Chapter Six #2
Social media was the worst. Why was her ex so obsessed with it? He had been so passionate in college about wanting to become his own man. It saddened her that after he left her, he just abandoned his dreams and joined his father’s business.
“Yes—he came by, but I kicked his sorry ass out. Worse yet, the critic saw me yelling at him and left! I’m so fucked.”
Zoila put her hand over her chest. “Oh no, that sucks. Can you call the critic back and explain?”
Alma shook her head. “Doubtful. It took months for him even to consider coming.”
“I’m so sorry, girl. That blows.”
“It does.” She paused. She didn’t want to obsess over him, but she couldn’t let it go. “Jaime wanted to talk. Can you believe that?”
“Yeah. I can. But girl, he’s so fucking hot. I don’t care that he’s your ex. At least fuck him. Then ghost him. Give him some of his own medicine.”
Zoila had a point. One round, or two, or ten, with Jaime would leave Alma satisfied for months. But she couldn’t. He wasn’t just a one-night stand that she could fuck and forget.
She actually had loved him. Deeply.
“Hard no.”
Zoila grinned and her painted-blue lips pursed. “How hard?”
Alma rolled her eyes. Zoila was wild. Why couldn’t Alma be more like her? “Basta. Not happening.”
“Shit, girl. Where is the Alma I used to know?”
She winced. That Alma vanished once she threw herself into her business.
“She’s dead. I’m a drag.”
Zoila squeezed Alma’s hand. “Sorry—that was harsh of me, but it’s true.
You’ve changed. You’re so serious now, and that’s a good thing.
You’re focused and determined and you’re running a groundbreaking business right here.
But if you did want to slow down, take some time for you every now and then… that would be okay too.”
“You’re right. I’ll try to be more spontaneous.” She paused. Her life was all work now and no play. “It’s just so difficult.”
“Well, don’t be selfish. At least hook me up with Santi. He’s fine and loaded.”
Both were true statements. Alma knew Santi well—after Jaime dumped her, Santi stuck around for a bit to make sure Alma was okay.
And he never hit on her, which was cool because she would never date her ex’s best friend and she was sure Santi would also never date his best friend’s ex.
Santi wasn’t a player like Jaime, but Santi was also a workaholic and didn’t want to settle down. Ever.
And Zoila just wanted to have fun.
Not to mention Santi was superconservative and Zoila was anything but. Santi spent his days making millions on apps, and she taught bilingual education at a school in the Canal that didn’t even have computers.
“Can’t. Never seeing Jaime again, so I won’t see Santi. And you can’t hang with one and not the other—they are like tequila and lime.”
Zoila shook her head, but her perfectly coiffed hair didn’t move. “Gah. You’re no fun. And mind you, Jaime doesn’t live here, so they wouldn’t be around each other all the time. I’m patient. I’ll wait…” She dramatically looked at her watch like a real-life GIF.
“Thank God for this huge-ass state.” Alma couldn’t fathom what it would be like if Jaime actually lived here. Running into him all the time would be a complete nightmare. Marin was small and intimate—definitely not big enough for the two of them.
There was a pause in the conversation. Alma took another sip of her mocha. The dark chocolate deliciousness soothed her entire body.
Zoila broke the awkward silence. “Hey. So, I was thinking of heading back to Jalisco next month.”
“Really? Why?” That was so weird. Alma was just thinking this morning of wanting to go back.
“I always wanted to go to the Fiesta de San Isidro.”
Alma racked her brain back to catechism class but couldn’t remember who he was. “And he’s the saint of…”
“Farmers. There is a festival, and they bless the seeds, farmworkers, and working animals. Plus, I just love Guadalajara. I had the best time and really want to go again. Come with?”
No. Not now. Not with the bar doing so well. She needed to focus and work harder to ensure its success.
“I’d love to, but I can’t. Too busy with the bar.”
“Whatever. You’re always too busy with your place. Work will always be there. You need a break.”
Zoila was right. Alma needed a break. She deserved a break.
Maybe Jaime popping into her life was a sign.
Not that she needed to have any sort of relationship with him, because clearly that was never going to happen.
But that her life had turned into all work and no play.
Seeing Jaime, remembering their carefree times together and how they would drop everything and take adventure days hiking up mountains, made her yearn for that freedom.
“I guess I could use some time off. And I really wanted to go down there and meet with this tequila artisan. When is it?”
“May fifteenth.”
One month from now. Could she swing it?
She did have her brother around. And—she quickly checked her phone—none of her staff had requested off for that week, so she could feasibly slip away with minimal disruption.
Could she? Should she?
Alma took in a deep breath.
Commit to this. You deserve it.
“I’m in.”
Zoila’s jaw dropped. “Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously. I can do it since it is after the Cinco celebration. Carlos roped me into some festival. It’s a fundraiser for the kids he coaches.
But we also have to make a stop in Oaxaca.
There is some mezcal mistress that is supposed to be the bomb and I want to check her out and possibly carry her spirit. ”
“Yay! I didn’t think you’d say yes! I’m so excited. Okay. I’ll plan everything. Text me the dates that suit you on either side.” She looked at her phone. “I need to run to my tutoring job. Thanks for the cafecito and chisme. I’ll text later.”
Alma laughed. There was no one she would rather drink coffee and share gossip with than Zoila.
“Bye!” They embraced, and Zoila walked down the street.
Alma exhaled and placed her phone back into her purse. As she and Tequila walked back to her condo, she again felt that sense of peace she longed for.
Seeing Jaime, as disturbing as it was, was a blessing. Not a curse. A reminder of what her life had been like back when she had been with him. Fun, flirty, fantastic.
She missed that girl.
But she was going to discover her again.
In Mexico.