Page 19 of Bound and Blitzed

I release a deep breath.

“Avery, what’s going on?” my sister asks, concern lining her voice.

But if I convince my family this is real, that this matters, Valentina and I are halfway there to selling our relationship—our marriage.

“I…I met someone,” I say.

Silence.

I close my eyes, hang my head, and wait.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Raia seethes after a beat. “You blew off dinner with Grandma and Grandpa because of some woman you fu?—”

“It’s not like that,” I cut her off.

“Oh really?” she laughs harshly. “What’s it like then, Ave?”

“It’s Valentina Garcia,” I say.

More silence. Then, a peal of laughter. Disbelief. “Avery, what the hell kind of a prank is this?”

“It’s not a prank. Not a joke,” I clarify. “I…I really like her, Rai.” At least that part is true. “We got together last night and…one thing led to another.” I’m inferring sub-context here that doesn’t exist but…still, not an outright lie.

“And you woke up in Austin?”

“No. We just landed. I honestly forgot about dinner and I’m sorry about that. Please tell Mom and Dad. Grandma and Grandpa. I never would have cut out so early if I’d known.”

“Really? You would have brought Valentina to dinner? To meet the family?” Raia’s tone is sarcastic.

“Yes,” I say simply, realizing it’s true. “I would have loved to introduce her to Grandma and Grandpa.”

The honesty in my voice pulls my sister up short. “What the hell is going on, Avery? I heard you thought Valentina was stalking you! She’s Carla’s sister, you know? She would never?—”

“I know. It was a misunderstanding. A hilarious one, if I’m being honest.”

“And now you’re…in Texas with her?”

“Yeah.” I smile, releasing a chuckle. “I’ll be back at the end of the week.”

“You’re staying the entire week?” Raia repeats.

“Rai, you know when something is just right? Like, it doesn’t make any goddamn sense, but it feels right?”

A stretch of silence before Raia mumbles, “Yeah.”

“Well, this feels right, Rai.” Stretching the truth but still, not a bold-faced lie.

“But Avery, I know Valentina and—” Raia cuts herself off, but I hear the words she didn’t say.She’s not for you. She’s good and generous and out of your league.

“She’s not like other women. She’s different,” I supply.

“Yeah,” Raia admits.

“I know,” I agree. “That’s what I’m telling you. This, with her, it’s different.” I hold my breath, hoping my sister infers what I need her to from this conversation.

Eventually, she sighs heavily. “I’ll cover for you with Mom and Dad.”

I press my lips together to keep from grinning. “Thank you, Rai. I owe you.”

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