Page 34 of Firecracker

“Especially for Puerto Rican families. My grandma lives with them too. Norton’s my cousin on my dad’s side, obviously. Multiple generations tend to live together. Norton would like to get out, but he can’t afford it anyway, and nobody promised him anything about this apartment.”

“Well, hell. I feel bad. I feel like I took that away from him.”

“You didn’t,” he said firmly. “If Norton really wanted to live on his own, he’d find a way.”

“It’s not easy.”

“I know. Hey, I don’t make that much money. It might seem like I’m getting some kind of deal from Jamie, but I work for it. SoIfound a way.”

“True. Um…why don’t you still live with your mom?”

He grimaced. “I offered. With Dad gone, I thought she might want me there to help out. But my mom’s not Puerto Rican, and she thinks a guy my age needs to live on his own, not with his mother.”

“Ah.” She recalled that Tyler’s dad had passed away around the time she’d graduated from college, from a heart attack that had taken him way too soon.

“Hey, how’d your new job go last night?” He picked up his own mug of steaming coffee.

“Oh. Um. It was great!” She beamed a smile before taking another sip of coffee.

He tilted his head. “Really?”

She wasn’t about to share all her missteps last night. Not right now, anyway. Maybe someday they’d be funny stories, but she wasn’t quite ready to laugh at herself. She wanted everyone to think she had her shit together and was moving on with her life and doing just fine. “Really!”

He eyed her and she held his gaze for a long moment. The warmth in his eyes made something inside her crumble. “Not really.” She dropped her head forward. “It was exhausting. I have so much to learn. And being on my feet all that time tired me out. That’s why the bath felt so good. Although I do love a nice, long bubble bath.” She lifted her head to give him a wry smile.

His eyes darkened and his mouth firmed. He swallowed. “Well, good. You can use my bathtub any time.”

“Thanks.” She sighed. “I made a bunch of stupid mistakes. I don’t know anything.”

“Hey.” He moved closer, his dark eyes fastened on her. “It was your first day. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

“I don’t like making mistakes or feeling stupid.”

“Nobody does. Most people mess up from time to time.” He paused, holding up a hand. “But…wait…are you seriously telling me you’re not perfect?”

Her forehead tightened. “Of course I’m not perfect.”

“Well, hell. You’re destroying my illusions. I always thought Arden Lennox was perfect. Gorgeous. Smart. Fun. Kind.”

“Kind?” She tipped her head to one side.

“Sure. You may have had an annoying little brother, but you were always nice to his geeky friend. After Tara died…”

“Oh.” She swallowed. He did remember that.

“I also remember that day in high school when a bunch of kids were making fun of Barry Wong because he tripped and fell in the hall and broke his glasses and couldn’t find them. And you gave him his glasses and told them to shut up and leave him alone. And they listened to you. Because you were Arden Lennox.”

Something expanded in her chest, stealing her breath. She couldn’t even speak.

“I guess it’s true. Nobody’s perfect.” He shook his head with a sad expression. “Everybody’s ass has a crack.”

A surprised laugh shot out of her. “Oh my God!”

He grinned back at her. “Actually it’s good to know you’re not perfect.”

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

His face changed, his eyes dropping. He shrugged. “Just good to know.”

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