Page 33 of Love Off Course

He cackles. “I’m tellingeveryonethat you two were in here making babies!”

His heels clomp loudly down the hall as he leaves us alone. I smirk at Sheridan and offer her my hand.

“Want to continue this…talk…later,abejita?”

“Talking with you is dangerous.”

“Because your heart might get involved?” I toss back, grinning wide.

“My heart is unavailable.”

“Fine, I’ll just have to get involved with your puss?—”

She punches me playfully in the gut and leaves me with a stupid smile, a boner, and determination to understand why her heart’s unavailable. I’m not sure I’ve ever put forth this much mental thought toward pursuing a woman.

She’s not just any woman, though.

She’s a hot villain robot girl who stings like a bee.

Goddamn, that makes me hot.

I’m fucked with this girl.

“Mijo,”Mamácalls out when I enter Eddie’s holding onto Doris’s arm so she doesn’t slip. “Is that everyone?”

We’re all soaked because the rain is really coming down in buckets now. Carson and I were tasked byMamáto round up any stragglers. Since Doris wasn’t feeling well, she was in her room with Dale.

“The last two. It’s going to be crowded,” I say with a groan, surveying the big group.

Everyone is here. Even Alejandro and Toro. That damn dog may have missed me, but we both know he found a new amigo while I was gone. We have around thirty cots in the back, and nearly as many people. It’ll be a rough night for sure. Especially with Toro’s rank ass in there with us, dropping fart bombs in the close quarters.

I walk Doris over to myabuela, who’s sitting with a few other old folks. She immediately starts in on her son Henry, pointing to Damian, who blushes at the attention. I stop Dale before he can join them.

“How come you never correct her?” I ask, frowning.

Dale’s usual smile falls and he seems older. “We lost Henry in the Gulf War. It’s been thirty years since we buried him. Lately, Doris doesn’t remember that he passed. Always asks about him.” He looks over at Damian, who is playfully trying to kiss Carson. “For some reason, she thinks Damian is Henry and I can’t bring it in me to watch her heart break again.”

Oh.

“I’m sorry,” I say in a gruff tone. “For your loss.”

“Henry’s gone.” He smiles at me. “I’ve learned to live my life without him, because I’ve had to.”

His comment hits me in the gut. My chest aches as I think about Dad. The last time I spoke to him, it was probably five months before his stroke. I stopped in for a few days to visit in between flights. He asked a lot aboutMamáand the hotel. It would always make me feel guilty whenever he would ask about his ex-wife, knowing I was the reason for their split. They fought over my dreams. Dad won.Mamámoved on.

When he had his stroke, I expected him to bounce back.

He never recovered.

“How do you learn to live without someone who meant everything to you?” I ask, hating how small my voice sounds.

“You let go of the guilt, son,” Dale says, reaching up to squeeze my shoulder. “It gets easier after that.”

Chapter 11

Sheridan

“You’re doing it again.”

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