Page 34 of Riding the Pine

“I’ve always wanted to find someone to love me like Papá loved Mamá and like Mamá loves Papá. So many people getdivorced and their relationships crumble but my parents have always been my north star.”

I reach for the tears now falling in earnest as my heart shrivels inside my body, but Scott’s already there, catching my tears as they fall.

“And now that’s ruined. They don’t have the perfect marriage. My father stepped out on my mother and had a child with another woman he now pays for her silence. What the fuck is that, Scott? Who does that?” I’m wailing now, my voice high-pitched and shrieking as my shoulders shake.

His face twitches like he’s battling over a decision before he shunts his seat all the way back and literally picks me up, lifts me over the console between us, and drops me into his lap.

“I’ve got you,” is all he says before he pulls me against his chest and lets me cry it out. The harder my body shakes, the tighter he holds me. The louder I cry, the more he gently shushes me as his thumb traces circles on the back of my hand. And the more he holds me, the more I realize just how perfectly I fit on his lap, against his muscled chest, wrapped protectively in his strong arms. And I don’t ever want to leave.

Scott Raine makes me feel safe.

My phone chimes in my butt pocket with a text message, making me jump and hit my head on the ceiling of the car, and my butt press against the horn. The momentary chaos bursts my blissful cuddle bubble, and my comfortable safe space starts to melt into the awkward, I’m sitting on my brother’s best friend’s knee, and holding onto him like he’s giving me life.

I wipe my cheeks with my hands before transferring my tears onto my pants. I stare at his chin, because if I look into his eyes, I’m not sure I can handle the emotion I know is waiting for me there or hold back from taking his face with both my hands and kissing the air right out of his body.

I don’t want him to think I’m only kissing him because of the emotional turmoil I’m going through.

If I ever kiss Scott Raine I want him to know that it’s one hundred percent, absolutely, positively because I want to kiss him.

Because right now, I most definitely do.

CHAPTER 15

Athena

“Mija, come in.” Papá waves me into his office with a flutter of his hand. He points to the phone nestled against his ear then rolls his eyes. He gestures to the seat in front of his wide, oak desk as he rolls his eyes again. “Mmhm. Yes, well I don’t think that’s… No… I?—”

I’ve never seen Papá be so fucking patient with someone, they must be important.

Nervous energy shoots through my veins like a spinning top that’s been released from a height. I sit at the edge of the chair, twisting my hands in my lap and staring at everything that isn’t my father.

His hand slams onto the table with a loud bang, making me jump. “For fuck’s sake Emilio, it’s a terrible idea, and if you insist on walking that path you need to find a new job.” Without another word or second of hesitation, he slams the phone down with a grunt.

Well, I couldn’t have picked a better time to show up at his place of work unannounced, could I?

Part of me wants to run. Fight or flight has kicked in, and I want to flee. I don’t want to confront him, I don’t want to call him out for being a shit husband, a shit role model tomy younger brothers, and another stereotypical Dominican man stepping out on his wife and family and having a fling on the side.

My blood boils. I’ve spent my whole life proud of the fact that my father didn’t conform to that stereotype. It’s something our culture pretty much accepts as normal, and to me it’s not.

“Mija, what brings you here?” He steps out from behind his desk, arms open as though to embrace me, so I stand up and oblige, offering him half of my body in an awkward hug. “You could have stopped by the house later, both Mamá and I will be there.”

I nod, twisting the hem of my shirt which doesn’t go unnoticed by my eagle-eyed father.

“What is it, Mija?” He leans against the edge of his desk, clasping his hands on his lap. “You can talk to me.” He stares at my face, making me self-conscious about the bruise I know my makeup didn’t all-the-way cover up. “Athena.” He picks up my chin between his finger and thumb. “What happened to your face?”

I look him straight in the eye. “It was an accident; I caught an elbow to the face.” I try to shake him off but he holds fast.

“Are you sure? Is someone hurting you, Mija?”

I smirk. “Not likely, Papá. Do you think I would let someone live if they hurt me?” I snicker. “I’m a de la Peña. And even if for some reason I did, my brothers wouldn’t stand for it either.”

Papá’s eyes glisten with pride as he pushes my hair back from my bruised cheekbone. “It looks painful. Are you sure you’re okay?”

I nod, steeling my spine and sucking in a deep and super shaky breath I’m not sure actually delivers any oxygen to my tense and trembling body.

“Papá.” I channel all the strength I can from my ancient mythological namesake. “I know you’re cheating on Mamá.”

His face doesn’t fall, doesn’t twitch, nor does he even bat an eyelid. “Athena de la Peña.” He pushes off the table to his feet. “You come into my office and accuse me of wrongdoing? Me. Your father.” He covers his heart with both his hands. “Why do you hurt me so?”

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