Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
VERA
“Okay, Nyx. Are you ready for our walk now?”
I had just come in from working on the car and had come out from getting cleaned up before I asked him if he was ready. He was always ready and I knew better than to ask that question when I wasn’t ready.
He started barking enthusiastically. I smiled and got his leash ready and I threw my shoes on before we were out the door.
The weather was absolutely perfect. I was wearing a black tank top with a pair of matching basketball shorts. We didn’t need to talk about my socks-with-sandals situation. It was just a quick walk and I highly doubted I’d see Cara out.
I decided to take him to a local dog park I’d been hearing everyone at the bookstore talk about.
Drea and Blair took their dog there all the time, as did Kaia and Daisy.
I absolutely loved that their dog was named Duke.
I immediately got the Duke’s of Hazzard reference and thought it was so cool.
Cara sort of reminded me of the Daisy from the movie, only Cara was smarter and a thousand times sexier.
I pulled out my phone to text her while we walked to the park:
Me: Good Afternoon, beautiful. I’m walking Nyx and was just thinking about Duke’s of Hazzard and thought of you.
Cara: Hello. How exactly did that movie make you think of me? I’m not sure if I should be insulted or not. And why are you thinking of that movie? Did you recently watch it or something?
Me: No. We’re going to the dog park everyone goes to and I was thinking about when I first met Daisy and her dog, Duke.
Cara: Duke is so cute! So… back to this movie and its similarities to me. Should I be insulted?
Me: Absolutely not! I was just thinking about how much smarter you are than the main character from that movie. And how much hotter you are
Cara: You flatter me. Thank you, though. Thinking I’m hotter than Jessica Simpson is a compliment. Thinking I’m smarter than Jessica or Daisy Duke… undecided.
“Hey, Vera!” I looked up from my phone to see Kaia and Daisy walking toward me, waving with a little cutie at their feet.
I waved back. We had just gotten to the park, and it looked like they were heading out. They both looked adorable in similar leggings and an oversized t-shirt.
“How are you guys?” I spoke and signed at the same time. One of my cousins was deaf and I’d picked it up so I would be able to communicate with her.
“We’re good. Just leaving. It’s so good to see you. Where’s Cara?” Kaia said while also signing at the same time. She always did that when Daisy was around and I thought it was so thoughtful.
I didn’t know where Cara was, but they didn’t need to know that. If Cara and I were together, they'd think I should know where she is. I wish I knew so I could be there with her.
“It’s just me, I’m afraid. I’ve got a dinner date with my Abuela soon, so I was just taking Nyx out for a walk beforehand.”
We chatted for a few more minutes until we said our goodbyes and they turned around, hand in hand with Duke right next to Daisy. They really were so adorable together.
Nyx and I spent almost an hour at the park.
He played with other dogs and ran around like a wild animal.
After the third time of getting hit on, I figured it was time to call it a night and head back home to get ready for dinner.
The women were cute enough, and they were sweet, but I wasn’t interested.
I was with Cara and I didn’t want anyone else.
Okay, so obviously I knew I wasn’t really with her, but I was trying to be.
I knew I was wearing her down, too. That little kiss after the pickleball game with Drea and Blair was not for the act.
It wasn’t necessary, but it sent my whole body on fire.
I was so desperate to turn my head, just a sliver of an inch, to connect our mouths together, but that was against the rules.
The entire car ride home, I just stared at her, wanting to say so many things, wanting to grab her hand and feel her skin against mine, wanting to kiss her. I’d wait until after the wedding. When we weren’t pretending anymore.
After the reception, where we’d dance and bask in the high emotions of her best friend getting married, I’d tell her how I feel and beg for a chance.
Maybe I’d take her on a sunrise walk on the beach or something, really set the mood.
Maybe I’d kiss her as we watched the sunset and pour everything I had into it.
Maybe she’d give me a chance after all of that. Maybe.
“Hola, mija. I’ve missed you. You’re too busy working to see your old abuela?” I hadn’t even gotten a chance to knock on the door before it was open and I was getting a lecture.
I rolled my eyes, bringing my grandmother in for a bear hug. She was shorter than me at four foot nine, but her attitude was taller than me.
“Of course not, abuela. I’m never too busy for you. I saw you two days ago.”
“Yes, well. How have you been? Come, sit. I’ve already got dinner ready for you.”
“I’ve been good, abuela. Work has been keeping me very busy.”
“Too busy to find a girlfriend, I see.” she clicked her tongue like Mexican grandmothers did when they were ashamed of you.
I groaned. “This again? Yes, work keeps me very busy.”
“Yes, this again. You’re not getting any younger, mi amor. You need to settle down with someone. What about that woman you’re always bringing my food to? Why don’t you marry her?”
I almost choked on my water. “Woah, abuela. We are just friends.”
I didn’t even want to let those thoughts enter my mind because if they did, I was afraid of where they’d take me.
“I see. And how does your friend like my cooking? Do I need to cook more so you don’t go hungry?”
I laughed. “No, abuela. You do enough. I don’t go hungry, I promise. And yes, she says thank you. I just feel bad. She’s so busy at work, she usually only eats a salad. I want her to have protein.”
“And why does she need protein? Is she having trouble keeping up with you, mija? Did I not raise you to be a respectful woman? Let her take charge.”
If I was sipping anything, I would’ve gotten in trouble for making a mess on her table. “Abuela!” my blush was as red as her tablecloth. Those were not words a Mexican grandmother should ever say. Actually, those were not words for any grandmother to say. Ever!
She shrugged. “What? I’m no prude. I know what happens between two young women. I’ve seen the tumblr. Are you treating her right? You better be treating her right, Veronica Elena Rojas! I did not raise a disrespectful young woman!”
I laughed. “The tumblr? I don’t even want to know how you know what that is. Yes, ma’am. I am treating her right. Well, I’m trying to. We are just friends. And no, you didn’t raise me to be disrespectful.”
The look she gave me was pure pity. “Oh, I’m sorry, dear. You like her?”
I nodded. “Yes, Ma’am. I really do.”
“You bring her over. I want to meet this friend and let her know what she’s missing out on.”
I shook my head so fast. The last thing I needed was mi abuela butting in to my already complicated relationship with Cara. I didn’t want to scare her off. “Abuela—”
“Ah,” she said with a hand up, cutting off the rest of my sentence. “I want to meet this woman, Veronica. Soon! Understand?”
“Si, abuela. I’ll invite her over.”
“Good. So, what else has been going on?”
“I’ve been restoring dad’s old mustang. It’s almost drivable, I think.”
“Ah, that’s good. He loved that car, you know. Sometimes, your mother thought he loved it more than her, but I know my son. He could never have loved someone as much as he loved your mother.”
I smiled, forcing myself not to let a tear fall.
My parents had been gone since before I graduated high school.
My mother was still alive, but I didn’t care to find out where she was.
After my dad died when I was thirteen, she took off and left me and my abuela to survive on our own.
She took the boys with her and said I was too much to handle.
Thankfully, most of them moved back to town after starting their own lives in college. Carlos had his family in Arizona, but we still kept in touch and visited each other every now and then.
We sat and talked some more about my parents before I politely told her I needed to get going. I loved spending time with my abuela, but it was getting a little late and I wanted to help her clean up from dinner before I left.
She smiled and demanded I take some leftovers to my new “friend” after I cleaned up the kitchen. I agreed and we said our goodbyes.
On my way home, I couldn’t help but think about Cara.
I was nervous to invite her to my abuelas for dinner.
What would she say? Would she think it’s too serious?
Would she say no? Or worse, would she say yes and I’d have to sit through a dinner of my abuela embarrassing me and showing her my naked baby pictures.
Hopefully, everything worked out and nothing bad happened.