It’s only now that I take notice of the sets of eyes on us. Somehow, I forgot where we are. She pulls me so far into her magnetic field that I nearly forget who I am. What I’m supposed to be doing.
I look around the room and see my staff have got everything under control. I’m lucky to have such a steady team, and I’m lucky to have Gianna to keep them in line when I’m distracted.
“No shit. This is really happening.” Leo has appeared next to us, and he’s shaking his head in disbelief. “I told Isla I’d believe it when I see it, and now I’m seeing it, and I still don’t believe it.”
May giggles and it makes me smile.
Leo’s face contorts. “Ew, why are you smiling like that?”
That makes May cackle. “That’s what I used to say, but now he does it so much that I’m used to it.”
“I’ll never get used to that.” He leans over to me. “How’d you do it? Make her go from hating you to wanting you? I somehow only go from them wanting me to hating me.”
May snorts and pats him on the arm. “You’ll get there one day, Leo.”
He brushes her off, rolling his eyes, but then they catch by the door.
My eyes follow his gaze to see my sister standing in the doorway of my restaurant. She’s looking around like the place is foreign to her, and I guess it is. She hasn’t been back here in years, so I can barely believe she’s here now. I have to blink a couple of times to make sure I’m not imagining it.
Her eyes catch on mine, and then she starts walking towards us. “Rafael, this is beautiful.”
I wrap her in a hug before she can say anything else. “Whatare you doing here?” My body is in the driver's seat, my brain barely functioning seeing Marisol back in Ruby Cove.
She kisses me on the cheek before she pulls back. “A little birdy told me that tonight was the grand reopening of Olive&Vine and I…god, it looks so different.”
I nod, taking another look around. “Do you think she’d like it?”
Her eyes go glassy, and Leo gives her hand a squeeze. She nods. “I think she’d love it, Raf.”
May’s hand has made its way into mine, and it gives me the confidence I need. “Marisol, I think it’s time you two properly met. This is May, she’s my…” I glance down at her and she’s just looking up at me, waiting for what I’m about to say next.
She’s my girlfriend?
My partner?
No.
I look back at my sister. “She’s just mine.”
She frowns. “That’s a little possessive, no?”
“That’s what I said,” May says before she wraps Marisol in a hug. “It’s nice to officially meet you. How long are you staying?”
Marisol looks over at me now. “Any chance you’ve got a spare room?”
May waves me off. “Oh, he’s got plenty.” What she doesn’t say is that I've barely been staying at my place, preferring to be at May's cottage, and sleeping in her queen bed next to her.
She links her arm with Marisol’s and turns away from us. “Now tell me you’re not still with that dick sack, Jack?”
Their conversation drifts out of earshot as May leads her over to where Isla and Marina are sitting in a booth. I watch as they sit down, my sister being effortlessly integrated into their group.
May must feel my attention on her because she turns her head to look at me, and when she winks at me, my heart feels like a volcano exploding, sending lava coursing through my veins.
A hand claps me on the shoulder. I turn around to see Caio, Leo and Heath all standing in front of me.
“Well, that’s one person I didn’t expect to see tonight.”
I just hum in response, my attention still on May as she talks to my sister.