Page 112 of The Crush
“Nope,” I say, placing extra emphasis on the end of the word as I grab my flowers and breeze past him. I take care to get them settled into a vase on the table before I start grabbing for the full plates I’d left sitting on the counter. “You won’t either when you meet the right person.”
“Besureto let us know when you do,” Daniel chimes in, having wandered into the kitchen behind me. “Then Isabel and I will take turns bursting into your house at inconvenient times.”
“Oh, what if you meet someone on your trip?” I suggest excitedly, purposefully keeping Gabe prisoner to this conversation with the plates I am slowly starting to pass him. “Are you still thinking that you’re going to go north for a bit?”
Gabe shrugs, staring down at the plates. “I’m only going so I can tell myself I’ve done it. Plus, I’m not sure driving up to Dallas for a few weeks this spring counts asgoing north.”
“Farther than I’ve ever been,” I tease him, smiling when Daniel counters, “So far.”
Gabe shakes his head. “I don’t know. I still could change my mind. Might not be anything for me there.”
“You should go. What if you took an art class or something while you’re there?” I suggest, turning back to the counter and grabbing up the last few dishes my mamá sent. “Remember my college boyfriend? I met him in class.”
Gabe’s nose wrinkles. “Is that supposed to be encouraging?”
Behind me, I hear Daniel snort before he says, “Speaking of…Gabe, doyouknow his full name? I tried to ask last time she was on the phone with Elena and Sophie, but she has them sworn to secrecy.”
I grin, still happy to have my college friends back at the top of my speed dial. Something that Daniel had encouraged the last time I mentioned that I missed them. And maybe I was more surprised than I should’ve been to find I wasn’t the only one.
“Isa.” Elena’s voice had come through like a scold as soon as she’d realized it was me. “Wait.” The line had gone quiet, suspended until she broke back in a moment later with Sophie over a three-way call. “Soph, I’ve got her.”
“Isa?” Sophie’s soft voice came onto the line. “Are you okay?”
“Hi. Yes, I’m okay.”
“Honey, we’ve been so worried about you.”
“I’ve asked her to explain herself, but nothing yet,” Elena chimed back in.
“You told me to wait?”
“Well, we’re done waiting. Let’s have it.”
I laughed, watching Daniel smile before disappearing out the back door while I sat at the kitchen table. “Okay, okay.Do you…” I looked over my shoulder to make sure he hadn’t ducked back in. “Do you guys remember me mentioning Daniel Ríos?”
There was a long pause, then, “Is she for real right now?”
“Elena, let her talk,” Sophie chided her. “Yes, of course, we remember him.”
“You’ve mentioned him a few times,” Elena couldn’t resist adding. “Once or twice.”
“Well, he came home this summer, too, and we…”
“We?” Elena blurted out, followed by Sophie’s gasp in the background. “Isabel Rivera, did you—holy shit. Did you have a fling with Daniel?”
“A little more than a fling,” I said, unsure how they’d react. “I’m actually calling from his house. I kind of live with him now.”
Two high-pitched female screams echoed through the phone as I briefly yanked it away from my ear to save my hearing.
“Shut up. Shutup,” Elena demanded. “Tell us everything. Right now. I can’t believe you haven’t told us. Why wouldn’t you tell us?”
“Elena, maybe she would if you’d give her a chance,” Sophie pleaded on my behalf. “Sorry, Isa, we just missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” I was smiling so wide my cheeks hurt. “I’m so sorry. I figured you were both too busy.”
“Clearly not asbusyas you,” Elena pointed out. “Chica, we’ve been trying to call. Did your dad not tell you?”
“No. No, he didn’t,” I said, adding another item to the list of reasons why my father and I still had yet to make amends. “I’m sorry. That’s…that’s a long story, too.”
