Chapter Thirteen #2
“My pleasure.” He clutched the sweet-smelling corsage he’d bought her, a mix of white roses and baby’s breath. “Where’s Leti?”
“Inside with her date, Ben. He’s a nice boy. She can’t wait.”
“Awesome.”
Jaime followed Santi and his mom into her home.
She lived in a sprawling ranch in Sleepy Hollow, in San Anselmo.
They had a stable full of horses that Leti loved to ride.
Santi had actually taught Jaime how to ride during long weekends away from college.
It was so peaceful and serene out here—definitely different from his San Diego beach house, where tourists, influencers, and grifters hung out on his front lawn.
A teen in his tux stepped into the hallway.
“Hi. I’m Ben.”
Leti’s date extended his hand to Jaime, who gave him a firm handshake. “Hi Ben. I’m Jaime. I’m an old friend of Santi’s. Are you excited?”
“Yes. It will be so fun.”
Santi’s mom offered Jaime something to drink but he declined. After a few minutes, the light tapping of heels on the tile alerted them to Leti’s arrival. Dressed in a long pink ball gown that was adorned with sequins, she had a big smile on her face when she saw Jaime.
“I didn’t think you would come.”
“I wouldn’t miss it. You look beautiful, Leti.”
She twirled around in her dress. “I feel like a princess. This is better than my quince.”
Jaime placed the corsage on her wrist. “Hope you like it. I’ve actually never bought one of these.”
She lifted the flowers to her nose and inhaled the scent. “It’s so pretty and smells so good. I love it. Thank you.”
Jaime glanced at Santi’s mom, who was dabbing her eyes.
Santi put his arm around his sister. “I wish Dad was here. You are so pretty.”
They hugged. He may not have been close with his family, but at least they were alive.
Maybe Jaime needed to do more. Maybe he needed to try harder with them.
Santi escorted everyone out the door. “Have a good time.” He lowered his voice. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
A flash went off, and then more. Santi was snapping photos like he was a paparazzo. Jaime grabbed the camera from him and took some family photos.
Leti’s best friend, Tanía, showed up with her date, John. Santi would be hosting her. Santi took some more pictures of the girls dressed up together.
The limo took the group to a restaurant in Mill Valley.
The prom was held in the banquet area, and it had been transformed into an under-the-sea theme.
Lights twinkled on the ceiling like stars in the sky and the floor was lit in an aquamarine tone and had holograms of fish swimming projected over it. Absolutely spectacular.
What had his prom been like? His date had been so angry at him for wanting to go to Mexico that she went to the prom without him. It had been downtown in some fancy hotel. Looking back, he regretted not going.
Jaime didn’t mind hosting Leti at all, but he did feel a little bit awkward being surrounded by so many high school kids.
A dance song blared through the speakers.
Ben and John had wandered off.
“Do you want to dance?” Jaime asked.
Leti took his hand before he had a chance to take hers. “Yes.”
He took her arm and led her in a West Coast Swing. She followed wonderfully.
Those ballroom classes his mom had forced him to take had really paid off. He did a rock step and then threw her into a small dip. She laughed and threw back her hair. She didn’t miss a beat.
“Wow, Leti. You can dance.”
“Yes! My mom put me in lessons. I’m on the cheerleading team. I love dancing.” Joy graced her face.
She was having so much fun and honestly so was Jaime.
The next song was a ballad. Ben had returned and cut in. Ben and Leti swayed to the music at a close but respectful distance.
After a few more dances, Leti and her friend Tanía went outside. Jaime walked over to the refreshment bar and grabbed a cup of punch for himself.
A girl walked up to him. “Excuse me, are you Jaime Montez?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh my God! I told my friend it was you, but she didn’t believe me. What are you doing here?”
Jaime didn’t know how to take that question, since the answer was obvious, but gave the girl the benefit of the doubt, that she wasn’t being rude and was just curious. “I went to college with Leti’s brother. I’m happy to escort her.”
“Wow. That’s so cool that you would do that. I never thought someone like you would do something so cool.”
Jaime paused. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, you know. I mean, I follow you on Insta. You just seem to be a typical influencer. Like you only do something or post something if you’re getting paid.”
Jaime winced. “I can see how you would think that. Good night.” He wasn’t mad at this girl. She was right. Normally, he didn’t do anything he wasn’t paid for.
He had been a douche. And though he’d come up to Marin to learn about tequila, and he’d had an ulterior motive for going into Alma’s bar, Jaime had agreed to escort Leti to prom because he had wanted to. It was as simple as that.
Maybe there was hope for him.
Leti waved at him, and she and Tanía walked over to have some punch. Tanía, Ben, Leti, and John danced a few more songs.
Santi nudged his sister. “Save a dance for your brother?”
She nodded and he led her to the dance floor. Jaime took out his phone and captured some pictures of them.
After they were all danced out, the girls took their dates to the dessert table, with Santi and Jaime following. It was filled with pastries, cookies, cakes, and mini pies.
Leti chose the chocolate cake, and Tanía had a mini apple pie. Ben and John made root beer floats.
“Is it good?” Jaime asked Leti.
She smiled and forced him to eat a bite of his own cake. “Jaime, only think of the cake.”
Jaime inhaled and enjoyed the dessert. He focused on the bitterness of the chocolate, the moistness of the cake, and the sweetness of the whipped cream. He didn’t think about anything else but the taste.
At the end of the night, the limo took them back to Santi’s mom’s place, where Santi and Leti’s mom, Tanía’s mom, Ben’s mom, and John’s mom were all waiting. Jaime opened up Leti’s car door and walked her inside.
“Good night, Leti. I had a great time.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. “I did too. It was the best night of my life.” She ran inside and started talking to her mom in the kitchen.
Santi bid Tanía, Ben, and John goodbye and sat on a swing on the front porch with Jaime.
Twinkling stars lit up the sky like jewels. Horses neighed in the background and Jaime could’ve sworn he heard a distant coyote bay. The fragrant smell of orange trees from the grove filled the air.
Santi put his hand on Jaime’s shoulder. “Thanks again, man.”
“Seriously, don’t mention it. I had fun. I was shocked what a good time I had.”
Santi shook his head.
Jaime looked at him. “What? I did.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt that. It’s just you.”
“What does that even mean?”
“You. You’re this great guy, Jaime. Like you really are.
But you are so hard on yourself, and you think you’re such an asshole.
You aren’t. You had a rough family life and you fucked up with Alma, but you can’t keep beating yourself up about it or living in the past. You have to move on. Allow yourself to be happy.”
Jaime rolled his eyes. “Pot, kettle. You don’t enjoy your life. You work like a maniac—dare I say more than Ramón used to.”
“Fair. I’m a workaholic. But since my dad died, I support my family. I don’t have a trust fund like you do—I have to work and make sure they are provided for, and that Leti gets the care she needs. Next year she will be going into an assisted-living program, and they will help her get a job.”
Jaime understood circumstances were different for Santi.
He was creating a first generation of wealth like Jaime’s father had, whereas Jaime did work and provide for himself, but he’d always had his family money to fall back on.
Since college, he’d also received all his opportunities based on his name—well, and his looks.
He yearned to be more than just a pretty face. More than just a fuckboy.
He desired to be a good man. “You’re right. I’ve just been believing the narrative that I’m an asshole and embracing it. I’m better than that.”
“You coming back to my place tonight?”
Honestly, he wanted to be alone. “No. I’m going to check into the Lodge. But I’ll come by your place when my family gets in.”
The Tiburon Lodge. He checked to see if they had a room, and he lucked out. He quickly booked it. The hotel was a block from Alma’s bar. And her place.
He wasn’t planning on bothering Alma. No. He would give her space. But just being in the same town as her comforted him.
“Sounds good. I can drive you?” Santi offered.
“Nah. It’s okay. I’ll Uber so you can spend time with your family.”
“Thanks. Night, man.”
“Night.”
Jaime ordered the ride. Once in the vehicle, he relaxed on the drive from San Anselmo to Tiburon, and reflected on the night. He loved being around Leti. She lived in the moment and her joy radiated. She was happy just dancing and talking. Jaime was always living in the past or the future.
His whole reason for this trip was future motivated. But what if he lived in the present?
Maybe he could change now.
Maybe he could be as happy as Leti if he could just try to let go.
Damn, he sounded like fucking Enrique.
Jaime’s driver dropped him off at the Lodge. He checked in and entered the room. It wasn’t a luxury hotel, but Jaime liked its simplicity. And he loved the location.
He looked at himself in the mirror. The night was still young, and he wanted to take a stroll on the water, get some fresh air, and look at the bridges.
He didn’t have any clothes with him, so he had nothing to change into even if he wanted to.
It was the tuxedo or a hotel robe, so to not get arrested for indecent exposure, he opted for the formal attire.
But Alma’s bar was on the pathway of his walk, and she could never resist him in a tuxedo.
Dammit. He promised himself he wasn’t going to stop by her bar.
He left the hotel and walked toward the water. A few older couples were walking hand in hand. Tiburon was such a safe, quaint town; it almost had a magical feel to it.
After strolling around the block, he ended up at Alma’s bar after all.
He took a moment to watch her work. She was chatting with her patrons and racing around the bar.
A few guys were checking her out, which shot a spark of jealousy through Jaime.
The thought of another man touching her, kissing her, licking her, fucking her, was excruciating to him.
He had pushed those thoughts out of his head for years. But tonight, it became clear.
He wanted Alma back. Not just for tonight.
But possibly forever.
He’d sworn he wasn’t going to walk in, but he couldn’t resist. She was like a magnet.
He couldn’t not see her.
Jaime took a deep breath and opened the door.