Page 52 of American Sweethearts

“When I brought him home, my mother only wanted to know two things: If I loved him and if he was good to me. The rest we could figure out together. She didn’t want me trapped by her choices.”

I let out a long breath and looked at my mother’s tired eyes, but there was so much love there, love that could catch me if I needed it and maybe it was time for me to try and let go. “I’ve never felt trapped, Mamí.”

She dipped her head and smiled again. “Maybe not consciously, but we have so much to prove, mi amor. Even if we didn’t tell you, we asked for a lot. But it’s different now and I gotnothing left to prove. Do your thing, m’ija. If I don’t understand something, I’ll ask.”

I was completely wrung out. But now that things with my parents didn’t seem so terrible, the pit in my stomach about Juan Pablo was getting wider by the second. “I think, I messed things up with J, Mamí.”

I expected her to dismiss my words, or tell me J was crazy about me, but her eyes got really serious, more serious than they’d been so far. “That you have to fix yourself, Priscilla. Let him be there for you, learn to lean on those of us who yearn to catch you, mi hija querida.”

I was crying again, but this time it was different.Ifelt different.

We ended the call after I promised her that I would call her after I got home, so she knew I was okay. Then I remembered J had asked me to do the same.

I took a detour, but I’m headed home. Will let you know when I get there. I’m sorry about earlier.

His response came almost immediately, like he’d been waiting for my message.

Thanks for texting. There’s nothing to apologize for.

I waited for another minute, my eyes fixed on the screen, waiting for the three dots to pop up promising another message, but nothing came.

Everything had been said. I knew where I stood with J, now I needed to meet him halfway.

I picked up my phone and sent another message.

Is your man’s offer still on the table?

I waited with my heart in my throat for a response and within seconds, it came.

Of course. Tom was serious. You just have to say the word. And why are you texting me? I thought you’d be riding Italian/Puerto Rican dick all the way into the New Year. Don’t act coy. We all know you two are fucking again.

I didn’t even have the energy to act affronted.

The Italian/Puerto Rican in question is not very happy with me at the moment.

The message had barely sent when my phone was blowing up with a call from Camilo.

I picked up ready to be reamed out, but when he spoke, all I could hear was the love and concern I’d been getting from all my people today.

“What happened?”

I didn’t deserve them. Actually that wasn’t true, I did deserve all of it. I just needed to start acting like I knew it.

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and told him.

chapter thirty-five

juan pablo

“I’m coming!” Who the hell popped in at noon on New Year’s Eve anyway?

I’d fallen asleep after finally getting Priscilla’s text that she’d made it home. I was still hurt and for the first time ever, wondering if I just wasn’t what she wanted. If when she saw me, she just didn’t see her future. Because I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t know how else to prove to her that I was in this for the long haul.

I got to the intercom by the front door and hit the speaker with my head still buzzing with a hundred different conflicting thoughts. It only occurred to me when I heard the doorman’s voice that no one ever showed up to my place without texting first.

“Hey, Mr. Campos. I have Bri and Reyes here. They said they’re here to see you.”

I was stunned and wondered if I’d heard him right, but before I could ask anything, he spoke again. “Bri says he’s Priscilla’s co-worker.”