Page 67 of The Layover

The defiant part of me wanted to prove him wrong, but the gesture was so sweet that I couldn’t argue.

We all took our seats, and it was impossible to miss the way Daria maneuvered the birthday girl to sit between Raul and Diego. Eloise started to argue, but Diego let her sit on his other side, next to Harmony, and that made her happy.

“Adam, Raul has something for you,” Diego said as we all nibbled on the cheese and olive tray.

Raul rolled his eyes, but reached inside his suit coat anyway. “I’m hoping you’ll appreciate this more than my uncultured husband does.” He extracted what looked like a DVD case and handed it to Adam.

“My lack of appreciation is because I am cultured.” Diego’s counter was playful.

Adam took the gift, and his eyes grew wide as he studied it. “Is this signature real?”

Raul nodded. “My uncle knows the director.”

“What is it?” Brooke leaned her head in.

“It’s called Star Odyssey,” Diego said. “Worst. Star Wars knock-off. Ever.”

“You mean best.” Was Adam petting the case?

Raul lightly elbowed Diego. “I told you so.”

“Hey.” Brooke wrapped her hands around Adam’s arm and leaned into him. “Mine. You can’t have him.”

Daria shot me a knowing look as she said, “Don’t worry. Pretty sure they’re interested in someone else.”

This was exactly the kind of teasing I was known for dishing out, and it turned out I wasn’t a fan when it was directed back at me. “Love the wine.” I took a long swallow. “Do you think I could get a bottle back home without it breaking?”

Diego frowned.

Raul sucked in a sharp breath. “Unlikely. But if anyone could pull it off, it’s you.”

The fun continued through dinner, which was amazing. And just as incredible was watching how well Diego and Raul got along with my friends. I could picture them hitting it off just as easily with Megan and Jeremy.

And now I was daydreaming about introducing them to my family. But that wasn’t weird, right? I’d met Raul’s mother.

Totally not weird. My picturing them in other parts of my life, and me in theirs.

The entire evening was spectacular, but when Harmony and Eloise both started sulking and yawning, it was time to call it a night.

We were all saying our goodbyes when Eloise grabbed my hand and refused to let go. “You can’t go. You have to come home with us.”

“Carly doesn’t live with us.” Raul’s retort was kind but firm.

“Why not?” Eloise stomped her foot and pouted. “I want Carly to come home with us.”

Daria leaned closer to me. “It’s your birthday.” Her whisper barely reached my ears. “You don’t turn down two smoking hot younger men on your birthday.”

“It’s up to Carly,” Diego said to Eloise. “We can’t make her come home with us if she doesn’t want to.”

Was he serious?

Eloise looked up at me with wide eyes and a quivering bottom lip. “Please?”

I should be bothered that Diego put this decision on me with Eloise listening, but I didn’t want to turn them down. Not hurting her feelings was a great excuse to say yes.

Raul grabbed my hand before I could answer. “I need to borrow Carly for a moment.” He led me back from the group a few feet, closer to the water. “If you say yes, no sneaking out in the middle of the night.”

“I have to leave at some point.” I hated the words more than I expected. “It’s not as though I’m coming back tomorrow night.”

---