Page 71 of XOXO, Valentina

“I have a big favor to ask.” His eyes were luminous in the waning afternoon light.

My instinct was to give him anything. I paused and took a breath. “What is it?”

“That was my mother. She still wants us to come for dinner tonight.”

“Your mother? You call your mother Angela?”

Joey grinned. “Everyone calls her Angela.” His smile faded. “What did you think?”

My fingers clutched the sheet. “Never mind.”

He pried my hands open. “You thought I would take a call from a woman while you were lying next to me?”

My cheeks burned, and I bit my lip. “It was silly. I’m sorry.”

His laugh sounded, but it wasn’t his usually deep rumble. Bitterness laced the low sound. “I can’t blame you. My reputation isn’t so good.”

Both of us were thinking about that scene I’d witnessed at school, but neither one of us wanted to bring it up.

Joey traced a diamond pattern on the sheet over my leg, his eyes avoiding mine. The only sound in the room was the quiet hum of the ceiling fan and our steady breathing.

Finally, Joey cleared his throat. “If it’s too much, I understand, but I would like you to meet my family.”

My heart seized, and I felt terribly guilty. “I’m sorry for taking you away from them.”

“No worries,” he said. “Angela will get over it. She has three other children who live near her. She can handle one wayward son. Plus, I’ll be back in June.” His hand settled near the top of my thigh, and he set those dark eyes of his on me. “Will you come to dinner tonight?”

I tried to think things through, but my mind was as thick as mud. It was hard to deny Joey anything, and at the very least, I owed his mother an apology.

We borrowed Santiago’s truck and drove to the next town over for dinner, which was a bustling metropolis compared to our sleepy surf town. The sidewalks were crowded with tourists, and the streets were clogged with tuk-tuks, scooters, and rental cars.

I gaped out the window at the sights and sounds. Everyone was having a good time. People of all ages strolled the sidewalks. Young families perched on benches licking ice cream cones, and couples holding hands peered into shop windows. Laughter, music, and eager shouts filled the air.

As we inched through the congested traffic, my nerves mounted.

“You’re coming back here in June?” I asked, fidgeting with the hem of my dress.

Joey stopped in the middle of the street to let a pedestrian cross. “I’m teaching a summer program for children who’ve fallen behind during the school year.”

The tension in my shoulders eased while I studied Joey’s handsome face in profile. Those who didn’t know him well may only see his carefree smile and crinkling eyes and think he took nothing seriously. I knew better.

“You can’t stop being a teacher, can you?”

He tossed me a genuine smile that made my heart swell. “I love the way kids come out of their shell when they are learning, you know? That gleam they get when they understand?” His eyes sparkled in the dark cab of the truck. “From the brightest kids to the ones who struggle, they all love learning.”

My heart filled. Thankfully, I hadn’t told the superintendent about Joey’s after-school indiscretion. Losing him as a teacher would have been devastating to the kids at PES.

“Education is very different in Costa Rica,” Joey said. “Not every kid has a chance to finish high school, so the early years are very important.”

“Did you always want to teach?”

He shook his head. “I just wanted to sample the world and see what fit.” He turned onto a side street and parked the truck between two golf carts. Shifting to face me, he lowered his voice conspiratorially. “I should warn you,” he said. “My family is…” He paused, searching for the right words. “They are… nosy.”

I laughed. “You’ve met my parents.”

“Yes. They are wonderful. They never miss a meet or a game.”

“They never miss anything.” I rolled my eyes. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful to them. But sometimes…” I let my words die off, feeling guilty for my thoughts. My parents were my support system, my safety net, my soft landing. But they were also nosy and occasionally overbearing. I laced my fingers in my lap and blinked up at Joey. “Sometimes I wish it was just me and Shane.” My cheeks flushed, and I sank my teeth into my lower lip. Had I said that aloud? It was something I had never even admitted to myself.

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