Delicious Heat by Sadira Stone

Author:Sadira Stone [Sadira Stone]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sadira Stone
Published: 2021-12-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen: Abuelita Concedes

“Worthless, shit-sucking butt munch!” Diego threw his pliers to the Airstream’s floor. They bounced on the industrial rubber mats —where’s the satisfaction in that? He craved violence, or at least a satisfying loud noise, but he couldn’t risk damaging his baby, so he settled for storming out into Abuelita’s yard, slamming the trailer’s door on his way. “Ugh.” He sat on the step, his head in his hands.

“Niño, what’s bothering you?” His Abuelita had the spookiest sense for when he was in distress. He hadn’t heard her come out of the house and into the muddy yard. Typical Tacoma—yesterday they had glorious early-spring sunshine. Today: cold, gray drizzle. In flowered rainboots and an oversize fuzzy sweater atop her house dress, Abuelita sloshed across the yard holding two steaming mugs.

“It’s the electrical system.” He waved toward the mess behind him. “Everything was working fine last week. Now, it’s all fu—Sorry, all messed up. I can’t figure out where the fault is.”

She handed him a mug, then settled in a lawn chair. “Chamomile tea to calm your nerves. Ginger for the stomach.”

He sniffed the steam. “Something else in there?”

“Let an old lady have her secrets. Now drink up.”

Sure enough, the herbal brew warmed his aching hands, sore from wrestling with bolts and screws, and loosened his tense muscles, if only a little.

“Electric problems, eh?” Abuelita tapped her pursed lips. “If only we knew someone who could help.”

“You know I can’t ask Dad.”

“And why not? Family is for helping, Gogo.”

“It should be.” He knuckled his temples, trying to ease his stress headache. “But Dad’s help always comes at a price.”

She placed a gentle hand on his arm. “You want me to talk to him?”

“No!” He softened his tone. “No, I’ll find a way. But thank you.”

So far—or rather, as far as he knew, neither Elena nor his grandmother had blabbed to the family about Anna. Since his first tumble into her bed three weeks ago, their conflicting schedules mostly kept them apart. But they made the most of what little time they could carve out, and he guarded those stolen hours like the treasure they were—Saturdays together before his shift, sometimes right here in his trailer, sometimes relaxing at her house, sometimes exploring Tacoma together. Evenings he spent at Bangers, of course. The more shifts he worked, the more he could save for this aluminum-hulled money pit. At least a few times a week he’d meet Anna for lunch at the hospital. On the few occasions when they ran into Elena, she stalked past with a frozen expression. He wasn’t too worried—she’d been a grudge-holder throughout her childhood, but she always thawed if you let her be long enough.

He finished his tea and pushed himself to his feet. The muscles in his back and shoulders grumbled from too much time spent hunched over the generator housing and breaker panel. Today’s shift at Bangers was going to be rough.

He held out his arm to help Abuelita out of her seat, but she just fixed him with one of her bullshit-obliterating stares.

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