He lets himself in, cell phone in hand.
“I texted him,” her mother snaps.
Bill’s sharp eyes take in my protective stance. “Looks like you two worked things out.” He smiles as I step to the side.
“You knew about this,” Mrs. Santos demands.
He shakes his head. “Only for the last couple of hours.”
She looks across the three of us, her mouth a thin line. I can only imagine the trouble Elena would have to face if she was doing this on her own. “Has everyone lost their ever-loving minds?” she asks.
“Mom, I—”
“It wasn’t—” I begin.
“Neither one of you—” she interrupts, cutting both of us off.
“Stop,” Bill yells, loud enough to bring us to a halt. He takes a second to catch his breath then addresses me. “I think it’s time to have a conversation with these ladies.”
I tighten my hold on Elena’s waist. He shouldn’t have to do this. Admitting what happened with me would put him in a bad light. And I’m not about to be the cause of that. “Bill, that isn’t necessary.”
“I think it’s time,” he clarifies.
Elena glances from him to me. “What am I missing?” she asks, concern in every word.
“I don’t know,” her mother adds with disapproval. “But I’m not liking it one bit.”
“Now, Annie,” Bill says, trying to placate her.
“Don’t you ‘now, Annie’ me,” she snaps. “This boy made Elena’s life a living hell.” If looks could kill, I’d be shriveled up into a pile of dust. “Have you forgotten?”
“You know that’s not true,” Bill says, taking a stand.
Meanwhile, I turn to Elena, needing to understand what her mother’s talking about.