Page 167 of Love Unwritten

My heart feels like it’s shrunk to half its size. “I’m better now. I promise.”

He holds out his pinkie. “Do you swear?”

I lock my pinkie finger with his and promise before saying, “You don’t need to worry about me.”

“Papi told me it’s okay to worry about people we love because that means we care.”

My eyes mist over. “I love you too.”

“More than sour gummy worms?”

I nod. “And strawberry-lemon fizzy drinks.”

The plastic flippers on his lap fall to the floor as he jumps up and pulls me into a hug. “I love you more than pianos, superheroes, and Duke Brass.”

“Wow. That’s a lot of love from such a little guy.”

“Papi says I have the biggest heart he knows.”

Second-biggest heart to exist, right after his father’s.

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

Rafael

After a long day out on the water, snorkeling until our muscles were sore, we call for room service and eat dinner together in the suite’s dining area.

Ellie is so tired by the end of it that she can hardly keep her eyes open when she takes a seat on the couch.

Nico holds Ellie’s guitar out for her to grab. “Will you still play a song? Please.”

“How about I promise to play two songs tomorrow instead?”

“No.” Nico switches strategies by climbing onto the couch and tickling the bottom of her foot.

“Stop! I’ll seriously throw up if you do that again.”

“Mijo.” I look up from the photo I was sending to the family group chat.

“What?”

“Leave Ellie alone.”

“But she promised me.” He sticks out his bottom lip, but that strategy stopped working on me years ago.

With a sigh, Ellie sits up. “All right. One song.”

“Yay!” Nico bounces on the cushion a couple of times before settling down.

“He needs to learn no means no.”

“Good thing he has a dad who loves the word. He’ll be a pro in no time.” She grins.

I scratch my nose with my middle finger, and Ellie laughs while tuning her guitar.

My phone vibrates against my thigh, and I check the Muñoz-Lopez group chat. I sent a group of photos and a couple of videos of Nico snorkeling, hiking, and riding around on the back of an ATV with me.

TÍA