Chapter 37 #2
Conversation turns to work and hobbies, and as I hoped, Kieran and Rocío hit it off.
I gave him the lowdown on the way over, and tips on how to impress her.
I also briefed him on what to not talk about—particularly in the case of Joaqs.
Kieran’s allowed to bring up Joaqs, but he’s not allowed to ask more questions beyond how is he?
Kieran tells Rocío about his plan to host a show at Blue Moon Studios, at which point her eyes bulge at me. I know that look; it’s an invitation for an hours-long debrief later.
“So, you’re planning on staying then?” Rocío asks, and it makes me laugh how desperately she’s trying to sound casual.
“Well, that’ll depend on if Isabel will have me,” Kieran says.
“You’re really putting me on the spot here,” I say. I already know my answer, of course. It was never even a question, even though it made and still makes me nervous. I picture him meeting Mama; she’d love him, of course, but what if she doesn’t? It’s a slim chance but there’s still a chance.
Kieran chuckles nervously. “Sorry, sorry.” He wraps an arm around me and pulls me into his side to press a kiss into my temple.
“Eugh,” Rocío jokes, sticking a finger in her mouth to mime gagging.
I roll my eyes.
Rocío is a natural conversationalist, an extrovert to my introvert.
She’s always been eloquent, even in speech.
I’m grateful when she carries the conversation so I don’t have to; she has Chiara so animated, talking a mile a minute about everything and everyone.
I sit back and watch my two worlds colliding.
Despite everything, I’ve really begun to consider Chiara a friend.
Fondness washes over me. I lean into Chiara and give her a side hug. She squeezes me back and rubs my arm while never skipping a beat in her conversation with Rocío.
“Wait, so your brother dated Luz?” Cisco asks.
“Ugh. Yeah.” Rocío makes no effort to hide her disdain for Luz. “They were super toxic.”
Cisco chuckles. “Oh, I bet. Every guy Luz dated in college ran screaming for the hills.”
“Why?” I ask. With Inigo, she always expected him to drop everything to be with her family.
Her family expected him to integrate into their enmeshed circle, rather than give the young couple space to do their own thing.
Granted, we were high schoolers then, but I doubt the Dys have gotten less overbearing over time.
“Being Luz Dy’s boyfriend is a full-time job,” Cisco says. “You date her, you’re dating her whole family. That means no holidays with your family, only hers. Your whole life is put on pause so she can live the one her parents want for her.”
“So, the same,” Rocío says, chuckling. It’s not lost on me that her boyfriend’s family acts the same way.
She and Inigo have a type. “Inigo got so fucked up trying to win her parents’ approval.
Eventually he realized it wasn’t coming.
There was always going to be something. You can’t win with people like that. It’s best to just drop the rope.”
“And how’s he now?” Chiara asks. “Your brother?”
“He’s doing well, I think. He plays football professionally, so his schedule’s usually packed.” Rocío turns to Kieran. “You should meet him. Some time. Whenever I can wrangle him away from work long enough to socialize.”
“Inigo’s a workaholic,” I explain. “Always has been. Kind of like you,” I say to Kieran.
“He was on the football team with Jaime,” Rocío adds.
“No shit?” says Cisco.
“Did they get along?” Kieran asks.
Rocío snorts. “Not in the slightest.”
“And especially not when Inigo got scouted to play for San Antonio Athletic straight out of high school and he didn’t,” I add.
Rocío has to explain the intricacies of the Philippine football league, Liga Pilipinas, making sure they know that San Antonio Athletic is the best team in the country not just because her twin is playing for them, but because, as she puts it: “The stats don’t lie.
” Last year, they took home the trophy after obliterating the Yuchengco River Dragons, who were a three-time defending champion.
It isn’t long before it’s time to part ways. Time flies by so fast when I’m with Rocío.
“It was nice meeting you,” Rocío says as she hugs Kieran goodbye. “You take care of my Isabel or I’ll actually kill you.”
“I don’t doubt that,” he responds.
“Chiara.” Rocío holds her arms out for a hug. “I’ll visit you when I’m in New York.” They’ve traded Instagrams, so I don’t doubt they’ll keep in touch.
“Please,” Chiara says. “You can stay with me and Cisco. We have a guest room.”
Rocío wiggles her brows. “Fancy.”
“Right?” Chiara chuckles.
Rocío squeezes me tightly. “Enjoy your date,” she says. “Call me if anything.”
“I will.”
“And you’ll catch me up when you get home.”
“Yes, Mom,” I tease. She kisses me on the cheek and slips into the backseat of her family’s SUV. She waves goodbye through the window.
“Okay, so we meet back here at around ten?” Cisco asks.
“Works for us,” Kieran says, pressing a hand on the small of my back. My stomach flutters. I’ve never been on a date before, and despite being the local, Kieran did all the planning. I’m excited to see where he’ll take me.
“See you later,” Chiara says, hugging me. “Use protection.”
I blush. “Chiara!”