“That guy’s an asshole, Mia,” I muttered, wrapping my arms around her. “Want me to find the number of his boss so you can get the dickhead fired?”
She chuckled, pulling back from our embrace but staying close enough for me to smell the syrup in her hair. “You helped me enough today. Go finish my waffle for me, yeah?”
I brushed her hair out of her face and nodded once. “Deal. And I’m sorry I overstepped, I know you don’t need me to fight your battles for you. Shit like that just pisses me off.”
“I know. For the record though, I could kick his ass if I wanted to.” She slipped on her apron and backed away, her head shaking at me like she thought I was trouble, but I could see something more in her eyes and in her breathtaking smile. “I’m still not going on that date, Huevos.”
I pouted just a little as I peeked at that waffle, but I knew I should leave before I got her in any more trouble. “I know. You let me help you today and that’s good enough for me ... for now. I’m not going to stop asking, though.”
“I know,” she retorted, her tongue peeking out just as she spun around and went on her way.
Nothing could’ve wiped the stupid, idiotic smile from my face as I went out to my car — and the sight of the coloring books I’d gotten Little Hombre almost made me go back in, but it wasn’t the time. Instead, I drove back home with that dopey grin plastered to my face and showered to get rid of all the evidence, then called the one person I knew wouldn’t lie to me.
“Led!” I said when she answered. “How’s my favorite sister?”
“Sister? I thought I was your favorite person,” she accused. “Who took my slot?”
“It’s a close race right now. I think you’ve still got the top spot, but someone’s closing in,” I warned. “Better step your game up.”
Her voice was more serious when she responded. “Wait, who? Does she happen to be a waitress that won’t marry you?”
“Fuck, am I talking about her that much already?” I asked, grimacing a little and laying back on my bed. “Yeah, her.”
“So I take it she didn’t kick you out when you went back? And no, you don’t talk about her too much. Talk about her more. Tea, please.”
She said the magic words, so I asked her quickly how she was and if anything was new, then poured my exposed little heart out to her. I told her about the times I’d asked, the playfulness when she declined me. I told her about my adventures in waitressing and how badly I wanted to give that woman one day — one single day — where she didn’t have to lift a finger for anyone but herself. I talked for so damn long my jaw hurt when I was done, and all I could follow it all up with was, “I’m sorry. Bet you’re glad Sterling is a man of few words now, huh?”
“He says plenty. Back to you. Wow. I seriously never heard you talk about anything this way, it’s cute — don’t you dare hang up. Just take the compliment. How often do you go now?”
“Often enough she’d call the cops on me if she wasn’t at least a little interested,” I admitted. “I’m out of moves though, Led. That stuff today was just instinct, I wasn’t thinking about trying to get her to go out with me ... but now I’m thinking about that again and I’ve got nothing.”
“You don’t. I’m a little pissed she’s still playing games, but I get it. She’s probably flirted with all day, every day. She has to know you’re serious, but by now, I don’t know how she doesn’t. What’s her name? I want to find her on Facebook and tell her you don’t jump through hoops for just anyone.”
I felt the tension in my shoulders ease a little bit. “It’s okay, Led. I’m not afraid of a little legwork. I’m at least eighty percent sure this’ll end in flames like it always does, but I guess I’m still a gambler after all. Just playing with my big dumb heart now instead of money.”
“Well that doesn’t sound safe.” She sighed, thinking for a moment before she spoke again. “This is one thing worth taking a risk on though, trust me. If I didn’t — never mind. This isn’t about me. Don’t give up. I know I should be saying otherwise but just ... don’t. Not yet. You’ll know when it’s time to give up.”
I laughed a little louder than necessary, but the very foundation of my personality was never knowing when to quit. “Whatever you say, sis. Tell my brother I said to be good to you or I’ll drag him to the top of the Empire State Building and leave him there.”
Zeppelin snorted. “He insisted on cleaning the gutters this weekend, by the way. You should have seen him on the ladder — actually, I think I snuck a picture. I’ll send it, hold on.” The second it came through, I heard her laughing harder. “You Bishops are the best.”
My terrified-of-heights older brother looked like a scared little kid up there, but I had to give him props. “Hey, he’s a monument to us all. Fuck fears, right? Sometimes you just gotta climb the ladder and clean out the damn gutters.”
And I meant it. That’s what I’d do. Rung by rung, I’d keep climbing that damn ladder. With Mia, with Gam-Anon, with the financial mess I’d made.
I’d just keep climbing that ladder.