I open my mouth for a second and then shut it, turning on my heels to cross the street. I step off the curb and a taxi whizzes by honking its horn.
Ethan grabs my arm, pulling me back and I fall into his chest. More like into his arms, like he’s dipping me in a romantic dance.
Our gazes lock for a brief moment. Then we’re kissing before I even know what’s happening. His hand molds to my hip and my hands get lost in his hair. His messenger bag hits my side, but I lose myself in the softness of his lips.
He’s everything and more.
It isn’t until the sound of whistling makes it into my consciousness that I’m aware we’re in the middle of the New York financial district making out like two people having an affair. Strike that. People having an affair would be more discreet.
I tear my mouth off of his, my hands rushing to my swollen lips. “Why did you do that? You can’t do that.”
I step out into the street and luckily the hand signal says I have eight more seconds before I’m a pancake in a pothole.
“Blanca,” Ethan calls out to me, but I hold up my hand.
“I told you we couldn’t.”
He takes my arm and guides me into the opening of a parking structure. “You kissed me.”
“No, I didn’t.”
If only I could remember who initiated the kiss. I don’t fully, but I’m not telling him that.
“Admit it.”
I tear my arm out of his grasp. “Admit what?”
“You like me. I like you. Sierra is keeping us apart because she’s selfish. You should be mad at her. I know how she is. You can talk to me.”
“Sierra shouldn’t expect her best friend not to date the man she’s clearly still in love with?”
“What?” He throws his hands up in the air. “She doesn’t love me. She hates me.”
“Hate and love are opposite sides of the coin, but they still meet in the middle. You probably still love her.”
He steps back, his eyes boring into mine. “Do you hear yourself?”
I cross my arms. “What?”
“You’re convincing yourself that we don’t work. We were at the start of something awesome. Something not everyone gets in life and you’re here saying I love my ex-girlfriend?”
“We have no idea what could’ve been. You didn’t even want to date me because we work together.”
He runs his hand over his forehead, shaking his head. “Was I really not clear about what I wanted?”
“Come on. We have to go eat with my brothers.”
He stays in his spot. “You know what? You go. I’m going to head to the train. I’ll catch you tomorrow.”
“They’re expecting you,” I whine because I do not want twenty questions when I show up without him.
“They need to learn to live with disappointment.”
“Ethan.”
He shakes his head and steps back from me again.
Enzo turns the corner, spots me and a huge smile morphs his stern face. “Blanca!”
Ethan picks up his head and a pleading look crosses his face.
“Hey… Enzo.” I hug him and when he sets me down he stares at Ethan.
“You’re the one?” When Ethan doesn’t say anything, he looks down at me. “He’s the one?”
“If by the one you mean my co-worker, then yes. This is Ethan Ryland.”
Enzo leaves my side putting his hand out to Ethan. “Nice to meet you. I’m Blanca’s older brother.”
Ethan shakes my brother’s hand and then Enzo points across the street. “We’re almost there. Come on. Dom’s treat and you have no idea how tempting it is for me not to order steak and lobster. The man is cheap.”
Ethan stays idle in the middle of the sidewalk and Enzo realizes he’s not joining us. We stop and Enzo looks to me as if to say, ‘what is wrong with him? Does he speak another language?’
“You’re not coming?” Enzo asks.
Ethan looks to me and I say nothing, letting him make the decision on his own.
“Am I missing something?” Enzo asks. “Are you two in a fight… like a dating fight?” Enzo steps away from my side and looks between us like he’s ready to lecture us on how not to sleep with someone you work with. I’d like to bring up how he met his fiancée Annie then.
“Of course he is.” Carm walks out of the parking garage, one arm already cocked out in preparation. Before I can warn Ethan, Carm’s big arm is around Ethan’s neck and they’re walking toward us. “I’ve heard about you.” Carm studies Ethan for a second.
Enzo laughs and all the pieces together fit. They set this entire thing up.
“Where’s Dom?” I ask.
“At the table of course. You know he beats us there. Probably staring at his watch because we’re late.” Enzo walks across the street.
“So tell me about yourself, Ethan. You always been a fan of office romances?” Carm continues to push Ethan along, practically in a headlock.
I mouth I’m sorry to Ethan even if I was annoyed with him a minute ago.
We walk into Trading Post and Enzo weaves through the group of stockbrokers like a bouncer in an overcrowded nightclub until we reach a big table where Dom sits with the three women who recently joined our family.
Now I know for sure this was a setup.
“Hello everyone,” I say in greeting.
I glance back to Ethan who looks like he wants to throw up, but before he has a chance to escape, Carm squeezes the back of his neck and has him slide in next to Dom.
“This is our oldest brother, Dom,” Carm says.
Dom takes his hand off his wife’s leg to hold it out for Ethan. Once the two say their hellos, the girls all rush by me to welcome Ethan. Val’s eyes are all dreamy as they shift from Ethan to me.
“Blanca, we’ve missed you,” Annie coos and I narrow my eyes.
“You just saw me Sunday.”
“You know how hard it is to talk with Mama there. Come sit.” She pats the seat on the other side of her so she can still be next to Enzo.
“We’re splitting the table up, boys and girls?” I roll my eyes and slide into the seat because I need to be far away from Ethan at the moment anyway.
“The boys want… Ouch!” Bella grabs her leg and stares at Val.
“It’s a muscle spasm. The baby is stripping me of my minerals.” Val smiles sweetly like ‘feel sorry for me having to carry this bowling ball around all day.’
“They do know we’re not together?” I ask my question more to Val.
“I thought when you came over…”
“Turns out Sierra isn’t cool with it, so I broke things off.”
None of them say anything, but instead, exchange looks with one another. “Girl code?” Annie asks.
“We just reconnected after all these years. She wasn’t cool about it and who knows how long it would last with him anyway,” I grumble.
They all nod their heads but don’t offer any advice. My vision shifts down to the end of the table where Ethan is already in heavy conversation with Carm. “I knew I’d heard Mancini before. You’re the billboard guy.”
“Oh great, someone else to boost Carm’s ego.” Bella laughs. “He tried to convince me to do a billboard with us in bed.”