BooksBarbecue
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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

I can’t hold back the tears.

His eyes glisten, and he looks off to the side. I know he hates showing vulnerability.

“Look at me,” I say, and he looks up, his jaw clenched so tightly like even making eye contact is painful. “There was no plan against your family. I’d never do anything to hurt you or lie to you like that. I didn’t know this, but my mom stayed in communication with Deals Deals because she wanted to know what her options were. She was scared. We all are. But she hasn’t signed any contracts. Nothing. And I didn’t tell you about the business card because I was worried your mom would find out and think exactly what she does now. You know your mom—”

“Larissa, the worst isn’t even that you lied to me,” he says, looking drained. “It’s that after everything we went through together, you’re still biased against my family. How does that saying about us go...?” He coughs to clear his throat. “Trust neither thin-bottomed frying pans nor Molinas, isn’t that right?”

I nod yes, my throat so knotted I can’t breathe.

He chuckles sadly. “Was I ever anything more to you than just another untrustworthy Molina?”

Before I can answer, he storms out of the kitchen.

I hide my face behind my hands, but I can’t stop the tears. I don’t know how long I stay like that until I hear shuffling in front of me. I look up with a gasp, hoping he’s back, but I see PC, Victor, and Cintia instead through blurry eyes.

PC tilts my chin up gently so I look at him. “I’ll admit we eavesdropped a little. Sorry. But let me tell you this. Time will heal things. You’ve come a long way already, haven’t you? Give him time.”

“No.” I shake my head. “It’s not just any fight. This time I really blew it. I betrayed his trust.”

“He’ll forgive you,” Victor echoes.

“Time has never healed anything between our families,” I say. “It’s only made things worse.”

Cintia looks at me carefully, scrutinizing my face. “You’ve fallen for him, haven’t you?” she asks.

“I love him,” I admit, the words coming out natural and true.

They look at each other, smiling.

“Then what are you still doing here?” PC nudges me in the arm, like when he used to push me toward the stove. This time, he’s nudging me out the door. “Go after him!”

43

MONDAY, JUNE 20

I run through the school corridors trying to find Pedro, until I realize that he may have left the building completely.

I rush to the parking lot, despite the pouring rain. His bicycle is still chained by the gate, but the back tire is flat. If he’s headed home, he’ll have to take the bus.

I turn around and race to the bus stop.