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Back Salt and Sugar Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. EPILOGUE
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“We should contribute to their potluck with a cake,” Pedro continues, “maybe a bolo de rolo?”

At the sound of Sugar’s flagship recipe, I snap back to reality. He’s Pedro Molina. Not some cute, brooding boy.

“We shouldn’t bring bolo de rolo,” I say. Cintia and Victor turn to look at me. Pedro crosses his arms over his chest, eyeing me from the other side of the counter. “It’s almost June. Can’t we make something more seasonally appropriate?”

“Like something with corn? Corn cake?” Victor suggests, and Cintia nods in approval already.

“I don’t like corn,” Pedro says, flatly.

“Are you saying that just because it’s my family’s specialty?” I glare at him.

And he glares back. “No. I just don’t like it.”

“The kids will like it,” I insist, thinking of Grandma’s corn cake recipe. “It’s sure to be a success.”

“I like corn cake,” Cintia says, siding with me, and Pedro grimaces, as if witnessing his crew mutinying against his leadership.

“We’re not making corn cake for the fundraiser,” he says.

The three of us start bickering. We can hardly hear each other over all the shouting, when Victor waves his hands above his head to get everyone’s attention. “How about we make both recipes and decide which one is the best?” he suggests.

We fall silent.

“Like a bake-off?” Cintia says, already excited. “I love that idea!”

Pedro and I stare at each other. “Are you okay with that?” he asks me, the old hint of arrogance in his voice again. Like he thinks I can’t possibly win against him.

And I just can’t back out of a challenge. “Are you?”

“Alright. Let the best recipe win.” He sticks a hand out to me.

I shake it.

And I try not to think about how good it feels wrapped around mine.

29

MONDAY, MAY 30

I was so quick to jump into a challenge with Pedro, I didn’t think straight. How am I going to win a bake-off against him? I’ve never baked a corn cake before—let alone baked anything on my own. And Pedro is called the golden boy for a reason.

For the rest of the week, I considered asking Victor for help, but it just felt...wrong. We haven’t properly talked since our failed date, and I don’t want it to affect our friendship.

I’m sure Cintia would have helped me if I asked. I’ve been meaning to tell her my secret, too, and I know she also wouldn’t tattle to Pedro. But all week she’s been busy in the library, sitting down throughout recess with some of her classmates. I found out she’s the best student in her class, so I guess with the midterms coming up soon, she must be extra busy tutoring students. I didn’t want to be another reason for her to worry.