Page 6 of Dancing Diva
“Don’t tell me to calm down,” I snap, drawing attention from the other patrons in the diner.
"He's not here," she says. "I talked to him on the phone. He's still in Mexico. He had the nerve to call and ask me to send more money. Apparently, his new girlfriend has some expensive tastes.”
“Not that expensive if she’s with him.”
“Hey,”
“Sorry.” I run my hand over the back of my neck to try and calm myself down. “That was meant to be a dig at only him.”
Eva surprises me when she laughs. It's the first time since her ex skipped town with all her money that I've ever seen her smile.
"Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to have you as a little brother, and then you go and remind me by insulting me." Her laughter grows, and I can't help but join in too.
It's amazing how sometimes when a situation seems so bleak, the only option is to laugh or cry. I'm glad we have reached that stage, at least until Steven decides to show his thieving ass back in Vegas, and I beat every penny out of him.
“Don’t worry about it,” Eva says. “I’m taking care of it. I don’t want you doing anything that’s going to end with you getting arrested.”
"I want to put the fear of God in him for what he did."
“I already did.”
“How?” I ask.
“I told him that I’ll burn down his trailer.”
I laugh and pull her in for a hug. Sometimes just talking about what we wish we could do might be all we need to keep us from actually committing the crime, although Steven loves pushing us both to the brink.
I look over and notice Claire standing a booth away from us. The expression on her face looks like a mix of hurt and confusion, and I can't control the way my body tenses. Eva pulls herself out of my arms and turns to see who I'm looking at.
“Claire, this is my sister Eva,” I say, not needing to explain but wanting to. I don’t like the thought that she might be getting the wrong idea, even if nothing will likely come from this night.
I've already felt so many instant emotions with Claire that I'd normally only feel with someone that I've known for more than an hour. But everything seems to be instant with Claire—my attraction, my need to want to protect her, and my need to care for her. There's something between us that I can't explain, and I'm hoping that judging by the expression on her face, I'm not the only one feeling them.
"Your sister," Claire says, looking between Eva and me and back again.
“Eva, this is Claire,” I continue with the introductions.
“We’ve already met,” they both say at the same time.
I glance between them, assuming one of them is going to explain further, but neither of them does. And there is no missing the silent moment they share like they are already best friends and can talk to one another with just a look.
“I’m going to go get you both some food,” Eva says, pointing over her shoulder to the kitchen. “It’s wonderful to meet you officially.”
Claire smiles at her. “You too.”
Eva excuses herself, and Claire and I both slide back into the booth.
“So you thought she was my girlfriend or something?” I ask, wanting to push past any awkwardness.
"For a moment, I did." She chuckles. "Seemed wildly out of character after everything else you did for me tonight."
“Always trying to keep you on your toes,” I joke.
“I wouldn’t mind that.” She leans forward and smiles at me.
There's no mistaking how her gaze dips to my lips and back up to meet mine. The pull to lean in and close the narrow distance between us is strong, but before I can move, Eva's back with two plates of eggs, bacon, and fluffy buttermilk pancakes stacked high for each of us.
"On the house, since you are my brother and you, my dear," she says, turning to Claire. "Because you had to hear all my dirty laundry."
