him. “What was that for?” he asked.
“For being the man I always thought you were,” she said.
He smiled softly, and kissed her back.
“If you two are done,” came Cristina’s strident tone from the bottom of the barn. “I’m going to make bacon and eggs and hash browns. Sound good to you two lovebirds? I have a hell of a hangover, and I am not driving until I’ve eaten.”
Ali’s eyes met Alejandro’s, and they giggled like teenagers. “We’ll be down in just a little bit,” Ali said. “Sorry. Thank you!”
“Uh-huh,” Cristina said, but there was a quiet laugh in her tone that Ali hadn’t heard in a long time. She heard the barn door close as Cristina left, and she saw Alejandro sigh.
“Guess it’s my turn to take my medicine,” he said.
They dressed, folded up the blankets, and headed back into the house. Cristina, true to form, had three burners on the stove going as she turned out food like only a mother could. As soon as Alejandro walked back into the house, she started speaking in rapid Spanish. He nodded and took it, whatever it was. Ali tried to catch her eye, but Cristina skillfully avoided her, and she was left with nothing but Alejandro’s “ si” and “ no ” at regular intervals. She could guess at most of it, though.
They ate. Cristina was more pleasant than Ali had expected, smiling and teasing Alejandro. She didn’t mention Bobby, didn’t subtly hint at the downsides to this new, more formal relationship between her best friend and her cousin, and she didn’t give either of them the nasty glares that had been her mode of operation whenever they were together for a decade. After they’d all eaten, and Cristina pronounced her headache cured, she kissed both Ali and her cousin, and left.
“What was all that, when we came back in?” Ali asked Alejandro as he turned to start washing dishes.
“Standard stuff. Hurt my friend and I’ll cut off your verga with a dull knife. Blah blah blah. It’s sweet she cares.”
Ali set about fixing herself another cup of coffee. “You’re not worried?”
“Should I be?” He met her gaze levelly. “As long as you tell me when I’ve screwed something up—because I will, I’ve never tried doing this long-term thing in my life—and give me a chance to fix it, my dick should be perfectly safe. And I think that’s good for both of us.” He flicked soapy water at her, and she shrieked, protecting her coffee. “You seem to like him, after all.”
She let the laughter sparkle up into her eyes, and she shrugged. “You did okay, I guess.”
“Okay!” He flicked water at her again, indignant, and then grabbed for her. She ducked away and ran for the living room. He caught her by the arm and pulled her into his grip. “I’ll show you ‘okay, I guess,’” he said, pressing her lips down to hers.
She wrapped her arms around her neck, and kissed him back for everything she was worth.
Epilogue
When I met Alejandro, no one was worried at first. Everyone assumed it was a standard bad boy phase, and I’d get over it. Even my parents, my mother, said not to worry, that eventually I’d find someone better suited for me.
What they never realized was that Alejandro was perfectly suited to me. To my independent spirit, my lust for life, my crazy joy in sunrises and sunsets. Bobby was perfect for who they wanted me to be—but then, I wasn’t ever going to be that girl anyway, no matter how hard they tried to make me into her.
When I leave Gran’s ranch, I’m sad, of course, but I know I’ll be back. Sooner or later, Mama will start speaking to me again, and I’ll need a place to stay when I come visit her.
Sheriff Hennesy left office after a visit from the Attorney General of Texas, according to Cristina. His dirty deeds aren’t public knowledge, but Travis assures me that he will not be in a position of power like that ever
“For being the man I always thought you were,” she said.
He smiled softly, and kissed her back.
“If you two are done,” came Cristina’s strident tone from the bottom of the barn. “I’m going to make bacon and eggs and hash browns. Sound good to you two lovebirds? I have a hell of a hangover, and I am not driving until I’ve eaten.”
Ali’s eyes met Alejandro’s, and they giggled like teenagers. “We’ll be down in just a little bit,” Ali said. “Sorry. Thank you!”
“Uh-huh,” Cristina said, but there was a quiet laugh in her tone that Ali hadn’t heard in a long time. She heard the barn door close as Cristina left, and she saw Alejandro sigh.
“Guess it’s my turn to take my medicine,” he said.
They dressed, folded up the blankets, and headed back into the house. Cristina, true to form, had three burners on the stove going as she turned out food like only a mother could. As soon as Alejandro walked back into the house, she started speaking in rapid Spanish. He nodded and took it, whatever it was. Ali tried to catch her eye, but Cristina skillfully avoided her, and she was left with nothing but Alejandro’s “ si” and “ no ” at regular intervals. She could guess at most of it, though.
They ate. Cristina was more pleasant than Ali had expected, smiling and teasing Alejandro. She didn’t mention Bobby, didn’t subtly hint at the downsides to this new, more formal relationship between her best friend and her cousin, and she didn’t give either of them the nasty glares that had been her mode of operation whenever they were together for a decade. After they’d all eaten, and Cristina pronounced her headache cured, she kissed both Ali and her cousin, and left.
“What was all that, when we came back in?” Ali asked Alejandro as he turned to start washing dishes.
“Standard stuff. Hurt my friend and I’ll cut off your verga with a dull knife. Blah blah blah. It’s sweet she cares.”
Ali set about fixing herself another cup of coffee. “You’re not worried?”
“Should I be?” He met her gaze levelly. “As long as you tell me when I’ve screwed something up—because I will, I’ve never tried doing this long-term thing in my life—and give me a chance to fix it, my dick should be perfectly safe. And I think that’s good for both of us.” He flicked soapy water at her, and she shrieked, protecting her coffee. “You seem to like him, after all.”
She let the laughter sparkle up into her eyes, and she shrugged. “You did okay, I guess.”
“Okay!” He flicked water at her again, indignant, and then grabbed for her. She ducked away and ran for the living room. He caught her by the arm and pulled her into his grip. “I’ll show you ‘okay, I guess,’” he said, pressing her lips down to hers.
She wrapped her arms around her neck, and kissed him back for everything she was worth.
Epilogue
When I met Alejandro, no one was worried at first. Everyone assumed it was a standard bad boy phase, and I’d get over it. Even my parents, my mother, said not to worry, that eventually I’d find someone better suited for me.
What they never realized was that Alejandro was perfectly suited to me. To my independent spirit, my lust for life, my crazy joy in sunrises and sunsets. Bobby was perfect for who they wanted me to be—but then, I wasn’t ever going to be that girl anyway, no matter how hard they tried to make me into her.
When I leave Gran’s ranch, I’m sad, of course, but I know I’ll be back. Sooner or later, Mama will start speaking to me again, and I’ll need a place to stay when I come visit her.
Sheriff Hennesy left office after a visit from the Attorney General of Texas, according to Cristina. His dirty deeds aren’t public knowledge, but Travis assures me that he will not be in a position of power like that ever
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