Lila (Boyle Heights #1)

by Elizabeth Reyes

  “I didn’t stay to watch it,” she admitted. “It just felt weird being there alone, even if that guy was talking to me. You know me. I’m not comfortable hanging with anyone I don’t know, so when he offered to take me home at any time, I asked if he could before the show even started.”

  “Oh well.” Stacia sighed. “I guess this time it just wasn’t meant to be for any of us to watch it.”

  Stacia explained she’d be gone most of the day and might come home just to pick up another change of clothes. But she wanted to be with Derek since his dad wasn’t completely out of the woods yet.

  Lila glanced at the clock. She had an afternoon shift today at the gym, so she’d have time to make her sister her soup before she left. She only hoped today she wouldn’t blow it again if Gio asked her to get in the ring.

  After getting off the phone and pouring herself a cup of coffee, she gave into checking her texts. None. With a deep breath, she checked all the other notifications at the top of her phone screen. The enormous smile on her face when she saw the email from Sonny was ridiculous, but it couldn’t be helped. It went even bigger when she saw she had several from him. The notification sound for her emails was always turned off since she rarely got any important ones. She’d be changing that now for sure. Maybe if it’d been turned on she would’ve been smiling a lot earlier today. She clicked on the first one sent just after seven that morning. Even that made her smile.

  To: Lila

  From: Sonny

  Re: Will it freak you out if . . .?

  I say I miss kissing you already?

  S

  Lila smiled even bigger at what the one-sentence email did to her insides, despite how much all this terrified her. She clicked on the next one, trying to focus on the positive. What had gone from a bad day yesterday to what could’ve turned into a disastrous evening with her sitting in a jail cell all night, ended in such an unexpected and glorious way. She clicked on the next one and read it.

  To: Lila

  From: Sonny

  Re: I have less than an hour to get to the airport and . . .

  I can’t tell you how incredibly tempted I am to drive to your place instead of going straight there for one last kiss.

  S

  Glancing at the time on that one, almost an hour ago, Lila frowned, pissed about her email notifications being turned off now. It took her a minute to figure out how to turn the sound on, but she did before checking the next email. This one was much longer.

  To: Lila

  From: Sonny

  Re: I can’t stop thinking about you or last night . . .

  The fact that you’re probably still sound asleep is a testament to how bad I must have it because I’ve been up since before four just thinking about you. And not because I have a flight at eight either. I still feel bad about what happened with Barbie, but is it bad that I’m sort of glad it happened? Not that you were attacked but that it led to me getting you all to myself for the rest of the evening. Hell, I almost blew it for a minute there when I programmed the wrong number in my phone, but because of Barbie, the night ended the way it did. I almost feel like paying for her medical bills just to show my appreciation.

  S

  Even as she smirked, she couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit irritated just reading that bitch’s name. Lila responded to that one before reading the next one.

  To: Sonny

  From: Lila

  Re: I can’t stop thinking about you or last night . . .

  Don’t you dare pay a dime of her medical bills. The more I think about it now, the more I’m sure she had it coming. If not a broken wrist in some other way. You were right last night. Troublemaking drunks like her and her friend are playing Russian roulette when they decide to get that stupid drunk in public. I’m not done reading your other emails, but I had to respond to this one first!

  L

  Smiling and feeling a giddiness she’d never felt, she hit send. This was so much better than talking to him. Lila had been able to go back and undo the F-bomb when referring to Barbie’s fucking medical bills and replace words like “cunts” with “drunks.” As disappointing as it was to know it’d be weeks before she’d see him again, it was a relief to know she at least had that much time for getting to know him better before having to talk face-to-face again. She just might have a chance of making a slightly better—less abrasive—impression on him this way. She clicked on his next email.

  To: Lila

  From: Sonny

  Re: I’m at the airport now and getting a little worried . . .

  I hope I’m not getting blown off. I gotta tell you this really is a first for me, Lila. I’ve never met a girl I’ve hounded this early on after meeting her. I’ve never hounded a girl, period. I’ve never NOT been able to stop thinking of someone like this. This is insane! I really, really hope I hear back from you SOON.

  S

  Lila’s face was going to start hurting if she didn’t stop smiling so big. Reading the subject line of the last one made her feel bad, but she still couldn’t stop smiling.

  To: Lila

  From: Sonny

  Re: I guess I’ll just have to wait. =(

  About to take off, so I should turn this thing off. I’ll keep my fingers crossed I’ll hear from you once we’re up where I can turn this back on. Don’t make fun of me for all these emails either. I do feel a little pathetic for being so anxious to hear back from you, but I don’t even care! Alright, gotta go before they throw me off the plane.

  S

  Giggling now as she’d done so much last night, Lila covered her mouth. If her sister heard her, she’d be worried. This was so not like her. Even worse, she might get an inkling of what Lila had been up to last night. She’d ask questions, and Lila might be forced to tell her about losing her shit like she did.

  Lila stopped giggling but bit her bottom lip, still smiling big as she scrolled back to his first email about missing her kisses already, and began responding to each of his emails, feeling that weirdness in her belly that up until last night had been so foreign to her.

  To: Sonny

  From: Lila

  Re: Will if freak you out if . . .

  It does freak me out a little but only because I’m missing them too. This is crazy.

  L

  To: Sonny

  From: Lila

  Re: I have less than an hour to get to the airport and . . .

  Sucks that I missed this. It would’ve been nice to start off my day with more of your kisses.

  L

  She stared at the email before sending it. Gads! Was she really doing this? Flirting? Why not? She’d already done so much more with him than she’d done with any guy in years. But this was so unlike her. She’d even practically said she’d missed him after spending just one evening with him. But as insane as it seemed, it was the truth. He said it first.

  Be spontaneous for once in your life, Lila.

  He seemed nice enough, and here he was calling himself pathetic for being so anxious about hearing back from her. She chewed her lip a bit and then just sent it and scrolled to the next one. She’d already responded to that one, so she skipped it and went on to the next.

  To: Sonny

  From: Lila

  Re: I’m at the airport now and getting a little worried . . .

  Well, I’ll be responding to all your emails now. My notification sound for emails was off, but it’s on now. Why emails btw? Most people text. I hate to admit it, but I’ve been thinking of you nonstop too. This is a first for me too, but at least I don’t feel so nervous anymore, knowing you’re feeling the same. Off to respond to your last email!

  L

  To: Sonny

  From: Lila

  Re: I guess I’ll just have to wait. =(

  “I do feel a little pathetic for being so anxious to hear back from you, but I don’t even care!” This made me laugh. I’d make fun of you for being so anxious, but now it’s my turn to wait for your response. I’m not even sure
what’s happening here yet, but I’ll leave it at that. I’m not as openly brave as you. I’ll plead the fifth for now on what I’m feeling just reading your emails. All I’ll admit is maybe I can hardly wait to hear from you again.

  L

  She sent the last email, thinking about how this really was a first for her too. With Marcelo, she remembered feeling excited but at the same time a negative anxiousness whenever he called or texted her. His temper wasn’t the greatest either, and a lot of times, he was high and accusatory. She winced now as she walked back into the kitchen at the way she’d allowed Marcelo to treat her and for so long. But in hindsight, it was all she knew. She’d never been treated by any guy with such respect and the kindness Sonny had shown her already.

  After placing the chicken in a bowl with warm water so it’d further thaw out, she started cutting up the veggies for the soup. Halfway through making it, her sister walked into the kitchen. Lila smiled when she saw how much better Ali looked than she had yesterday.

  “Better?”

  Ali nodded. “Yes, much better than yesterday.” She went straight to the fridge and pulled out the orange juice. “Thank God because I have finals this week. I can’t let this flu mess with my studying.”

  “I'm working on your soup now,” Lila said with a smile. “It always makes you feel better."”

  Ali thanked her and said she’d hug her but she didn’t want to pass her cooties. She asked about the concert, and Lila told her about missing it and getting a ride home but didn’t elaborate much. She knew the only reason her sister didn’t grill her about Sonny, who Lila had simply referred to as a nice guy who offered to get her home, was because she was still not a hundred percent well. Ali told her a little about her evening yesterday, trying to study but getting nowhere because she couldn’t stop sneezing and blowing her nose. Then she started out of the kitchen. “I’m jumping in the shower.”

  “Take a long one,” Lila said just as her phone dinged.

  Her heart was instantly aflutter with thoughts of Sonny. Glad that her sister was out of the kitchen, Lila smiled big again when she saw it was from him and it was a long one.

  To: Lila

  From: Sonny

  Re: =D !!!

  I’ll respond to all your emails in this one, make it easier for us both. I was kidding about paying for Barbie’s medical bills. My attorneys wouldn’t let me even if I wasn’t. So, don’t worry. Oh, guess what? Turns out she’s on probation. She’s not even supposed to be drinking. The guys said last night she ducked out and didn’t even give the cops a statement. Nobody’s gonna be pressing charges. So, consider yourself completely off the hook. I can text, but I prefer to use my iPad. It’s why I’m emailing, but if you prefer, I can text you. You have no idea how just seeing your emails had me smiling like a crazy person. So, reading that you’re missing the kissing too, feeling what I’m feeling and not quite understanding what’s happening either, just made my YEAR. I won’t be in Los Angeles for another few weeks, but I HAVE to see you before that. Let’s make a FaceTime date. I’m in meetings most of the day, but I’ll be back in my hotel by seven my time tonight. That’s about four your time. Let me know what time works for you.

  S

  Well, so much for buying time to work on her potty mouth before talking to him in person. But at least it seemed most of their communicating would be via emails.

  And so, it began. Lila told him how she wouldn’t be home until seven her time too, and he said he’d wait up as late as he had to. They made a date for seven that night, which again had her insides doing that crazy thing she’d been so unfamiliar with until last night. But the emails didn’t stop for the rest of the day. He said he’d be in meetings but could sneak a few emails here and there, only they were far more than a few. The whole day they went back and forth, even while Lila had been at work. By the middle of the day, Sonny was already feeling comfortable enough with her to take the flirting a bit further. But more surprising was that Lila was going along with it.

  To: Lila

  From: Sonny

  Re: =D !!!

  Not to be creepy, I really am curious. What are you wearing?

  S

  To: Sonny

  From Lila

  Re: =D !!!

  A black tank and gray pants. What are you wearing, creeper?

  L

  To: Lila

  From: Sonny

  Re: =D !!!

  LOL! Trust me. If I wanted to be creepy, I could get really creepy. But I’ll hold off on that just yet. I’m in meetings for the next few days, so monkey suits, ties, the works. What kind of pants?

  S

  Lila could only imagine how amazing he must look in a suit. As usual, she compared how she’d normally feel about any guy asking what she was wearing then admitting he could get really creepy and following up for more detail with how she felt about Sonny doing it. Of course, she didn’t feel annoyed in the least. She actually giggled and decided she was curious now. She, too, wanted a visual.

  To: Sonny

  From: Lila

  Re: =D !!!

  I’m at work now, so they’re spandex capri pants. What color is your suit, shirt, and tie? I can only imagine what you must look like in it.

  L

  His response took a little longer than his previous ones, and when Lila opened it, she knew why. Her jaw dropped open when she saw the photo he attached, a selfie he took in a bathroom mirror. He wore a charcoal gray suit, with a white shirt and burgundy tie. As expected, he was breathtaking. Lila gulped, staring at it, barely able to believe this man seemed so interested in her. Why was a man who looked like this, single? Obviously, he made very good money because she could see the Rolex on the hand holding the phone he used to take the photo. It was a silver one this time, not black like the one he’d worn last night.

  It made her nervous. Maybe he wasn’t single. Maybe this was why he seemed as excited about this as she was beginning to feel, because he was being sneaky. Surely a man with his looks and money could have any woman he wanted. Last night was a perfect example of it. Those drunk bitches were willing to fight for him.

  Feeling a little uneasy suddenly, Lila read the email the photo was attached to.

  To: Lila

  From: Sonny

  Re: =D !!!

  Spandex pants at work? What do you do? And quid pro quo, beautiful. Now I’ll need a photo of those spandex pants. I felt that hard body of yours last night. I don’t want to imagine what you must look like in them. I need to see for myself now.

  S

  Lila glanced around nervously, feeling her face warm. She remembered the full-length mirror in the employee bathroom. She’d been on her phone way too much now when she was supposed to be helping supervise all these kids.

  Pulling a strand of hair behind her ear, she walked over to Bianca, who was working with a group of kids. “I need to use the ladies’ room. Will you be okay alone?”

  “Sure, go ahead.” Bianca smiled, barely looking up.

  Lila’s insides roiled as she walked off in a hurry. Why hadn’t she given it more thought? Was it really possible that Sonny was single? He’d asked her about her status, and stupidly she still hadn’t asked him about his. Of course, the way he was acting, their making out last night and all his emails today, she could only assume. But should she?

  She walked into the employee bathroom and sent off an email first without the photo. As stupid as she felt, she had to ask now. He was also noticeably older than she was. He even made that comment last night about the crowd being a bit young for him at the club when Lila was just barely old enough to be there. It’d make sense if he was a married man at his age.

  To: Sonny

  From: Lila

  Re: =D !!!

  I know this is going to sound stupid for me to be asking now. But I never asked you last night even though you asked me. You are single, right?

  L

  Lila started to pose for the photo in front of the full-length mirror while she waited
for a response. She finally took one she was happy with when her phone dinged again.

  To: Lila

  From: Sonny

  Re: =D !!!

  I don’t think it’s stupid, but I am curious. WHY the question now? And I’m still waiting on that photo.

  S

  Just like that, Lila was furious with herself. She’d talked with him all night last night, gone back and forth with him all day today, and not once had she thought to ask the pertinent questions. He mentioned the time difference between them was three hours away, and she hadn’t even bothered asking where he was. She’d been so sucked into their silly banter already she wasn’t thinking straight—using her head. Was this his way of avoiding the question?

  She tapped away at her phone furiously for more than one reason. For one, she was already being stupid about this, letting his charm blind her as she’d known she was susceptible to being and why she’d avoided relationships for so long. And two, she’d known the guy for less than two days and already she felt hurt. “Two fucking days,” she muttered as she tapped away on her phone screen then sent it.

  To: Sonny

  From: Lila

  Re: =D !!!

  Answer the question or this is the last response you’ll get from me. And while you’re at it, how old are you and where are you today?

  L

  Lila huffed, feeling like a complete idiot. He was probably laughing at her now for not asking these questions sooner. To her relief, his response was instant.

  To: Lila

  From: Sonny

  Re: =D !!!

  I’m absolutely single. I’m twenty-nine and I’m in New York today and tomorrow. Wednesday, I’m in Miami for a few days.

  Letting out a sigh of relief, Lila closed her eyes. She needed to calm her ass. How in the world would this ever work out? How could she possibly have a normal relationship with any guy if she was going to be so quick to think the worst and then, of course, that would ignite her ugly temper? She cursed Marcelo for making it so she only ever expected the worst—disappointment. Just because Marcelo had been nothing but one let down after another didn’t mean every guy she met would be the same. Least of all, someone who was clearly so different from Marcelo. Taking a deep breath, she began to think of what to respond, but her phone dinged again with another email from him.