As she came up to a four-way stop, she paused and made a right, circling back in the direction of her condo.
As she did, the blue four-door sedan she’d seen earlier on the same road she was running along turned as well.
Her stomach tightened slightly, and yeah, she figured she was overreacting, but a shot of adrenaline had her increasing her pace. The car slowed as it passed her and she had a moment of raw panic. Then it suddenly sped up, zooming down the street before taking a sharp turn down another one.
And just like that, she expelled a breath, berating herself. Seriously, what was wrong with her?
She was just all up in her head, conflicted about Lyosha, nervous about her new job in general, worried that they’d made a mistake in hiring her. She had her master’s, sure, but no real experience other than internships.
She felt like a fraud, that soon everyone was going to realize she wasn’t a real adult and up to the task.
Slowing her pace so she wouldn’t overextend herself, she paused when she felt her phone buzzing in her pants pocket. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Lyosha’s name flash on the screen.
Normally she ignored her phone when jogging, but she always made an exception for him. Slowing to a walk, she read his message.
We still on for this afternoon?
Yes, she responded with a smiley face emoji and far too much joy.
Want me to pick you up?
Just like that, her stomach tightened as she read his words. She loved riding around in his truck, liked to pretend that they were more than just friends.
She had to get over this stupid crush. She wondered if she started dating, maybe… Maybe it would help her move on from this whole unrequited situation. Because that was what it was, even if she was loath to admit it.
After they finished their exchange, she shoved her phone back in her pocket and started running instead of jogging.
She had to expend all this pent-up energy somehow.
Not that it would do any good because as soon as she saw him, she knew it would be back, humming right under the surface. When she was around him, it was like he lit something inside her. Something she couldn’t shut off.
Something she was afraid to fully acknowledge.
* * *
Mila braced herself for the noise as she opened her mama’s front door, unlocked as usual on Sundays.
Next to her, Lyosha chuckled under his breath as one of her five-year-old nephews slammed into her for a hug, wrapping his arms around her waist as he buried his face in her stomach. “Aunt Mila!”
Thankfully she was wearing a dark paisley top, because his face was grubby with streaks of jam and who knew what else on his cheek.
She ruffled his hair, barely got out one word before he ran off, shouting that his brother better keep running.
“And so it begins,” she murmured, looking up at Lyosha, who was still grinning.
Luckily her family hadn’t scared him off the first time they’d met. “I didn’t eat breakfast today in preparation for this.” He shut the door behind them, looking at ease here.
“You’re ridiculous,” she said even as she grinned back. She loved how he simply fit in here.
“I just have good taste. No one cooks like your mom.”
“Say that to my mama and she’ll love you forever.”
He simply gave her a cheeky grin, showing that rare soft side.
They followed the source of all the noise to the oversized kitchen.
Her three sisters, her mama, and her two nephews were in there, most of them sitting around the island and talking. Well, Clarita’s son was shoving cookies in his mouth and Zamira’s son was complaining about something his twin sister did. Her three nieces were likely out back talking with each other and playing on their handhelds, and her grandfather and brother-in-law were probably in the living room watching some sports game. Or just avoiding having to help out with the food prep.
“My baby!” Her mama hurried to greet them both, kissing her cheeks and pulling her into a tight hug before doing the same to Lyosha. With him, however, her mama patted his stomach and shook her head. “You better have an appetite. I cooked a lot.”
“I’m starving and I brought to-go containers.” His expression was dry but she knew he wasn’t kidding—she’d seen them in the back seat of his truck.
“Good. You stole my good ones last time and I haven’t forgotten.” She made a tsking sound.
He held out a nice bottle of wine for her and the containers he’d taken before in a little bag. “Only the best wine for you, Flora. Hopefully this makes up for my thieving ways.”
Her eyes lit up, crinkling slightly at the corners as she took everything from him. “I forgive you.”
Her sisters swarmed Mila, hugging both her and Lyosha, talking a million miles a minute and acting as if they hadn’t seen her in a year when it had been approximately one whole week.
When she finally got in a word edgewise, she looked pointedly at Angel, her oldest sister. “You’ll never believe who I saw. Juan. And he was asking about you.” She wiggled her eyebrows, looking for a reaction.
Angel shook her head, and grabbed a couple of their mama’s famous Torticas de Morón. Somehow her mama always got the lime zest perfect. “No way. He always had a crush on you. I’m sure that hasn’t changed.”
She frowned at Angel because that was a blatant lie. It was like saying the sky was red. Mila grabbed one of the cookies from Angel’s hand, ready to respond. But then Clarita, her second oldest sister said, “I’m starving, didn’t have any breakfast this morning. The kids have been driving me crazy. I’ve gotta say I don’t like this know-it-all stage of Bella’s at all.”
“Everybody on the back patio now!” her mama ordered loudly, shooing all of them out the back door. “I’ll bring all the food out there.”
“I haven’t even got a drink yet,” Mila grumbled, but Lyosha placed one in her hand.
She looked up at him in surprise to find him watching her curiously.
She had no idea what the look was about. “Thank you. You’re like a ninja. I didn’t even see you move.”
“It’s easy to be a ninja in this family,” he murmured.
She’d started to respond when Carlos, Clarita’s husband, practically accosted Lyosha as they stepped out onto the back patio. She loved her brother-in-law but he could seriously talk your head off about sports, fishing and mechanical stuff. Three things she didn’t care about.
While everyone talked, Mila cornered Angel by the pool, pinching her in the side. “What was that crap earlier about Juan having a crush on me?”
Her sister grinned, completely unrepentant as she took a sip of her mimosa. “I wanted to see Lyosha’s expression when I said it. I like watching his face go all dark and possessive.” She snickered, taking another big sip.
Mila stared at her sister. “What?”
“Oh, come on. I wanted to see if he got all jealous—and he did.” Still with the ridiculous grin.
“You’re way off base.” Right? He’d never made a move and they hung out fairly frequently. Ugh. She didn’t want to even grasp on to a tiny bit of hope that he was interested. It hurt too much.
Angel gently patted one of Mila’s shoulders as she looked at her. “You two are completely in denial. Come on.” She motioned to where Lyosha and some others were bringing tables outside. “Mama made more than just Torticas de Morón and that gross pumpkin flan.”