Page 85 of Sleeping with the Frenemy

“What?” Mami asked. “What do you mean ‘the stupid kid’?”

“That’s what you think. What you’ve always thought.” Leo took on his mother’s voice.“Oh pobre, Leo with his ADHD. He can’t learn like that, so just leave him be.”Leo attempted his dad’s voice next.“Leo, your brain doesn’t work like everyone else’s, so you need to do things differently.”He threw up his good hand. “Stop treating me like I’m broken! I’m just as capable as anyone else!”

“Really?” his dad yelled back. “Because from what I’m looking at, it doesn’t seem that way. Look what you did to yourself and don’t try to say you’re fine, because it’s clear that’s a lie.”

Leo froze. This is exactly what he didn’t want to happen. He’d fucked up again and now here his family was looking at him with varying degrees of pity, anger, worry, and disappointment. He hated it. “Well, you can all relax now, because I failed the exam, so I’ll never be a firefighter again.”

Papi huffed like he was being ridiculous. “And what about your job with Liam?” his dad asked, piling on like always. “You can’t do it like that. And what about your sister’s wedding? Can you even play the guitar? I doubt it.”

Leo dropped his gaze to the floor. He hadn’t even thought about any of that. There was no way he’d be able to play the guitar in the next few weeks nor would he be mixing drinks anytime soon. “I can still sing at the wedding,” he said, his voice low and ashamed.

“I just don’t get it,” Papi continued, ignoring him completely. “When are you going to stop doing such idiotic things?”

Leo winced.

“That’s enough, Santos,” Abuelo Papo decreed.

Leo’s eyes snapped up and bounced between him and his dad, who looked shocked that someone had interrupted his tirade. Not many people had the gall to do such a thing, but Abuelo Papo didn’t give a shit. He’d do what he wanted, when he wanted.

Abuelo shifted his shoulders as if preparing for battle. “This is not the time,” he told Papi.

Papi was still visibly pissed, his nostrils were flared, his muscles were tense, and his cheeks were flushed under his tan. But he gave one single jerk of his chin.

“Eddie, why don’t you take your parents home now,” Abuelo continued.

“Me quedo,” Mami said in a tone that brooked no argument. “My son is hurt and I’m staying here in case he needs me.”

Mami had always been extra protective of him and he was sure it was because he’d been born premature which had required him to stay in the NICU for a time. However, he didn’t want her to stay. He just wanted everyone to leave him alone. Everyone but Sofi that was. He looked to her for support. He wanted her to say that she’d take care of him, but she didn’t say anything. She just sat there.

What was that about? It wasn’t like her to sit quietly when things were going down.

“Come on, Pop,” Eddie told Papi. “Let’s get you home so you can get some rest.”

Still red and tense, Papi turned on his heel and left without saying anything to anyone. Cristian followed them with Saint in tow since he’d offered to drop Saint off at home. Liam stood up with Tostón in his arms and said he’d take the dog for the night, so no one had to worry about him and could focus on Leo. He didn’t look at Leo at all.

Leo’s gut roiled with guilt. He’d really screwed Liam over more than anyone else except for maybe Kamilah. He looked at his sister and found her staring at Sofi with a weird look on her face.

Sofi still hadn’t said anything. She just sat there staring at the TV playing, what appeared to be, a documentary about the wives of the pharaohs in Ancient Egypt. It was clear she was pissed at him, but he didn’t understand why. It wasn’t like she didn’t know about him taking the exam—unlike his family. He’d been honest with her about it. Was she mad that she couldn’t get a hold of him all day? “I really am sorry I forgot my phone,” he told her. “I’ll be more responsible in the future.”

She frowned in confusion. “Leo, I’m not your mother. I’m not going to punish you for forgetting your own stuff.”

“Then why are you mad at me?” Leo asked.

“Who said I’m mad?”

Leo shook his head in bafflement. Did she really think he was that dumb or that he didn’t know her? “I can tell that you’re mad. You’re basically treating me how you treat white women who ask you if your hair is real and try to call you ‘sis.’” If she wasn’t mad, then she must be disappointed too. He’d told her that he’d done the practice test and passed, so she was probably expecting him to pass this time as well. Well, fuck. No one was more upset about that than him. Besides, what right did she have to be disappointed? She’d barely said anything when he’d told her about his plan and she never encouraged him when he told her about his training. She was too busy with Kamilah’s wedding. “This is some bullshit,” he snapped. “I know something is wrong,” he told her. “I wish you’d just tell me what it is instead of acting like it’s nothing.”

“Like your abuelo said, now is not the time,” she replied.

Leo’s frustration boiled over. He hopped up and moved to block the TV. “If you have something to say, then just say it. Don’t be such a chickenshit.”

The way she snapped her head in his direction, her eyes flashing, told him that he’d just poked the bear a bit too hard. Oh well, he’d never tiptoed around her moods and he wasn’t going to start now. Not even when his abuelo’s chastising “Leonardo” told him that he should’ve kept his mouth shut.

22

Sofi knew she shouldn’t respond. Leo was obviously upset and looking for a way to release it, but she also knew he wasn’t going to stop until he got what he wanted. And that thought ticked her off more than anything. Why did his needs outweigh hers right now? She’d had a shitty day too. She was hurt too. She should be able to just sit there and feel what she felt in silence if that was what she wanted. That didn’t make her a chickenshit. “Not everything is about you, Leo, so just leave it alone.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” he hissed.

---