have a life in another part of the country and that you will be going back there.”
“That was a surprisingly honest thing for you to admit,” she said.
“There is no reason for me to pretend that you don’t have the potential to be a heartbreaker. I’ve never met another woman like you, Selena.”
He was a shoot-from-the-hip kind of guy and he wasn’t going to change at this late date. Especially where Selena was concerned. She needed to know that even though he was suggesting a vacation fling, he wanted it as badly as she did. He couldn’t get her out of his mind and until he did he had the feeling he was going to be operating on backup power instead of at full strength.
Everyone filled their plates and sat down to eat, and though he knew these people thought he was their enemy, he felt like he could be part of this family. He wanted to be here not as a business rival, but as Selena’s date.
After dinner was over, Selena mingled for the rest of the evening trying to stay as far from Justin as she could.
He’d waved at her earlier and said goodbye, but that was it. She tried not to be disappointed. After all that had been her one desire, right? She’d been tired of trying to avoid him and the attraction she felt for him. Now she could just be a granddaughter and a niece and a cousin and not have to answer uncomfortable questions about a man who was too good-looking and a point of conflict with her family.
“Why are you hiding out over here?” Enrique asked as he sat down next to her on the wrought-iron bench nestled between the hibiscus trees.
“I’m not hiding out,” she said. “I’m just taking a
break.”
“From the family?” he asked. “I guess when you aren’t used to it our kin can be a little overwhelming.”
She had to agree. It had been so long since she’d been to a family gathering that she found it tiring and loud. And she wasn’t sure she fit in here anymore.
“Are you used to it?” she asked him.
He shrugged. “It’s all I know.”
“Have you thought any more about coming to New York and living with me for a while? “
She wanted her baby brother to see more of the world than just this slice of it but so far he’d resisted her efforts to bring him up north to the city.
“I have, tata, but I don’t think I will do it. I like Miami and the family and everything. And I don’t want to move away from here.”
She nodded. She understood where Enrique was coming from. When she’d left home, she’d felt she had to and those first few years had been terrifying. She’d hated being away from everything familiar. That first October had felt so cold and she’d almost come back home; only shame had kept her in New York. Only slowly had she shed the girl she’d once been and become the woman she was today.
“It’s an open invitation.”
“I know it is, sis. How’d you like my music?”
“I loved it. You are a talented deejay.”
“I know,” he said with an arrogant grin. “I’m going to use Justin Stern to get a gig at Luna Azul.”
“How is that going to work? He’s not an easy man to use,” she said. She didn’t want her brother and Justin spending too much time together.
“He wants something from us and I will offer to help him get it if he helps me.”
Her brother was always working an angle. “Be careful. Justin isn’t the kind of guy who gives up things easily.”
“I can tell that. But I think with the right manipulation it could work.”
“Let me know if I can help. He’s putting together a committee to discuss his marketplace. Perhaps you can get a gig at the ground-breaking if we reach an arrangement with his company.”
“Great! I like that idea, tata.”
She hugged him close. “I knew you would.”
She missed Enrique probably the most of all the people she’d left behind. He’d only been ten when she’d left. It had been just a year after their parents had died and she knew she should have stayed to help in raising him but she’d been too young to do that. And after Raul and the con he’d run on her family, she’d had to get away and prove herself.
“I wish you’d move back here, tata.”
“I can’t.”
He nodded. “A group of us are going clubbing, you want to join?” “Who?”
“The cousins. Some of them are older than you.” “Geez, thanks.”
“You know what I mean,” Enrique said. “It will be fun. And it’s not like you have to be at work tomorrow.”
“That’s true. I’m on vacation—sort of,” she said, thinking back to earlier when Justin had offered to be her vacation fling. Was she overthinking this?
“You are on vacation. Come on, live a little.”
She nodded. “I’d like that. Am I dressed okay?”
“You’re perfect,” Enrique said. “Hey, guys, Selena is coming with us.”
“Great, let’s go.”
She followed Enrique over to Jorge and Paulo and a group of her other cousins. The tiki torches that had been placed around the edge of the yard still burned and there were plates and cups littering every surface.
“I have to help clean up first,” she said. Her grandparents didn’t need to be doing all this work by themselves.
“No, you don’t,” her grandmother said as she came up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Go and have some fun with your cousins. Remember what it’s like to have family around you.”
“Abuelita, I always remember that.”
“Then I hope you also know that we love you. I will call you in the morning,” her grandmother said. “I’m not staying at my house, abuelita.” “Where are you staying then?” “At the Ritz. Call me on my cell phone, okay?” “Tata …”
“I just couldn’t stay there. I hope you aren’t upset.” “I’m not upset, but I worry about you.” “The hotel is nice and I can relax there,” Selena said.
Her grandmother hugged her. “Then that is all that matters.”
“Whatever you do, don’t call too early, abuelita,” Jorge said. “We are going to be partying all night. It’s not too often the prodigal daughter returns home.”
Selena shook her head. “I’m not the prodigal anything.”
Jorge put his arm around her as they walked through the house. He and she had been so close growing up. Their mothers were twins and the two of them had been born only eight days apart. Jorge was more than a cousin to her. He was her big brother and her childhood twin.
“That’s the sad part, tata, you don’t even realize how important you are to us all and how much we’ve all missed you.”
“But I am responsible for ruining—”
“You aren’t responsible for anything but the actions you took to make things right. And you did make up for everything that happened long ago. Stop punishing yourself for it,” Jorge said.
“I’m not punishing myself.”
“Yes, you are. And it’s time you stopped.”
* * *
Nate and Cam weren’t pleased with the news that they’d have to wait on the ground-breaking. Actually, Nate