Page 55 of The Crush
“With my ankle and everything, I could fall and—”
“You’ve made your point,” he mutters, grabbing the bottle and doling out a couple into his hand before tossing them into his mouth. “Happy?”
“Deliriously.”
He rolls his eyes, then begrudgingly smiles. “You ready?”
I nod but then glance sideways at Tadeo’s truck. “And you aresurehe’s not mad?”
Daniel angles his body toward me in the bench seat. “I promise you, my dad is not upset.”
“But he’s known?” I ask again, still in shock from that particular revelation. “For a while?”
Daniel nods in solemn confirmation. “Apparently your car has been killing his grass.”
I stare at him.
“Because you always park in the same…” He takes in my expression. “Doesn’t matter. You don’t have to worry about him, okay? He’s fine with it. He told me yesterday that he’s known since the kitchen.”
“Thekitchen?” I squeak. “He’s known since the kitchen?”
Daniel shifts in his seat, looking guilty. “Sorry. I guess I didn’t get a chance to tell you about that. He caught me right after I came back from dropping you off before church.”
“What did he say?”
“Only that he’s known since the kitchen and—”
“What didyousay?”
“I said that I…” He looks at me then glances away. “The point is he’s not mad. You heard him at church, remember?”
“Do I remember?” I ask, even more embarrassed now to face his dad for the first time since everything came out in the open. “Your dad—I toldeveryonethat I’d been sneaking into your room every night. That I’d been in your bed.”
Daniel grins. “You certainly did.”
I glare at him, then an even greater concern breaks in. “Oh,God, do you think he’s heard us—”
“No.” Daniel shakes his head adamantly. “No, no, no, his room is on the other end of the house, and healwayshas the radio or the TV on and…” He trails off, staring at the dash of his truck. “No. Definitely not. Probably hard of hearing these days anyway.”
The man in question picks that moment to knock on my window, making both Daniel and me jump before I politely roll it down and try to pretend like I’m not fighting the urge to hide beneath the seat. “Um, morning. How…how are you?”
“Fine,” Tadeo says, eyeing the both of us. “You kids going to get out of the truck or should I head out on my own?”
“We’re coming,” I say quickly, pushing the door open after Tadeo steps back while Daniel grumbles about how I should wait for him to help me down. By the time we’re both standing in front of Tadeo, he looks like he’s trying not to laugh.
“Well, if you two are up for it, I thought we could go check some of the fences. Then later we need to move some of the herd.”
“Sounds good,” I say, relieved Tadeo seems intent on business as usual. Maybe he really is fine with it, and as for the other thing…I would simply join Daniel in firm denial. “Whatever you need, Tadeo.”
“Within reason,” Daniel tacks on before giving his dad a meaningful look in the direction of my ankle. “Don’t need to push it too far.”
I roll my eyes at him. “If anyone shouldn’t push things too far, it’syou.”
Daniel looks to his dad for backup, but Tadeo shakes his head. “She’s right, mijo. Did you at least take something?”
“Just now,” I answer for him, Daniel too busy scowling and making it clear how he feels about this alliance against him.
Unfazed, Tadeo gives a pleased nod before he turns and starts walking toward the open barn doors. Daniel and I follow, his hand on my lower back as we head down the center aisle and Tadeo disappears into the tack room. At the sound of our arrival, threehorses poke their heads out of their stalls, happily greeting us with an enviable excitement for the day’s work ahead.
