Page 28 of Let's Call a Truce
It didn’t work. Nothing was strong enough to force Ben from my thoughts. He clearly wanted something… more. I just wasn’t sure what it was.
Did he want us to be friends with benefits, or was he looking for something serious? If the former, I didn’t know if I could keep my emotions locked down. As much as my libido cheered at getting some again, he probably wasn’t the person to have a casual fling with. A single kiss stirred up more than I’d felt in years.
But if he wanted more, could I give us a try? He was charming, smart, and gorgeous, but the thought of any relationship still shot through me, twisting my gut like I was betraying Jason.
And I had the girls to think about, a complication that didn’t occur to me last night when I was fixated on his hands and lips and laugh. What sort of mother forgot her kids for a moment of lust? He didn’t strike me as the type that would welcome them into his life if his nasty comments when we first met were any indication, and no one could have me without them. Maybe his opinion had changed over the past two years, but it was a big ask for me to trust him with not only mine, but my girls’ hearts, too.
“Why did you make me come here?” Asia huffed next to me.
“What do you mean? Winter Garden is beautiful.”
“Yeah, it’s beautiful. It’s not the town I hate. It’s the activity.”
“I think this is great.” Unlike Asia, Dani jumped at the chance to go running with me.
She looked like she had walked off the runway, her braids so long they brushed her lower back, even in a high ponytail. She had sprinkled bright cuffs throughout, coordinating perfectlywith her workout gear. I didn’t skimp when it came to running outfits, but she had takengym chicto a whole new level.
Asia whimpered. “Are we done yet?”
Dani and I looked at each other and laughed. “Calm down. The farmers market is only a few more blocks up.”
Gabriela’s bridal shower was later in the day, and as the host, I needed to gather a few things you could only get here.
Our group congregated around a stall manned by an Indian family who sold their homemade chutneys. “I know you hate me right now, Asia, but you will forgive me the second you taste these dips. It will change your life.”
Asia and I moaned over the samples, unable to resist the instant gratification, even though I knew I would buy at least four different flavors for the shower. Dani was making eyes at the woman working the fish-dip stall next to us. We moved on to give her some space to work her magic, sending the girls to a Popsicle stand with a wad of cash.
Asia leaned on the stall next to me, watching her sister at work. “How does she do it? She makes it look so easy to meet people.”
We both watched in awe as Dani flirted, tossing her braids over her shoulder and making the woman laugh loudly. Less than five minutes later, she walked over to us, a bounce in her step. She waved her phone in front of our faces.
“Got it! And she has a brother.” She wagged her eyebrows at Asia.
“Ugh, get his number for yourself.”
Dani’s face turned serious, an uncommon look for her. “I’m gonna assume you’ve got something else going on and that you aren’t playing into shitty bi stereotypes. If not, check yourself, sister.”
Asia groaned and dropped her head into her hands. “I’m sorry, Dani. That’s not how I meant it. The visit to Mom acouple of weeks ago threw me off. I’m so over people trying to set me up.”
I threw my arm around her shoulders. “I feel you. Let’s be old spinsters together. We can get a cute little house and travel all the time. Want to lie and tell all of Gabriela’s family we’re together so they leave us alone today?”
She smiled at me gratefully, but I wasn’t sure I was even joking. Meddling aunties and grandmas always stirred up trouble.
After four more hours of prep—and a dozen more arguments with the kids before dropping them off with my parents—we were finally done setting up Gabriela’s shower, transforming the bland country-club room into a beautiful floral wonderland.
A squeal echoed through the space, and I turned to find Gabriela standing at the door. She threw her arms out, eyes wide, a massive smile splitting her face. It was the exact expression she made whenever she was happily overwhelmed.
After a quick greeting, I sent her off to mingle with the guests. A while later, a radiant Gabriela walked over to me, a fashionable elderly woman at her side.
“Lola, this is Juliana. She’s the one who put this all together. Juliana, this is my grandmother.”
“Mrs. Mendoza, it’s wonderful to finally meet you. Gabriela talks so much about you.”
“Please call me Victoria. Thank you for putting this together for my dear Gabi. It is perfect for her.”
“I’m so lucky to have her in my life, and I want her to feel special and loved at every one of her wedding events.”
Gabriela grabbed my hand, giving it a quick squeeze in thanks. Unfortunately, the move brought Victoria’s attention to my left hand, and I knew what was coming before she started.
