mostly because I liked having his hand there, and that went against everything I’d just told him.
He sighed and took his hand back before crossing his arms. “Messy doesn’t scare me. I want to help, but I can’t because I don’t know anything.”
“You don’t need to help. I forgive you. There’s nothing to make up to me, I promise.”
I made the mistake of taking a big bite of enchilada right before he leaned in. I probably looked like a cornered chipmunk.
