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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

PC, Victor, and Cintia look at me like they agree we should give it a try. I see the surprise in Pedro’s eyes, too. Because he knows I’m right. I’m shocked I was able to think of it before he did, and a sense of pride washes over me. This time, I wasn’t pretending to know what I’m doing—it was a real suggestion. I almost feel like an actual cook as I watch the leaves fall into the pot.

Pedro swallows another spoonful and smiles, his eyes catching mine. And I realize that despite the feud and all our bickering, if Pedro and I can find common ground in these moments, bonding over delicious food, our alliance is intact. I don’t want to get my hopes up, but for the first time in a while, I feel safe against Deals Deals.

25

MONDAY, MAY 16

When we’re done packaging quentinhas, we all head to the parking lot to make our way to Vozes. Everyone makes a beeline for the row of bicycles chained to the side of the building. And I realize there are only four bicycles...and five of us.

“Wait,” I whisper to Cintia. “We’re not taking the bus or something?”

“We’ll bike.”

“But I don’t have a bicycle.”

“You don’t? Guys, Lari will need—”

She’s barely announced my predicament when Victor rides up to me.

“I can give you a ride,” he offers, and Pedro’s bicycle makes a horrible screeching sound when he stops next to us.

“Ooh, looks like we got ourselves a Prince Charming,” PC teases, and I’m blushing so hard I wish I could dig a hole through the pavement and hide there forever.

“Thank you.” I take Victor’s hand, who helps keep me steady as I sit down behind him, the box clutched under my left arm. “You’re lucky it’s your last day,” I mouth to PC, gesturing like I’d kick him otherwise.

“Make sure you hang on to your box,” Victor says to me.

“I promise it’s safe.”

“I trust you.”

His words fill my chest with butterflies. I really can’t tell if he’s flirting with me, or if he’s just a nice person. Regardless, I’m not mad about being so close to a guy as cute and kind as Victor.

“Ooh, there she goes blushing again!” PC announces.

Cintia gives him a stern look. “That’s enough.”

“What did I do?” He shrugs.

I catch Pedro staring at me, and his scowl scares off the butterflies. “Lead the way,” he says to me, making it sound like I’m holding everyone back.

I explain to them what streets we should take to get to Vozes. And, of course, because Pedro has to make my life difficult no matter what, he argues about the fastest way to get there.

“We should go through Avenida Coqueirais instead,” he says.