Page 113 of The Crush
“Well, we’re ready to hear it,” Sophie said warmly. “Aren’t we, El?”
“Yes. Wait, I need wine. And then I need Isa to tell us how she ended up sleeping with afed. Ineedto know.”
That first phone call had lasted several hours. As had the couple since as Sophie filled us in on her grad program and Elena told us all about her new corporate job.
“Speaking of,” I say now, looking at Gabe. “Elena gave me a list of places you could stay. She asked a few coworkers from Dallas, and they said—”
“Bonita,” Daniel cuts back in. “Don’t change the subject.” He stares my brother down. “I need a name, Gabe.”
My brother grins. “It’s—”
“Don’ttell him,” I nearly shout, rounding a finger on Daniel in amused disapproval. “No.”
“What?” he asks innocently, raising his hands. “I told you I only want to talk to him real quick. I’ve heard such good things.”
“Daniel Ríos, wejustgot rid of one branch of law enforcement,” I remind him. “Let’s try not to do anything that brings in another.”
“Fine.” He shoots Gabe a sideways glance as if to say,You’ll tell me later?
My brother’s grin widens in answer.
“All right, Gabe,outside,” I say, choosing to temporarily remove the temptation by shooing it toward the door. However, I turn back to Daniel when I reach the threshold. “You coming?”
He starts to take a step after me, but stops again as soon as he puts his hands in his jacket pockets. “Yeah, actually, let me… I think I’ll change first.”
I nod, wondering if he needs a minute to himself after the day he’s had. Especially considering that as far as Aarón’s come in a short time, Daniel is still not exactly at ease around my oldest brother.
“Do you want to hang out inside?” I ask him as I hover. “You could read or…”
“No, no,” he says easily, shaking his head and giving me an appreciative smile before he begins to back into the hall. “I’m fine, bonita. Give me five minutes.”
Ninety
Daniel
Where do you hide a ring?Specifically, where do you hide a ring so that the person you’re living with won’t accidentally come across it?
I eye each piece of furniture speculatively as I linger in the middle of our room. Still halfway listening in case it’s not actually my dad that I’ve just heard getting home but instead is Isabel coming back inside.
I take another quick scan, smiling a bit at how thoroughly she has occupied and claimed this space, my once sparse bedroom now adorned with an array of prints and books. Her clothing hung beside mine in the closet and folded beside mine in the dresser. Various objects that serve no other purpose than to be pretty up on the shelves. No more boxes tucked into corners.
In my jacket pocket, I hold tight to the ring box, still deciding where best to stash it. The dresser is out of the question. My desk, too, given that she’s taken to sitting there to write. Her side table is anotherobviousno, but mine…Or is that also too obvious? Wouldn’t that be the first place someone would look?
“Just pick a place,” I scold myself, finally pulling the ring box out of my pocket and heading for my side table. Resolving to concealit in the far back corner behind a random assortment of items that have likely not been disturbed since high school.
Once I’m satisfied with its level of secrecy, I step back, closing the drawer and staring at it like it’s going to begin announcing its contents to the general vicinity.
“It’s fine,” I mumble again, forcing myself to look away from the piece of furniture. I land instead on the display of maps still up on the wall, a few of her pins now mixed in with mine.
Where would you want to go?
I can hear so clearly in my mind how she had sounded the night of my birthday a few weeks ago, can remember the way she had lain in bed with me, her head resting on my chest and my fingers threading through her hair.
“Where wouldyouwant to go?” I’d asked her in return. No longer dreading the passing of another year. No longer so afraid to try again.
“It’syourbirthday, Danny.” She had snuggled closer, eyes starting to drift shut. “You should choose.”
I have. Where I’m going now just seems far less important than what I’m bringing with me.
