Page 19 of Wasted On Us

Eden’s laughter punches straight through all the crap and lands right in the center of my chest. There’s nothing fake about it, no pretense. It’s just Eden—raw, beautiful, open Eden—and I’m already a sucker for it.

It’s not just a sound; it’s a challenge, a promise of more good times, more shared secrets. And I want them all—every laugh, every smile, every damn moment I can get with her. Because each one feels like a win, like a step closer to something more.

“I don’t see that happening.” She must sense my confusion because she elaborates. “It’s a little restaurant near the Trevi fountain in Rome.”

I take another bite, locking eyes with her as I set down my fork. “You never know. We could do it. One day.”

There’s a faraway look in her eyes, the smile leaving her face as quickly as it came. My heart sinks as I take in her expression.

She reaches for her purse, mumbling something about Ensley always complaining about ‘future talking’ men. “I have a ton of things I have to get done before work tomorrow. I think we should probably call it a night.”

I motion to the bartender for the check, and then we head out. It bothers me that Eden doesn’t think I’m being sincere. I’ve been with my fair share of flighty women and experienced a lot of game-playing in my time, but I can’t figure Eden out at all. One moment, she’s the most vibrant thing I’ve ever seen, and the next, she has all the energy of a stepped-on dandelion. I can’t tell if it’s something I’m doing wrong, or if this is some weird bid on her part to keep me on my toes. If it’s the latter, it’s working.

When I drop her off at her apartment, I’m not presumptuous enough to want to walk her upstairs again since she’s been blowing hot and cold. She doesn’t offer, and I don’t ask. But just dropping her off at the curb would go against all of my good judgment and the way I was raised, so I compromise between the two impulses and go with her to the downstairs entrance.

“Thank you.” She stops with her hand on the door, coming just shy of pushing it open. “You’ve been really sweet to me the last two days. You’re the only good thing that’s happened to me in weeks, if not months. I don’t know. It’s nice being around you, Mateo, and just—thanks.”

I start to come up with a reply, to tell her that it was nothing, really. But before the words can coalesce, she turns suddenly and kisses me. It isn’t a hard kiss, just a soft chaste brush of her lips against mine. But it’s our first kiss, and that still means something. And then she’s gone, the door slamming shut behind her just as abruptly as she kissed me.

The sensation stays with me through the whole drive home, my lips tingling of their own accord. I can taste the slight strawberry flavor of her lip gloss, and smell the citrus notes of her perfume as it clings to my skin. I haven’t been this crazy about a girl in my entire life, including the very first crush I ever had, on the little red-haired girl who lived down the street from me in the third grade. I need to take a cold shower or go for a run to clear my head. Being this head over heels so quickly does not bode well for me.

If nothing else, I know that a talk with Abuelita will help distract me.

At least, I thought it would.

I’m still taking off my shoes by the front door when Abuelita comes swooping in from the kitchen, staring at me for thirty seconds at the most, before asking me the last question I want to answer today.

“Who is she?”

I doubt I can fool her, but it’s worth a shot. “What are you talking about, Abuelita? Who is who?”

She tuts at me with a wry smile. “Please. It is written all over your face. Your heart is overflowing,mijo. You might as well have your eyeballs bulging out of your head and your tongue hanging out like a cartoon.”

“Is it that obvious?” As strongly as I feel about Eden, I can’t imagine that anyone can deduce my attraction from a brief glance at my face. Abuelita looks deep into my eyes, as if searching my very soul, and then takes the end of her sleeve into her hand and wipes it across my mouth with a laugh.

“No. You have sparkles on your lips, you big lout. You are lucky that your father isn’t loitering around, complaining about his creaking knees.” Turning on her heels, she heads to the kitchen, and I follow behind. “Now, who is this girl you think you are so in love with that I can see it just in your eyes? The one you recently kissed?”

“I don’t know yet.” I shrug, sitting on one of the stools next to the island in the center of our massive kitchen. Abuelita has always loved to cook. After Mom died and she moved in, Dad had the kitchen completely redone just to try and make her happy. He may never show it in words, but he always takes care of the people he loves. Something I’ve had to adapt to over the years.

“What do you mean you do not know?” Scandalized, she clutches at her chest with a gasp.

“No, Abuelita. Not like that.” It’s hard for me to explain what I mean. Everything about Eden leaves me tongue-tied and lost. “I know her name. I just mean that I don’t knowwhoshe is yet. Despite spending time with her, she is a mystery to me. I don’t understand her. But I am going to try. She’s like a beautiful puzzle that I can’t stop wanting to solve.”

On the counter, Abuelita keeps several bowls of fresh produce from her garden. She selects a cucumber and a handful of cherry tomatoes, before beginning to prepare a salad. “Ah, could it be? Have we finally found the woman to make baby bird Mateo spread his wings and fly out of the nest for good?”

Every woman that I meet, Abuelita wonders if she is “the one.” I think she envisions me marrying the women in television commercials sometimes, or the check-out girls at the grocery store if they smile at me for too long. “Who’s to say? I’m not in a hurry, and you shouldn’t be either.”

“What is your hesitation, hmm?” She tests a tomato for ripeness, chewing it thoughtfully. “When will you move out and become your own man, like I know you can be?”

“Why would I leave? I like it here. I couldn’t just leave Dad alone, either.” Standing from my stool, I cross to the cabinet on her side and reach for a large wooden serving bowl, setting it on the counter next to her cutting board. “And besides, it’s my turn to take care of you, like you have taken care of me all these years.”

Wrapping my arms around her shoulders, I bring her into a solid hug against my chest. I remember when she could lift me up and set me on her hip like it was nothing. Now, I dwarf her completely. She still feels like she should be taller than me. If nothing else, she is taller in spirit.

“You are a good boy. Just make sure that you are here because you want to be, not because you are hiding from your destiny.” Reaching up, she smooths down my hair with a concerned frown. “I just want to see you happy.”

“Iamhappy,” I insist again, releasing her from her hug and going to the sink to wash my hands.

Abuelita shakes her head in disbelief. “Happy andmarried.Your heart is so big, Teo. Big enough to share. You should have a wife already. Children. You shouldn’t be tied to this house taking care of some old lady.”

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