Page 63 of Head Over Feels
Iwas killing this relationship thing.
* * *
“Um, anythingIneed to know before we get there?”Iasked, trying for a casual tone.
“Idon’t think so.”Malcolmglanced over at me, then took my hand. “They’regoing to love you.Youdon’t have to be worried.”
Hah.Iwas only worried aboutGregShaw.Before, the tension between us had been from me going to dinner withGreg’sthen-boyfriend.ButnowI’dstarted dating his close friend.I’dinadvertently helped cause the end of his relationship, and now my presence would limit the timeMalcolmhad forGreggoing forward.Noway he wasn’t going to resent the hell out of me.
Malcolmpulled theBuickto the curb opposite a two-story brick house with blue shutters.Thedriveway was full and a few more cars were parked along the street.
Istepped out onto the sidewalk right in front of an elderlyHispanicwoman wearing a bright aqua track suit.
“Oh, my god,Iam so sorry!Ididn’t see you there!”
“Don’tworry,mijo,Isaw you.”Sheturned toMalcolm. “Introduceme to your young man,Malcolm.”
Wewaited whileMalcolmcrutched his way around theBuick.He’dgiven me the rundown on who to expect this evening, soI’dalready guessed this wasFosterandCraig’sneighbor,Silvia.Butshe seemed set on waiting forMalcolm, soIdidn’t speak up.
“SilviaCortez,I’dlike you to meetFelixOlwin.
Iheld my hand out toSilvia. “I’mso glad to meet you.I’veheard such good things about you fromMalcolm.”Shetook my hand in a surprisingly strong grip.I’dguessed from the amount of silver in her hair that she was in her seventies at least, but maybe she was younger.
ShethrewMalcolma skeptical glance. “Malcolmjust wants me to keep feeding him.”
Ilaughed whileMalcolmscowled good-naturedly. “It’snot the only reason.”
Silviastepped beside me and patted my arm. “Malcolm, you go on in.Felixhere is going to help me bring the food over.”Iwas?Mildlypanicking,Ishot a look atMalcolm.
Hesmiled reassuringly. “Theothers will be so jealous of you,Felix,” he said.Hewinked. “You’llsee.”
Silviathreaded her surprisingly firm arm through mine and started walking.Istumbled to keep up, but she didn’t slow.
Wewent along the sidewalk to the next house down.Silvialived in a one-story ranch-style home that had a similar design toFoster’stwo-story house.
“Lastweek my granddaughter moved out to live with her boyfriend.Thisone might be a keeper, but we’ll see.Helikes my cooking, so at least he’s an improvement over the last one.”
Whenshe opened the front door and the smells from her kitchen hit me,Icouldn’t imagine anyone not likingSilvia’scooking. “Wow,Silvia, it smells amazing.”
Sherattled off everything she’d made, andIwondered how many trips we’d need to get everything across the street.ButSilviahad it covered. “Corrina, my granddaughter, she thinks it’s so silly how everyone comes over here to help carry the food toFoster’shouse.Shegot me this little wagon to use.”Sheopened the door to the garage, and there was a little red wagon ready to be filled.
Shepatted my arm. “ButCorrinadoesn’t understand that sometimes the boys, especiallyCarlosandMike, they like to help.Itmakes them happy whenIpretendIdon’t see them sneaking an extra churro or empanada.”Sheshrugged. “Icook to make them happy, so why not let them have their fun?”
“Tonightthough,” she said. “You’rethe guest of honor, so you get to be my only assistant.”
Shestarted handing me things to load onto the wagon, rearranging whenIdidn’t stack them to her satisfaction. “Now, you hold this.”Silviahanded me a plate of churrosveryloosely covered in tinfoil. “Andfollow me.”Shehit the button to raise the garage door then grabbed the handle to the wagon and led the way out onto the driveway. “Foster, he put this in for me.Soconvenient.”Sheused a keypad on the side of the garage to lower the door behind us. “Comealong.”
IfollowedSilviaacross the street.Shedidn’t glance back.
Notbeing stupid,Iused the time to sample one of the churros.Theywere still warm.Crunchycinnamon goodness on the outside, tender dough on the inside.Ibarely managed to keep my moans to myself.
FosterandCraig’sfront door opened before we got there.DetectiveOchoastepped out and cried, “Silvia,Iwould’ve helped you!Whydid you pull that heavy wagon over here all by yourself?”Helooked accusingly at me, then his eyes locked on the plate in my hand and his face instantly turned friendly. “Felix, let me take that for you.”Hereached one hand out to me and gently took the wagon handle fromSilviawith his other.
Ifroze, darting a glance atSilvia.WhatwasIsupposed to do here?
“Justgive him the plate,Felix.It’ssafer for all of us.”Malcolmappeared behindDetectiveOchoa, who smirked and yanked the churros from me.Holdingthe plate high, he disappeared into the house, pulling the wagon behind him.
“Comeon in.SorryaboutCarlos.He’llbe more like a real person after he eats.”
