Tonight I'm Loving You

La Escarlatta was a lot more intimidating without Angelina. I quickly found the seats in the corner from last time and sat down. I looked around, wondering if Enrique was here yet.

"Buenas noches." To my shock, Pitbull sat down beside and smiled. He chuckled and I breathed in relief. "So what are you up to?"

"Enrique invited me..."

"Ah. Where's your lovely lady friend?"

"Angelina?" Pitbull nodded. "She had to stay home." I wondered if he was interested in her by the way he asked the question, but his smile broadened.

"So its just you tonight?" I nodded. "Great," he said.

"And what are you two up to?"

I looked up at Enrique's voice and I leaned back in surprise. He stood there with a beautiful woman on his arm. She was tall and slender with perfect, long black hair and brown eyes. She was smiling, showing off her white teeth, seeming to be unable to keep her eyes off of the man who's arm she clung to. Enrique didn't seem to even notice her; he looked almost pissed.

"Talking," Pitbull said, answering his question. "How about you?"

"Showing Rebecca around," was Enrique's tight lipped response. He sat down across from us, his movements rigid. What was wrong with him?

"Rebecca?" I questioned, finally speaking, not bothering to hide my curiosity.

Enrique's eyes shot to me and then he looked at the girl beside him and smiled. "Rebecca, this is Rosin. Rosin, this is Rebecca."

I nodded tersely. "How long have you been going out?"

"A few weeks," Rebecca blurted out, seeming to bubble over with glee. "The best few weeks of my life."

I wanted to gag at how happy she sounded and how Enrique kept his eyes on her, smiling warmly as if she was the best thing in the world.

"Excuse me," I said lowly and got up.

I climbed the stairs to the second story. From there, you could look down on the dance floor. I moved outside to the balcony that circled around the whole building. It was a warm night and I took in a deep breath, trying to calm my thoughts. I wasn't jealous. Absolutely not! She was just so stupid as to think that he was really worth being with. I ground my teeth. I was not jealous!

"Everything okay?"

I didn't turn from the balcony railing. "Sure."

Pitbull stood beside me and leaned against the railing, looking off into the street. "I'm going to be honest with you," he said. "I don't believe you at all. You're still in love with Enrique."

I jolted away from him as though he'd slapped me. "I--I've never been in love with Enrique! We're just friends."

He let out a humorless chuckle. "Right. You think I didn't figure that little girl of yours is his too?"

I dropped my eyes and all I could say was, "Oh."

"And the death glare you gave his new girl," he added with a smile. "Enrique don't know how lucky he is when he's got someone like you standing right in front of him."

I smirked. "Did you see her? She's gorgeous."

"Have you seen yourself? Girl, you got the looks just as much as she does. And I'll bet you got a better personality."

"Guys like you don't care about personality," I said lowly.

He chuckled. "You comparing me to Enrique?" I shrugged. "Yeah, well, its nice when the girl's got a hot body, but it makes it better when they've got a decent personality. Like you."

"You don't even know me." I was being short with him. That was my defense mechanism. What he was saying was similar to what Enrique would use to charm me. I wasn't falling for Hispanic allurement shit again.

"I'd like to get to know you." He did not know when to quit.

"No, thanks."

He sighed and did something I wished Enrique had done. "Okay. I get it." He left.

|

I was just slightly pissed that Enrique had a girlfriend. Slightly. And it wasn't because of me, it was because of Satia. I didn't like that he was sleeping around with some skank and being around my daughter at the same time. It just made me uncomfortable.

"What if...he marries her and tries to take custody of her?" I asked. "He'll have a better reason to keep her because he won't be a single parent." I looked at my house keeper. "Rosa, I couldn't bare to have that happen."

"It won't happen. I may despise that man, but he cares at Satia. And you care for her. If he truly cared about her happiness, he'd let you keep her."

"I hope you're right," I sighed. "You make sense, but I can see him playing a dick move like that too."

"If he does," Rosa said, raising her chin in defiance, "we'll fight for her."

I smiled grimly. "Damn straight."

"Mamá?" Satia called from the living room.

"Yes?" I sang.

"Is Enrique coming over today?"

"No, honey. He had to work."

She trotted into the kitchen, a piece of paper in her hand. There was a purple crayon clutched in the other. "Good. I wanted to spend the day with you," she said. "Can we go to the park?"

"Sure, we can!" I grinned. "How about as soon as I get done with this paper?"

She nodded excitedly and skipped back into the other room.

"See," Rosa said. "She loved you more than Enrique. You're the one who loved her and she's not going to forget that."

I nodded, tapping my pencil on the table. "I know. I just hope I don't screw it up."