ChapterFour
River
“Fuck.” I toss the food from the pot into the sink and run cold water over my burning fingers. “Okay, so plan G it is.”
“Is something on fire?”
The sound of Mara’s voice surprises me so much that I turn around too quickly and sling the pot of water on her. “Shit.” I grab the paper towels as I throw the pot on the counter and go to her.
To my shock, she starts laughing as I try to wipe her down. “River Andora, you are a mess.”
Glancing around the kitchen, I see what I’ve done as a collective whole instead of just running around and trying to get things ready. Pans are piled up in the corner, flour spread out on the counter, a broken egg on the floor, and I think that’s spinach stuck to the fridge.
“Um, surprise?” I shrug sheepishly, and she laughs again. Fuck, I love the sound of that.
“What on earth are you trying to make?” She looks behind me as she takes the towels out of my hand and presses them to her dress. “Is that spaghetti or tacos?”
“Both?”
“Did you invite me to dinner not knowing how to cook?” She shakes her head.
“Well, this was supposed to be easy according to my brother.” I roll my eyes because I’m pretty sure he sabotaged me. “But that didn’t work, so I googled.”
“And what was this supposed to be?” She lifts up a spoon that is covered in what looks like green sludge.
“A salad?”
“I don’t think I want to know.” She puts the spoon down and then tosses the towels in the trash. “So pizza?”
“Pizza,” I agree and grab my phone. After she tells me what she wants, I place the order and then turn to the mess. “Why don’t you go sit in the living room while I clean this up?”
“And miss the chance to watch you clean? I don’t think so.” She takes a seat on one of the chairs at the bar, and something about her watching me is hot.
“You enjoy watching me suffer?” She leans back in the chair and smiles but doesn’t deny it. “I’ll try and remember that.”
I begin by clearing out the sink so I can wash some of the dishes while we talk. God, I can’t believe she’s actually here. After all those times of wanting her but knowing she’s off-limits, I’ve finally gotten my chance to get close.
Of course, we’ve always had the excuse of our siblings being married, it seems insane that I too would want to marry a Flores. My brother and my sister have already wed to hers, so even entertaining the thought is crazy.
Besides, why would Mara want someone like me when she could have her pick of eligible grooms? A large part of me rejoiced when her parents cut off her arrangement requests. If I’m honest, it was more than a large part that was happy. Maybe even all of me. I still don’t know why they did it, but if anything, it gives me time.
Our families have been at odds since my brother Felipe married her sister Amelia. It only got worse when her brother Cillian married my sister Glenda. Now my father’s business is failing, and he’s looking at me to help make connections and restore the family's name. Felipe is checked out and has cut them off completely. It’s complicated for me, because I’m the youngest by so many years, so I was left at home alone with them for longer. I was the one that had to stay behind and watch everything they built crumble. Yes, they’re miserable and not good people, but they’re still my parents. It’s not as easy for me to get them out of my life when I’m their last chance to help them.
The problem is that helping them means I can’t have Mara. Not having Mara means her ending up with someone else. Mara ending up with someone else means that I would commit murder on her future husband for touching her.
See, complicated.
“So do you normally try to cook for people you have over?” Mara asks, breaking into my thoughts.
“People or women?” I look up at her over the soapy dishwater, and I can see her face is flushed.
“Just people, I mean it’s not my business.”
I grin at her but don’t answer because I like watching her squirm. Is she jealous? God knows if she had someone in her place, I’d probably burn the building down. And I really like this building.
“How are you liking school?” I change the subject, and she latches on to the question.
“It’s a beautiful campus, and so far everyone seems to be nice. Although I don’t know if that’s because of who my family is or because they’re actually nice.”
“I know the feeling, but in the opposite way.” When she waits for me to finish, I go back to scrubbing the pan I’m holding so I don’t have to look at her. “I mean, my family isn’t exactly the most respected, as you know. So I never know if people are friends with me because of my brother’s influence or because they actually like me.”
“I’m sure it’s because you’re a great guy.” She blushes again as she says it. “At least you don’t act like a freak all the time.”
“You’re not a freak.” I shake my head and grab another pot. “You just have anxiety.” She’s quiet for so long that I look up and see her staring at me. “What?”
“I don’t know, you just say that so casually, like it’s not a big deal.”
“It’s not.” My brows pull together. “At least it’s not to me.”