Bunt in the Baking Tent

3. Diaz #2

Bella slid in next to Abuelita, immediately launching into rapid-fire questions about Abuelita’s visit to Portland. Abuelita ate it up, swallowing Bella’s hand in hers like she’d known her forever.

I sat back and watched, my chest on fucking fire.

This was my family. The loud, delightfully messy, chosen kind that spent holidays crammed into whichever house was biggest that year and gathered for M it was about the team and the trust we had spent years building.

I couldn’t risk that.

“Fine,” I said. I let out a long, defeated breath. “I’ll do it.”

For the team, I told myself. Just for the team.

But even as I thought it, I knew I was lying.