“He still should have known better,” I mutter.
“True,” Luis grins over at me. “But he’s been gone a long time. He’s forgotten what a pain in the ass I can be. He’ll catch on pretty quick now that he’s back.”
“You really think he’s going to stay local?”
Luis nods. “That’s the plan. He says he wants to be closer to home.”
Huh… He’s been gone for eight years. I’m not even sure what it would look like to have Mateo back in our lives full time. I need to get my hormones under control and stop picturing him in that stupid tux, that’s for damn sure.
I get Luis settled in my guest room, propping him up with a couple extra pillows. I hand him the remote, feeling like a full-on hypocrite. I couldn’t stand being stuck in the house a couple hours ago and now I’m demanding that he do exactly that.
He looks pretty happy watching the action movie he found, so at least someone is going to get some enjoyment out of my Netflix account this week.
I step out, closing the door behind me before digging my phone out of my pocket and opening the call history. Mateo’s name is just a few spots down from the top. I hesitate for a second before tapping on his name, my heart thundering in my ears as the phone rings.
“Hey Jules—”
“Did you know your dad was working at the bakery this morning?” I interrupt.
“What? No. Of course not.” He sounds confused.
“Well, he was. And he shouldn’t be driving on those painkillers, either. I brought him back to my house.”
“Jesus Christ,” he mutters. “Okay, I’m on my way back. I’ll pick him up and take him home.”
“Nope.”
“What do you mean, nope?” He asks.
“I mean, nope. He’s staying here so I can keep an eye on him for a couple days. Someone needs to make sure he follows the doctor’s directions and you’re too busy.”
Was that a low blow? Maybe. But I’m so frustrated that he left Luis alone. We all know he’s a stubborn motherfucker.
“Come on, Jules. That’s not fair. I had a job interview. We don’t all have trust funds to fall back on.”
“Excuse me?”
He’s quiet for a moment. “You know what I mean.”
“Apparently I don’t. I don’t know why everyone gives me shit about the trust fund. It’s not like I offed my own grandpa for an inheritance. Did I blow it on stupid vacations or partying and drugs? No. I bought myself a nice, normal house. God forbid.”
“Jules…” He sighs like I’m exhausting him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. He’s my dad. I can take care of him.”
“Yeah, well, he’s the closest thing I have to a dad too, so I’ll tell you what. Either you can come over here and try to pry him out of my very comfortable guest room, the one my trust fund paid for, or you can pull your head out of your ass and admit that, as a nurse, I’m the better person to take care of him right now.”
Mateo is still growling when I hang up on him and toss my phone across the room at the couch. It bounces off the cushions and hits the floor, skittering under the loveseat.
“Fucking of course,” I mutter as I get to my hands and knees and peek under the love seat. My phone is all the way in the back and completely out of reach. I’m contemplating where I left the broom when the screen lights up with Mateo’s name. Fine. It can just stay under there.
Someone pounds on my front door and I pop up, glaring at it over the top of my coffee table. If Mateo really thinks he’s going to take Luis home, we’re going to have words. Hopping to my feet, I stomp to the door, fired up and ready to take him on.
I throw the door open, rolling my shoulders and ready to have it out, but it’s not Mateo’s handsome face staring daggers back at me like I’m expecting. Instead Doctor Grimaldi’s doughy, pink face greets me. His lips pull up in an ugly sneer as his eyes meet mine. Shock and anger flood my bloodstream in equal parts. The fucking balls on this guy.
“What the fuck do you want?” I ask, shaking with anger.
“You’re going to take back every word you said,” he says menacingly.
“Take it back?” I laugh disbelievingly. “Do you want me to take back the video too? You were chugging out of a flask on hospital property before heading up to treat sick children. What did you expect me to do?”