Free Bad Habit by JD Faver

must
approve as well.” He winked at Elena who dimpled at him. “He was my
best friend, growing up so I suppose he hasn’t changed all that
much. What about you Rosario? Who is going to marry you?” Angel
asked.
    “ Nobody,” she said. “When I finish
at the junior college, I’m going to go to San Marcos for a teaching
certificate.”
    “ That sounds like a great plan.”
Angel reached for Esme who was curled against him. “And who is
going to marry you, Esme?”
    “ You are!” she shouted.
    “ Not me,” he said. “I’ll pick out a
husband for you Esme. I’ll find you a nice, fat
husband.”
    Esme howled, protesting that she
didn’t want a fat husband. They all laughed and Teri was
entertained with stories about Angel as a young man. She learned
that he had gone to a Catholic school and played every sport well.
He was offered scholarships but chose to enlist in the
Navy.
    “ The Navy took my son away,” Isabel
pronounced with finality. “He never wanted to come home after
that.”
    “ I’m here now,” he said
quietly.
    Arturo nodded at him. “Yes you are,
son, and we’re happy that you brought your lovely
friend.”
    Teri felt her color rising and
exchanged a look with Angel. He didn’t appear to be at all
uncomfortable that his family thought they were involved. Not at all.
    Esme and Rosario played a duet on
the upright piano in the corner of the room. They were quite good
and Teri applauded.
    “ You should hear Uncle Ricky,”
Rosario said.
    “ Yes, you should,” Isabel said. “We
can all go tonight.”
    Angel frowned. “We’ll
see.”
    “ What does Uncle Ricky do?” Teri
asked.
    “ He has a band.” Rosario jumped up
and began to dance, shaking her hips to an unheard tempo. “He plays
at his club on the Riverwalk.”
    “ You young ones can take Teri
tonight,” Isabel said.
    “ We should join them, Querida,”
Arturo said. “We haven’t danced together since your cousin
Gonzalo’s wedding.”
    “ Perhaps,” she responded, a
flirtatious smile on her lips.
    “ We’re not making any promises,”
Angel said. “I have some errands to run but I’ll see if we can make
it tonight.”
    “ What kind of errands?” Teri
asked.
    “ Something to do with the business
from New York.” Angel gave her a look and she nodded. “I thought my
family could keep you entertained by telling embarrassing stories
about me while I’m out.”
    “ You’re leaving me?” Teri hated
that she sounded so desperate, especially when his parents
exchanged a knowing smile.
    Angel, however, loved it. That
little catch in her voice hooked him. He gazed into her eyes and
was right back in bed with her, wanting her. Wanting to kiss
her.
    Esme giggled.
    Angel and Teri looked around at the circle of amused
expressions surrounding them. They both laughed and the others
joined in.
    They chatted until lunchtime and
Teri went into the kitchen with Isabel and Elena.
    “ What can I do to help?” she
asked.
    “ Nothing, nothing,” Isabel said.
“You are a guest in our home.”
    “ Please let me do something,” she
insisted.
    “ You can slice tomatoes for the
salad,” Isabel said.
    Elena set a bowl of washed plum tomatoes in front of
her and gave her a small cutting board and knife. Teri was happy to
have a task to do.
    “ So, how long have you known my
son?” Isabel asked.
    “ Not very long,” Teri answered
truthfully.
    “ You seem to have a lot of
chemistry with my big brother.” Elena took a seat across from Teri
and tore lettuce for the salad.
    Teri smiled, unsure how to respond. “What makes you
think so?”
    “ The way you look at each other,”
Elena said. “The way he keeps you close to him. I can tell he loves
you a lot.”
    Teri stared at Elena, wondering why the thought of
Angel being in love with her made her heart beat faster. “I’m sure
you’re mistaken. We’re just friends.”
    “ If you say so,” Elena said in a
sing-song voice, a smile on her lips.
    Isabel stirred a wooden spoon