Island Affair (Keys to Love #1)(55)

Jonathan, the smart aleck, leaned toward their mother with a sly smirk. “Yeah, Mom, but we all know I’m your favorite.”

Ruth shushed out a breathy laugh and pushed him away with a hand splayed across his face.

Robin rolled her eyes with a muttered, “Whatever.”

“Son, I hate to disappoint you, but it’s a known fact that I’m her favorite.” Their dad bent across the corner of the table toward his wife, who met him halfway, her lips puckered for a mushy smooch.

Sara watched, love for her parents mingling with disbelief. They were rarely demonstrative. At least, until her mom’s sickness they’d never been that way. This type of behavior—kisses and hugs and romantic declarations—had lately become the norm.

It was a sweet, welcome change, if you asked Sara. One that had her hoping maybe this really could be their new normal. Maybe she could reach an understanding with her mother, perhaps even Robin. Someday.

“Okay, you two, you’re holding up the game. Mother, it’s your move,” Robin interrupted, waving a hand over the domino train winding its way across the table.

“Life is short, my fastidious, analytical child,” Ruth admonished as she settled herself into her rattan chair.

“Yes, that’s why Edward, Dad, and I plan to beat the three of you quickly and mercilessly.” Robin’s quip earned her a belly laugh from their dad and a disbelieving shake of her head from their mother.

“Luis, please tell me your family isn’t as cutthroat as this bunch!” Ruth cried. Resting a forearm on the edge of the table, she stretched out to place a domino on the far end of the train in front of him.

“Oh, it can get bad in our house, too. But there’s no doubt I’m my mami’s favorite.”

“And Sara’s,” Ruth said, her satisfied smile spreading wider when Luis placed a chaste kiss on Sara’s temple.

He wrapped their clasped hands around her waist, her torso now crisscrossed in his tight embrace. As much as she reminded herself this was all pretend, the thrill she felt enveloped in his cocoon of sexy masculinity was undeniably real. Dangerous, but she let herself continue to enjoy it.

“She’s definitely mine,” Luis murmured, his lips brushing her temple in another heated caress.

“Hey, cut that out. You’re making the rest of us men look bad here,” Jonathan teased.

“Sweetie, I think you should be taking notes instead of arguing with the man,” Carolyn countered.

Even staid Edward chuckled at Carolyn’s quip.

“It’s your move, Charles,” Sara’s mom prodded.

Her dad scanned the pieces already played, strategizing his next move.

With only one domino left, Luis laid it facedown, then flicked his wrist to set the piece spinning. The white rectangle blurred, the stone clattering against the wooden tabletop.

“Speaking of teams winning quickly and mercilessly.” He stopped the spinning piece with a blunt fingertip. “This is the domino that’ll give Ruth, Sara, and me the first round.”

Call her catty, but Sara couldn’t squelch her grin at her sister’s irritated game face. Robin hated losing.

“Let me see,” Sara murmured.

She covered Luis’s hand with hers and together they tilted up the piece for her to count the black dots—three on one half, none on the other. Glancing at the train, she saw a three on one end and a blank on the other. Luis was right. No matter which end her father played off, Luis would close out.

“Speaking of families, are you sure you don’t want to at least invite your parents to join us for dinner or lunch? I’d love to have them over,” Ruth offered.

Sara and Luis’s domino clattered onto the tabletop. Panic rushed up to choke her, and she abruptly sat up, out of the false security of Luis’s arms.

“Uh, no. That wouldn’t be . . . it’s not . . . I mean, th-thank you for asking, Mother. But, um—” She twisted around to face Luis. Once again, praying he interpreted her what-the-hell-do-we-do expression. “Didn’t you say they were busy this week?”

He rubbed her side, his calmness reassuring her as he nodded. “Actually, my tía—my mom’s sister—is in town from the Fort Lauderdale area. They’ve got sister-bonding plans, as my papi calls it.”

“That sounds lovely. Will you get a chance to see your tía while she’s here?” Ruth asked.

“I’m meeting up with most of my family for mass tomorrow morning while you’re having brunch.”

As soon as Luis mentioned mass, Sara winced, anticipating her mother’s next words.

“Well then, I should change our reservation to a table for four. Sara, you mentioned attending an early morning service when we were trip planning. I’m assuming you’re going with Luis to meet with his parents instead of joining us, correct?”

Horror flashed in his dark brown eyes. He gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. Sara knew the response he expected from her. Only, she couldn’t give him what he wanted.

If she told her mother no, her family would wonder why. She’d been attending mass since first grade, when she’d told Mamá Alicia she wanted to make her First Communion alongside Pedro, Mamá Alicia’s youngest son. And yet, if she went to mass with Luis, her presence would inevitably raise questions from his family. Questions he did not want to deal with.