“No fair!”

She tickled him back causing him to drop the remote and she grabbed it but he grabbed her by the waist and she fell back shielding the remote under her body. He pinned her down trying to get the remote from under her. Sarah hadn’t laughed that much in a while. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to catch her breath between laughing when she opened them and saw over Sydney’s shoulder. Carina was standing in the middle of the living room staring at them. She looked stunned and Sarah pushed Sydney off her.

“Hi, Carina.”

Sydney immediately turned his head, his body was still half on Sarah. He pushed himself away from Sarah.

“Hey, Babe.”

“I knocked but…” Carina’s eyes went from Sarah who was pulling down her blouse that had ridden up, showing a bit of her midriff, to Sydney and then turned around and rushed back to the door.

“Carina, wait.” Sydney jumped up. “Where you going?”

Carina walked out and Sydney followed her.

Sarah stood up and made her way to the window. She peeked out and saw them arguing. Carina appeared to be crying. Sarah couldn’t believe how naive she’d been. Angel would’ve had a much more violent reaction. Just because this was normal to them didn’t mean it was to outsiders. It was like she had a brother, but he really wasn’t. They were out there for quite a while, but he finally convinced Carina to come back in.

Sarah had no idea what to say but knew immediately when they walked in by the look Sydney gave her it was better to not say anything. He got the chance later when Carina was in the restroom to tell Sarah everything was okay. But Sarah knew better. She’d almost ruined Christmas for them.

So, when Valerie called a few days later to convince her to come back to La Jolla for New Year’s Eve she agreed. Originally she planned on staying in Arizona and to spend it with Syd and Carina. Given what had happened though, she had decided to let them enjoy a romantic New Year’s Eve without the third wheel.

Sydney wasn’t happy she was leaving early, but he was glad that she’d decided to stay in California. At least until her mom got out of jail.

CHAPTER 24

Christmas had come and gone, with no feelings of joy for Angel. The restaurant wasn’t nearly as busy the week after Christmas as it had been the week before. His parents were gone for the week visiting family in Mexico. Every year they left the week after Christmas and came back after the New Year. Angel and Alex had covered the morning shift at the restaurant and since Sal was there for the week, he and Sofia covered the afternoon shift.

Angel was in no mood to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Especially knowing Sarah’s birthday was at midnight and it wouldn’t be him kissing her happy birthday. Angel slammed the drawer he’d just pulled a pair of socks out of.

Alex poked his nose in his room. “What’s with you?”

Angel glanced at him but didn’t answer. He sat down to on his bed and began putting the socks on.

“I got people coming over, so get down here and help me clean this place up.”

Angel’s shoulders slumped. “Who’s coming over?”

“None of your high school, rioting, crumby friends, well,” He laughed. “Except for Eric and Romero. But everyone else is grown up. So, try to pretend.”

Angel frowned “What time?”

Alex had already walked away but he yelled, “In about an hour.”

Angel glanced at the clock, it was already close to nine. He had just worked out and showered. He was looking forward to a quiet night of shooting some pool and calling it an early one. Not a damn party.

By the time he got downstairs the kitchen counters had been transformed into a mini bar. The music was blasting and Romero was already there with a beer in his hand.

Sal and Sofia walked in just as Angel grabbed a beer from the fridge.

“What’s going on?” Sal asked.

Alex walked back in from the backyard with an ice chest. “Party time brutha.”

Sal peered and Sofia grinned.

Sal looked back at Angel. Angel raised his hands in the air. “Don’t look at me. This is all him.”

“Yeah,” Alex said. “Don’t worry. It’s not any of his juvenile friends. Except for Eric and Romero.”

Romero pretended to be appalled. “I’m standing right here!”

Alex ignored him as he grabbed a bag of ice from the freezer. “It’s just a few of my more refined friends.”

Sal shook his head. “Good luck. This place better all be in one piece tomorrow, ‘cause I ain’t taking the heat for any of this.”

Sofia ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Alex stopped to watch her. “Where is she going?”

“Yeah, she’s gonna be here around all your refined college friends.” Sal smirked examining the bottles of booze on the counter.

Alex didn’t like that. “Well, no one invited her.”

Angel chuckled, “What are you gonna do? Lock her in her room?”

Alex raised his eyebrow. “Now there’s a thought.”

“Oh, yeah,” Romero smirked. “College boys are what you guys need to be worried about.”

All three brothers stared at him. “What does that mean?” Alex asked.

Romero shook his head and shrugged. “I don’t know. I just felt left out.”

Angel who was closest shoved him.

They finished getting things ready and people started arriving. Angel hung out with Romero in the front room, his thoughts, as usual, miles away. Romero kept nudging him to get his attention. After a few annoying conversations with what Alex referred to as refined college girls, he’d had enough. He headed back to the kitchen for food.