That wasn’t what he wanted to hear. It made him think the contents weren’t good. “Did you tell me everything you just said now?”
She shook her head. “I told you that my mom had come for me, but that I didn’t know where we were going. I said that I was sorry for going back on my word, but that I didn’t think there was anything to talk about anyway, because we clearly wanted different things. I told you that it would be the last you heard from me, because I needed to let you go. I wished you the best and then I said goodbye.”
He’d suspected as much, but hearing it from her mouth made it real. It also made him mad. He’d deserved more than that, no matter what she thought of him at the time. “You never had any intention of talking when we got back,” he said. “You just agreed so I would stop begging. You were already done with me when I left. The moment I didn’t back down and decide to stay, I was discarded from your life.”
She didn’t disagree with him.
“Right.” He stood.
“Saint,” she began.
“No,” he cut her off. He didn’t think he could handle any more painful revelations at the moment. “I get it. You were protecting yourself. You have every right to do so.”
“I know but—”
“Look, Lola, I know I made mistakes, especially with us. But I’m hoping that we can leave that in the past. We are in different places now. I’d like for us to be friends, and I do want to help with El Hogar.”
“Friends,” she murmured.
He couldn’t tell if she thought it was a good or bad thing.
“I’d like that,” she finally said. “If you’re sure that you can leave everything in the past.”
“I can,” he said, even though deep down he wasn’t sure he could.
9
Lola leaned against the back of the wooden bench and lifted her face to the waning sunlight. She tried to let the heat release the tension in her back and neck, but it didn’t work. Her mind was still on the news she’d received earlier that day. Another trial. This time for murder.
All this time she thought Iván was going to get out soon—he’d only been sentenced to a few years for theft and drug possession—but it turned out the police had never stopped investigating her dad or brother. They wanted to make an example out of them, to put them away for life, and they’d found the way to do it. Lola didn’t really care about her dad going away for life, good riddance to him, but Iván?
She cared a lot about her older brother going to prison for life. He was only twenty-three years old and unlike her father, he wasn’t a ruthless criminal. He was stuck. He always had been. Their father had groomed his son to take his place in that world since her brother was a preteen. And Iván had let him because as long as all of Papi’s focus was on Iván, none of it would fall on her. Iván had done his very best to keep her safe from their father’s dark moods and cruel words. Lola loved him for it.
She loved her brother so much that just the thought of him paying for their father’s sins broke her heart. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths for a long minute, but it still didn’t work. She felt a tear slip out the corner of her eye and down her cheek.
“What’s wrong, Canela?” asked the voice she’d quickly come to adore more than any other sound in the world. “Why are you crying?” A strong arm wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her into a hard chest.
“I’m not crying,” she retorted even as she felt more moisture trail down her cheeks. “I don’t cry.”
“Okay,” Saint soothed. “You’re not crying.” Hands cupped her face and wiped the tears off her cheeks.
Lola opened her eyes and met the gaze of her own personal saint. His deep brown eyes looked lighter in the sunlight, but the warmth in them was the same warmth she always felt whenever he looked at her. She felt her heart pick up pace. She still couldn’t believe that this guy was her boyfriend. Her boyfriend! She, who could count on one hand the number of males she trusted and not even fill that hand.
“I’m glad you aren’t crying,” he said. “It’s your birthday and nothing is more important than you today.”
If only he knew that birthdays were never a big deal in the León household, not since her mom disappeared. Her dad had forced her to have a quince, but that was more about him flaunting his money and his power. It hadn’t been about Lola at all. She’d done it, but she might as well have been a Barbie her dad was playing with. It meant nothing to her. Lola shrugged. “It really isn’t a big deal,” she told Saint.
“Your birthday is a big deal to me,” Saint argued. “It’s the day I get to celebrate the fact that you’re on this earth.”
Seriously, who was this kid? Since the moment they met, he’d surprised her with the things he said. He was so sweet and considerate. Borderline cheesy, but Lola liked it. She felt oddly safe with him, which was crazy because, of everyone in her life, he had the most power to hurt her.
“Is that why you brought me here?” She gestured to the park and the Buckingham Fountain in front of them.
He nodded. “I thought we could have a picnic.” He grabbed the big backpack next to him and set it on his lap. “I brought you a tripleta sandwich and some yuca frita.” He pulled a big paper bag out. “There’s also a Kola Champagne in there.” He tried to hand it to her, but Lola made no move to take it.
Lola just stared at the bag in his hands and fought back more tears. He was the sweetest. He was always doing nice things for her and trying to take care of her. No one had ever done that for her before. Sure Iván had done his best to keep her safe and Benny provided all of the necessities, but no one had ever gone out of their way just to make her happy.
God, she loved him so much and she had no idea how to show him.
