his wife was when he was leaving me to go home. And that was when the guilt weighed in. It might not seem like I felt guilty, but I did. It was just that Javier had a certain power over me that made me forget.
I pushed thoughts of his wife away and got ready for dinner with my parents. I didn’t get to see them often, so I didn’t want my wandering thoughts to ruin their visit.
As I was putting my eyeliner back in my cosmetic bag, the doorbell rang. I was so excited to see my parents, I almost skipped to the door. I flung it open and was met with the sight of my smiling mom and dad.
“Hey, sweetheart,” my dad greeted as he wrapped me in a hug.
“Hi, Daddy.” I let go of him to hug my mom. “Hi. Where is Rebecca?” I asked, referring to my little sister.
“Alex,” she said before we stepped inside the apartment, “Rebecca’s sleeping over with one of her friends. She said she’d call you and set up a time for just her to come. I guess she doesn’t think we are very fun.”
I laughed at my mom’s pretend scowl. “Go sit down,” I instructed. “I made some sweet tea.”
My dad placed a hand over his chest. “Our girl still knows the way to my heart, Ruthanne.”
My mom and I both shook our heads at his comment and I strolled to the fridge. After filling three glasses with sweet tea, I walked back into the living room and placed the glasses on the coffee table.
“How is life back in Houston?” I asked.
“Hot,” my mom remarked.
“It’s finally starting to cool down here. What else is going on back home?”
My dad took a drink as my mom said, “Your dad ran into Aidan the other day.”
“Oh,” I said. “How is he?” I asked, though I didn’t really care. Aidan was an ass I should have never dated as long as I had. I shouldn’t have dated him at all, actually.
“Good. He’s back working for some corporation downtown. He told me the name, but I can’t remember for the life of me. He wouldn’t quit asking about you.”
I downed the last of my tea. “Well, I don’t care about him in the least. What I do care about is the fact that I’m starving. Y’all ready to go eat?”
Chapter 13
My parents chose a Mexican restaurant we visited each time they were in town: Margarita’s. And since I had been craving chips and queso, I was more than willing to agree.
We sat down at a table located near an arched window with painted bricks surrounding it, giving a view of the other dining room. Once the hostess left, we all opened our menus, then promptly closed them. Every single time we visited Margarita’s, we all got the same thing: beef enchiladas. The only difference was I ordered extra sour cream.
“Will we be able to see Lane?” my mom asked.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “I can always text him tomorrow and ask.”
She smiled as the waiter placed a basket of chips and bowl of queso on the table. “I’d love to see him.”
“I need to see if he’s coming home anytime soon. Hunting season will be starting,” my dad said as he dunked a chip in queso.
I nodded as if I cared about hunting season. “I’ll see if he’s available to have lunch with us.”
The waiter took our food and drink orders and we chatted about school, old classmates, and anything random my mom remembered while nibbling on chips.
“Two margaritas and a Corona,” the waiter announced as he set our drinks in front of us. “Food will be out shortly.”
“Thanks,” we replied in unison.
My mom and I sipped our margaritas while my dad told us a funny story involving Rebecca, a car, and a goat.
Our food came and we continued talking. I had just taken a bite of enchilada covered in sour cream when I saw them through the arched window. My breathing stopped, my gut felt like it had been punched.
Javier was sitting at a table with his wife and daughter. His
family
. I couldn’t look away. I watched him talking to his daughter, watched them laugh. Watched as Amy placed her hand on his upper arm in
I pushed thoughts of his wife away and got ready for dinner with my parents. I didn’t get to see them often, so I didn’t want my wandering thoughts to ruin their visit.
As I was putting my eyeliner back in my cosmetic bag, the doorbell rang. I was so excited to see my parents, I almost skipped to the door. I flung it open and was met with the sight of my smiling mom and dad.
“Hey, sweetheart,” my dad greeted as he wrapped me in a hug.
“Hi, Daddy.” I let go of him to hug my mom. “Hi. Where is Rebecca?” I asked, referring to my little sister.
“Alex,” she said before we stepped inside the apartment, “Rebecca’s sleeping over with one of her friends. She said she’d call you and set up a time for just her to come. I guess she doesn’t think we are very fun.”
I laughed at my mom’s pretend scowl. “Go sit down,” I instructed. “I made some sweet tea.”
My dad placed a hand over his chest. “Our girl still knows the way to my heart, Ruthanne.”
My mom and I both shook our heads at his comment and I strolled to the fridge. After filling three glasses with sweet tea, I walked back into the living room and placed the glasses on the coffee table.
“How is life back in Houston?” I asked.
“Hot,” my mom remarked.
“It’s finally starting to cool down here. What else is going on back home?”
My dad took a drink as my mom said, “Your dad ran into Aidan the other day.”
“Oh,” I said. “How is he?” I asked, though I didn’t really care. Aidan was an ass I should have never dated as long as I had. I shouldn’t have dated him at all, actually.
“Good. He’s back working for some corporation downtown. He told me the name, but I can’t remember for the life of me. He wouldn’t quit asking about you.”
I downed the last of my tea. “Well, I don’t care about him in the least. What I do care about is the fact that I’m starving. Y’all ready to go eat?”
Chapter 13
My parents chose a Mexican restaurant we visited each time they were in town: Margarita’s. And since I had been craving chips and queso, I was more than willing to agree.
We sat down at a table located near an arched window with painted bricks surrounding it, giving a view of the other dining room. Once the hostess left, we all opened our menus, then promptly closed them. Every single time we visited Margarita’s, we all got the same thing: beef enchiladas. The only difference was I ordered extra sour cream.
“Will we be able to see Lane?” my mom asked.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “I can always text him tomorrow and ask.”
She smiled as the waiter placed a basket of chips and bowl of queso on the table. “I’d love to see him.”
“I need to see if he’s coming home anytime soon. Hunting season will be starting,” my dad said as he dunked a chip in queso.
I nodded as if I cared about hunting season. “I’ll see if he’s available to have lunch with us.”
The waiter took our food and drink orders and we chatted about school, old classmates, and anything random my mom remembered while nibbling on chips.
“Two margaritas and a Corona,” the waiter announced as he set our drinks in front of us. “Food will be out shortly.”
“Thanks,” we replied in unison.
My mom and I sipped our margaritas while my dad told us a funny story involving Rebecca, a car, and a goat.
Our food came and we continued talking. I had just taken a bite of enchilada covered in sour cream when I saw them through the arched window. My breathing stopped, my gut felt like it had been punched.
Javier was sitting at a table with his wife and daughter. His
family
. I couldn’t look away. I watched him talking to his daughter, watched them laugh. Watched as Amy placed her hand on his upper arm in
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