“Was it?”
“The very best day.”
“We’re going to keep topping the best day. We’re going to do it so many times that all the best days will run together.”
She makes me believe that’s going to happen, and if anyone can make it so, she can. If this is what it feels like to be in a real relationship, to feel all the things for someone, I’m in. I’m all in, even if I’m well aware that none of the other reasons why it’s a bad idea for her have changed. If I let myself think too much about those things, this day will lose its luster, and I don’t want that to happen.
We arrive at the restaurant, and I carry the cooler inside. Dee holds the doors for me and leads me into the kitchen, which is alive with frenzied Saturday night activity. Her uncle Vincent is right in the middle of it. I recognize him from the wedding weekend, and he immediately zooms in on the fact that Dee is with a man.
He stops what he was doing to talk to us.
“We got a couple of groupers, a snapper and a sailfish,” she tells him.
He kisses her cheek. “Looks like you got some sun, too.”
“It was beautiful out there. You remember Wyatt from the wedding, right? Jason’s friend.”
“Of course.” He shakes my hand. “Nice to see you again, Wyatt.”
“You as well, sir.”
“Call me Vincent—or V.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ve got your order all ready, sweetheart. You want a bottle of white to go with it?”
“Sure,” Dee says. “What do you recommend?”
While they talk wine, I watch the goings-on in the kitchen. The team moves like a well-oiled machine that reminds me of an operating room.
“Can you hang out for a bit after brunch tomorrow?” Vincent asks Dee.
“Yep, that’s the plan. You’re being very mysterious.”
“Nothing bad. Just an idea I want to run by you.”
“Looking forward to hearing more.”
“Wyatt, I hope you can join us for brunch tomorrow.”
“He’d love to come,” Dee says for me. “He’s crazy about the food here.”
“I thought about it for months after the wedding,” I tell him.
“That’s what we like to hear. Enjoy your dinner. I added some dessert for you, too.”
Dee hands him her credit card, and he waves it away.
“It’s an even trade—fish for food.”
“You’re the best, Uncle V.” She goes up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Love you.”
“Love you, too, honey. Have a good night.”
We’re on our way to a clean getaway when we encounter Dee’s Abuela and Nona in the parking lot. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but they’re arguing about something.
“Ladies,” Dee says. “What’s going on?”
“Your grandmother is a menace behind the wheel.” Abuela is tiny with perfectly coifed white hair next to Nona, who’s a foot taller with salt-and-pepper hair. “She nearly got me killed.”
Nona rolls her eyes. “It wasn’t even close. If I wanted to kill you, I would’ve hit the brakes and let them T-bone you right out of my life.”
Dee rolls her lips as if she’s trying not to laugh.
“It’s not funny,” Abuela says indignantly.
“Not funny at all,” Dee replies. “Where’ve you been?”
“We took dinner to your parents before the rush,” Nona says. “I should’ve left her here.”
“Oh, stuff it,” Abuela retorts.
“How’re they doing?” Dee asks.
“Your mom is having some trouble with her port, but Maria was there earlier to check it. She’s keeping an eye on it.”
And then, as if the argument never happened, Abuela seems to realize that Dee is there with a man, and suddenly, the fight ends, and all her attention is on me. Gulp.
“I know you.” Abuela points at my chest. “How do I know you?”
“He’s Jason’s friend Wyatt from the wedding,” Dee says.
“Ah, right. I remember now. You’re a handsome devil.”
“Um, thank you?”
“Don’t embarrass him, Abuela,” Dee says as she curls her hands around my arm.
The two women zero in on those hands on my arm. I can almost feel the heat of their laser beams as they sniff out a story.
We’re interrupted, thankfully, when an older man approaches us.
“Hi there, Mr. Muñoz,” Dee says. “How are you?”
“I’m very well and looking forward to my favorite dinner of the week.” He speaks to all of us, but his focus is on Abuela. “Will you join me, Marlene?”
“No, I will not join you. As you know, I work on Saturday nights. And you know this because I tell you the same thing every Saturday night when you ask me to join you.”
He smiles as if she didn’t just cut him off at the knees. “Can’t blame a man for wanting to share his dinner with a beautiful woman. I’ll see you inside. Dee, I’ll look forward to seeing you next weekend.”
“See you then, Mr. Muñoz. Sofia will take good care of you tonight.”
“Have a lovely evening.”
After he walks away, Dee pounces. “What’s that about, Abuela?”
“That is about nothing. He’s a shameless flirt and old fool who can’t take no for an answer.”
“He likes you, Abuela.”
“Pish.” She waves her hand dismissively. “Who has the time for his nonsense? I’m going to work.” She stomps off toward the back door and lets it slam shut behind her.
“Methinks she protesteth too much,” Nona says.
“Shakespeare,” I say before I think about whether I should.
“Mr. Muñoz is in love with her, and she knows it,” Nona tells me. “He comes in every week just to see her. He sits in C32 on her side of the house and orders a different entrée every week, so he has something to talk to her about. He’s delightful, but she doesn’t give him the time of day.”
“How have I never noticed this?” Dee asks.
“You usually work on my side of the house.”
“That’s true. How long has he been coming in?”
“About four years, since a year after his wife died,” Nona says. “And he asks her every week to eat with him. Vincent tells her she ought to cut the guy a break, but she never does.”
“Aww, that’s so sad.”
“I agree, but I’ve learned to avoid that topic with her. She gets madder than a wet hen over it. I think that means she likes him, too, but is scared to take a chance.”
“We need to give her a push,” Dee says.
“Just leave me out of that,” Nona says. “I worry she’s going to make good on her threat to stab me in my sleep one of these days.”
Dee laughs and hugs her grandmother. “You two are hilarious. You’d take a bullet for each other, but all you do is fight.”
“She’s a pain in my ass, but I love her.”
“And she loves you, too. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“You will. I hope you and your handsome young man have a very nice evening.” She waggles her brows for emphasis.