Page 21 of American Sweethearts

She stopped to give a hug to her parents, who I knew were staying with her, and then started looking around for someone, I assumed my father.

“Rafa! Happy Birthday!” My father engulfed her in a hug as he winked at me over her shoulder. When he pulled back, he was grinning. “Querida, so glad you could make it.”

“You arrived just in time,” my father said approvingly, with an arm around her shoulder, and a finger pointed in my direction. “This one’s arguing with me again about the Yankees bullpen.”

She laughed and shook her head at me. “You starting arguments with the man on his birthday, Juan Pablo?” She turned to where I was standing next to one of my sisters and winked. It was sad that I felt my face heat just from her saying my name, but by this point we were all under her spell. She looked down and pointed at my father’s shoes with a big smile on her face. “Are those Gucci loafers? Are you letting J take you shopping?”

That got a laugh from Patrice and Easton, who had come to New York for the weekend so they could be at the party.

My dad beamed as he gave her another hug. “You know I would never let that boy convince me to spend so much money on shoes. This was my birthday present.”

Pris grinned at me as my dad rolled his eyes, then pulled something out of the shopping bag she had in one of her hands. “This is for you.”

It was a black fitted, with Uptown embroidered in white. When my dad saw it, he literally beamed and immediately put it on.

“Damn, Papi, that’s tight,” I said, a little jealous.

“I love it. Thanks, m’ija.” Something straight up squeezed my insides whenever I heard my dad call Prism’ija.She, of course, waved him off, like getting him a perfect gift was no big deal. Soon my dad was launching on the one thing he never ever forgot to ask her.

“How’s it going, detective. Have the good people of the 34thprecinct wised up and made you lieutenant yet?”

Her smile fell for a second at the mention of her job, but she regrouped fast. “Not yet. But I’m giving them plenty of reasons to.” There was a hollowness there that I would’ve noticed even if she hadn’t clued me in about how things were going. My father didn’t miss it either, his face getting serious at her answer.

She pulled back from him without a word and came over to kiss me on the cheek. I refrained from putting my hands on her, unsure that I’d be able to pull apart if I did.

“Pris. How’s you?” She kissed my cheek and then ran a thumb over the spot I presumed some lipstick had rubbed off, while I tried my best not to shiver, or worse, growl like a caveman.

“I’m good. Sorry I didn’t make it for the surprise,” she said, looking regretful. “Things ran late.” Her face looked somber at whatever she was remembering.

I waved a hand as she moved to kiss my sister Sylvia on the cheek. “I know how it is. You’re looking fresh. I like that sweater.” I tried hard not to smack my lips as I ran my eyes over her without pausing on the deep plunge of her neckline for too long. I did run my tongue over my bottom lip, because I wasn’t made of stone.

My sister snorted from somewhere on my left as I tried to focus on anything that wasn’t Priscilla’s cleavage or her neck or mouth. I found a spot where her baby hairs were curling up and tried to remember what the hell I’d been saying. But beforeI could, she lifted the same bag she’d pulled the hat from and handed it to me.

I took it, a bit surprised, and before I had a chance to ask who it was for, she said in a surprisingly shy voice. “My friend Bri’s man is an artist and does all these dope designs on hats and sweatshirts.” She lifted a shoulder and gave me a helpless smile. “I thought you’d like this one.”

“Oh?” She rolled her eyes at my response and moved around to hang her jacket on one of the pegs on the wall behind me.

I opened the bag and peeked in like she’d told me it had a rattlesnake in it. I wasn’t sure what to think, because this gesture was very far removed from the ghosting and icing out that I’d been getting from her. This was sweet, and this wasnotwhat we’d been doing. Not for a long time.

Sylvia shoved my shoulder softly as I stood there like a statue. “I want to see it.”

“Fine, chill, Syl.” The sweater I pulled out was black like my dad’s hat, but the words at the center were El Bronx.

“That’s certainly on brand for you.” My sister sounded impressed, which wasn’t exactly new. She, like the rest of my family, caped for Priscilla 24/7.

Priscilla was still squirming, but I bent down to kiss her on the cheek. “I love it.”

Her neck was red and she looked pleased with herself. But I also knew pushing her on why she bought me a present would get me nowhere. Not in front of all these people. “I thought you’d like it.” There was a whole lot happening between the shy looks she was giving me and the roiling in my gut that told me something was shifting between us. But in the end, I took her lead and gave her a nod, another thank you, and let it go for a time when we didn’t have all of our family and friends watching.

So I moved to the easier and familiar. “You want to go get some food and drink? Ma made the lasagna and there’s mofongo, too.”

She grinned at that. “I love the Italian slash Boricua flavors of your family’s parties. Is your mom still using sofrito for the lasagna meat?”

I barked out a laugh and looked at my grandpa, who was shoveling in some tostones. “Much to Nonno’s horror.”

I didn’t want to scare her off by making a thing out of her bringing me a gift, but I was feeling too warm inside to not at least say a proper thank you. Or at least a proper thank you for us. I bumped her shoulder as she scooped a piece of lasagna from one of the pans on the buffet table. “I really do love my sweater.”

She focused a little harder than necessary on getting some salad and maduros on her plate before lifting up her eyes at me. Our gazes locked and held for a moment, before she said anything in response. I expected her to say something flippant, like “don’t let it go to your head.” From the way her chest puffed up and then slowly deflated, I guessed I wasn’t too far off. But as she considered our surroundings and then made her way to two empty chairs in a hidden corner, I let her come up with a way to respond.