mom and sister are having a fit.”
Nic shot her a sheepish smile. Yup, the kid already knew how to work over the ladies.
***
Emilio cursed as he pulled up to his mother’s house. Just like fingerprints, a person’s bike was very much a unique thing. At least the good ones were. Pan’s bike sat in front of the house, mocking him. Like it was the most natural thing in the world to have it sitting there.
This was going to be bad. For one, it was bad enough living with you mom, sister and brother, but now he had to have a very uncomfortable conversation with them just feet away. It wouldn’t have been so bad if he’d had his old apartment, but like with everything else, his father had screwed that for him when he split town. His mother couldn’t afford to meet the mortgage payment without his help, so he did what anyone would do, he moved home.
Emilio put the stand up and climbed off his bike. He figured he would just go in, hash it out and put an end to the silly dream Pan seemed to have about the two of them.
When he walked into the living room, he found his whole family gathered around her. His blood started to boil. It was not okay for her to just try and make a place among his family.
Pan looked up and gave him an awkward smile.
“What the fuck!” Emilio stormed over to Pan.
“Emilio!” his mother shouted in surprise. “Watch your mouth!”
He ignored her protest. “What, it wasn’t bad enough that you follow me around at the bar, but now you’re following me home?”
His arms shot out wide, and Pan jumped back at the gesture.
“I thought I made it very clear,” he barked. “I’m. Not. Interested.”
He could see her flinch with every word, and felt guilt for it, but she had caused this. Just couldn’t leave well enough alone. Had to pull his family into this.
Pan all but jumped off the couch and turned to his family.
“It was nice to meet you,” she said. The words seemed to choke in her throat.
Emilio watched, stunned as she turned to Nic.
“No more alleys for you. Be careful.”
His heart raced when she turned to him. All the pain and anguish he had tossed at her, written clearly on her face. Tears shimmered in her eyes as she fled past him.
He jumped when he heard the bang of the front door and the roar of her driving off.
Emilio turned to his family and doubled over in pain. He looked up to find his brother breathing heavy, his fist clenched in rage.
“You’re such a dick! She saved my life, and you ran her off.” Nic burst out of the room and stomped up the stairs.
“Asshole,” his sister, Maria, muttered as she walked out.
“Somebody want to tell me what the hell is going on around here?” He stared at his mother, the voice of reason.
“Well, maybe you should have asked that first instead of running your mouth.”
She walked into the kitchen and Emilio followed.
“Sit down, and I’ll get your stupid ass something to eat. And then we can talk about that nice girl that saved your brother.” Emilio flinched. His mother got out bread, cheese and meat. If he was getting a sandwich, there was no doubt his mother was mad.
“Why do I get the feeling I’m going to look like an ass in the end?”
Mama Diaz stared pointedly at him. “If the shoe fits…”
***
Emilio sighed. Yes, he was an ass. Several sandwiches later and one brave tale of rescue, Emilio quickly realized what an ass he had been. Here he’d accused her of basically stalking him when all she had been trying to do was return his brother safely home.
“So what’s the deal with you and this woman?” His mother’s knowing brown eyes pinned him. She had never been one to mince words. Coming from an Italian family meant getting to the point. Her wavy, black hair framed her sweet face. It was no wonder she got away with being as blunt as she was.
“There’s no deal.” This was the last conversation he wanted to have with her.
“But you want there to be?” A well-defined brow
Nic shot her a sheepish smile. Yup, the kid already knew how to work over the ladies.
***
Emilio cursed as he pulled up to his mother’s house. Just like fingerprints, a person’s bike was very much a unique thing. At least the good ones were. Pan’s bike sat in front of the house, mocking him. Like it was the most natural thing in the world to have it sitting there.
This was going to be bad. For one, it was bad enough living with you mom, sister and brother, but now he had to have a very uncomfortable conversation with them just feet away. It wouldn’t have been so bad if he’d had his old apartment, but like with everything else, his father had screwed that for him when he split town. His mother couldn’t afford to meet the mortgage payment without his help, so he did what anyone would do, he moved home.
Emilio put the stand up and climbed off his bike. He figured he would just go in, hash it out and put an end to the silly dream Pan seemed to have about the two of them.
When he walked into the living room, he found his whole family gathered around her. His blood started to boil. It was not okay for her to just try and make a place among his family.
Pan looked up and gave him an awkward smile.
“What the fuck!” Emilio stormed over to Pan.
“Emilio!” his mother shouted in surprise. “Watch your mouth!”
He ignored her protest. “What, it wasn’t bad enough that you follow me around at the bar, but now you’re following me home?”
His arms shot out wide, and Pan jumped back at the gesture.
“I thought I made it very clear,” he barked. “I’m. Not. Interested.”
He could see her flinch with every word, and felt guilt for it, but she had caused this. Just couldn’t leave well enough alone. Had to pull his family into this.
Pan all but jumped off the couch and turned to his family.
“It was nice to meet you,” she said. The words seemed to choke in her throat.
Emilio watched, stunned as she turned to Nic.
“No more alleys for you. Be careful.”
His heart raced when she turned to him. All the pain and anguish he had tossed at her, written clearly on her face. Tears shimmered in her eyes as she fled past him.
He jumped when he heard the bang of the front door and the roar of her driving off.
Emilio turned to his family and doubled over in pain. He looked up to find his brother breathing heavy, his fist clenched in rage.
“You’re such a dick! She saved my life, and you ran her off.” Nic burst out of the room and stomped up the stairs.
“Asshole,” his sister, Maria, muttered as she walked out.
“Somebody want to tell me what the hell is going on around here?” He stared at his mother, the voice of reason.
“Well, maybe you should have asked that first instead of running your mouth.”
She walked into the kitchen and Emilio followed.
“Sit down, and I’ll get your stupid ass something to eat. And then we can talk about that nice girl that saved your brother.” Emilio flinched. His mother got out bread, cheese and meat. If he was getting a sandwich, there was no doubt his mother was mad.
“Why do I get the feeling I’m going to look like an ass in the end?”
Mama Diaz stared pointedly at him. “If the shoe fits…”
***
Emilio sighed. Yes, he was an ass. Several sandwiches later and one brave tale of rescue, Emilio quickly realized what an ass he had been. Here he’d accused her of basically stalking him when all she had been trying to do was return his brother safely home.
“So what’s the deal with you and this woman?” His mother’s knowing brown eyes pinned him. She had never been one to mince words. Coming from an Italian family meant getting to the point. Her wavy, black hair framed her sweet face. It was no wonder she got away with being as blunt as she was.
“There’s no deal.” This was the last conversation he wanted to have with her.
“But you want there to be?” A well-defined brow
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