Chapter 2
two
Natalia
Alma looks like she’s ready to burst when I walk into work the next morning.
“Ma’am, I already told you. I can’t fill out this paperwork for you. You need to talk to a social worker for that.”
The woman sitting in the computer lab waves her hand at the screen. “I don’t know how to do this computer stuff.”
“Then you need to speak to a social worker.”
“But I need this done now. The social worker doesn’t have any more availability until July…” I give Alma an encouraging look and walk into the staff office, punching in and locking away my stuff before taking my seat at the front desk.
Working at a library is the last place I thought I’d end up…but I like the idea of helping people. Even if it’s something small, like helping a kid with their homework.
Or helping a surly elderly woman book an appointment with a social worker.
Alma gives me a grateful look when I step in and help the lady in the computer lab, giving her a bright smile and helping her email her social worker.
“We can’t handle anything with your personal information. It’s to prevent identity theft.” I look over my shoulder dramatically before leaning in and whispering, “There’s a city policy and everything. Don’t ask me how it came up.”
She looks at me with wide eyes before turning to face the computer without another peep.
When I return and sit beside Alma at the desk, my friend has her face buried in her hands, a halo of coiling curls around her head.
Alma had a date last night. And I love to live vicariously through her.
“That bad?”
“Oh, my God. Where do I start?” Alma takes a deep breath and stares off into the distance, like she’s really not sure which grievance is the worst.
“Was he cute, at least?”
Her face falls. “The picture Tia Marcia sent me has to be like, ten years old. She showed me a soldier. A sexy soldier in uniform, with guns!” I grin and shake my head, already knowing exactly where this is going.
“Then this guy shows up…I didn’t even recognize him.
I thought he was lost. But no! Not once did he mention how he looked nothing like his picture.
And then the whole date, he’s just talking about himself.
Not anything interesting, either. Just complaining about his ex-wife and how horrible she is.
The check comes, and does he offer to pay for holding me hostage as his therapist for an hour and a half?
No! So we split the bill. Natalia, I’m Puerto Rican. I don’t do that.”
I can’t contain the snort.
“Then, finally, he decides to be a gentleman by walking me to my car. Little did I know, he only did it to plant his disgusting mouth on me!”
“No!”
“Oh, yes. It was the most disgusting, wet, desperate kiss I’ve ever had.” Alma makes a gagging sound. “I can’t think about it too hard or I’ll throw up. I swear.”
“What did you do?”
“I told him to get the hell away from me before I screamed, and then I called my aunt and told her if she ever tried setting me up with anyone again, I’d tell all her internet friends about the BBL she got in Tijuana two years ago.
” She shakes her head and reaches for a stack of books fresh out of the drop box to check in.
“You’d think dating in LA would be like, being at the front of the line at the buffet. Somehow, it’s worse here than it is in rural Arkansas!” She hisses the last part, her eyes trailing to the large office upstairs where the rest of the staff is sitting.
“You haven’t dated in rural Arkansas.” I point out, but Alma is too busy looking at something outside. I turn, following her gaze, slowly climbing to my feet at the familiar shadow entering the building.
Dom grins shamelessly when the automatic doors swoop open, holding up a box of pastries and plopping them down on the desk.
“Hey!” I glance at the white box curiously. “Are those pastries from…?” I peek inside, my eyes widening when I catch a glimpse of croissants from our favorite bakery.
My landlady’s grandson grins at me. “Yeah, it’s my turn to buy breakfast for the squad, and I remembered how you loved their croissants.”
I slide the box closer towards me, smiling extra hard at a pistachio croissant with my name on it. “Wow. You shouldn’t have, Dom. Really.”
“Eh, you’re on the way to the precinct.” He stretches, the soft fabric of his LAPD t-shirt stretching over broad shoulders.
“You’re the best.” And when I say that, I mean it. Because Dom was part of the SWAT squad that saved Sylvia’s life when she was kidnapped.
Something grazes my arm, and I turn to find Alma hovering over my shoulder.
“This is my co-worker, Alma.”
“Just your co-worker?” She teases. “I just told you about my freak show of a date. Surely, that elevates me friend status.” Well, she’s not wrong there…
“Dom, this is my friend, Alma. Alma, Dom is my landlady’s nephew.” He opens his mouth, and I cut him off. “He saved my sister’s life. So…I guess you can say he’s my friend, too.” Geez. I have a lot of friends today.
“Nice to meet you.” The young man waves over my shoulder, a gleam of interest in his gaze as he checks out Alma. “Dating in LA, hm? I got some horror stories of my own.”
“Oh?” Alma tries not to look too interested, but takes a step closer to us.
My eyes swing between them, dread pooling in my stomach at the picture that becomes startlingly clear before me.
Oh, no. No, no, no.
“Dom, can I talk to you for a second?”
“Oh…uh…” I come around the desk and drag him into the stacks before he protests, glaring at him as a handful of students squeeze past us.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Um…my nice deed of the day so I don’t get shot in the field? I’m serving four warrants today.”
“I’m talking about you being two seconds away from asking Alma out, playa!” I hiss, pinching his arm.
“Ow, will you stop that?! I’m one of the good guys.”
I snort. “I’ve seen the rotation you bring to your grandmother’s. You are not dating her, Dom! This is my job. And she’s my friend. I’m not going to let you hurt her.”
“Who says I’m going to hurt her? I’m looking for love.”
“Really? News flash—just because love lives in the heart doesn't mean you go shoving your face in every pair of boobs you come across!”
Dom clutches a hand to his chest. “You are so mean.”
“Oh, cry me a river.” I’ve seen his type, and I’m not letting him within ten feet of my only friend.
“You know, all of the guys on the squad are terrified of your sister, but I know the truth. It’s always the nice ones that are psychos.” He whispers, holding up his hands when I push him towards the door. “I can’t believe Abuela wants me to date you. She thinks you’re a ‘nice girl’.”
“Bullying a player like you is my nice deed of the day, Dom. Now, on you go.”
“Wait! Abuela has a doctor’s appointment this afternoon and I have a warrant to serve. Can you pick her up?”
“Ah. So that’s why you dropped off a box of croissants?”
He shrugs. “What’s life without a little ulterior motive?”
“Fine, I’ll take a long lunch and pick her up. Text me the details.”
“You’re a saint, Natalia.” He gives me a quick hug and clutches his phone, shooting a quick wave at Alma before scurrying to work.
“Why did you scare off the hot man? Is this your way of telling me you actually hate me?” Alma sulks when I get back in my seat.
“Trust me, I’m doing you a favor. Dom is a lifetime of therapy in a shiny package.”
Alma grumbles, but her lips twitch. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you want him for yourself.”
“Nope. I like my sanity.” Dom is too charismatic for me. Besides, I never, ever want to hurt the way I did again.
“You’re a mystery to me, Natalia.”
“Hm?”
Alma holds up a finger. “Well, you’re pretty, funny, sweet, single…”
“Is this your way of coming on to me?”
“…And you’ve never once talked about dating.” She finishes, scanning a couple of recently returned books and giving me a look.
“Oh, God. Not you too. My sister is on my ass about dating.”
“Maybe it’s because you’re a catch, and all you do is go home and waste away.”
Alma doesn’t look at me with pity. Maybe that’s why it’s easier to talk to her.
“I just…am still getting over a big breakup.” I sigh, hating the fact that I’m still not over what happened after four years. “I just don’t have it in me to get back on the horse, you know?”
“Is that what this is about?” She takes a step closer. “No one is ever really ready. At least, I don’t think so. But if you spend your whole life waiting to be ready for something…are you really living?”
I glance at the clock. “Isn’t it too early for existential conversations?”
“Look, all I’m saying is that you don’t have to be ready to fall in love. You can just be ready to…have fun.”
I snort.
“Not in a weird sexual way, you pervert. Stop reading all that smut, it’s going right to your brain.”
“Alright, fine. Where do I start, Dating Sensei?”
She gives me a coy smile. “Maybe with that cutie that just dropped off a forty-dollar box of pastries for you, hm?” I look down at the croissants.
“He’s like a brother to me.” Alma slides me a look. “Ok, fine. I’ll…make an attempt to be nice to him.”
“There we go. That wasn’t so hard, was it?” I give her a fake smile, ignoring the voice inside me screaming that all of this is wrong.