Chapter 4 – Mateo
Chapter Four
MATEO
This wasn’t how I expected my night to go. When I pulled up and saw the red truck parked outside Analyse’s place, my stomach dropped. For a second, I thought I was interrupting a date, and the rush of relief that hit me when I realized I wasn’t is something I’ll have to unpack later.
But the last person I expected to see was him.
I’ve heard about Maya’s dad over the years—his name always coming up in hushed voices, half-whispered stories that Analyse never wanted to linger on.
Nico. I’d imagined him a hundred different ways, but never as the guy standing on her porch, making her look so tense and pissed that her whole face was pulled tight.
And then he had the nerve to tell her to “think about what he said.” What the hell does that even mean?
Has he been in touch with her? What did he say?
Every muscle in me screamed to lay him out right then, to put him in his place the second I knew who he was. But for Maya’s sake, I had to keep my cool. That’s her dad. No matter how much it twists me up inside, I can’t be the guy who takes a swing at him in front of her.
My gaze drifts back to Analyse, because in the middle of this shitstorm, she’s impossible to ignore. She’s standing there in an oversize T-shirt that skims her thighs, her curls wild around her face, her plump pink lips caught between her teeth. And God help me, she’s breathtaking.
“So I’m your boyfriend, huh?”
Analyse pushes my shoulder. “Shut up, Mateo.”
I laugh. “No, really, what was that about?”
She puts her hands over her face. “I’m sorry, Mateo. I just really needed him to go away and stop talking about ‘our future.’ I don’t know why I said that, but I’ll fix it as soon as I speak to him again.”
I gently remove her hands from her face and hold them. “Hey, talk to me, start from the beginning, like for starters, where’s Maya? Did she see him?”
She takes a deep breath. “No, she didn’t see him. She’s spending the night with Seb and Mari.”
“Okay, that’s good. So tell me what happened between him coming to your house and you telling him that I was your boyfriend.”
“I didn’t even know he was coming. He showed up and started spewing some shit about wanting to be a family—AFTER SEVEN DAMN YEARS—and I hated the idea of him thinking I was alone.
Thinking that I spent all this time pining after him, waiting for him to come to his senses.
Then you showed up, and I don’t know what took over my body, but it just came out, and I’m sorry.
I’ll tell him I lied. I doubt he’ll actually come back, but if he does, I’ll make it clear. ”
I shake my head. “Seven years…” I let out a low whistle. “Analyse, that’s not something you have to face alone. If he does come back, let me be here. Tonight, tomorrow morning, whenever. I’ll stay over, or I’ll come back first thing.”
She gives a short, sharp laugh. “I doubt he’ll actually show up again. Disappearing is his thing, Mateo. I don’t think he has it in him to stick around.”
I study her, the set of her shoulders telling me she wants to believe that. But underneath, I see the way her hands tremble when she crosses her arms.
The silence stretches for a beat, then she says softly, “Why were you here, anyway?”
“Oh, right.” I jog back to my truck, grab the little paper bag off the seat, and hand it to her. “Florecitas. I know they’re Maya’s favorite.”
Her face softens, surprise flickering before a real smile breaks through. “That’s really sweet, Mateo. She’ll be so happy.”
“Good.” I shove my hands in my pockets, fighting the urge to stay. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Lyse.”
She hugs the bag to her chest, still watching me like she isn’t sure what to make of me anymore.
When I slide behind the wheel and pull away, one thought keeps circling my head. What the hell did we just step into?