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Carlos knew the second that he saw Michelle pull up the driveway to his parent’s house that something was up.
It was Monday and she was supposed to be at work.
Not here.
No, no, not here.
“Mijo, Michelle is here.” He rolled his eyes at the excitement in his mother’s voice.
She wouldn’t be so excited to see the younger woman if she knew just how much trouble she was likely going to cause.
“I see Mama.” He pushed himself up from the couch and sighed, running a hand through his unruly curls as he made his way outside.
He needed to intercept Michelle before his mother got a hold of her.
Especially when he noticed the way she was grinning slightly as she exited her Jeep and made her way toward him.
“Whatever you’re about to ask me for, the answer is ‘no’.” He didn’t even need to know what kind of trouble she was up to, just that it was surely following her around.
“It’s always ‘no’.” She huffed out, her arms crossing over her chest as she stopped in front of him and frowned. “And you don’t even know what I was going to ask.”
“I don’t need to know.” It was true too, Michelle was always up to no good, and she liked dragging him into it too, which totally wasn’t fair. “Your name is synonymous with trouble.”
“First of all, I thought we agreed you were going to stop showing off that college education of yours.” He rolled his eyes as he turned on his heel and headed back toward the porch, if he had to listen to her nonsense the least he could do was sit down. “Second of all, this isn’t about causing trouble.”
“It’s not?” Well that was a first. “Then what do you want?”
“I need your help with something.” Of course she did.
“What kind of help?” He always made sure to get as many details as possible from her before agreeing to anything, he had learned his lesson the hard way one too many times.
“Judd…” He shook his head and held up a hand, causing her to stop talking and huff.
“You and Judd Ryder together are nothing but trouble.” They may have been two of his best friends, but he wasn’t getting involved in anything they were up to these days. “I am not, under any circumstances, getting myself involved in anything that you two have started.”
“You’re such a party pooper.” Maybe he was, but he had just been accepted to the academy and he didn’t need any kind of marks against him at this point.
“Sorry Chelle, I’m not looking to get involved in anything that could hurt my chances of succeeding in the academy.” Her eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open and that’s when it hit him.
He had forgotten to tell his best friend that he had been accepted to the academy hadn’t he?
“You got accepted?” She was bouncing on her toes and holding back a smile and he simply nodded, grimacing when she squealed in delight and came barreling toward him, her arms wrapping around his neck tightly. “I’m so proud of you Los.”
“Thank you.” He hugged her back, his body relaxing now that he figured he had avoided whatever kind of hijinks she was up too. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, I just found out on Friday.”
“Friday?” She pulled back and eyed him intently. “You’ve known for almost three whole days and you haven’t told me? What am I, chopped liver?”
“No Michelle, not at all.” In all honesty, he had been on such a high after the news came that he hadn’t really thought about anything else, including telling the others.
“Well we have to celebrate.” Oh lord, here she went again with her ideas. “A big party. Lots of booze, maybe some skinny dipping down at the lake.”
“No, no, and no.” He shook his head violently as he gave her the best stern look he could manage. “There will be no such thing going on.”
“But… Los? This is big news.” He knew that, but again, he wasn’t looking for trouble right now. “We have to celebrate somehow.”
“You can take me out to dinner.” That should suffice, right? “How about that?”
“Ugh, you’re so boring.” He chuckled as she sulked, backing up from him and crossing her arms over her chest. “I don’t understand how we’re best friends.”
“Well someone has to keep your psycho ass under control.” Because lord knows that Judd wasn’t going to do it, Tommy either, and poor Grace, well she was so new to the group that she was probably terrified of some of the stuff that they got up to.
“You’re no fun.” He feigned hurt and she sighed, causing him to smile. “Can we at least do one last ridiculous thing before you join the force and become a stick in the mud?”
“I will not become a stick in the mud, thank you very much.” He wasn’t going to lose his cool, he promised.
“Right, you’re becoming more and more like your father every day.” Michelle’s eyes twinkled and he growled.
“You take those words back Michelle Ruth!” He couldn't believe she would say such a thing to him.
“Why Carlos Gabriel? Because they’re true?” Sometimes he had a hard time remembering that they were both grown adults, because they often fought like children.
“They’re not true.” He crossed his arms over his chest with a pout. “Stop being mean.”
“Fine.” She kicked her foot against the old wood porch and he couldn’t help but laugh. “What’s so damn funny?”
“You. Us.” In all honesty, he was thankful that this was such a laughable situation, the fact that neither one of them took the other too seriously is probably why they had been friends for so long. “We fight like toddlers, you know that right?”
“I know.” She finally looked up at him and then she started laughing too. “Your mom probably thinks we’re crazy.”
“Oh I don’t think it darling, I know it.” The sound of Andrea Reyes’ voice from inside the house caused them both to howl as they turned to see the older woman standing in the doorway, a huge smile on her face. “And Michelle is right Mijo, you two should go out and celebrate, have some fun.”
“But Ma…” He kind of needed his mother on his side for this one and instead she was taking Michelle’s, it wasn’t fair.
“No buts Carlito, go.” She gestured toward Michelle’s Jeep and smiled. “And she’s right about another thing too.”
“What?” Don’t say it mama, don’t say it.
“You are a lot like your father.” She said it, of course she said it, because she was often on Michelle’s side and Carlos hated it.
“See, I told you so.” Michelle moved to wrap an arm around his shoulders, escorting him down the stairs and toward the car. “I’ll have him soon Andrea! I promise.”
“No worries dear, take your time.” He rolled his eyes at his mother’s encouragement.
“You know, I was so worried that your mother wasn’t going to like me…” Really, he wondered why? “Turns out, she’s on my side a lot more often than I expected.”
“That’s because she was a troublemaker like you when she was younger.” He had been surprised to learn that detail about his mom’s earlier life.
“Ah, so that’s where your sisters get it from?” Yes, he supposed that was their excuse. “And you’re more like your father then? Less fun?”
“I am fun.” He watched as she chuckled before climbing into the driver’s seat motioning for him to join her on the other side. “I am fun.”
“Okay Carlos, whatever you say.” He climbed into the passenger seat and gave her a look which resulted in her chuckling. “Let’s hurry so we can catch the Early Bird Special and have you in bed before dark.”
“I hate you.” He huffed out, reaching over and shoving her playfully.
“I know.” But she was smiling from ear to ear, which caused him to smile too.
He knew he could never hate Michelle, because as much trouble as she may have been, she was his best friend, and that was never going to change.