Twisted Tides (Forged Hearts #2)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

EVIE

“Lovers Rock” by TV Girl

M idweek, I decide to call Emma and see if she wants to have a girl's day. I know she doesn’t work tonight, so she agrees. We are meeting up with everyone this evening for dinner to brainstorm ideas for when Mateo will confront his grandfather, Ramón, on Friday. The anxiety of that meeting has me on edge, and I need a distraction. What better way to do that than to go for afternoon margaritas at our favorite Tex-Mex restaurant? It might be fun to see if Liv wants to come along.

I remember all the times when I witnessed Emma and her friends out and about having a good time eating lunch or clubbing at night. I felt that pang of jealousy as I watched from the shadows, never to be invited or even known about. The sister who died more than anyone else would ever realize. I died a thousand deaths in the shadows, feeling dead inside.

Now, all these feelings rise to the surface, overpowering me as a turbulent storm of emotions which constantly swirls around me, trying to break through my carefully crafted fa?ade. Since Emma told Liv about us and our family, it seems like a weight has been lifted.

I feel lighter. I feel free. I feel seen.

I thought the day would never come when I was able to sit at their table, talking and laughing with my sister and her friends. To partake in conversation and camaraderie is something I have longed for and will never take for granted.

“I’ll take the Texas Skinny margarita, please,” Liv tells the waiter and gently places the menu on the table.

I frown at her choice because she just had a baby and that shouldn’t mean that she needs to go on a diet. I don’t know her well enough to tell her that I think she looks fantastic after giving birth, so I offer her a small smile instead.

Emma takes forever to pick something, and it makes me roll my eyes. I want to cut in but mind my manners as the waiter ogles her, and she remains oblivious. I look over at Liv, and she suppresses a laugh with her hand, hiding her smile as she looks away. Emma bites her lip in concentration, and he licks his lips. I can only imagine what he is thinking at the moment, and I cock my head to the side, assessing to see if I need to intervene.

“I’ll take the Some Like it Hot margarita.” She places her menu down and doesn’t even look at the guy. She nods at me as if letting me know it’s my turn to order. She must feel his stare on her; this is her way of kindly turning him down.

So done with this, I roll my eyes and snap my menu down, startling the waiter and Liv, who snaps straight and makes a startled noise similar to a baby bird. The waiter faces me, seeing the smirk that forms on my lips, letting him know I saw him. Emma’s eyes twinkle with hidden laughter. I look at his name tag as if I am getting a hard look at it, squinting my eyes for the full effect.

“I’ll take the Smoky Mezcal, please, and if we could get a vat of guacamole with chips and salsa, please, Cole.”

He nods and leaves us without another word.

Emma scoffs. “I hope he comes back soon with our order. I think you might have scared him off.”

Liv watches the exchange between us and doesn’t comment.

I roll my eyes at her naivety. “Sorry, but I really didn’t want it to get back to Eduardo, and then I have to listen to it because we are all meeting tonight for dinner, and we have much more pressing issues to discuss.”

She nods her understanding. “Agreed.”

The waiter returns with our drinks and apps, and we give him the rest of our food order. I take a big scoop of guac and practically orgasm as the taste of spices and cilantro hits my mouth.

I sip my margarita and look up at Liv and Emma, who are curiously eyeing me. I dab the salt off the sides of my mouth and sip my margarita once more. I put it down and look at Liv, who is staring at me like I’m Uncle Eddie in my favorite Chevy Chase Christmas movie.

“Sorry, but that is the best guacamole ever.”

Liv gives me a genuine smile and loads up her tortilla chip before she bites into it, sending crumbs splattering over the table. She makes a similar noise of pleasure.

“Agreed.” She says this with a mouth full of food, mimicking Emma’s comment earlier.

Emma laughs, throwing her hands in the air. “Okay, now it’s my turn.” She holds her chip mid-flight as I scoop up more with my tortilla chip. “Don’t you dare try to stab me with your chip.” She snorts.

“I would never stab my own sister, Emma.” I wink at Liv as she snaps her attention over to me and then to Emma, as if she sees Emma in her truest form for the first time.

I grin widely. “She’s just kidding, Liv. I am usually the stabby one.”

Liv almost chokes on her drink as Emma moans loudly, licking the excess avocado from her lip. We all look up to see our waiter, Cole, standing there with a food tray in his hand and his mouth open as he stares at Emma.

“Oh, hey, Cole, just in time,” she comments as he distributes our food quickly and leaves without further comment.

Liv’s hand goes to her mouth as she laughs. This causes Emma to snort, and I watch them in amusement, thinking that I have not had a better day in what feels like forever.

As we finish up our food and drinks, Cole approaches us, asking if we need anything else.

“Then thank you, ladies. The bill and tip have been paid in full, and I thank you for your generosity. I hope to see you again soon.” He leaves us, and Emma throws her napkin on the table.

“I don’t know about you, but I need to be assisted out of here. I ate so much. I don’t think I can breathe, much less stand.”

We all get up to leave as Philip brings the car around the front of the restaurant to take us home. Liv gets into the back seat with Emma, and I sit in the front. As I buckle up my seatbelt, Liv touches my arm, startling me, and I fight the urge to pull back. Her touch is gentle and non-threatening. “Evie,” she says softly.

I turn back toward her. “Yes.”

She looks over to Emma and then to me. “I just want you to know that I had so much fun with you and Emma today, and I am thrilled to have another friend.”

I look over to Emma, who is smiling at me and Liv. I am not used to feeling this way, and the thought of having another friend catches me off guard. I haven’t had many close connections, and this feels like a huge step into living.

I touch her hand in return. “Thank you, Liv. That means more to me than you know. I really appreciate your friendship.”

Emma turns her attention to Liv. “Hey, I wanted to let you know now that I can talk freely in the car that we may be gone for a while. Something has happened that may be a bit dangerous, and we need to leave.”

Liv looks between us. “Where are you going?”

Philip looks at Emma in the rearview mirror, and Emma nods. Ignoring Philip’s pleas to stay silent she, of course, does the exact opposite.

“I told Liv no more secrets, Philip.” She brushes back her hair that has fallen out of her loose bun and inhales deeply, closing her eyes.

Liv waits patiently, as if she’s almost afraid to blink.

“The man that killed my family lives in Brownsville, and we are going to hide out, assessing the situation to ensure the next part of our plan to take revenge for our family is implemented.

Liv snorts. “Damn, Em. You say that like it’s a nursing care plan you used to write for school.”

Emma laughs, and I look at them, not understanding the joke, but I am sure I won’t get many of their private jokes.

“Well, I do have a fully furnished condo near Brownsville, and it sits empty now, if you need a place to hide out, just so you know.”

Philip looks at me, and I place my hands together.

“Oh, a secret hideaway lair. How perfect.” I rub my hands together like an evil overlord plotting Earth’s demise.

Emma slaps Liv’s leg, startling her. “Liv, that might just be what we are looking for. Do you need to ask Dax, though?”

She shakes her head. “Nah, we can’t use it now anyway, and I’m sure he’s offered it to Jameson also. Not a problem. Just let me know, and it’s yours if you need it.”

“It’s right on the beach, too, huh?” I ask anxiously.

Liv nods. “Yep, you’ll love it.”

She sits back, and we laugh and talk about normal things women our age would. They catch me up on their friends back in Padre Island, since we are on the topic of it.

Soon, the trip is over, and we make plans to do it again soon. They drop me off next, and I tell Emma that I’ll see her later. As I am walking to the door, I hear the car door open. Emma comes running over to me and tightly hugs me.

“I am so glad that we have the chance to do this, Evie.”

I hug her back. “Me too, Em.”

With that, she gets back into the car and drives off as soon as I enter my apartment. With everything that will happen in the near future and all the unforeseen complications with Mr. Martinez and now Mateo’s grandfather, it was nice to have a sense of normalcy, even if it is just for a brief moment.

Jameson, Mateo, and I drive over to Eduardo’s and Emma’s place since we planned on meeting there to discuss our next step with Ramón. We found out that Ramón is Mateo’s biological grandfather and Mr. Martinez’s father, so we have to decide what this could mean for all of us. Eli, Gus, and Philip are there. We are all gathered around the island. Eduardo comes out of his office with his laptop.

“I have a few people who are going to be on a video conference with us.”

“Who is it, babe?” Emma plops herself onto Eduardo’s lap, and he pulls her in tight, moving her off to the side as he tries to shift himself discreetly. Emma tries to move over, and he halts her, whispering something into her ear. Her face blushes, and she nods once.

Mateo’s eyes narrow, and I cough to hide the laugh that threatens to leave me.

Eduardo clears his throat. “My dad, for one, my brother Ramiro and his fiancée, Anna—” Emma cuts in.

“Oh, that call. Our Uncle Andrés and cousin Adrian, too then?” Emma announces.

I can’t help the question that leaves my mouth. “Why is your brother’s fiancée listening in?”

Eduardo leans over the island, pushing Emma along with him. “We don’t keep secrets from each other anymore, Evie. We are family, and all of us here, whether related by blood or not, are family. Our own family is built on love, trust, and respect for one another. No more secrets.”

Emma leans over to him, nuzzling her face into his neck. “I couldn’t have said it better, my love.”

Eduardo claps his hands. “Okay, ready to get this started?” He logs into the video conference call, and faces pop up on the computer, letting us know that they are all there and ready. After a few rounds of ‘can you hear me?’ and ‘how do I turn on my camera?’ we are finally ready to formulate a plan together.

“Absolutely not!” Eduardo booms loudly through the kitchen as he stands up abruptly, almost knocking Emma to the ground before he catches her around the waist as if she weighs nothing. He kisses the top of her head, placing her gently on her feet. “I won’t put Emma in harm’s way.”

I look at Jameson, and by his expression and the tic of his jaw, I don’t think he likes the idea either as he shoots daggers at my brother. If looks could kill, Mateo would be dust already.

“Look, Liv offered her condo down in the valley to us, and it's literally right there by Brownsville. No one would know that we were there.”

“I think it is the best idea where we are all close together. Until I meet with Ramón and find out what he and Mr. Martinez want from me, I’d like to have my sisters close-by and hidden.” Eduardo rubs his hand over his face.

“I have an idea,” Ram’s voice comes through the speaker.

“I sure hope it is better than Mateo’s.” He shoots my brother a look that would make another man wither, but my brother is no other man. He was a soldier for my uncle and brought up the same way Eduardo was.

“I’ll come up and take over the business for you while you go down to Brownsville with the girls. With you and Jameson there and their family just a stone’s throw over the border, I would feel okay with the plan.”

“Oh, you would have no problem if this was Anna? If it was your fiancée there instead of Emma?”

Ram hangs his head down and looks over to his wife. He grabs her hand and kisses it. “Maybe, but I think that this is the best solution.”