BooksBarbecue
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

He looks at me, a fierce expression in his eyes. “What do you want? Are you here to apologize for your mother and let me know Salt is butting out? If not, there’s nothing I want to hear from you.”

My throat goes raw. But I’m not chickening out now.

“I want us to be mediators between our mothers.”

“What?”

“To ensure they can work together,” I explain.

I hate that he’s already laughing. But I push forward. “Deals Deals is coming after Salt and Sugar. I wouldn’t ask if this weren’t urgent, but we have to do something.”

My words only make him even more indignant. He squints at me like he can’t quite believe this conversation is even happening. “Don’t assume you know what goes on at Sugar,” he says. “Do me a favor and only speak to me when absolutely necessary at the club this afternoon, alright?”

“Pedro, wait.” I put a hand on his shoulder to stop him, and he flinches like I just burned him. “Sorry, I... We need this job, too. If we can’t pay our bills, I worry... No... I’m... I’m certain that Deals Deals will back us into a corner. Correct me if I’m wrong, but if you guys also rely on this job to keep Deals Deals away, shouldn’t we... I mean... Shouldn’t you and I do our best to make it work?”

“Sugar was just fine until your mother sabotaged us,” he says.

“That’s not what you said the other day.”

He frowns. “You misheard me.”

“Why are you acting like nothing is going on?”

“Because nothing is going on,” he shoots back.

I’m getting tired of this endless ping-pong match between us.

“Nothing is going on?” I cross my arms. “Then why is your grandfather furiously throwing pastries around at Deals Deals? Why is your mother shouting in the middle of the street that she’d rather sell Sugar than work with my mother?” My shoulders slump. I don’t know how else to convince him. At least he’s still waiting at the door, even if he’s not looking at me. “You and I both know this job is important. Our families rely on it. And now the client says she’ll pay more if our mothers work together... I... I’ll admit I didn’t personally agree with Mom’s decision to bake pastries, but we were desperate. Pedro, without this job, we’re both left at the mercy of Deals Deals. And they’re not merciful.”

He finally turns to face me, looking me dead in the eye.

“Would you help me, if I were the one coming to you with this idea?”

His question hits like a ton of bricks.