Say Yes (Something More) (21 page)

Christina

I sleep in late, way too late. I can tell because of the bright light streaming in through the curtains. After my mom and I stayed up to talk about plans for our new business, I grabbed a sketch pad when I got back to my room and worked late into the night on wedding ideas.

I’m surprised my brothers haven’t come in to wake me yet, but I think they must be exhausted after eating all that turkey and pie and then playing outside on their slide until well past dark.  

I grab my phone and check the time. I can’t believe it’s almost noon. My neck and shoulders are still sore, probably from hunching over my sketch pad all night. I’m not ready to get out of bed yet, so I log onto Facebook and scroll through my newsfeed.

Looks like Grace and Violet had a wonderful Thanksgiving. They invited a group of troubled teens to spend the day at the ranch, and there are lots of pics of smiling kids feeding goats and riding horses. I have to do a double-take at Grace in jeans and boots. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen her in cowboy clothes, but she looks like a natural. After she was disowned by her parents last year, I’m glad to see she’s found a place where she belongs.

I realize I need to post all my family pictures on Facebook. I’m hesitant, because I know my sorority sisters will ask why Andrés isn’t in the pictures. I don’t want Jackson knowing about the breakup yet, either. He’ll hound me for sure.

Yesterday, Jackson left a comment wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving.

Nothing from Andrés.

It’s like I don’t even exist to him.

I check and see I’m still on his friend’s list, and then my heart drops to my stomach when I click on his wall. Two days ago, his cousin Cesar tagged him in a photo captioned “Viva Mexico.” Andrés has a beer in one hand and his other wrapped around the shoulder of a bikini-clad girl. I clutch my throat as I read the comments.

His other cousin, Esteban wrote, “Did you get laid yet?”

Cesar commented below. “Not yet, but he’s working on it.”

  So that’s why he never returned my calls? He was getting drunk and laid in Mexico?

Son of a bitch!

I throw my phone on the floor and sob into my hands as a feeling of despair and rejection wash over me.

I thought Andrés and I might still have a chance to work things out but it’s over. It’s really over.

He doesn’t love me, and maybe he never did, not if he’s so willing to run off at the first sign of trouble and sleep with sluts in Mexico.

“Sweetheart, what’s the matter?”

I look up through tear-soaked eyes as mom sits beside me on the bed. “He went to Mexico to get laid,” I sob, clutching my pillow.

She scoots closer and drapes an arm across my legs, a concerned expression marring her brow. “Are you sure?”

I nod, sobbing harder into my pillow. “It’s on his Facebook page.”

Just then, the phone I threw on the floor starts buzzing. I don’t know who it is, but I don’t think I can talk to anyone. My mom bends over and picks it up, staring at the screen with pursed lips.  

“It says Grace.” She holds the phone out to me.

My heart clenches as I take it from her. I haven’t called Grace all week. She must think I’m a lousy friend.   

I tap on the phone and answer. “Hey, Grace,” I say in my best forced happy tone, trying my best not to sniffle. 

“Hey, what’s up?” she asks, excitement ringing in each word. She sounds happy. Probably because her partner still loves her. “You having fun down there?”

“I’m having a wonderful time.” I do my best to match Grace’s perky tone. I
am
having a wonderful time here. Or at least I
was,
until Andrés ruined it. “Sorry I haven’t called.”

My mom shifts on the bed, and I grab her hand and hold out a finger. I’m hoping she’ll stay, because after I hang up with Grace, I know I’ll need her shoulder to cry on.

“No need to say sorry. I know you’ve been busy, but….” There’s a long pause, and I wait for her to finish her sentence. Something tells me she’s got bad news. “I wanted to let you know, I just saw Andrés in the apartment parking lot. He had a TV and bags in the back of his truck.” 

I know I should be angry. I should swear and throw things, but at this point, I think I’m too numb from heartbreak. Still, I wish I knew why he did it. “Did he say anything to you?”

“I asked him why he was moving out, and he told me you’re back with Jackson.”

I jerk up and practically scream into the phone. “Fucking excuse me? I am
not
back with Jackson.”

“I know,” she answers.   

I’m so angry, my brain is about to explode. “Why would he think that? Did you tell him he’s wrong?”

“No. He drove off before I could say anything.”

“Fuck!” I scream, and then I cringe as I look over at my mother. I forgot where I was for a moment, or that my brothers may be nearby. Luckily, she doesn’t look angry, but I can tell by her wide-eyed gaze I’ve shocked her.

I drop my voice to a strained whisper. “Why would he think I’m back with Jackson?”

“Call and ask him,” Grace says.  

I toss back my head and groan at the ceiling. “I’ve already tried.” I slip out of bed and snatch a pair of jeans off the dresser. “I’m coming up there. I deserve an answer.”

Chapter Twenty

Christina

After I hurriedly pack my bags, I’m back on the road toward Austin. My brothers cried while we exchanged goodbyes, so I’ve already had to promise them I’ll be back tomorrow.

I turn on a country station, trying to distract myself from dark thoughts of Andrés, but not even Darius Rucker’s uplifting melody can pull me out of my funk. Why would he think I’m back with Jackson? What about all those freaking texts I’ve sent him this week? Didn’t he get any of them? Was he lying to Grace so she’d leave him alone? I have a hard time believing this jackass is my Andrés, the same guy I’ve loved and who’s loved me unconditionally for the past six months.

Speaking of jackasses, my Bluetooth rings, and I check my dash to see Jackson James is calling me. Ugh. What does my other ex want? I’m tempted not to answer, but then I think maybe something is wrong with Ty, so I finally pick up. 

“Hey, Teeny!”

Doesn’t he remember how much I hate that nickname? It’s okay when Ty calls me Teeny, but when Jackson says it in that nasal whine, I feel the urge to choke someone, namely Jackson.

“Hey,” I answer back in a bored tone. Maybe he’ll take the hint now is not a good time.

“I got a job lined up. I start in January. It’s mid six figures.”

Okay, so he called to brag. Maybe Jackson hasn’t changed much this past year. “Good for you,” I answer, willing him to see me rolling my eyes through the phone.

“This is your last semester, right?”

“Yeah.” I wonder where the heck he’s going with this. 

“So….” He trails off, and I can tell he’s stalling. I wonder what kind of bomb Jackson James plans to dump on me. It’s not like my life doesn’t have enough drama. “You still seeing that Mexican dude?”

Oh, fuck. I had to have known this was coming. I’m tempted to lie to him, but I choose a bitchier route instead. “Why do you care?”

“Look, I’m just going to come out and say it. I’ve missed you.” His whine is so pronounced, I swear he’s swallowed a police siren. “A lot. Tyson misses you, too. He’s always asking for you. He needs a mom, Teeny.”

I quirk a brow, trying to focus on the heavy I-35 traffic while trying to shovel in all of Jackson’s bullshit. “Did you just say Tyson?”

“I-I meant Tyler,” he stutters. “I’m always getting those names mixed up. Come on, Teeny. We’ve finally got the chance to give him
real
parents.”

Am I really getting a marriage proposal via Bluetooth?

“He’s got
your
parents.”

“My dad is suffocating him. Seriously. The kid’s got a chef, a nurse, and a nanny. It’s freaking ridiculous.”

Oh, yeah, he’s definitely swallowed a police siren, or else his balls have shrunk another inch, which would mean he’d need a microscope to see them.   

“You selfish asshole! You really are jealous of Ty, aren’t you?”

“N-n-no!”

Has he always been this bad of a liar, or wasn’t I smart enough to see through his ruse before? I thought Jackson had changed, if only a little, but now I see he’s just gotten worse. Too bad. Poor Ty deserves a better father. And now I realize what Andrés has been telling me all along. These visits with Ty have simply been Jackson’s way of trying to get me back, and I don’t think he’s ever going to change. As much as the realization hurts me, I know I can no longer visit Ty if it means I’ve got to put up with his father. My only consolation is that Tyler’s grandparents love him, and I know they’ll make sure he’s taken care of.

 “You can’t even remember his name,” I growl. “You know what, Jackson? When I gave back that ring, I meant it. Now leave me alone. Oh, and go see a dentist. Your freaking breath is terrible.”

I almost want to tell him to get a penis enlargement, too, but I hang up and grind my teeth while doing ten miles an hour down the freeway. A pain slices up my chest when I realize I’ve lost my only connection to sweet little Ty. Today has gone from shitty to shittier, and I fear it may only get worse.

* * *

As I pull into the drive to Andrés’s uncle’s ranch, I don’t know what I’m going to say. All I know is I need to know why he thinks I’m back with Jackson and why he’d go sleep with sluts in Mexico after all we’ve shared together. After I get my answers, I will walk away.

I see tons of cars and trucks parked in front of the house. His entire extended family must be visiting for the holidays. Oh joy, we’ll probably have an audience. Might as well make a spectacle of myself in front of as many people as possible.

When I get out of the car, my hands are shaking and I barely manage to shut the door. As I make the trek up the gravel driveway, I hear Tejano music playing in the backyard. A cool breeze ruffles my hair, and I shiver as I pull my windbreaker around me. It’s only then I notice it’s actually not my jacket, but one I borrowed from Andrés. He’ll probably ask for it back, which means I get to be dumped, humiliated, and cold today.

I stand beneath the shady porch roof and ring the doorbell. I used to be able to walk right into Tio’s house without knocking, but now I’ve been downgraded to dumped ex-girlfriend status, I guess that would be kind of stalkerish.

It doesn’t take long for Andrés’s Aunt Linda to answer the door. “
Aye Dios Mio
!” she screams as she pulls me into a hug, crushing my windpipe between her meaty arms and huge breasts. She gives me a big kiss on the cheek. “It’s our angel! I knew you’d come back to him.”

I rub my sore neck and smile. “Is he here?”

“Of course, of course.” She grabs my hand and yanks me across the threshold, calling to one of Andrés’s young cousins to go get him.

She forces me to sit on a sofa, and before long I’ve got a margarita in one hand and a tamale in the other. Though I doubt I could stomach the tamale, I take a long drink of the margarita. I can’t seem to keep my hands from shaking, and I need something to settle my nerves. Pretty soon, more of Andrés’s family show up. When I see Tia enter the room, my throat constricts at the visual daggers she’s shooting me. Why does she look so angry? And then I realize Andrés probably told her I went back to Jackson.

I fight the urge to jump off the sofa and run out the door when she sits beside me.

She lifts her chin and regards me through a frozen smile. “Hello, Christina. Did you have a nice holiday?”

Someone takes my food and drink from me, and it’s then I notice even more family members have filtered into the room. The kids elbow each other as they push their way to the sofa. They’re probably vying for a front row seat to my parade of shame and rejection.

I turn to his aunt and clear my throat. “Yes. I spent it with my mom and brothers.”

She quirks a brow, before looking at me through narrowed eyes. “I thought you were an only child.”

“So did I, but it turns out I was adopted. My birth mother contacted me last Friday. That’s where I’ve been.”
Not with Jackson,
I want to tell her,
so don’t believe a damn thing your nephew tells you.

Tia claps her hands together. “Thank goodness. I knew you were too sweet to break my Andrés’s heart.” She grabs me in a strong hug and kisses my cheek. “Oh, Andrés will be so happy!” she squeals.

“That wasn’t Tyler?”

I look over my shoulder at Andrés standing in the hallway, staring at me with his mouth hanging open. He’s bare-chested and soaked, wearing nothing but a beach towel around his waist and, possibly, swim trunks beneath. He’s flanked by several wet cousins in swimsuits. I only spare them a cursory glance before my attention is back on Andrés. I do my best to keep my tongue from falling out of my mouth. I’ve forgotten how gorgeous his hard body is. His eyes are so vivid, a bright copper framed by thick lashes. I look away from him, afraid I’ll fall under his trance. I focus on that tattoo of a dog tag on his shoulder. His tanned, muscular shoulder glistening with water.

Shit. It’s been over a week since we’ve had sex. No wonder I’m so worked up. 

And you shouldn’t be,
I remind myself.
Andrés has been an ass to you all week. He doesn’t deserve your lust.

Anger fuels my defiance as I slowly rise and clench my hands while giving him my best icy glare “What the hell are you talking about?”

Some of his family gasp, and I realize there’s kids in the room. I compose myself long enough to mouth an apology to Tia.

Andrés bridges the distance between us, his hair dripping all over Tia’s carpet. “When I called you Sunday. I heard a baby in the background.”

“That was my brother. Haven’t you read any of my texts?”

He shrugs, flashing me a sheepish grin. “My phone broke.”

At least now I know why he thought I’d gone back to Jackson, but the way he’s grinning at me pisses me off. It’s like he’s trivializing all the pain and drama he put me through this week. Not to mention the fact they have these things called stores where you can replace broken phones.