Out of Focus (Love in LA #3)

Gabe groans and rubs the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “Excuse me, I need to go find my little sister and have a chat about age-appropriate music.” My brother and niece turn back the way they came, and I’m left alone in the front entry, holding Charlie’s hand.

“It’s your birthday?” Her tone tells me what I already knew: she’s not super happy about this little surprise. But she hasn’t let go of my hand, so I’m calling it a win.

I don’t get a chance to say anything, though, because my parents come around the corner with big, wide smiles on their faces. My mom immediately reaches for me, giving my cheek a kiss and wrapping me in a warm hug. “Oi, meu filho.” When she lets go, my dad repeats the same motions, but I don’t let go of Charlie’s hand.

“Mãe, Pai, I’d like you to officially meet Charlie.” I free up her right hand but keep a firm hold on her, moving my hand up her spine to her neck with a gentle squeeze. “Charlie, these are my parents, Andrea and Ivan.”

She relaxes and reaches out to my mom first, taking me by surprise when she doesn’t reach for a handshake, but rather touches my mom’s shoulders and kisses her left cheek, then the right. It’s a traditional Brazilian greeting, but I never expected it. My mom, however, doesn’t seem the least bit fazed, and neither does my dad when she greets him in the same way.

“Thank you so much for having me today.” She steps back, a little closer to me this time, linking our fingers together again. Her voice is a little shaky, a little unsure. “I’m so sorry about?—”

“We’re so glad to finally meet you, Charlie. We’re happy you’re here, and we’re so grateful to you for the way you took care of our boy. Please. No apologies.” Dad’s voice is gentle despite the interruption. “We hope our son hasn’t been giving you too hard of a time?”

“Other than having me show up to a birthday party I didn’t know was for him, no. He’s been perfect.” Her voice softens at the end, and my mom’s eyes fill with tears before she blinks them away, that huge smile still on her face. Then, she turns to me and purses her lips.

“Rafa, why did you not tell her?” Mom’s hands go to her hips as she scolds me, but I smile.

“Because I wanted to make sure she would come.” I play on the old dynamic with me and Charlie, the one where we bicker like an old married couple, and I’m glad she goes along with it for the moment.

“Good call,” she says, looking at me. Her face is so serious, I wouldn’t know she was joking if it weren’t for the twinkle in her sky-blue eyes.

Both of my parents break into laughter, and we join them. “I knew I’d like you,” my dad says. “Now, let’s go before our nosy children burst from the anticipation of meeting you, Charlie girl.”

My parents take off ahead of us, and Charlie tugs on my hand, so I twist to face her. “They’re lovely,” she whispers, smiling.

With my hand on her chin, I rub our noses together. “You’re lovely, shortcake.” And then I kiss her. I kiss her until her body sags into mine. She lets out a little whimper and grabs my shirt. I nuzzle into her neck and leave a kiss there, and then another, and another, because how can I not? How can I not kiss her after the way she just met my niece, my brother, and my parents? Charlie moans when I suck lightly on her pulse, and I smile into her skin. “Shhh. Not now, gata. Geez. We’re in my family home.”

She gasps, and the hand that was grabbing my shirt pinches lightly at my side. Her rebuttal gets lodged in her throat when Gustavo’s voice comes from the kitchen. “Stop making out and come introduce us already!”

51/

i think tio rafa is your pickle.

charlie

We step into the kitchen, and everyone is busy with something, eyes lowered to their tasks, except for one man. His hazel eyes are bright, and his smirk is all mischief. There’s no doubt in my mind he’s the one who shouted for us to come in here.

“Hey there, lovebirds,” the man I assume is one of Raf’s younger brothers says. He might not be biologically related to Rafael, but his teasing tone is identical to the man’s next to me.

“Gus.” Raf’s tone is more of a warning, and his brother raises both hands, palms up, then walks a few steps toward us.

“Great to finally meet you, Charlie. I’m Gustavo, the good-looking brother.” Rather than give me his hand to shake, he starts to point across the room. “That’s Marcelo.” A man who looks nearly identical to Gustavo other than the eye color waves to me. “You met Gabe and Cece.” The pair look up at me with matching smiles and go back to folding napkins. “And our baby sister, Daniela.” A girl with long, dark curls, who is setting up a charcuterie board, smiles brightly at me and mouths what I think is I love your skirt.

I raise a hand in my own awkward wave as all of the Machados welcome me as quietly as I’m sure they can manage. Simultaneously, Rafael and I walk toward Ana Maria, who is drying her hands at the sink.

“Bença, Vó,” Rafael says as he reaches for her in the same way as he did with his parents, still holding onto me. Once she’s responded and patted his cheeks, she turns to me, brows high in the air as if expecting me to say or do something.

I clear my throat and say the only thing I can think of. “Bença, Vó.” I kiss her cheeks and pull back, feeling like I did the right thing when her smile grows.

“Deus te abençoe, minha filha.” She pats my cheeks, slightly more gently than she did with her grandson, and lingers on me for a few seconds before looking lovingly at Rafael and stepping away from us.

“Can I get you a drink, Charlie?” Andrea is walking to the fridge before I have an answer fully formed.

“I got it, Mãe.” Rafael kisses the top of my head and walks away from me. I guess after Gustavo’s comment about us making out, it’s okay for them to assume we’re together? Or was that a friendly head kiss? He’s done this to his grandmother. To Lainey, even. So, I suppose this is just Raf being Raf.

I feel oddly comfortable in this kitchen. Perhaps because I’ve been in it when there are just three of us, so I don’t hesitate to ask, “Can I help with anything?”

“No way. You’re the guest of honor. You’re literally the one person we’ve been waiting for since Mãe made us all get here early to prep,” Daniela says.