Chapter 40
forty
By the end of the night, I knew I had to get off the fence and make a statement.
A public one.
By morning, I’d published something short and to the point on my personal social media accounts and Nick’s various magazine outlets.
The post went viral immediately, especially since the photos of Damien kissing my cheek had gone live. The fact that my face was scrunched up and the women around me wore shocked expressions didn’t help his narrative in the slightest.
But unlike last time, Damien and his team responded immediately with a statement of their own, painting him as the grieving groom who plans on taking a few days away from the spotlight to focus on his family.
It was obviously a crock of bullshit, but part of me feels relieved to know that I can start putting that part of my life to bed and move forward.
All this back and forth means I’ve stuck mostly to hiding out in my apartment. I’ve continued to fuss around the place, trying to make it as homey as possible. Which means Luke’s been by my side through it all.
I feel selfish keeping him here all the time, so I offered to stay at his place since I’ve yet to see where he lives.
But he’s adamant about helping me work on my apartment until it’s perfect.
And that’s when a little idea for a secret party was planted in my mind.
Which is why I’m currently standing in my apartment while my favorite people mill around.
“Hey, where did you put the sopita?” Valentina asks as she places the large bag of rice on the counter. She’s been here all day helping me set up for my incognito mission.
“Oh shit. I knew I forgot something. The store didn’t have the chicken bouillon I like, so I was supposed to stop at a different market after, but I must have forgotten. I can probably order it and have it delivered right away,” I pick up my phone from the counter, but she waves me away.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll run to the bodega down the street. I don’t mind going to pick it up, especially because they sell the best Dominican chocolate for hot cocoa. I don’t care if winter is long gone. I can always go for some good Dominican hot cocoa,” she says dreamily.
I laugh. “Wow, do you know all the bodegas in the city and their inventory so well?”
She shakes her head while smiling. “No, but I’m here often because—”
“Did I hear you’ve got a bodega run to make, sis? Better get to it so my girl and I can start cooking up a storm for this crew.” Luke wraps his arm around me from behind, and Valentina looks up at him, having a silent conversation I’m not privy too.
“Oh yeah. Right.” She goes to turn but stops to face us again.
“Anything else I should grab while I’m out?
You said it’s just us hanging out and no one else, right?
” She looks out at my living room where Isabella is sitting with Mateo and his daughter Anna.
Nick’s on his phone showing Luisa pictures of their dog, Delilah.
And Luisa’s mother, along with Isabella’s and Mateo’s are sitting at the dining table sipping their coffee.
She’s asked me the same question three times now, and I’m starting to wonder if there’s a certain someone she’s trying to avoid, but I can’t imagine who, since she’s new to the group and has never even set foot in the Monarchs Stadium.
I must do a shitty job of hiding my suspicion, because she rushes out, “I thought someone from your mom’s side of the family might live in the city and show up. Wanted to make sure I bring enough of whatever you need.”
Luke stiffens behind me, and Valentina’s eyes widen.
“Luke, I swear to God if you’re giving her a dirty look, you’re gonna get another towel whipped at your nipple,” I threaten.
He squeezes his arms around me. “You’re vicious.”
“Sorry,” Valentina interrupts. “I didn’t mean to overstep.
I know your mother is no longer with us, but I didn’t know if there was other family around.
I shouldn’t have said anything.” She looks like she’s about to melt in a puddle of mortification, and since I know the feeling far too well, I decide to pull her out of it quickly.
“My mom was an only child and her parents passed away before Nick or I were born. So I guess that’s how that goes.” I shrug, having come to terms with it long ago.
Her brows furrow. “Okay,” she says tentatively.
“Drop it, Val,” Luke says from above me, and I swat his hand on my stomach, warning him to cut it out.
She looks back up at him but rolls her eyes as she carries on.
“I’m sorry, and please forgive me if this is intrusive, but did your grandparents not have siblings?
Were there no, I don’t know, family friends?
Neighbors? The milk man who could potentially be your daddy and not that raggedy ass George Stonehaven guy? ”
I bark out a laugh that has me slapping a hand over my mouth.
“Jesus fucking Christ, sis,” Luke bemoans above me.
“What? A girl can dream, can’t she?” she says far too innocently.
“Honestly? I wouldn’t know. She died when I was a baby and Nick was eleven.
Nick doesn’t remember much from that time, since we lived in London before we were sent off to Connecticut to live at a boarding school, and whatever family connections we had would be in the Dominican Republic.
It’s not like there was social media back then, so whoever was in my mom’s life would be hard to track down. ”
Valentina looks stricken by the information. “So growing up, there was no one from your mom’s side?”
I muster up a pathetic smile. “I was lucky to have really nice Latina nannies. I’ve heard horror stories, so I guess I really can’t complain.”
She bites on her thumbnail, her mind seeming to run a mile a minute. “Okay, so…”
“Val,” Luke warns.
“Hush. I’m having this conversation with Daisy, and you can try to talk her out of it during your pillow talk, but not now.
” He groans and she smiles victoriously.
“Would you be okay if I poked around and looked into your mom’s side of the family in the Dominican Republic?
My whole family lives on the island, and trust me, we know a lot of people.
Maybe it’s a long shot, but who knows? Maybe I can find a long-lost cousin or high school friend. ”
My breath catches in my chest at the thought of meeting someone who knew my mother.
Someone who could tell me about her. Nick has done his best over the years to give me as many details about her as possible, but he was only a child himself, and I worry that his memories are influenced by what he wants me to hear.
“I-I would love that. You would do that for me?”
Her eyes soften as she places a hand over the one I have on Luke’s arm.
“Of course I would. Text me her full name and the address of the home where she grew up and I’ll take it from there.
” She looks up at Luke, no playful defiance in her eyes this time.
“I’d do anything for my family. You’re stuck with me now. ”
I know she didn’t mean to give me a gut punch, but that’s exactly what it feels like. Like when Isabella and Luisa took me in as one of their own. That feeling of being chosen and accepted with no hidden agenda or transactional relationship in sight.
“I swear to God, Val. That was sweet as shit, but if you make Daisy cry at her own housewarming party…”
Valentina’s eyes shimmer with mischief, and now it’s my turn to fix her with a serious glare, which she responds to with an eye roll that is usually reserved for her brother.
Guess we really are family now.
“Oh, don’t worry. I promise not to make her cry at her own housewarming, brother. So chill out. Relax and kick your feet up or something.”
“Weren’t you on your way to the bodega?” I shoot her another widened glance, and she must decide to take pity on me, because she grabs her phone, purse, and the spare keys I gave her off the counter and walks toward the front door.
“Toodaloo. Try not to miss me too much while I’m gone, losers.”