Island Affair (Keys to Love #1) - Priscilla Oliveras Page 0,97

she threw back her head and laughed again. Her ponytail braid swished along her back when she shook her head, eyeing him with bemusement.

“How the hell was I supposed to know who she was?” he complained. “You know me; I’m not into all that social media stuff.”

“Un-freaking-believable.” Anamaría sank onto her vehicle’s bumper with a huff.

Eyes squeezed shut, she tucked her chin to her chest and pinched the bridge of her nose. A perfect imitation of their mami when they’d been out of control as kids and her patience thinned.

“I have been practically cyberstalking Sara Vance for over a year.” His sister squinted up at him in disbelief. “Reading her blogs and posts, combing through articles about her, following her advice. Ever since I decided to try growing my AM Fitness brand and client list. I would kill—kill, me oíste?”

“Yes, I hear you. Half the damn block hears you!” He craned his neck to peer at the Vances’ rental home, praying Sara or, por favor no, her mother hadn’t stepped outside.

“I would kill for half an hour of her time as a professional, so I could pick her brain. And you! You randomly run into her and wind up—Wait a minute, ay Dios mío!” Anamaría slapped a hand to her forehead. A stricken expression tightened her high cheekbones and widened her big eyes like an actress in one of their mami’s and abuela’s telenovelas. “Sara is the blonde everyone’s seen you with all weekend?”

Luis stumbled back as if his sister had slapped him with her accusation. “What do you mean, everyone?”

“Oh, you are so screwed, hermano.”

“What? Why?”

Hands on her slim hips, Anamaría scrunched her face in commiserating dismay. “Mami’s on to you.”

“No way?” He shook his head. At his sister’s commiserating grimace, the knot of doom in his stomach expanded like a dry sea sponge dipped in water. “How?”

“Freddie Lugo told his mom that he saw you with a blonde at Mallory Square Friday night. Se?ora Lugo asked Mami about it. Then, Se?ora Lopez called Mami to talk about some church function and she mentioned seeing you and a blonde riding bikes on Duval yesterday. And, apparently, after you ran into Franco Peréz grabbing lunch at Sandy’s on Friday, he said something to Carlos at the boys’ T-ball practice. Carlos let that cat out of the bag in a group text Mami sent this morning.”

“What group text? I wasn’t on any group text today.” Luis reached for his cell in the runner’s pouch strapped to his arm.

“You think Mami’s gonna include you in a thread trying to dig up info on you? Por favor, even you, San Navarro, know better than that. How many group texts have we been on without Enrique?”

She had a point.

Perturbed, Luis shoved his cell back down in the pouch and zipped it closed.

“I gotta say, you sure are putting a dull on that halo’s shine, in a big way, aren’t you?” Anamaría punched him gamely in the stomach, an impressed smirk curving her lips.

“I liked you better pissed off or fangirling. Not smug,” he grumbled.

“Aw, come on. It’s not often you’re involved in some kind of chisme. The only gossip I remember was when—” She broke off, lunging forward to grab him when Luis spun away. “I’m sorry I brought that up. I know you don’t like to talk about her, or what went down.”

“It’s fine; forget it.” Luis stared down at his sister’s smaller hand clasped around his wrist.

“Look, I know what it’s like to feel betrayed by someone who claims to love you.” Anamaría’s voice trembled. The shadow of depressing memories darkened her face. “Not that what Alejandro did after he left town compares to what you went through. I get that. But, you were there for me. You always are.” Her grip tightened on his wrist, her words scratchy with hurt. “I’m just sorry you can’t let me do the same for you.”

The fact that his inability to deal with Mirna’s deception and death pushed his sister from teasing laughter to the stark pain lacing her words so quickly shamed him.

Maybe Sara was right. Maybe it was time he figure out how to put his past to rest. For himself and those who’d been forced to tiptoe through the minefield he had laid around him for protection.

“Look, whatever you’re doing here, you know I got your back.” Anamaría stood up and pulled the basket of supplies to the edge of the trunk. “I’m simply warning you. Mami knows that you’ve been spending