The Crush (The Crush Series Book 1)

The Trip

I hadn’t really dated in high school. And by hadn’t really, I mean I really hadn’t.

Sure, there may have been a few dances at my quincea?era, a few hopeful smiles in school hallways, and once, a very sweet boy named Leo from my senior year English class had asked me out to a movie.

Of course, my father had insisted on dropping me off, just like he had insisted on knowing Leo’s full name, his parents’ names, his father’s job, and their home address before leaving. Which is probably why I was so surprised that Leo still had the courage to make a move during the show.

At the unexpected feeling of his arm against the back of my neck, I’d jumped up so fast that our popcorn had gone flying, and I’d tried to quickly cover my reaction by saying I needed to use the bathroom. When I came back after a very firm talk with myself, he didn’t try again.

I didn’t care.

It wasn’t until college that I started seriously dating a political sciences major from my economics class. Recognizing that at some point I would have to stop pining for Daniel Ríos, even if I’d gotten as good at hiding my crush as I had the newspapers I swiped once my father was done.

When I finally brought Mark home, nearly everyone in my family loved him. My father, because Mark would politely listen to him complain about how politicians “like to talk about small towns but hate to do anything for them.” My mother, because he was “a good Catholic boy.” Aarón, because he was another high school football star. Eli, because Aarón did.

Gabe had thought Mark was “an absolute shithead.” In the end, I was inclined to agree.

After that, I’d gone back to waiting, to hoping for some sort of lightning strike that could outshine a long-burning torch. Then the door had opened.