I sat with YoYo in my lap and noticed right away that Jet was going down.

First off, Eddie was removed, entirely. In fact, he looked like he thought the whole thing was funny and didn’t even flinch when Jet glared daggers at him. Hector and Carlos stayed silent but they also appeared to find the whole thing amusing. Gloria, Rosa and Elena were also silent. I could tell they were commiserating with Jet but they didn’t have the guts to jump in. Carlos’s girlfriend Maria sat silent too but she looked scared out of her mind (probably exactly what I looked like). Tex, on the other hand, was busily eating through the leftovers on the platters of food on Blanca’s table and it appeared he didn’t even know the meeting was happening at all.

So it became apparent that it was going to have to be me.

I thought about how to do this without Blanca’s house exploding under the force of a Full Blown Blanca (and Nancy) Hissy Fit.

Then I came up with a plan.

“I’ve never had roasted hog,” I announced during a lull in Jet’s browbeating.

Everyone’s (surprised) eyes came to me.

Even though they were scaring me (particularly Blanca but also Nancy), as per usual I sallied forth.

“And I’ve never taken a hayride.” I looked at Jet and informed her in a chirpy voice, “I’ve always wanted a s’more but my father never let me go to camp. Or take a hayride. Or go to a hog roast. He was weird that way, you know, being kind of suffocating and not letting me be social or have friends.” I glanced across the table and declared, “Sounds like fun!”

So I was manipulating the fact that they were nice people and trying to make them feel sorry for me.

It was the only card I had to play and, for Jet, I played it.

Jet was smiling at me, beautiful and huge.

Eddie wasn’t smiling, exactly, but I could see his dimple.

Hector was shaking his head but his eyes were warm and intense in a new way that was mixed with humor and affection and that brought back that lovely, snug, comfy feeling.

Tex’s head snapped in my direction.

“Fuckin’ A, woman, you’ve never had a s’more?” he boomed.

I shook my head.

“Christ, everyone’s gotta have a s’more before they die. Fuck that shit, I’ll build a fire in my backyard tonight and I’ll stop by Kumar’s on the way home to get the stuff. Everyone can come by –”

Damn and blast!

Tex was being really nice but he was ruining everything!

“No,” I cut in quickly, “I can wait until Jet’s wedding.”

“There’s no waitin’ for s’mores,” Tex boomed back.

“But –” I started.

“No lip!” Tex boomed again.

“Sadie and I have plans tonight,” Hector put in smoothly and Tex’s eyes went to him, they narrowed then I watched as the light dawned and, slowly, he sat back.

“I’ll make you a s’more latte so you’ll have somethin’ to go on until Jet and Eddie’s wedding,” Tex told me then his eyes moved to Jet. “Now, where’s this f**kin’ barn and do I have to wear a f**kin’ tie?”

The power, I could tell, had shifted.

I could tell this because Nancy and Blanca went thin-lipped.

“Yay!” I shouted as my finale, hoping to shift the balance irrevocably to Jet’s side. To do this, I clapped, YoYo yapped happily in my lap and maybe I went a little OTT. “Roasted hog!” I cried happily. “Hayrides! Bonfires! I… can’t… wait!”

Blanca and Nancy looked at each other.

I held my breath.

They stayed silent.

That’s when I knew we won

They didn’t like it but they didn’t push it.

I let out my breath and sat back.

My work was done.

And, believe it or not, Jet gave me a look of such shining gratitude, no kidding, I almost cried right there on the spot (I, of course, did not).

Then before we left (believe it or not again!), she asked me to be a bridesmaid.

Me!

A bridesmaid!

For a second, I was so excited at the prospect of being a bridesmaid, I forgot I was moving to Crete and I couldn’t stop myself from hugging her and saying yes.

Then it hit me but I didn’t take it back. I wanted to live that one glorious moment and, even if it made me selfish, I didn’t care.

I wasn’t going to give it up.

No way.

I promised myself I’d call her and explain everything.

I’d just do it… later.

Shortly after, I was still in the moment when Hector and I left but we didn’t go to his house, we went to the grocery store.

Sadie Townsend, daughter of a fallen Drug King and ex-DEA Agent Hector “Oh my God” Chavez grocery shopping.

If my father saw us (or when he heard), he’d have a kitten!

Since I was in the moment and enjoying said moment, I didn’t fight it.

Instead, I went with it.

Even when Hector put his hands on the cart handle beside mine which meant the heat of his body was pressed against my back, his chin was resting on my shoulder and we walked a whole aisle that way (a whole aisle!). Even when Hector laughed at me when I asked him where the Pilsbury crescent roll dough was (what was funny about that, I wanted to know but I didn’t ask). Even when he ran into some guy he knew, a handsome, African American, off-duty police sergeant named Willie and he introduced me. Even when they chatted all the while Hector had his arm wrapped casually around my neck, me tucked firmly into his side, making me feel like a real girlfriend, someone who actually belonged tucked firmly into his heat while he chatted with a friend.

Yes, even through all of that.

The moment continued when we got to his place, unpacked the groceries and he asked me if I wanted to watch a movie. In turn, I asked him if I could help him on his house by sanding his floors. His chin jerked at my request and he looked at me funny, like I surprised him, but he agreed.

He patiently showed me what to do and we spent the afternoon in the living room sanding his floors. Him using this big sander thingie and me on my hands and knees using a small handheld sander close to the wall and in the corners. Other than doing dishes, laundry and cleaning my house once in awhile (I had a cleaning lady, what could I say? I was rich), I’d never done manual labor in my life and even if it made me a freak, I didn’t care…

There was nothing better than sanding Hector’s living room floor with Hector.