Luis, the cousin, reappears, drunk as a skunk, and holds a drink out to me. "Hey, Hey, Taryn, right? You got to try this; it will burn your toes off!"
Manny snorts and pushes Luis away. "Get lost, Luis. Taryn's not drinking that!"
I laugh, staring at the drink, which is in a Mason jar and kind of peach-ish in color. "What is it?"
"It's a Michelada," Manny explains. "You don't want to drink it, trust me. Not the way Luis makes them."
"Oh, come on, you don't think your white girl can take it, eh?" Luis teases. "Your last girl liked it well enough! Woooweee!"
Last girl? I'm guessing he's talking about Gina. Wow. I pull my arm from Manny's waist and feel his gaze on me. Well, I could have done without being reminded about that skank.
I hold out my hand. "Sure, I'll try it."
Luis grins, and Manny shakes his head.
"No, Taryn, you don't-"
"I think I can decide what I can and cannot drink, Manny!" I interrupt him and take the Mason jar from Luis. I can already smell the spice and the lime. There is salt rimming the glass just like our margaritas, and I gingerly stick my tongue out to taste it.
"Seriously, Taryn, you will not like it!" Manny is scowling slightly.
Luis puts his arm around me, and he reeks from B.O. and beer, but because I know it might make Manny jealous, I leave his arm there and take a small sip. Mmmm...it's not bad. Just kind of like spicy beer, which I guess is what it is.
Then suddenly the fire hits me, and I start to cough and choke.
Luis cackles like a maniac and takes the glass from me while Manny pounds me on the back, laughing.
"I told you!" He looks around and dashes over to a table where someone is serving cake and ice cream.
My mouth is like lava, and tears are streaming from my eyes as I wave my hand in front of my mouth, like that's going to do any good.
"You are a real chica inocente, aren't you?" Luis is leering at me, and Manny comes back, handing me the ice cream.
"Here, eat this, it will help." He glares at Luis. "And you shut up. Don't talk to her or touch her again or I'll beat the shit out of you."
Luis backs away as I shovel the cold ice cream into my mouth, feeling relief immediately.
"I was just joking, man. Calmarse, alright?" Luis slithers away, and Manny takes my arm, leading me to a quiet corner.
"You okay?"
I try to laugh it off. "Oh my god, that was freaking hot!" I try wiping under my eyes, I'm sure my makeup has run. "Is my face a mess now?"
Manny gently lifts my face and tries to clean it off with his thumb. "Mmm, well, kind of streaky." He laughs, and I punch him lightly in the gut.
"Is there somewhere I can fix it?"
"Yeah, follow me." He leads me across the courtyard and back into the house where there's a little half bath just off the kitchen. He leans against the wall, watching me in the mirror as I wet a paper towel and take off most of my eye makeup.
"I'll be a little plain for the rest of the evening," I tell him. "Hope you don't mind."
His lips slide into a tiny smile. "I think you look beautiful, with or without makeup."
I turn around, leaning against the sink and crossing my arms. "I guess you like how much Gina wears."
His brow furrows. "Huh?"
"Gina, you know. Your girlfriend."
Manny laughs and steps forward, his hands on my waist, effectively pinning me against the sink with his hips.
"Gina is not my girlfriend."
I pout a little because I can't help it. "She used to be."
He looks away for a moment, his lips thinning, then his eyes come back to mine. "Used to be. We broke up like six months ago."
"Yeah, but at school, you guys are always around each other and flirting and stuff."
Manny chuckles, a low soft sound. His full lips are curled into a half-smile, and I just want to press my mouth to his.
"That's nothing, Taryn. That's just how I am with all the girls who hang out with my crowd. We all just bullshit around with each other, that's all. Gina has a boyfriend already."
I snort, rolling my eyes. "In prison?"
"Hey!" Manny's familiar scowl is back, and he takes my chin in his hand. "Don't do that. Don't talk bad about my friends, okay? Because you don't know them. You only know what you see, and then you pass judgment. I know you're really better than that, Taryn. I know you're not like the bitches you used to hang out with."
I bite my lip, tearing slightly at his annoyance. "I'm sorry..."
He releases my chin, thumbing away a stray tear under my eye and then slides his hands down my back.
"Gina is rough around the edges, kinda like me. But she has a heart of gold for the people she cares about. She's dating Hector now, and they hope to marry after she graduates this year."
"Hector! Your brother?"
Manny nods. "Yep. That's why they aren't here tonight. Hector took Gina away for the weekend. They're madly in love and her and me, we're just like brother and sister now. If you get to know her, you'll see what a sweetheart she is."
I find that hard to believe since I've spent a lot of years in school worried that the girl would kick my ass. But if Manny says it's so, I guess I'll have to trust him.
"Can we go back out to the party?" I ask, running my hands over his chest.
"Sure." He leans down and kisses me softly, and then we head back outside where the dancing has started.
◆◆◆
Manny has his arms wrapped around me from behind, and we sway to the lively Mexican
