Page 34 of Big Nick Energy

“I think Val is fine, seeing as I’m pretty sure we’re about the same age.”

“Right, well…” I cleared my throat.

And that’s when I felt it. Blanca moved closer to me, right to my side, and reached for my hand. Tangling our fingers together. Making a silent statement. “I like your daughter.”

“You like my…” She blinked. Her eyes dropped back to her daughter. Something seemed to be working through Blanca’s mom’s mind. At first, I assumed it was about the million and one ways she could get away with not only murdering a man who was old enough to be her daughter’s dad instead of her boyfriend butalso not getting caught when we were surrounded by a bunch of witnesses.

But then I realized it wasn’t that.

“Tu y el?” she asked quietly, and Blanca nodded.

“Yeah, Mom. Me and him. Nick and I are seeing each other.”

“What the fuck, Dad?!” Noah exclaimed. I waited for the backlash to hit, but Val didn’t seem surprised in the least.

“Dad? Wait. What the hell, Blanc? What are you doing?” her brother asked, and the sweet blonde at his side simply reached for his arms.

“Hector, breathe.”

“Breathe? He’s old enough to be her dad. Wait! Did you know about this?”

“Let’s go for a walk. Why don’t you buy Gris and me a funnel cake, yeah?”

“Libby––“

“Hector.” They stared at one another for a moment, and I knew when ‘Crank’ Dominguez decided to follow his woman instead of beating me to a pulp for dating his little sister.

The three walked away and left the four of us alone.

“I think we should talk really quick.” Val’s eyes were on her daughter.

“Mom, I’m almost twenty—” Blanca didn’t say another word as her hand rose for a moment.

“Come on.” The matriarch of the family hooked her elbow with her daughter’s, and they walked away. Blanca looked over her shoulder, and I smiled tightly as she moved off to the side to speak with her mother.

“Dad, you and––“

“I was going to tell you,” I rasped.

“When did this start? Wait… have you two been together since I was seeing her?”

“No! God, no! Thanksgiving. But if I’m honest…” I swallowed hard.

Winston was right.

Life was too short to pussyfoot around the shit that meant something.

“I love you, Noah. I would have never disrespected your relationship with Blanca. You tossed her out.”

“Dad—"

“I’m in love with her,” I admitted out loud. “I love her, son. I love her in a way I didn’t… Fuck me.” I chuckled as I rubbed the back of my neck. “I didn’t even know it was possible to love someone like this, Noah.”

“Gee, thanks,” he clipped.

“You know what I mean. I want Blanca. It’s the forever kind of love, endgame shit, kid. Do you get that?” His arms crossed over his chest. I couldn’t read his expression or tell where his head was at.

“This is fucking weird, Dad. She was my girlfriend,” he said way too calmly.

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