Read Online Bad Habit by JD Faver - Free Book Online Page B

Papa! It’s Angel
and he has a girl!”
    The back door burst open and a mob of excited people
rushed toward them.
    Teri saw a tall man who looked a
lot like Angel but sported a mustache and silver strands threaded
through his hair. He turned to extend his hand to a petite woman
with auburn hair. He held her hand as she made her way down the
steps. The younger ones surrounded the car and dragged Angel from
the interior.
    Teri grinned, watching him interact
with the people who were obviously his loving family. A lump formed
in her throat, but she swallowed down her aching lonliness and
smiled at the joy surrounding Angel Garcia. The detective’s reserve
slipped away, and he was merely a beloved son returned
home.
    He ruffled the hair of a younger version of himself.
The teenage boy flung himself at Angel and was lifted in a bear
hug. Angel turned back to the car and opened the door for Teri.
Grinning, he held his hand out to her, much as his father had
reached out for his mother.
    Teri hesitated, then placed her
hand in his and was immediately drawn into the gleeful crowd. The
smiling, curious family surrounded her.
    “ Teri, this is mi familia,” Angel
said. “They’ve just returned from Mass at the San Fernando
Cathedral.” He introduced his parents, Arturo and Isabel. Angel’s
father kissed her hand and his mother wrapped her arms around Teri,
delivering real kisses to both cheeks. Teri recalled the many air
kisses she had exchanged with people in New York too distant to be
hugged.
    “ These are my sisters, Elena,
Rosario and the little one is Esmeralda. We call her Esme. This is
my brother, Miguel but he prefers to be called Mikey.”
    “ I’m happy to meet all of you,”
Teri said. “What a great family.”
    Angel kept her hand in his while
they moved as a group up the back stairs.
    Entering through the laundry room
and passing into the kitchen, Teri was assailed with heavenly
aromas. The large gas range held several pots and the intermingled
odors made Teri’s mouth water though she was far from
hungry.
    They went through the formal dining
room with the table set for eight. Four more chairs flanked the
sideboard ready to be drawn up.
    When they arrived in the front of
the house, Teri glanced around at the array of antiques. She was
seated on a damask covered Queen Anne sofa with Angel beside her.
The others sat on upholstered antique chairs and Esme threw herself
into the space beside Angel. Six pairs of large, luminous brown
eyes gazed at Teri expectantly. She felt her cheeks start to
color.
    “ Give her a break, folks,” Angel
said.
    “ I’m sorry for our rudeness, Teri,”
Isabel said. “It’s just that Angel has never brought a girl home
before.”
    “ Mom!” Angel said.
    “ I’m sorry, Mijo, but it’s true. In
school, he had all the girls calling him and hanging around, but he
never was serious about any of them.”
    “ Oh, well...This is just--,” Teri
faltered, not sure what their relationship was after waking up in
his arms.
    “ We’re friends,” Angel
supplied.
    His sister Esme, giggled and his
mother looked disappointed. Esme and Rosario had waist length hair
that was auburn like Isabel’s, while Elena’s was dark and twisted
into a thick knot at the nape of her neck. Mikey and Angel also had
their dad’s dark hair.
    “ If I say anything more, you’ll be
counting your grandchildren,” Angel said. “Now, leave it alone.
Tell me what’s been happening here.”
    “ I have news, big brother.” Elena
held out her hand, showing off a diamond engagement
ring.
    Angel grinned. “Who among your many
admirers is the lucky man?”
    “ Charlie, of course.” She said it
with a straight face and then collapsed in a fit of
giggles.
    Angel feigned outrage. “Who does he
think he is? I haven’t approved of him marrying my
sister.”
    Arturo cleared his throat. “In your
absence, my son, I gave my approval.” He spoke with a wry grin not
unlike Angel’s.
    Angel shrugged. “Then I