by Piper Rayne
“We’ll spot him,” Carm eggs him on.
“I said no, and my word is final,” Val says.
Carm holds up his hands. “Whoa, Mommy Dearest. Chill.”
Val’s icy glare hits Carm and he cowers like he always does. I stifle a smile.
“You really need to teach me that look,” Bella says.
“Well, we’ve got Ethan to join our pool now.” Carm recovers quickly. “And no you don’t need to learn that, babe.” He blows her a kiss and she blushes.
“I don’t know,” Ethan says.
“Come on. You said you were in a league before. If your buddies want in, we just have to make sure we have equal numbers. We have a killer draft night in a private room. It’s a great group of guys. You won’t regret it.”
Leave it to Carm, the convincer.
I lean forward on the table to see past Annie and Enzo. “Carm. He’s my co-worker.”
“Relax Blanc. I like him.” His attention turns back to Ethan. “What do you say?”
Ethan looks down at the table at me. There’s no way he’ll agree to this. But he puts out his hand and shakes Carm’s. “I’m in.”
“UGH… why?”
Everyone’s gaze shifts to me. The girls understand that he’s weaseling into my life when we’re not anything. How will Sierra take this?
“Should we rock, paper, scissors it?” Carm asks and I want to take my napkin and shove it into his mouth.
“No. You know I don’t do that immature act to see who wins,” I snip.
Annie squeezes my leg under the table, silently saying to keep my shit together.
“You should come to a Sunday dinner,” Carm continues and my mouth hangs open.
“Carm. We’re not dating,” I say between clenched teeth.
“They’re not dating,” Enzo repeats and then his head flies to mine again. “You’re not?”
“No. He’s Sierra Sander’s ex.”
Enzo waves me off. “We heard.”
Carm turns to Ethan. “She must’ve been a hard one to handle.”
Ethan laughs. “Demanding as hell.”
“She used to come into our bedrooms when she’d be over to play with Blanca.”
He cannot be serious. “There are so many problems with what you just said.”
“What?” Carm asks.
“She wasn’t over to play.” I put play in quotations. “And she had a crush on you guys. Try growing up with these three as your older brothers. It was not easy.”
“Sorry man, Blanca’s girl code all the way,” Carm says with what sounds like disappointment.
Ethan’s gaze finds mine and I wiggle in my seat.
The waitress returns and takes our orders and the conversations switch back to football for the guys and work for me. We talk about the baby coming, Annie and Enzo’s upcoming wedding, Bella and Carm’s vacation next week.
Halfway through lunch, my eyes linger and I find Ethan in a game of rock, paper, scissors with my brothers. They’re all laughing and having a great time. You’d never think Ethan only just met them.
Annie leans over to whisper in my ear. “He’s like the fourth Mancini brother.”
I say nothing but my heart is screaming, he’s mine.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Ethan
*
To say I was terrified when Blanca said we were having lunch with her brothers is like saying I’m cool coming face-to-face with a black bear. But they were all cool and seemed to know a little about what transpired between us.
Carm was the most outspoken and joining their Football Fantasy League is probably a bad decision, but it’s a way to keep me in Blanca’s life.
Once lunch is finished, I eye Blanca to see if she’s ready to head back to Cliffton Heights, but she’s laughing with the girls. I try to be discreet while watching her because there’s nothing better than Blanca’s smile. It has the ability to light up an entire room.
“What’s your plan?” Carm’s forearms rest on the table and he leans forward.
My vision quickly falls away from his sister. “What do you mean?”
“You look at her like I look at my hottie at the end of the table. Sierra cockblocked you. What’s your plan?”
“Stay out of it, Carm,” Enzo says.
“This lunch ambush wasn’t my idea.” Carm looks offended.
All their eyes land on Val, who’s too busy talking about indigestion and swollen ankles to notice.
“She’s a romantic,” Dom says like that’s just the way it is.
“As is Blanca.” Enzo tips his water glass at me before taking a sip.
“Which makes me ask… what is your plan? Bounce some ideas off us.” Carm leans back in his seat.
My vision shifts once again because Blanca laughs so hard she almost spits out her drink. Bella continues to tell whatever story it is that’s entertaining all the women.
“Look at my girl down there. Probably telling some story that doesn’t paint me in the best light, but she loves me regardless of the stupid shit I do.”
“See that look?” Enzo points to Carm. “That’s you right now in case you were wondering. That’s why he wants to know what your plan is because if you don’t come up with one, he will. And trust me, you do not want to go with whatever Carm’s plan is.”
“Trust us on that one,” Dom says, and the three brothers laugh like it’s an inside joke. “Besides, if you don’t figure something out soon, you’re gonna lose your shit. I know I would.”
“I fear I already did right before we ran into you.”
Enzo and Carm share a glance.
“You heard?” I ask.
Enzo’s smile slides on easily and Carm outright laughs. “We heard. In all truth, we were going to surprise the two of you when we saw you crossing the street, but then you guys stopped, and we had to hide.”
“Then you heard me.”
“Yeah, and that’s not the way to win Blanca,” Enzo says.
They all shake their heads and I want to ask Dom what he’s shaking his head about. He wasn’t even there.
Enzo glances down the table and then back to me. “Think of the cheesiest romcom out there? Something you’d hear about from someone else and think ‘what kind of idiot would do that?’ You need to do that for Blanca.”
“You gotta smack those feelings right on your chest and tell her what she’s missing without you. Tell her about the man you are and how cut you are that you can’t have her,” Carm says.
It’s true. I’m awake most nights thinking about her. Thinking about where we would be if she wasn’t Sierra’s best friend and I wasn’t Sierra’s ex. That if we met in the city before she reconnected with Sierra, would things be different.
Even worse is the constant hard-on. The beating off in the shower, at night and in the morning. Which only turns to sexual thoughts with her and since I’ve already had her, it’s excruciating to know exactly what I’m missing. It’s not like I can convince myself that she might not suck me off well or that she’s probably too inexperienced or not a team player. I know all that isn’t true. And I know what a rock star she is in bed.
I nod at her brothers, taking it all in.
“Hey, we’ve been there. With that big guy right there it was the like pulling twenty pounds of feelings out of a pinhole. He was the worst.” Enzo points to Dom and he sighs but doesn’t deny it.
“We had a lot of issues, but hey, I’m bringing the first Mancini grandchild to Mama, so guess who her favorite is now?” Dom winks and his hand falls to his wife’s belly where she links her hand with his.
I’m not usually the jealous type but watching them happy makes me wonder what I’m missing with Blanca.
Carm’s ordering another round of drinks when my phone vibrates in my pocket. Seeing my mom’s name, I excuse myself from the table.
“Mom?”
“Oh good. Your dad needs you. He’s acting up and they can’t calm him down. They want one of us to go over there. I told them you�
��re in Cliffton Heights. I can’t get a hold of Kori and you know I can’t take off. Carol is off on maternity leave and there’s no one to cover for me.”
I run a hand through my hair, stepping out of the way of a man who wants to go to the restroom. “I’m in the city.”
“Oh heavens. Thank goodness. So I’ll tell them you’ll be there in?”
I estimate the train and bus ride from downtown to the Bronx in my head. “Probably an hour.”
“That’s better than if you were in Cliffton Heights. I’m so glad you’re close.”
The thick layer of guilt is clear in her tone. She’s silently saying if you lived in the city, it’d be so much easier.
“I’ll leave now and call you after.”
“Thank you, Ethan. I love you.”
“Love you.” I pocket my phone and turn around only to find Blanca there.
“Everything okay? Was it Mr. Copeland?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. No, it wasn’t Phil. I have to go. Do you mind getting on the train by yourself? I’ll be in the city a bit longer than we thought.” I dig my wallet out and prepare to throw cash down on the table.
I head to where I was sitting.
“Where are you off to?” Carm asks.
“I’ve got something to do. It was great meeting you all.” I shake all their hands and throw some cash on the table.
“Oh no, it’s Dom’s treat.” Enzo winks at him and he sighs.
“You can’t just go. We were in the middle of—”
I ignore Dom when Blanca comes by my side with her purse swung on her arm like she’s coming too. “What are you doing?”
“For the record, that’s certainly not the tone I’d use to win her over.” Enzo’s eyebrows raise.
“I’m coming with you.”
I grab my messenger bag and swing it over my shoulder. “No, you’re not.”
“Strike two,” Carm says. All the brothers’ arms now crossed over their chests.
“Listen, Blanca. It’s a family thing and…”
“You looked upset when you hung up the phone. We’ll go and if you want me to stay in the taxi, I will. I won’t interfere, but it’s senseless for us to take separate trains.”
“You can take our car. We’re heading to the office after this.” Carm pulls out his phone. “Hey babe, Travis is off lunch by now, right?”
Bella lifts her wrist to check the time, probably on a watch that could pay my rent for a year. “Yeah.”
“Perfect.” Carm presses a button on his phone. “Hey Trav. Change of plans, you’re going to pick up my sister and her…” He looks at me and smirks. “Her platonic co-worker at the restaurant here and take them where they need to go and then to the train station. After you’re done, you’re done for the day.”
He says a few other things and clicks. “It’s a black Range Rover. He’s around the corner, so give him a minute or so. My—”
“Our,” Bella clarifies, and everyone laughs. Everyone but me and Blanca.
“Of course. Our company logo is on the side of it.”
“Thanks.” There’s a relief that I’m not at the mercy of a taxi or public transportation. By taking Carm’s driver, I’ll get there earlier, which will hopefully make the orderly and nurses happy.
“No problem. We’ll see you soon,” Bella says.
“At Sunday dinner,” Carm adds.
“Mama’s next,” Dom says, his eyes widening like I should be scared.
“Pops too. Let’s remember, Blanca is his only daughter,” Enzo says and they all grin at one another.
“You should stay with your family,” I tell Blanca, ignoring them for the most part. They weren’t that scary so hopefully it’s the same for her parents should there ever come a time I meet them.
“No.” She hugs and kisses everyone, telling them she’ll see them Sunday.
Without waiting for me, she walks out of the restaurant before me.
“Thank you for everything.” I wave to everyone.
“Remember, open up your chest and let your heart fall out. That’s how you get Blanca,” Carm calls out after me.
We file out of the restaurant and the Range Rover with Carm’s half naked body plastered on it is already waiting for us. Blanca wastes no time in climbing into the backseat, saying her hellos. I get in next to her and both of them stare at me for the destination. I stare at Blanca because she’s about to find out something about me I don’t share with anyone.
“Willow Court Assisted Living in the Bronx.”
Travis nods and pulls away from the curb.
“A grandparent?” Blanca asks.
“My father.”
Her head rears back in surprise and her hand covers mine, squeezing.
I want more than anything to pull her closer to me. To allow her to comfort me, but we’re not a couple. She’s decided that her friendship with Sierra is more important, so I slide my hand out from hers and pull my phone out, checking my email.
She stares out the window as we go from one of the wealthiest parts of the city to the poorest. Whether I like it or not, Blanca Mancini is about to find out exactly where I come from.
Chapter Thirty
Blanca
*
I allow Ethan to keep his space from me on the way to his dad’s assisted living facility. Hopefully, I was able to mask my surprise when he said that’s where we’re going, but from his reaction, I’m guessing I didn’t do a good enough job.
We arrive outside a big building that reads Willow Court Assisted Living. The outward appearance is nice but dated. The letters of the name bear more rust than paint, the planters on either side of the door are unable to hide the years of use.
“Thank you, Travis.” Ethan attempts to hand him money for a tip, but Travis puts up his hand.
“I was instructed not to take any money.”
Ethan tucks the cash back into his wallet, grumbling something to himself as he exits the SUV.
“Thanks Travis,” I say and follow Ethan.
My feet land on the cracked sidewalk and Ethan’s eyes drill holes into my head.
He peeks his head back into the truck. “Hold up a sec, Travis.”
My eyebrows crinkle.
“You should go.” He places his hands on my shoulders and turns me back around toward the truck.
I dig my heels into the ground. “No. I’m coming.” I swivel around but Ethan presses me closer to the car. “Why don’t you want me to come?”
I flip back around. His shoulders deflate and he lets out an annoyed breath. “You don’t want to see what’s in there.”
“Listen. Whatever is going on is affecting you. I see it in your face, in your demeanor. I know we’re in this gray area right now in our friendship but I’m here for you.” I grab his hand, linking our fingers.
He doesn’t pull away which I take as a good sign, stepping forward to allow Travis to leave and us to visit his father.
“You can stay in the waiting room.”
Progress although I have no plans of staying in the waiting room. “Okay.”
We say goodbye to Travis and after he turns the corner, we walk into Willow Court.
“We have to sign in here. You can wait here, but I have to go up to the thirteenth floor.”
“I’ll go too.” I dig in my wallet for my driver’s license and hand it over to the woman like Ethan did.
He blows out a breath. “Blanca,” he sighs and runs his hand down his face.
The woman behind the glass smiles at me, handing me back my ID and giving me a visitor pass like Ethan’s. “See, I’ve been vetted.” I put the sticker on my chest. “Elevators?”
He looks like he’s trying to get me to vanish into thin air, but Ethan Ryland has kept this secret long enough. This is where his demons reside and I’m going to find out what they are.
I hear a ding and a man with a woman in a wheelchair come out to the hallway. “Let’s go.”
My investigation skills are on point because we come t
o the elevator.
“Listen, my dad…”
The elevator arrival interrupts and we step inside, but it’s crowded and Ethan doesn’t continue with whatever warning he was about to give me. I slide my hand in his, squeezing with the hope that he understands I’m here for him.
As the elevator climbs, the number of people thins and by the time we’re on the thirteenth floor, there’s one orderly left who’s getting off at fifteen.
He nods politely as we step out and the first thing I notice are the line of wheelchairs in front of the nurse’s station as if they’re the welcoming crew. Some of the people are complaining and others are talking loudly to the others, but a sweet old lady with red tips on her gray hair smiles sweetly at me.
I’m so enamored with her, I don’t notice Ethan talking to the nurse for a moment. He nods consistently and then holds up his hand and says something.
Ethan leads me to a bench on the other side of the wall. “Sit here. I’ll be back.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. You’ve come far enough. I’ll be five minutes tops.”
He says nothing else and I let him walk down the hall, but I follow him with my gaze, watching him turn into the room second from the end of the hallway. He’s only in there a second before a man yells and a shoe comes flying out of the room.
Two orderlies jog down the hallway. Ethan chimes in on the yelling, but I can’t make out exactly what’s being said, so I slide to the end of the bench and lean as far as I can in that direction. Still nothing.
The yelling stops when the two orderlies go into the room. Ethan walks out, his hand in his hair, pacing back and forth. I try to conceal myself, my back straight to the back of the bench. He crouches down to the ground and puts his head in his hands.
My heart breaks for him and I want to strip him of the pain that’s wrapping itself around him like a straitjacket. I rise off the bench, but one of the orderlies comes out of the room and Ethan stands. They talk for a minute and I lower back down to the bench. Maybe I’m overstepping.
Another shoe flies out of the room and a large crash echoes down the hall. A few of the wheelchair greeters turn toward the noise and then talk amongst themselves.
