“Yes! Norie, I thought he was just messing with me, but he was dead serious. He said he could be my backup, my moral support against my family. When I asked him what he was getting out of it, he just said that he wanted to play soccer with my brothers and make tamales with my Abuela.”
“Wait,” Norah muses, not missing a damn thing. “Why did you blush when you mentioned making tamales?”
“Um. We might have had a conversation where making tamales became an innuendo?”
Norah bursts out laughing. “Okay, I need to know this story before we talk about anything else.”
Groaning and blushing like crazy, I recount our first almost-kiss and the conversation following that. Norah is practically in tears by the end of it.
“Oh my god, Lay. I can’t. That’s so funny! I always knew Teagan was a fun guy, but I’m learning so much about him right now. Okay, now, back to him inviting himself to the Diaz Family Christmas. What did you tell him?”
Biting my bottom lip, I dig my pros and cons list out of the pocket of my hoodie. “I haven’t answered him yet. I have no idea how to. On one hand, the moral support would be awesome. On the other hand, does this mean we’re dating? Or just friends? Are we telling my parents we’re dating if we’re not actually dating? Also,whywould he offer to do this? I’m so confused, Norah. I made a freaking list of why I should or shouldn’t take him up on this, and it hasn’t helped.”
“This is a big deal, amiga! First, I don’t think you and Teagan can be classified asjustfriends anymore. Not after almost kissingtwice.” Norah holds up two fingers, emphasizing her point. “There’s some serious sexual tension between the two of you. Have you gone out since the play?”
“No,” I groan. “Our schedules have been conflicting. We text every day. The last time I saw him in person was at your surprise party, and we didn’t really get a chance to talk.” I let my mind wander back to that moment.
* * *
The girls and I decided to throw Norah a surprise party in celebration of the play being such a huge success. Paddy, the owner of the pub, agreed to close it to the public so we could make it a private event. I’m sandwiched between Amelia and Charlie when Teagan saunters up to our table. He says hello before my friendsstart gawking at him and making the whole thing awkward as hell.
Realizing we aren’t going to have any sort of privacy, he says, “I won’t interfere with your fun. I just wanted to come over and say hi.”
“I’m glad you did,” I tell him, smiling softly.
He raps his knuckles on the tabletop before tossing me a wink and walking back to the bar. Once his back is turned, Amelia and Charlie start squealing and giggling.
“Please stop,” I beg. “You made that so weird.”
“Sorry, girl, but that man is hot. We’re living vicariously through you right now.”
“You just keep your hands and eyes to yourselves, and we won’t have a problem, comprende?” I snap, earning a round of astonished gasps and giggles.
“Okay,” Norah says, bringing me back to the present. “I think the first thing you two need to discuss is where this relationship is headed. That will make your decision easier, right?”
“That’s true. See? This is why I came over here. I knew you’d be calm and level-headed while my brain wentloco. Now I just have to find the nerve to bring it up.” I sigh heavily at the thought.
Norah reaches out to squeeze my hand. “Don’t worry. You have time. It’s not something that has to be talked about today. Let’s just enjoy the holiday, and if the conversation comes up naturally between the two of you, great! If not, table it for another day. He’s a patient guy, and I don’t think he’s going anywhere.”
“You’re right. Thanks, chica. Now. What can I do to help?”
* * *
Teagan is sitting across from me, looking so ridiculously handsome it’s distracting. He’s in a hunter green sweater over a black collared shirt and a pair of light-wash jeans. The five o’clock shadow covering his sculpted jaw is somehow better than his clean shaven look. It’s rugged and sexy. The group decided to keep the night informal, but everyone seems to have taken extra care in selecting their outfits. Ro’s even wearing a tie!
I’d like to say I dressed for myself, but I chose my outfit with Teagan in mind: soft taupe dolman-sleeve sweater over black leggings with red accent jewelry and the red lipstick Teagan seems to love. I left my hair down, letting my natural waves come out to play. If anyone has noticed the way we keep eyeing each other, they haven’t mentioned it.
We manage to find ourselves alone only once. I walk out of the bathroom to see Teagan leaning against the opposite wall, hands in his pockets, sleeves pushed up to his elbows. I stop and watch his eyes travel over me slowly.
“Hey, stranger.”
He smiles warmly as he pushes off the wall and steps closer so we’re toe-to-toe.
“Hello, Lovely. You look incredible,” he murmurs.
“Thank you. So do you.”
Leaning in, he moves his mouth to my ear, the faint scent of pine and something strictly male invading my senses, and whispers, “Did you wear those red lips for me, love?”
