Raspados, Rivalry & Regret

Fabian Salcedo wants no part of drama, messy feelings, or men who talk just to provoke him, which makes Elías "Lalo" Cárdenas the last person he should have to stand beside.

A summer night-market mix-up forces Fabian to share booth space with Lalo’s family raspado stand, and their years-long East Bay neighborhood feud quickly becomes as much of a draw as the shaved ice.

Crowds linger for the bickering and the heat until Fabian finally snaps, kissing Lalo behind the stand after closing and blaming the weather.

One bad decision becomes two, then a secret neither of them is ready to name.

Caught between family chisme, a very public spark, and a second chance he never meant to take, Fabian has to face that wanting Lalo will demand the emotional honesty he has spent years avoiding.