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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

My heart stops. Because even though this was planned, it’s still nerve-racking to see them together at the Gastronomic Society, moments before a contest they didn’t know we’d be entering. Together. But we couldn’t keep this a secret any longer. We had to make them a part of this contest, too. Because this isn’t just about fighting against Deals Deals anymore.

It’s one final attempt to bring our families together.

“There’s no going back now,” Pedro says.

Despite the worry in his voice, he grabs my hand. And I know that no matter what happens today, he’ll be by my side.

And in a way...

In a way we’ve already won.

The feud, as far as Pedro and I are concerned, is over.

48

THURSDAY, JUNE 23

Pedro and I hurry down the stage together to talk with our families.

“Please, tell me this is a prank,” Mom says when I reach her. “Tell me this whole thing is a terrible prank. The note you left saying you were entering a contest with Pedro Molina. And...this!” She glares at our entwined hands. “I told you to stay away from this boy!”

She motions like she wants to pull me away from Pedro, but I take a step back, dragging him along with me, and Mom’s hand just hangs in midair. When I don’t budge, her eyes ignite.

Pedro’s hand feels clammy in mine. “Dona Alice, I can explain—” he begins to say, but his mother is already in Mom’s face, drowning out his voice.

Pedro and I exchange a look. “I’m so sorry,” I mouth to him.

Cintia sneaks past our fighting mothers to come nudge me in the arm. “You guys are starting to attract attention. What if the judges disqualify you?”

She’s right. People have started whispering, launching us annoyed looks.

When we decided to invite our families to the contest, we knew it wouldn’t be easy. But we wanted to try to bring them closer. If they continue fighting like this and we get disqualified, we’ll end up achieving the exact opposite.

“Mom, please, let me explain,” I say. “We’re here because we wanted to show Deals Deals that we can fight back. So we made a cake together, something that matters to us.”

“What is this girl going on about, Pedro?” Dona Eulalia asks, glaring at me over Mom’s shoulder.

“Please, just listen for one second,” Pedro begs. “We figured that if we won the contest, it would help us keep the bakeries safe. Maybe the money won’t solve all our problems, but the neighborhood will at least see we’re together, and Deals Deals will, too. They’ll think twice before threatening us.”

“You know your grandfather can’t take any more of this stress,” she hisses. “We have to sell Sugar.”