Chapter 28 Jessica #2
Heat floods my cheeks.
"It's complicated."
"It's chaos." Stacey's grin returns. "Four alphas, Jess. Your ex's best friends. This is the kind of mess soap operas are made of. I love it."
"You're not supposed to love it. You're supposed to tell me I'm being insane."
"Oh, you're definitely being insane." Stacey steals my wine glass and takes a sip. "But sanity is overrated. If finding yourself requires four ridiculously hot alphas and a small town with no cell service, who am I to judge?"
"There's cell service."
"Barely. I had to drive three miles to get a signal earlier." She returns my wine glass. "Now stop deflecting and tell me everything."
So I do.
I tell them about the wedding, making sure not to leave any details until I finish with the show down with Callum and them choosing me over their best friend. This is when I notice that Stacey's wine glass is empty and Harmony is crying silently into her sweater sleeve.
"That's..." Stacey shakes her head. "That's a lot."
"I know."
"Like, a lot a lot."
"I'm aware."
"And you love them? All of them?"
I think about Sergio's steady presence. Pedro's gruff tenderness. Carlos's ridiculous humor. Nacho's quiet strength.
"Yes." The word comes out certain. Sure. "I love all of them."
Stacey stares at me for a long moment. Then she sets down her glass and pulls me into a crushing hug.
"I'm so proud of you."
"For knowing what you want and going after it." She pulls back to grip my shoulders. "For standing up to Callum."
My eyes burn.
"I don't know if I'm brave. I think I'm just tired of being scared."
"Same thing." She echoes Pedro's words from days ago, and something in my chest loosens. "Brave is just scared and doing it anyway."
Harmony unfolds herself from the armchair and joins us on the couch. She doesn't say anything, just leans her head against my shoulder and sighs.
"I'm jealous." Her voice is barely audible.
"Of my disaster of a life?"
"Of your mess." She laughs softly. "You have people who care about you. " Her hand finds mine and squeezes. "I have magazine covers and paparazzi and a penthouse apartment that echoes when I walk through it."
"Harmony..."
"I'm fine." She pulls back and pastes on a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "Just tired. And maybe a little drunk. Ignore me."
I file the information away for later, when I can corner Stacey and ask what's really going on.
"Dinner's ready." Carlos appears in the doorway, spatula in hand. "Hope you like carbonara. I made enough to feed a small army."
Stacey bounces up from the couch. "I love carbonara. I love food in general. Lead the way, Chef Hottie."
"Chef Hottie?" Carlos's grin is delighted. "I'm keeping that."
"You can't keep it. I trademarked it."
"Too late. It's mine now."
They disappear toward the kitchen, bickering like they've known each other for years instead of minutes.
Harmony rises more slowly, stretching cramped muscles.
"Your friends are... a lot." I fall into step beside her.
"They're protective." She tucks a strand of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear. "I like them. The one cooking is funny."
"Carlos? He's ridiculous. In the best way."
My phone buzzes on the coffee table. I glance at the screen and groan.
Mom: Jessica. Mrs. Whight called. She says you kneed Callum in a parking lot. I am impressed and also concerned. Are you okay???
Another text appears before I can respond.
Mom: Also she says you're living with four men. Four. Aunt Linda would have opinions but she's gone. She met a surf instructor named Diego. He's 32. She's 67. She's selling her house and moving to Sayulita. I'm alone in Mexico, Jessica!
Stacey leans over to read my phone and starts cackling.
"Is that your mom?"
"Unfortunately."
Mom: Don't panic. I'm not actually alone. Ricardo and Eduardo have been very kind. Eduardo made me fish tacos yesterday. Ricardo taught me to play dominoes. I'm terrible but they're patient.
A photo appears. Mom sitting at an outdoor table with two middle-aged men, laughing, a margarita in her hand.
Mom: That's Ricardo on the left. Eduardo on the right. The important thing is: Are you safe? Are you happy? Should I come home?
Me: Mom. I'm fine. I'm safe. I'm happy. Stay in Mexico.
Mom: Are you sure? Because Miguel's mother makes these tamales that are life-changing. I cried, Jessica. Actual tears over corn and meat.
Mom: Also Paulo called. Ricardo's cousin, remember? The philosophy professor? He says pack dynamics are very normal in Brazil and you shouldn't let society dictate your happiness. Very wise man. Also very handsome but that's irrelevant.
Another photo. The silver-haired man from before, looking distinguished.
Mom: That's Paulo. Just for context. We had coffee yesterday. Well, he had coffee. I had something called café de olla. It has cinnamon in it, Jessica. Cinnamon in coffee!
Me: Mom. Are you okay there by yourself?
Mom: I'm not by myself! That's what I'm trying to tell you!
The entire neighborhood has adopted me. Eduardo's bringing groceries tomorrow.
Ricardo's teaching me Spanish slang that I definitely shouldn't repeat.
Miguel's mother invited me to her sister's birthday party.
I have more social events than I did in Largo Waters!
Mom: Anyway. Back to you. I know the Negrorio boys. Sergio was always responsible. Pedro was grumpy even at twelve. Carlos set off fireworks in the backyard once. And Nacho... well, Nacho was quiet. But are they VACCINATED? This is important, Jessica.
Stacey is fully crying with laughter now. "Your mom wants to know if they're vaccinated."
"She's in Mexico with unlimited margaritas and has apparently lost all social filters."
Mom: Aunt Linda texted from the beach with Diego. She says four is "ambitious but valid." She tried dating two men in the 70s and it was "exhausting" but she supports you completely. Then she sent me a photo of Diego's abs. I didn't ask for Diego's abs, Jessica, but I have them now.
Mom: Miguel laughed for ten minutes when I tried to order fish. Apparently I asked for "fish with anger" instead of "fish with garlic." The word is "ajo" not "enojo." Very similar. Very confusing.
Me: I'm sorry Aunt Linda abandoned you.
Mom: She didn't abandon me! She found love! At 67! With a surf instructor who can do a handstand on a paddleboard! I'm happy for her! I'm just also alone in a foreign country where I barely speak the language!
Mom: Except Ricardo taught me to say "Más tequila, por favor" and "?Dónde está el bano?" so I'm surviving.
Me: Those seem like the important phrases.
Mom: They are. Now. Are you in love with all four of them? Is that allowed? Paulo says it's allowed. Eduardo says his uncle had three wives and everyone was happy. Ricardo says love is love and I should stop asking invasive questions.
Me: I love them. All of them. Yes.
Mom: Good. Then I support you completely. You left Callum because he wasn't right. These men sound right. That's all that matters.
Mom: Also Mrs. Morrison called yesterday. Very upset about the parking lot incident. I told her that her son grabbed you and you defended yourself. Then I hung up. It felt wonderful.
Me: That was perfect. I love you.
Mom: Love you too, baby. Be safe. Be happy. Use protection. All the protection. Four alphas means four times the possibility of grandchildren and I'm not ready. Actually I might be ready. Discuss among yourselves.
Mom: P.S. Ricardo just knocked on the door with more fish tacos. Apparently I'm eating fish tacos every day now. This is my life. I'll call you tomorrow. Love you so much.
I drop my phone on the couch.
Stacey is wiping tears from her eyes. "Your mom is asking about protection with four alphas and eating fish tacos with strange men in Mexico. I'm obsessed with her.”
"She's in Mexico learning Spanish slang and making friends with retired men who bring her groceries," I say. "Aunt Linda ran off with a 32-year-old surf instructor."
"Your family is chaos."
"I'm aware."
Harmony looks up from her spot by the fire. "Your mom sounds amazing."
"She is." I pick up my phone and look at the photos. Mom laughing with Ricardo and Eduardo. Paulo looking distinguished. "She's figuring out how to be herself. And she's doing it by eating fish tacos and learning bad Spanish and making friends with everyone she meets."
"That's kind of beautiful," Harmony says quietly.
"It is." I set the phone down again. "And she's right. These men are right for me. That's all that matters."
Nacho's arm tightens around my shoulders. "Your mom sounds like a smart woman."
"She is." I lean into his warmth. "She'd like you. She'd interrogate you thoroughly first. But then she'd like you."
"Sounds like a good woman."
"The best." My voice is soft.
Stacey raises her wine glass. "To Jessica's badass mom eating fish tacos in Mexico. To Aunt Linda running away with a surf instructor. And to the four alphas who love her."
"To chaos," Carlos adds with a grin.
"To family," Nacho says quietly. "The ones we're born with and the ones we choose."
We raise our glasses and drink.
The fire crackles. The conversation flows. Harmony laughs at something Sergio says. Stacey challenges Carlos to another round of her card game.
And I sit in the middle of it all, surrounded by love and light and the future I'm building one day at a time.
Whatever comes next—my heat, Callum's threats, the town's judgment—I won't be facing it alone.