Not Even Close (A New Generation) by Elizabeth Reyes (books to read in a lifetime txt) 📗

give Manny an unamused look,before shaking her head and finished putting her shoe back on. Max turned back toManny trying to look annoyed but couldn’t help smirk. “It’s up to something,Manny. If you’re gonna make corny ass jokes at least get them right.”

“Still works my way,” Manny protested.

Just then, Max spotted Vannah. “Hey, is that Thing One, or ThingTwo? I can never tell.”

Manny turned before Vannah could respond and smiled big at her.“Hey, Sweetheart. How ya doin?” He tapped Max’s arm with disapproval. “What areyou, senile? This sweet thing is Vivianna.”

“Nope,” Vannah shook her head. “Vivianna is my cousin. UncleSal’s daughter.”

“Ha!” Max scoffed as they all started toward her and Byron. “Atleast I got the right dad. She’s one of Alex’s twins, ya old goat. I just cannever tell them apart.”

“Savannah,” she clarified as she started toward them to meet them.“But my siblings call me Vannah.”

Manny snapped his fingers as they reached her. “See, that’s whatI meant.”

“No, you didn’t,” Max said as he leaned over and hugged andkissed her.

While Manny and Max argued about it, Vannah proceeded to greetthe rest of them one by one then introduced them to Byron. “Yeah, yeah,” Mannysaid taking Byron in wide eyed. “Moe told us you was dating Beast’s brother.How ‘bout that?”

Distracted by his wife when she asked Manny to fix something onthe strap of her shoe, Max leaned in a little and lowered his voice. “My nephewsays he thinks he’s the only one that’s made the connection about your brotherand you know . . .” He lowered his voice even more. “The past. He says he’sleaving it that way.”

He winked at them and started up the stairs with his wife. “What’dhe say?” Manny asked a bit out of breath after having to bend over. “Nothing,”Max said without turning back. “Just walk.”

Vannah and Byron exchanged confused glances though she did noticeByron tense a bit. He’d openly shared with her about his brother’s shady pastand she really hoped that’s what Max meant. That they weren’t going to beholding it against Byron. Smiling, she shrugged squeezing Byron’s hand andhoped this hadn’t made him even more nervous.

They headed up to the party as Manny grilled Byron about hisbrother’s boxing matches. Vannah was more than grateful now for Byron’s famousbrother. Even yesterday the boxing talk had taken precedence over too much morepersonal questions about their relationship. Neither of these two uncles asked anythingabout it. They were far more interested in Beast and when, not if, they’dget to meet him.

As they entered the packed banquet room, Vannah started herrounds. Table by table, relative by relative, and close friends of the family,she greeted them all, then introduced them to her friend Byron. By thetime they were done she was exhausted, but she’d been right. It was far less nervewracking than yesterday. They finally reached the table where Manny, Max andtheir spouses were just settling in. They too had also been busy making therounds.

“We can sit here, or there’s room over by my parents and uncle—” Vannahstopped and smirked when Byron was instantly pulling a chair out at the tablewith the Romero’s. “Fine,” she said as she sat down on the chair heoffered her. “But you still haven’t met Uncle Romero and he’ll be sitting atthis table too, no doubt.”

“Yeah, get ready for that one,” Aunt Pat said shaking her head.

Vannah chuckled at Byron’s widening eyes though Pat didn’t elaboratefurther. Vannah asked about their kids, to which Pat explained they were at hermom’s. Uncle Romero and his wife Izzy arrived with their two oldest. Their youngertwo were also at Pat’s mom’s since she and Izzy were sisters.

Vannah and Byron were on their feet again to greet them. “I heardabout you,” Romero peered at Byron, arms crossed in front of him after the introductions.

“Dad,” his daughter Amanda said in a cautioning tone and heturned to her. “You promised.”

“What? All I said was that I heard about him.” He turnedto Vannah this time. “I also heard you’re not staying with your parents thisweekend.”

“Romero.” This time it was Izzy interrupting.

He turned to his wife. “Honey, it’s just me, her uncle, making a friendlyobservation.” He turned back to Byron. “I’m just saying, if this is how it’sgonna be, if this is what it is, I’m sure her dads already told you, butlook around. This is what you’ll be dealing with should anything go wrong, andbaby girl here sheds so much as one tear.”

Swallowing hard, Vannah turned to Byron who nodded but saidnothing. So much for less intense than yesterday. Despite her uncle Romero’sperpetual smirk, Vannah could tell he was dead serious.

Max laughed. “You do remember who his brother is, right?”

“I remember.” Romero turned back to Max then back to Vannah. “Heknow what I do for a living?”

“Yeah, I told him a little about it,” Vannah said glad she’dfilled Byron in a little more on these uncles on their way there.

“Security firm, right?” Byron offered.

“Yeah, that’s part of it. But I’m also a private investigator.”Romero’s smirk flattened before very seriously adding the next part. “I huntpeople down.” He paused staring at Byron for a moment as if to let that sinkin. Then just as fast as it’d gone flat, the smirk was back. “Anyway, you’repicking up what I’m throwing down, right?”

Amanda groaned loudly. “Oh my God! Who even says that anymore,dad?”

The wheezing laughter started up again and just like that, themood eased up. Vannah’s mom had always said Romero could have the attentionspan of a gnat and thankfully so. He went from practically threatening Byron,to happily inquiring about his brother.

Nena walked over to let Vannah know she’d be filming soon andwanted footage of each family at their tables with all the kids.

“Oh, hey that reminds me,” Manny said picking up his phone and tappingaway. “Mandy told me you collect video’s that might get your website lots ofhits. I got a couple for you.”

“Here we go.” Romero rolled his eyes.

Manny laughed standing up and walked over to them. “These aregood. Did them myself.”

Vannah was already suppressing giggling, and she hadn’t even seenthe videos. She and Nena exchanged