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

The whole room seemed to hold their breath at once, as theycontinued to listen. The standoff was over now, and the guy had been taken intocustody, but it wasn’t clear if there were any injuries, or God forbid,fatalities.

They broke away from the story suddenly to report on the death ofa popular daytime soap star. “What the fuck?” Her dad echoed Byron’ssentiments exactly. “I don’t give a shit about that,” he roared doing a doubletake when he glanced a Byron. “You crying, boy?”

Not until that moment had Byron realized terrified tears hadescaped him. They all stared at him and he glanced away swatting them away,though even their staring didn’t slow or stop the tears from coming.

“Alright,” Sal said lifting a hand. “Everybody just calm down. Wedon’t know anything yet. They haven’t even—”

The front door opened and like a God sent miracle, Savannahwalked in. Just as Xochitl had when she’d walked in, she froze at the sight ofall of them. Before anyone else could, Byron rushed to her and wrapped his armsaround her tightly. Even having her in the safety of his arms knowing she wasfine, didn’t stop the fucking tears, but he didn’t care at that point. He wasjust beyond relieved that she was okay. “Jesus Christ, Savannah. I was soscared.”

He knew kissing her there in front of her dad and uncles, especiallyif she pushed him away given their last conversation was suicide, but he waswilling to take the chance. Pulling away from her, he cradled her face in hishands, as she stared up at him with a stunned expression. But at least itwasn’t a disgusted, angry, or even a hurt one, so he went for it. He pecked hersoftly, sweetly and she was all for it. She even smiled pecking him back.Though Byron knew better than to go for any deeper kisses.

“Where you’ve been?” her dad asked, his own terrorized tone fromearlier now sounding a bit annoyed.

“There.” She pointed at the television that had gone back toreporting on the school shooting and Byron finally let her go. Turning to Byronwho was still swatting tears away, she touched his face as if she alreadyunderstood why he’d be so upset. “I would’ve called if I’d had my phone, but Ileft it here.” Her dad lifted it with a frown, to show her they’d alreadyfigured out that much. “I don’t have anyone’s phone numbers memorized, and Ididn’t even think to Google and call the restaurants until about a half hourago, but no one answered. I called all three.”

“We closed them all early to rush down here when we heard thenews and couldn’t get a hold of you,” Sal explained. “Your aunts are with yourmom and Sienna, helping Gordo calm them.

“Yeah, she’s fine.” Her dad was already explaining to his wife onthe phone.

Savannah explained about not even being in the same room as theshooter, just the same building, but they’d gone on lockdown after the shot washeard, and they didn’t let anyone out until they had him in custody.

“Who did he shoot?” Angel asked.

“No one.” She shook her head. “I heard someone say the gun wentoff on accident.”

“You see, this is why you can’t believe shit on the newsanymore.” Angel turned to her dad. “I didn’t wanna say anything earlier becauseyou were already so worried, but I’d heard one channel reporting that theymight be dealing with a mass school shooting.”

Everyone in the room hugged Savannah one by one, and Byron wasalready wondering how in the world he’d tear himself away from her once thedust settled.

“You always leave your door unlocked?” her father asked with ascowl as he pulled away from her.

Savannah winced, exchanging glances with Xochitl. “We’ve beenknown to rush out sometimes and forget to lock it. But there’s security outfront.”

“Not always.” Her dad countered with an even more severe scowl.“We walked right in because no one was there when we got here.”

The lecture she got from her dad and uncles about safetyand the importance of locking not just her door, but all her windows was muchappreciated by Byron. Savannah promised she’d be more diligent about locking everythingfrom here on.

All said and done, much to Byron’s relief Savannah said she’dsave the trip down to La Jolla for the morning. “If it’s all the same to youdaddy, I’m exhausted and it’s safe to say mom’s dinner’s a wash anyway, right?”

Thankfully, he didn’t argue. Byron and Savannah walked them out.“You guys go ahead.” Mr. Moreno told his brothers and Taz. “I’ll be right there.”He turned to Savannah but placed a hand on Byron’s shoulder. “Give us a moment,sweetheart.” The instant alarm in Savannah’s face wasn’t missed and her dad’sface soured. “He’ll be fine.”

She nodded, saying nothing before kissing her dad goodbye on thecheek, then wincing at Byron. Her father waited until she’d gone into her dormbut started toward the parking lot. Byron walked alongside him bracing himself,as he remembered the lethal probing earlier. “Look, I don’t need to know whatit is that upset her anymore. Obviously, she’s over it and it’s clear you reallycare about her.”

“I’m in love with her, sir. Have been almost since I met her.”

Alex stopped and stared at him for a moment blankly, as ifletting that sink in. “Well, I guess if anyone’s gonna date my baby girl, hebetter be in love with her. Lowers the odds of his hurting her, and me endingup in prison.”

“I’d never hurt her,” Byron said with conviction. “What she wasupset about earlier was something that happened before her and I had made thingsofficial. Before I knew I even had a chance of anything serious with her. Butever since things changed, I promised her, like I promised you before and I’mpromising you again, I would never hurt her.”

Her dad searched Byron’s eyes for a silent moment, as if lookingfor any insincerity. “Good to know. And believe it or not, son, I like you. Theidea of her having someone who’s looking out for her now that she’s so far fromhome, had grown on me. But I’ll especially