Chapter 12
Luna
I am screwed.
The consequences of my actions are seriously chasing me—the headlines in newspapers, posts all over my social media feed, the calls and emails for comments. All of it is distracting, and it feels like a condemnation, which makes it difficult for me to focus.
I made the decision to distract Rio and myself from the presence of Adina and her crew. Now, we are all people can talk about.
I mean, it’s fine. I’m getting used to being online fodder. When no one’s dragging me, I start getting paranoid. The issue—no, the problem—no, the disaster—is that people keep sharing the videos and images from yesterday. And every single time, I’m transported to that moment.
Our first kiss at the stadium, which was scripted in most ways, ended up being deeper, more intimate, and especially touching. When he mentioned his mom and revealed she’s gone, it shattered me. Now I can’t put away the pain in his face, the darkening of his skin, and how his jaw worked.
It hurt me to execute the plan when his heart is clearly broken.
And if that wasn’t deep enough, he took our glasses off and kissed me again with the ganas he spoke of earlier in the day and the heat I wasn’t prepared for.
He burnt himself into my lips, which did not stop tingling until we were at the club, when our mouths meshed again, and this time our bodies joined.
Dios mio, what did I do?
There are so many things about him that have taken me by surprise. He’s really sweet to me and protective. After everything that happened between us the first time we met, he didn’t have to help me at the Coliseum. I know it’s human decency, but still, not everyone is decent.
I don’t think I ever thanked him.
The flipping of the deadbolt makes me snap my gaze off my computer screen to the hallway. The door opens seconds later, and Sel walks into my living room. She’s wearing shades of blue, jeans, a blue hoodie, and a Yankees cap, accompanied by her signature Air Force Ones.
Bronx girl core if I’ve ever seen it.
“Good morning.” Her smile is bright, exposing the two hundred thousand Dominican pesos worth of perfect dental work. In her hand are two bags: one small and the other very large.
“What you got there?” I ask.
“In this one, our bodega orders.” She holds up the smaller bag and then points to the larger one. "That one is for you. The delivery guy handed it to me.”
I’m not expecting anything, but I stand and take it from her. It’s from Faye & Fleur, one of the clients we do social media for. Their products are extremely expensive, so we don’t order from them. “I wonder if they sent us this to celebrate their one million subscribers.”
Inside, there is a large hat box, along with a note that reads, Remove gently. I take it out and place it on the table. When I remove the lid, we gasp in unison.
It’s a flower arrangement in the shape of a large moon formed from pink blush roses and small flowers for the crater details.
It’s backlit, illuminating the bed of indigo roses that make up the night.
The bed of greenery it sits on is colored like a night sky full of stars, with a note on the side of the moon’s crescent.
Gracias por tu ternura y protección, Diosa Luna. — Rio
My chest squeezes, and I’m frozen, reading the sentence over and over, hearing it in his melodic voice.
“Thank you for your warmth and protection? And he called you a goddess?” Sel walks up to the couch and dramatically lets herself fall, crossing her arms over her chest like she’s lying in a casket. “I’m dead.”
But it’s my heart that threatens to give out. “It’s so…wow.”
“Yeah, the boy is in deep.”
I guess I’m not the only one.
I keep staring at the full moon, the conflict brewing between the heart that won’t stop pounding and the logic that tells me we are going too far off the deep end.
“Okay, talk.”
“I don’t know what to say…scratch that, this is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever received.
It’s so thoughtful, you know? And this is the second time he’s sent flowers.
The first time, I didn’t think much of it, because I thought Maeven asked him to.
I just found out yesterday that it was all his doing. ”
“But?”
“I don’t know, Sel. It’s getting out of hand. I don’t like this man. We don’t like each other. And now reality and pretend are blurring.”
She presses her lips together. “Girl, that you-don’t-like-each-other ship has sailed. It’s somewhere off the coast of Alaska, fishing for shrimp. The kisses at the stadium were one thing. Me and your mom were squealing.”
“You watched that with Mami?”
“We always watch the Yankees. Btw, she loved it.” Then she laughs.
“Anyway, that club footage was everything. You may need to take a pregnancy test because ese hombre te pintó two babies with esa perreá que te dió. His primo was standing like a third wheel in the back—a fine-ass tall drink of a third wheel, I must say.”
I don’t know which of the statements makes me laugh more. “Next time, you’re coming with me so you can help me stay out of trouble. You can chat up Tito.”
“I’ll come, but I’m going to push you to get yours. This is obviously meant to be, because no matter what the Crypt Keeper and her mom tried, bro is obviously after you like a heat-seeking missile.”
He asked me to think about us, and it’s all I've thought about, but if it goes south, it’s bound to be an epic wreckage.
“And you want to, Luna.”
“I’m confused.”
Sel rolls her eyes. “Bitch, stop. Tu te lo comes con los ojos like he gobbles you with his eyes. Go sell that confusion story to someone who doesn’t know. If you’re scared, say you’re scared, but you know what you want…a lot.”
“Shut up. I need you to be the one with common sense and steer me away.”
“From what?” she yells. “A dude that wants to put it on you. Steer you away from dick you’re dying to sample?
No, ma’am. You got the wrong one. And you know he would do a great job, because Perla is still singing about him and giving scorned-ex interviews.
That bitch is two seconds from recording una bachata with Joe Veras talking about how he left her behind like a small-town girlfriend and never looked back. ”
I laugh so hard I have to sit down. “You are fucking insane.”
She shrugs. “That’s why you love me.”
I do, because if there’s a war, I don’t need an army, just Sel. “No puedo contigo.”
We both cackle this time.
She sobers up. “Listen, you should give it some thought because we’re not kids and cannot jump into shit blind.
But it’s going to have to be some fast thinking since you have to be around him, and after last night, it’s only a matter of time before he backs you into a corner, giving you that Alexis y Fido ‘Mala Conducta’ treatment. ”
The butterflies in my belly are instant as the vivid images that song conjures. I see him castigandome in a bed, against the wall, everywhere. My mouth drops open. “Sel, stop.”
She grows serious and stands. “I’m sorry that was insensitive of me.
I’m acting like he’s not the king of bellaqueo.
” She bends her knees and places her hands on them, pointing her ass my way.
“It’s more like, Te doy pa bajo, pa bajo, pa bajo.
” She quotes Rio’s lyrics while leveling down and winding her hips, dropping her butt three times.
I laugh again. “Let’s get to work. You’re too wild this morning.”
She nods to the bag. “Let’s eat and talk because my chopped cheese is waiting for me. Btw, Manolo hooked up your ham and cheese with tomatoes, mayo, grilled onion, salt, and pepper. He threw in your favorite kettle cooked sea salt and cracked pepper chips.”
“Yas. Pull it all out. I need to thank Rio for these flowers.”
She turns and grabs my phone from the table. “Let me take a pic of you with the flowers so you can send it to him.”
“Oh no. I’m not even wearing a bra or makeup.” I put my hands up to cover my face.
“First, you don’t need makeup. Second, the man got you the most beautiful arrangement we’ve ever seen. The least you can do is let him see the girls fall naturally.”
I start to protest, but her judgment is never off with men, so I let her snap a few photos. We pick the best one. Me, leaning in, looking at his flowers. And the camera doesn’t lie. My face reflects how happy they make me.
Me
Thank you. These made my day. They're so beautiful.
But I promise myself that I’m going to give this the right amount of thought. I won't jump into this without being completely sure. No matter how much my body is pressuring me.
* * *
Rio
Patience is one of those things that won’t come easy to me.
But as Dr. Jacinda loves to remind me, if I push, I’m going to make Luna run.
Except for the past week, since the club…
that seems to be happening anyway. We text, but I haven’t seen her.
We both know things are turning between us.
My tour rehearsals have started, and I don’t have much time to hang out, but every time I try to set up a meet—I won’t call it a date to not scare her—something always happens.
I’m even cursing Maeven for finding her work.
I’m left like a fucking pariguayo, looking at our conversations and waiting for the next text in between rehearsals.
I go back to the photo she sent me with the bouquet so often I should just make it my screensaver.
She looks so sexy and earthy in it. It is my favorite since her hair is loose and untamed, and she’s just beautiful in it, with no makeup or anything.
But, I was conflicted when I got it because who took the photo?
Me
Cono, Mami, que bella te ves así. The flowers can’t compare. Come here and dame ese besito.
Luna
Me
Who took the pic?
Luna
My enforcer
Me
Who’s that?
She followed with a photo of her and Sel working at a table. Luna is pointing a thumb at her cousin.
My relief was instant.
Me
She’s got to come hang with us. But next time, I want to be alone with you.
She kept going between typing and not that day. Until finally…
Luna
I would like that.
But it’s been a week, and I can’t get away from the images of the club. My beat-off playlist is my hands on her ass that night and her tits in that tank top from the photo with the flowers.
It’s ridiculous. I’ve got women throwing themselves at me, but I don’t want to fuck any of them.
I only want the girl who has me listening to Aventura on a loop.
I even play 'Dime Mami' so I can remember her smile from the first day I met her, and I’m back at the club, perreandola, while the venue was practically coming down around us.
I try not to think of the warmth of her hand against my cheek at the stadium. Or the tears in her eyes after I said my mom was gone and then froze. No, not going to think about that.
My phone pings, and I rush to check.
Maeven
Niko is coming into town next week. We scheduled the Limerancia video shoot. He wants to direct, and FME is going to let him.
Ficha Mundial Latin Entertainment, our music label, would do anything to please Niko. My friend’s talent and influence grows by the day. I’m excited to see what he can do.
Maeven
Btw, we need to put you and Luna in the same room before people start speculating. So…she’s going to be your love interest in the video. You’re welcome.
Excitement shoots through my veins. It’s probably the sexiest song on this album, and I’m going to see her there.
Me
You’re my everything.
Maeven
Don’t you ever forget it.
I chuckle, switching to my chat with Luna, and there are messages I missed. WTF.
Luna
Thanks for being my coworker today.
The text is followed by a photo of her YouTube, playing one of my fan-made playlists.
Me
Where’s the photo of you dancing? I know you’re not just sitting while all that is playing in the background.
Btw, you’re going to be in my video next week.
Luna
I heard! I’m nervous.
Me
Don’t be. We got that chemistry. And you see? I’m a prophet. Niko’s directing the video, so you are one of his models.
It’s a callback to the first time we met.
Luna
Omg. Now I’m double nervous.
Me
It’s going to be epic. Headed to rehearsal. Maybe we can chat later.
She doesn’t respond for a while. When I get in the back of the car, I get a message from her.
It’s a still of her in a tight shirt and sweats with her hair in a ponytail.
There’s a play button in the center, and my finger rushes to it.
The music blasts, and ‘Dime Mami’ plays in the background while she rocks to it.
In the pa bajo part, she bends her knees and rotates her hips in perfect low circles.
But it’s her face, how into it she looks, that makes it the sexiest. Then she turns her back to the camera and ticks her hips.
My eyes follow the movements—left, thrusting her ass at the camera, right, ass back to me—like it’s trying to hypnotize me.
I watch it again and again.
Me
Jesucristo. Dame que yo quiero.
And I go back to watching.
“Rio,” Tito yells.
“What?” I look up, confused.
“We’re here. I’ve said it three times.” His voice is laden with annoyance, but I smile, because I have one more track for my playlist. And because…it’s only a matter of time until I have her moving like that against me again.