“That’s beautiful.”

I shrug. “Well it’s just a story, but it’s nice to dream about.”

“You don’t believe love can conquer anything?”

“Let’s say I’m skeptical. What about you?”

“Love conquering death? No.” He shakes his head. “But I try and live my life in a way that makes conquering death unnecessary.”

Such a Joel answer. Yolo. Except that expression only works when you’re brave and cocky enough to go after everything you want.

“Is Christian excited about the play?”

“He doesn’t totally understand, but he’s excited that I’ve allowed him to watch Coco a handful more times this month while I was trying to get the script just right.”

Talking about Christian, even in passing, feels so strange. I can’t remember the last time a guy my age made any effort to ask about him. And I never bring him up because that scares guys off faster than I can get his name out.

“And Christian’s father, is he the reason you kept turning me down?”

A laugh filters out into the night as we reach our cars, parked side by side in the lot. Mine reliable and practical and Joel’s Tesla flash and arrogance. Tonight I get to ditch practicality and pretend I belong in his world.

“No.” I tilt my head up and watch the way his face reacts to the news. Is it delight or surprise that I see? “We aren’t together. Never really were.”

“I see.” He runs his tongue over the front of his teeth and looks out over the deserted parking lot.

“Well—”

“So why then?”

I know exactly what he’s asking, but I play dumb. “Why what?”

“Why did you turn me down thirteen times?”

My insides warm. I don’t know if his tally is accurate, but the idea he’s tracked the number of times he asked me out makes me giddy.

“Because you’re Joel Moreno.”

He smirks. “That’s usually a point in the pro column.”

“Don’t act like you tried all that hard to convince me to change my mind.”

His mouth drops open. “Hell if I didn’t. I asked you out every week for nearly five months. I’ve combed through more pickup lines than a fourteen-year-old boy. I had to resort to helping you with your play, which I’m enjoying, don’t get me wrong, but just know I’m doing it to get in your pants.”

“Oh my God.” My outrage is unconvincing as I laugh at his earnest statement.

He shrugs one shoulder. “Just being honest. This is going to end with us naked.”

I want to jump him. Tell him I’ve wanted to sleep with him since the first moment he flashed me the Joel Moreno smile, but I chicken out.

“So, what’s next?”

He leads me to the passenger side of his car and opens the door. “Next, I feed you.”

When we pull up to Araceli’s, the parking lot is packed and there’s a line out the door.

“I really don’t mind if we go somewhere else,” I insist as he opens my door and takes my hand.