Chapter 64

Ramon POV

The evening had taken on a comfortable, chaotic rhythm that seemed to be the baseline for any Navarro family gathering. After hours of swimming and playing, the kids were starting to show signs of exhaustion—the kind of wild, manic energy that came right before the inevitable crash.

My mother, in her infinite wisdom, had declared it pizza night, which meant no formal dinner, no elaborate cooking, just boxes and boxes of pizza delivered from the family’s favorite place in town.

The kids had claimed the media room, sprawled across bean bags and couches with their pizza slices and juice boxes, some cartoon movie playing on the massive screen. The adults had taken over the main living area, settling into the comfortable furniture with our own pizza and—for those of us not driving—generous glasses of wine.

I’d positioned myself where I could keep an eye on both rooms. Lake was wedged between Troy and Michelle on one of the sofas, looking more rela