as I usually did when I was in a mood. Other than a few more guys and the trainers, I’d been the only one there at 6:00 a.m., so I’d gotten all my shit done in record time. When I got back to my car, I heard a mewling coming from under a car right by mine and found the cat. Before I even knew what I was doing, I was knocking on Julia’s door on Thanksgiving morning like I had no manners.
I tried to not look mortified, now that it was sinking in just how fucking rude I’d been. She had her whole family here, for fuck’s sake, and I barged into her house at 7:00 a.m. like an oversized scrub holding a dirty cat.
I looked down at the kitten, who was now licking her privates and had one of her paws dipped in the ramekin Julia’s sister had gotten for her.
She was cute, but already looking like she was going to be a real handful, and I cringed again at how fucking imposing I was being right now. She hadn’t mentioned about them coming. I wondered if it had been a last-minute thing and that was why she hadn’t offered to hang out again.
I should’ve taken my filthy cat and gone to find a veterinarian on my phone, but instead I stayed put in her living room like a fucking leech. Blessedly, she walked back out, wearing significantly more clothes, but still looking so good I was legitimately concerned I’d embarrass myself in my basketball shorts.
“Mami, te dejo el carro.” She hiked a thumb over her shoulder and grabbed her bag. “My mom needs the car, so we have to go in yours.”
“That’s fine.” I nodded slowly, trying to not be too obvious as I assessed her clothes.
She’d put on some silver vans, black skinny jeans, and a dark red sweater. As far as outfits went, it was nothing that should’ve had me holding back from running my hands over the little bit of light brown shoulder showing where her sweater slid down. I distracted myself by picking up the cat and moved toward the door.
“You look great.” It came out before I knew it. She was bending over the cat and inspecting her eye, which looked pretty gross. She looked up and a tiny smile ghosted over her lips.
“Thanks.”
A second later, the woman who was a bit older and darker-skinned version of Julia walked out of the bedroom. “Esperate, mija. Dejame conocer a tu amigo.” Julia’s mom looked her over, like she wasn’t sure what was going on with her. “Estas tan rara.”
Without stopping to hear Julia’s response at being called weird, she came up to me, but before she spoke I greeted her in my best Spanish.
“Buenos dias, Señora Ortiz. Encantado en conocerla.” Both Julia and her mom came to a dead stop and turned to stare at me.
“Rocco. Fucking. Quinn. You can do a lot more than manage in Spanish.” Julia’s tone was full of surprise and just a little bit pissed off. And again my dick was getting ideas.
Julia’s mom sucked in her teeth at the swear word and shook her head. “Niña, por favor. Language. Hola, Rocco. I’m Yolanda. I swear we didn’t raise her to be this rude. Your Spanish is very good.” Yolanda’s accent was so familiar, one I’d grown up hearing in Corona. It was comforting to hear it.
I looked over at Julia and winked at her before answering her mom. “Thanks. I minored in Spanish in college, and in the city there are lots of opportunities to practice. Here too.”
Yolanda’s face was glowing with approval at my gringo Spanish, while Julia glared at me.
“Sorry, Mami.” Julia looked a bit contrite as she handed me the laundry basket full of cat. Her eyes were zeroed in on me though. “How come you didn’t share the fact that you’re fluent in Spanish with us?” She didn’t have to explain, she meant the entire GEC crew. “I mean other than Dani, the rest of us speak Spanish.” I was about to say “not with me” when she pursed her lips as if she’d just realized that fact herself.
I lifted a shoulder and tried to look coy, hoping it wouldn’t come back to bite me. “Are you worried you said something mean about me?”
She shook her head and a smile tugged at her lips again. I wasn’t going to lie. Seeing her looking amused and just a little impressed by me made me