Page 53 of Bound and Blitzed

“Vale, que tal?” Rueben Garcia, an internationally recognized soccer star, asks his daughter.

“Hola, Papá,” Valentina replies. “Where’s Mamá?” she asks in Spanish.

For the first time, I’m grateful for the three years of Spanish I took in high school.

“Hi, Mami.” Lena smiles as her mother appears on the screen. She switches to English effortlessly, causing her parents to exchange a look. “How are you?”

“We’re fine, Valentina. Good,” her mother replies. “You’ve been very busy with your research.”

“We haven’t heard from you,” her father adds. “How are you?”

“I’m great,” Valentina says, smiling broadly. “In fact, I’m happy you called. I have something to tell you.”

“You’re coming to the charity gala in Chicago?” her mother guesses. She clasps her hands together. “Oh, it will be so nice for all of us to be together, especially if you can stay through New Year’s?”

I frown, relieved I’m not yet on the screen. Is Valentina planning to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Chicago? We haven’t talked about it, but I can’t imagine not being with her for the countdown. At the same time, I’d never keep her from spending a holiday with her family. I wish I could join her in Chicago, but we have an away game in Boston the day of the gala.

Valentina’s knee begins to bounce, and I note how she bites her bottom lip. I hate how unsure she feels, and I place my palm on her thigh to steady her, to let her know that I’m here. Whatever comes next, we’re in this together.

She shoots me a grateful smile. “It’s not about New Year’s plans,” she says in English, glancing back at her parents. “It’s, well, I’ve met someone.”

“A man?” Her mother’s eyebrows pull together. She begins to rattle off a sentence in rapid Spanish.

Her father’s brows knit together before he too makes demands in Spanish. It’s too quick for me to understand but the way his expression twists informs me that he is concerned by his daughter’s announcement.

Shit. Valentina winces and I squeeze her thigh in solidarity.

“He’s here, with me,” Valentina says slowly.

Her mother stops speaking, her eyes widening. “He can hear us?” She switches to English.

“Si, yes,” Valentina says, glancing at me.

I arch an eyebrow, and she angles the camera so I’m in the frame. “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Garcia. It’s nice to meet you.”

Mrs. Garcia frowns. “Who are you? You look familiar.”

Mr. Garcia squints, as if he’s trying to make out my identity.

“You know his sister,” Valentina explains. “Raia Callaway, she’s Carla’s teammate.”

“Ah! Raia. I love Raia.” Mrs. Garcia smiles, warmer now.

I’ll have to thank my sister for making such a favorable impression on Valentina’s mother.

“Good,” Valentina says, nodding. “Because she’s part of the family now. Avery and I got married.” She holds up her hand and shows them her ring finger.

Mr. and Mrs. Garcia freeze on screen. For a second, I thought we dropped the connection.

“Way to ease them into the idea of it,” I mutter.

“You blurted it out to your parents,” Valentina whispers back.

Her parents are still quiet for a handful of seconds before all hell breaks loose. They speak over each other, their Spanish too fast for me to understand, their faces mottled with anger.

“Shit,” Lena whispers.

I grip her thigh tighter. “What do you want me to do?”

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