Juan removed the basket from my hand and he must have dropped it next to us—I couldn’t tell. I couldn’t stop looking at his eyes as he lowered his face and kissed me.

My God, how could I have forgotten what it felt like to be in Juan’s arms? It made me realize that when other boys had kissed me in the past, it had felt as if I’d been kissing my own hand. There hadn’t been this tingling all over my body, this heat growing inside my core, this lightheadedness, this desire to be closer to him. I’d thought it was because he’d been the first man to ever kiss me, but now I knew it wasn’t that. There was something carnal, almost primitive between us that I would never be able to stop. No matter how much he embarrassed me in front of my friends. No matter how many husbands I might have. I could never stay away from him.

He pulled back abruptly, unexpectedly, and to my chagrin, he took a step back.

There was a triumphant smile on his face.

“See? You haven’t forgotten me.”

Wait, was this a game to him? If I hadn’t wanted to continue kissing him, I would’ve collected my pride and left, but I was still weakened by the effect his mouth had on mine.

“Wait, Juan, don’t leave.”

“I don’t go by Juan anymore,” he said. “There were too many Juanes at my school in Colombia. I go by my middle name now, Martin.”

CHAPTER 29 - Puri

CHAPTER 29

Puri

April 1920

When I arrived in my father’s house, my sisters were in the sewing room, the door slightly opened.

“You will never guess who I saw at church this morning,” Catalina was telling Angélica.

I stood by the window. Angélica wore a navy-blue sequin dress with a gorgeous drape that reached the floor. Catalina crouched beside her, pinning the hemline of her dress. She held a couple more pins between her lips.

“Go higher,” Angélica told her.

“I already agreed to the short sleeves, Angélica. Don’t push your luck.”

“You’re not my mother! Besides, you owe me obedience. I’m your older sister.”

No, dear Angélica, I am.

“Well, are you going to guess who I saw or not?”

“I don’t know. One of Mamá’s friends? Let’s see, who’s still alive?”

“No. None of Mamá’s friends,” Catalina said. “I saw Silvia.”

Angélica’s body stiffened, making her look even taller. Her cheeks turned red. But Catalina was oblivious to her sister’s reaction as her gaze was fixed on the hem.

“She’s a widow now and apparently she just got back,” she said.

Angélica didn’t answer.

“Like this?” Catalina showed off her work.

Angélica nodded absently.