Did she know about Baja?
Oh, God.Did everyone?
That couldn’t be possible. Rafael had said he didn’t want his brothers finding out about their fling.
But maybe he’d told Araceli.
Best not to think about it. A drink might ease her nerves. Since the wine had yet to be opened, she opted for punch. The liquid simmering on the stove looked a little like sangria, laden with chunks of apple, pear, and guava. She ladled the punch into a ceramic mug that resembled a grinning Santa head. The first sip filled her with a comforting warmth, flooding her taste buds with cinnamon, nutmeg, and the slightest kick of rum. Much better than her mulled wine. She’d have to ask Araceli for the recipe.
Luz passed a bowl of frosting toward her, along with a pile of lollipop sticks. “You’ll need frosting to apply the candy. But use one of the sticks rather than your fingers, or you’ll get the stuff all over yourself.”
Thank God she’d been assigned something so basic. Luz, on the other hand, was piping frosting onto the gingerbread bride, using a photo of Missy’s dress for reference. For a while Victoria worked in silence, taking great pains to apply the candy as directed. Definitely not as easy as it looked. The mini M&M’s were a bitch to work with.
From over on the couch, Ernesto rang one of the jingle bells, calling the group to attention. “Yo, can we get the game on? This movie’s boring as hell.”
Araceli glared at him. “I love this movie. Nena, turn it up.”
“What are you watching?” Victoria asked.
“The Holiday. You know—that rom-com with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz? It’s one of my top five Christmas movies.”
“’Celi, get over here,” Nena called out. “It’s your favorite part.”
“Have you seen it?” Luz asked Victoria.
She nodded. “That bit with Mr. Napkin-Head always makes me laugh.”
Araceli scooted past them and plunked on the couch next to her sister. “I love it when Iris gets to L.A. and realizes she got the better end of the swap. That mansion is amazing.”
“Can you imagine staying in a place like that for two weeks?” Nena said. “Maybe when I win the lottery, right?”
“Victoria lives in a house like that,” Araceli said. “Except bigger.”
As all eyes turned toward her, Victoria wanted to crawl under the table.
“No shit?” Nena said.
“Yeah. It’s enormous,” Araceli said. “Six thousand square feet. They have a giant wine cellar and a media room. And a pool with water features. Victoria’s brother gave me a tour.”
By now, Victoria’s cheeks felt as red as her sweater. Tonight wasn’t about her. All she’d wanted to do was drop in and help out. Instead, she was the center of attention. Should she apologize? Say something self-deprecating?
Fortunately, Ernesto spoke up. “Yo, ’Celi, you’re embarrassing her. Take it down a notch.”
“Sorry.” Araceli gave a sheepish grin. “But it was better than the house Iris stays in.”
“We should have held the decorating party there,” Nena said. “Way more room.”
Victoria could only imagine how her father would have reacted if she’d opened their house to the Sanchez clan. She wiped her forehead and addressed Luz. “Is there a bathroom I could use?”
“Sure. Down the hall. Past the bedrooms.”
“Thanks.” Victoria set her apron down and made her way to the bathroom. The walls were painted a bright aqua, decorated with colorful ceramic tiles. She splashed cold water on her face, hoping to cool down. But even after she’d gotten herself together, she wasn’t quite ready to face the group. She cracked open the door to Araceli’s bedroom and knelt on the floor, drawing the attention of Mimi. The small black cat sprawled on her back, presenting her tummy. She stroked the soft fur, eliciting a purr in response.
Another reason to get her own place. She could adopt a cat. Or an adorable kitten.
Araceli opened the door and peeked in. “Are you okay?”
She looked up. “I needed a little cat-bonding time. I don’t have any pets at home.”
