Chapter 36

" W hat could I do to thank Oli?" Kate asks, sitting cross-legged on the floor by her cat's basket. It's Sunday, and we're back at her place. Today, Oli will handle the Stefano problem, and we only have to wait patiently for him to finish.

"What do you mean? Like a blowjob?"

"No! I meant something like cookies or cupcakes or something."

"He has a sweet tooth, so he might actually appreciate that a lot," I say after giving it a quick thought.

"Okay, great. I think I have everything I need. Will you help me? It'll be like old times."

With her irresistible blue eyes, she begs me to agree. Honestly, I can't refuse her anything when she looks at me like that. And anyhow, it'll be a great way to keep ourselves distracted. I give in with a nod, and Kate gives Mr. Fluffybutt a quick kiss before standing up as if mounted on springs.

I follow her to her kitchen, amused by how excited she is. "Oh God, I hope I remember how to do this," she says, heading to the sink to wash her hands.

"What do you mean? You're like, the queen of baking."

Back in high school, Kate always baked for her cheerleading squad to support charities, raise awareness, or do fundraisings… I was always there to help, even though I mostly ended up licking the bowls or trying whatever she needed me to taste.

Kate grimaces and avoids my gaze, taking out some of the necessary ingredients. "I haven't baked in at least six months," she confesses.

"Oh, wow. Has work been that intense?"

"Actually, it is because of—No, you'll get mad at me."

"I promise I won't. Tell me, K. "

"It was… Stefano. I gained a few pounds earlier this year because I was stress-baking. And he noticed, so he told me I was getting fat and should be careful."

I think she's joking at first, but then I notice the shame in her eyes. "Wait, are you for real right now?" I ask, incredulous.

"You promised you wouldn't be mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at him! What the actual fuck? You gained two pounds, so he told you you were getting fat? When you have the body of a fucking model?!"

"It was over six pounds, actually."

"Babe, no! Don't try to justify his assholeness. Oh my God. I'm two seconds away from calling Oli off to hire a hitman instead. That fucking prick, I can't believe it. Please, at least tell me he was good in bed."

"He was acceptable. I mean, most times, it was good. But yeah, I had to finish myself off in the shower now and then," she confesses.

"Okay, you know what? That's it. You're grounded from dating. The next guy you want to date must go through me first. I'll set up a thorough interview and a quiz to make sure he deserves you before you're allowed to do anything with him."

The idea has her giggling, even though I'm dead serious, and she shakes her head. "Something tells me not a single one will pass the test."

"Yeah, probably not. Anyhow, let's get on with these cupcakes. Actually, you know what? I think Oli deserves more than cupcakes. We're making your peanut butter cookies, the red velvet cupcakes, and the Snickers brownies. And we're making batches of those for my parents, you, me, and Lex—or else he'll eat my stuff."

"Deedee, that's a lot."

"You bet your sweet ass it is. We'll be baking the entire day." She's too clever not to understand why I'm doing this, so she gives me a teary smile full of appreciation and affection.

"I love you so much, you incredible bitch," she tells me, coming my way to give me an intense hug.

"And I love you right back, you magnificent skank," I reply, wrapping my arms around her slender frame.

"I'm almost out of baking powder, though, so I'm not sure we can cook all that."

"I'll text Rafa. He can't resist your baking, so he'll get some if it means he can get his own share of cookies."

For over three hours, we're thrown back a decade into the past, having fun baking like we used to do in high school. For the occasion, we even put on a playlist from back then, missing those years when everything was so much simpler. Kate is still im pressive at all this, and I'm still excellent at assisting her and tasting things. It's honestly the best distraction we could ever have come up with since we're too busy to even give Stefano a thought. From time to time, though, I check my phone to see if I have any news from Oli.

A little after 2 p.m., it finally comes. We stop what we're doing, and after wiping my flour-covered hands on my apron, I read the message out loud for Kate. "Hey, Hulkette. It's done. Everything went smoothly. I removed the copy on his cloud, computer, and a hard drive that was luckily plugged in. I also let him know that a few of us would be watching him, so he better not do anything like this in the future. Tell me if he bothers Kate again, and I'll see what else can be done. Oh, I also turned his computer into an overpriced brick."

"Hulkette?" Kate asks, amused.

"It's because of the T-shirt I wore on my first day."

"Still can't believe you thought that was a good idea… It's a cute nickname, though. I like it."

"Me too."

We both reread the message, and the tension fades. It's done. It's really done.

"I can't believe it's finally over," she says, an incredulous smile stretching her pink lips. "Stefano's been harassing me for months, and now it's finally over."

"You should have come to me sooner, babe. I could have helped and supported you."

"I didn't want to bother you. You had so much going on with your job, and new life, and Lex. I didn't—"

"You're more important than any job, K. You're my ride or die. I need to know these things."

She laughs softly, returning to her piping bag. "Okay, I promise. Next time some asshole breaks my heart, I'll tell you immediately."

"There won't be any more assholes. I'm the one approving the next ones, remember?" I humor. She snorts, refusing the statement with a shake of her head.

About an hour later, we're nearly done with everything. The last batch of Snickers brownies is cooking in the oven, and the dishes are almost finished. We're a mess, with flour and traces of chocolate on our aprons, exhausted by our impressive accomplishment. Never in the past had we baked that many things. Not even for my quincea?era or her sweet sixteen.

I'm still washing the dishes when the door bell rings, so Kate handles it. I hear voices but can't make out what's being said. However, when the tone rises, I perceive the distress in Kate's voice.

Fuck… Letting go of everything, I rush out of the kitchen to join her by the entrance. When I see the man she's talking with, I stop as abruptly as if I'd bumped into a wall. Stefano is trying to come in, pushing against Kate, who's doing her best to keep him outside.

Pure rage courses through my veins, and I charge at him like a bull. With our combined efforts, we make him stumble back to the porch.

"You stupid as fuck waste of air," I snarl at him.

"I should have known you were a part of this, you fucking bitch," he yells at me. Kate seems to be in a state of shock, unable to react, and I make sure to be between them. "Do you have any idea what you two stupid whores did? I had work on that computer!"

"Go rot in fucking hell, hijo de la chingada ."

"I'll get you for this, you immigrant fuck. And you—"

He turns to Kate again, but I don't let him, reclaiming his attention with, "If you touch a single hair on her head, I'm going to fucking kill you!"

"I'd like to see you try, you dumb bitch," he says, intimidatingly approaching me. Fuck, I didn't think this through.

"If you come near us, I'll call the fucking cops, pinche puto."

"Really? Here, call them," he snickers, extending his phone. "Call them and tell them how you crazy whores hacked into my stuff and destroyed my computer."

"You dense fuck, we didn't do shit," I defend us, whacking his hand out of the way, slamming his phone to the ground. "Now get the fuck away before—"

"Before what?" He looks at his phone and then glares at me, even angrier than before. "You're like a Chihuahua. What the fuck do you think you can do to me?"

To prove his words, he backs his hand away, ready to violently slap me. A sharp wave of panic hits me, and I mentally prepare myself for the blow. The rest unfolds in a rapid blur as his hand comes down hard across my face, just as Kate pulls me back. The impact makes me stumble into her, the painful heat of it radiating from my cheek to the entire side of my face.

But before I can process any of it, Stefano is brutally tackled to the ground by an unexpected newcomer. Completely stunned, Kate and I stare at Stefano on his back and the feral man administering painful blows to his face. Why is Rafael here? But also, thank God he is.

Still disoriented, I watch as Rafael beats the shit out of him, my ear still ringing and pain searing across my cheek. Kate's the first one to react, trying to pull my brother away from Stefano's whimpering form. Since I don't want Rafa to get charged with assault and battery, I go to assist her, but we're not strong enough. Out of nowhere, two big, muscular Latinos come to help us. Eventually, we tear Rafael away from Stefano, pulling him to his feet.

I've rarely witnessed it in the past, but I can see how much my brother wishes he could utter all the thoughts and insults he wants to throw. In his eyes, I can read the hateful things he wants to shout at Stefano but can't.

The two men holding him back seem to know him, so I guess they arrived with him. Because of their muscular builds, tattoos, and baggy clothes, they're particularly intimidating.

Stunned and shaky, Stefano rises to his feet, his gestures slow and imprecise. Now that we have three big guys on our side, his attitude has changed entirely—from pompous jerk to scared little boy. My confidence grows as if fueled by his deflating assurance, even though my cheek is still burning.

"You do not talk to Kate, you do not look at her, contact her, or even think of her," I tell him. "She is off-limits. ?La madre que te parió! If I hear you've been trying anything with her, I will fucking rip your balls off myself and feed them to you. Is that clear?"

He hesitates, his eyes going from me to the three guys behind me to Kate. "I can't believe you planned all this. You're a crazy fucking bitch," he bellows at Kate.

Unable to hold back, I use all my weight and strength to sucker punch him. The sensation of my knuckles colliding with his nose is uniquely strange and empowering for some reason. Although all this is new, I distinctly feel something crack under my fist.

I'm not expecting the pain radiating through my hand, but the look of pure shock on Stefano's face is worth everything when he grabs his nose with a cry.

"Did you not hear me just now?!" I yell at him, shaking my hand to diffuse the pain. "You do not even look in her direction, you daft fuck. Is that clear?"

He nods, still holding his nose. "I think you broke it," he whimpers, moving his hands away to check on them.

Oh, wow. That's a lot of blood.

His lower face is covered in thick red liquid, seeping from his nostrils and the cut on the bridge of his nose. Whimpering like a wounded animal, Stefano walks down the few steps and ent ers his car, double-parked in front of the house.

Kate and Rafa swiftly come to me. "Are you alright?" she asks, examining the side of my face.

"Yeah, don't worry about me." It still hurts a lot, but now so does my hand, so I feel it less.

"You should have let me beat him to a pulp," Rafael signs with angry gestures.

"I broke his nose. I think I'm avenged. Why are you here?"

"You texted me about baking powder." Oh, right… We ended up having enough, so I completely forgot about that. Rafa points to the front yard before he signs, "I think I threw the can in Kate's hydrangeas when I saw him slap you."

The heavily tattooed guys come our way to introduce themselves, and I do the same with Kate and me. We thank them profusely for their intervention. "I don't know how we can repay you for everything," I say.

The biggest one, Antonio, looks down at me with an amused expression. "It's all good, chica . You've got some cojones on you. I like it."

"Well, still. Thank you for your help."

"Oh!" Kate suddenly lets out. "Wait right here! I've got pastries. I'll give you some."

As she's about to go in, Rafa stops her, grabbing her arm. "Leave some for me, yeah?"

"There's more than enough for everyone," she laughs. With that, she disappears into her house, leaving us on her porch.

Five minutes later, Rafa's friends are gone, and I'm back inside with Kate and my brother. As I hold a bag of frozen peas on my cheek while a bag of frozen strawberries rests on my hand, I look at everything we baked. Yeah, we got a bit carried away.

I can't wait to tell Lex I broke some asshole's nose. I'm confident he'll be proud. I know I am.

When we get back home, Mom and Abuela are playing a game of Spanish Scrabble—which means MC is wiping the floor with her. Rafael is off to the kitchen with boxes filled with pastries, and I stand behind my mom to see her letters. When I find a word worth a lot of points, I bend to her ear to whisper the solution, not even trying to be discreet.

"No cheating! ?Condenada chamaca!" MC protests.

"Oh, come on. We need the combined power of two brains to stand a chance."

My abuela smiles with pride, my flattery sweetening the offense. Inconspicuously, I go around the table, and as soon as my mom looks up, I quickly sign the letters to form the word I ha ve in mind. MC catches it, so she sends me a colorful collection of threats while she bends to grab her chancla under the table. I expertly avoid it when it flies my way and grin when my mom winks at me and plays my word. Because it's this household's rule, I fetch my abuela's slipper and return it to her.

"Your dad is out back, finally repairing the fence," Mom explains. "We all know how it ends when he gives home improvement a try, so maybe you could check and see if he needs help?"

"On it!" I agree without hesitation, looking forward to quality time with him.

"Before you go. What happened to your face, mija ?"

Fuck, is my cheek that red? "I, uh, walked into a lamppost."

"Again?!"

"Yep."

As I enter the kitchen on my way to the back door, I grab a few homemade cookies from a jar my mom always keeps filled. It'll be a reward for my dad's hard work and mine for potentially helping him.

I'm just passing the door when my phone buzzes in my pocket. With my mouth filled with oatmeal and chocolate chip deliciousness, I check the notification. My heart beats a little faster upon seeing it's Lex.

Lex

How's your Sunday going?

We barely talked today, and as pathetic as it may sound, I miss him.

I glance at my dad, busy sawing a wooden plank, and decide he can wait a little for his cookies and my help. Instead of texting Lex back, I call to hear his voice.

"Hi there, vigilante," he greets me. I chuckle, delighted by his teasing. "How's helping your friend going?"

"Everything's good now. Her ex won't bother her any longer, and the videos are gone."

"How did you manage that?"

"I scared him to death with my big muscles."

It's his turn to laugh softly. We talk for a while as I aimlessly stroll around the backyard, circling the swimming pool, and end up sitting on an old swing. Unable to resist, I take bites of cookies as we exchange. Turns out my dad might not get any sugary reward after all. At some point, I'm unable to answer for a few seconds, busy swallowing a mouthful.

"Sorry, I was eating a cookie. I should be on time tomorrow morning if the traffic allows it."

"Is it good?"

"We're north of Portland, so it should be fine."

"I meant the cookie, not the traffic," h e corrects, clear amusement in his voice.

"Oh! Yes. It's one of my mom's best recipes. They are why my ass got this big," I bitterly explain.

"I'll have to thank her for baking those, then."

An incredulous laugh flows past my lips, stunned that he so boldly affirms his appreciation for my backside. He really, really likes my ass, doesn't he?

Once the initial shock passes, I realize what he just said. Was it just a harmless joke, or is he considering the possibility of meeting my parents? It may have just been a quick retort, as it often occurs during our playful banters, but the thought of him coming here with me one day, meeting my dad and mom, sends all sorts of feelings through my chest. I want him to know them, and I want them to know the man I love.

"What are your plans for tonight?" I ask, hoping the mundane conversation will divert the subject.

"Well, for the lack of a better idea, I might end up working."

"I know you're a workaholic, but don't you do anything for fun?"

"I do, but she's currently in Portland, visiting her parents."

My cheeks heat up at his playful teasing, and then the entirety of my skin. An irrepressible laugh bubbles in my chest. God, I love him…

"We need to find you fun things to do other than me."

"It would pale in comparison. Although… There is this movie I'd like to watch, but I'm forbidden to do so."

"Yes, you are. And I swear if you—" I'm interrupted by a series of curses my father lets out. Crap, he just hit himself with the hammer.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. I'm supposed to help my dad with some chores, and now he hurt himself, and I'm the worst daughter ever."

"Ah, sorry for distracting you."

"It's okay. I'll talk to you later, Coleman," I promise.

"Go save your father, Walker."

I hang up, a broad smile stretching my lips from ear to ear. On my way to my father, I shake my head, wondering why my mom even allowed him near a power tool. She usually handles most of the handiwork since my dad is terrible at it. However, she hates circular saws and has a nasty scar on her left thigh to justify it. So, my dad has to take one for the team now and then.

By the time I reach him, I still have a stupid grin plastered on my face.

"What's up, MacGyver?" I ask him.

He grumbles something not very optimistic. "Can you hand me the screwdriver?" I obey and watch as he takes care of a loose screw.

"Were you on the phone with… Alexander , is that it?" he asks, taking me by surprise. I hold back the urge to roll my eyes. Seriously, Mom?

"She wasn't supposed to tell you about him."

"We've been together for over thirty years. There's nothing we don't tell each other. That's the secret to a functioning marriage."

"Well, I wasn't ready to talk about him to either of you."

"It's okay. We don't have to if you don't want to," he says, giving me an understanding smile.

I remember the cookies, so I hand him one of the remaining two, and we eat silently. In all truth, I terribly want to tell him about Lex, since he's my favorite topic of conversation.

"We work together," I tell my dad, not ready to admit I actually work for Lex. "He's a programmer too. Incredibly smart. You should see him do his thing—it's impressive."

"Better than you?"

"Much better. But I'll get there, eventually. And he has a dry sense of humor, which I like a lot. And because he has zero knowledge of popular culture, I took it upon myself to teach him—and he's cooperating. We were supposed to watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy this weekend."

"The extended cuts?"

"Of course."

"I taught you well, my young Padawan." We finish eating, and instead of returning to his task, my dad ponders, obviously wanting to ask me something else. "I think I already guessed, but you really, really like him, don't you?"

I gnaw the inside of my cheek and look down at my feet, wondering if I should be honest. I usually tell my dad these things, but this is different. This time, it's real.

"I'm sorry, peanut," he says after a few seconds of silence. "You said you didn't want to talk about him, and I'm pressing you with big questions."

"It's fine, Dad. As a matter of fact, I'm in love with him, yes. And I realize I was never in love before him because nothing ever felt like this."

He gives me a tender smile, his eyes slightly glassy with emotions. "When you know, you know, Dee. Does he love you too?"

My heart twists in my chest at the innocent question. I don't know what to answer. I hope Lex does, but I can't say for sure.

"I-I don't know," I answer sheepishly. "Neither of us took that leap yet."

"Oh, I see… Well, love can be expresse d in many ways. Saying the words is one thing, but there are many other ways to know. Sometimes, you have to read between the lines to get what's not being said but is being shown."

My father's sensible words throw me into a spiral of thoughts as I try to think of clues I may have missed.

Lex might have expressed his feelings in various ways, like when he added me to his AI, cooked me breakfast, or agreed to watch a nearly four-hour-long movie for me. He also displays his care in the small things, like taking a detour to take me home, ordering Thai instead of Greek, or forgetting his stage fright to save me from embarrassment. Even that time he let me win at Counter-Strike during a lunch break might have been a display of his love. And maybe he expresses his feelings through his sweet, romantic words, by making love to me with tenderness and passion, or even just by welcoming me into his personal space. His gaze always speaks volumes, betraying that he finds me beautiful and precious. His stunning eyes always look at me like they'll never tire of me.

Holy shit …

Lex is in love with me.

He's shown it again and again, but I was too blind to see it.

He's in love.

With me .

The nerdy genius, the sex god, the ridiculously handsome Alexander Coleman, is in love with me, Andrea Walker.

My skin tingles, my heart races, and my breathing speeds up. Happiness, joy, and exhilarating feelings ravage me, taking over any other senses. I long to be with Lex right now, to grab his face and kiss him with all the adrenaline, love, and passion I hold.

The urge to voice my epiphany becomes unquenchable as if saying the words out loud will make them true.

"He's in love with me."

"What was that?" my dad asks. He's back to work and stops to look at me with a drill in his hand.

"Lex is in love with me."

"Then why are you still here?" he asks bluntly, an amused smile on his face.

"I—What do you mean? I'm here to spend some time with you and mom."

"Seriously, Deedee. We've had you with us for twenty-three years and some. He can have you tonight."

"Are you throwing me out?" I ask, slightly appalled.

"I will if I have to. Go! We can take care of ourselves."

"Mom will be disappointed if I leave," I argue, grimacing.

"I'll handle your mom, don't worry about it."

My heart fills with love for this incredible man, and I thank him with a tight hug. He wraps his arms around me, and I feel his pointy chin rest on top of my head.

"I love you, Dad."

"I love you, peanut. And you better tell this Alexander I'll make him regret it if he ever breaks your heart." I roll my eyes, my sigh muffled by his shirt.

"I'm not a little girl anymore. You don't have to protect me like this."

"You'll always be my little girl," he counters, releasing me. "Now, shoo! Go say bye to everyone and pack your things. I'll be back inside in a few minutes."

I comply with a military salute and trot to the house, excited to return to Seattle earlier than expected. To go back to Lex. Who is in love with me.

Holy fuck, that's amazing. We're the real deal. This isn't just a passing fling. We're in love.

Damn, I sound like a bad Telenovela…