Page 95 of XOXO, Valentina

Santiago shrugged. “Not if it isn’t weird to him.”

Frustrated, I set my plate on the floor by my feet and faced Santiago. “He says it isn’t.”

Santiago didn’t get it. “What’s the problem, then? It’s just a name. My friends call me all sorts of things.Mae. Carepicha. Dolor de huevos.”

I knewmaewas a term of endearment, something used between friends. Andpichawas dick, but the last one stumped me. Costa Rican slang didn’t always make sense.

“Pain in the eggs?” I asked, flipping through my Spanish dictionary.

Santiago chuckled. “Something like that. My point is, you can call him Fernando or Joey or dickface. He’s still the same man.”

This made me think of Romeo and Juliet.A rose by any other name…It made me feel better that Shakespeare had come to the same conclusion. Good enough for Shakespeare was good enough for me.

We stuck to the lighter topic of Joey’s youth for the rest of the ride. Santiago told me about how he’d been forced to rescue Joey the first time they’d gone surfing, and how they’d started a business together selling snacks to tourists stuck in construction traffic.

When we pulled up to the back entrance of Angela’s, Santiago wrapped me in a bone-crushing hug. “You’re all right with me, Gabriella,” he said.

He walked me to the back door, and we stepped into the lively kitchen in the middle of dinner service. Cooks bantered in Spanish, servers loaded their arms with trays, and busboys hurried by with dishrags. The smell of garlic, freshly baked bread, and fragrant herbs hung in the air.

“This way.” Santiago led me through the busy kitchen to the main dining room.

The restaurant was packed. Conversation and laughter drowned out the soft jazz playing over the speakers, and a buzz of energy filled the homey space. Excellent food and fabulous service made it hard to be unhappy at Angela’s.

I searched the floor for Joey’s family. During a busy dinner hour, I expected to see his mother flying through the dining room like a live wire, one of his sisters carrying a tray, or his cousin Mateo pouring wine. It was odd that I didn’t spot any of them.

I tugged Santiago’s arm, suddenly worried. “Where is everyone?”

Santiago’s eyes twinkled. “You’ll see.” He grabbed my hand and led me through the maze of tables. “Do you have a big family at your home?”

“Pretty big.”

He tucked my hand in his elbow and smiled at me. There was no doubt that he was handsome with his bronze tan, wheat-blond hair, and devilishly dark eyes, but I didn’t see how anyone could say he was better looking than Joey.

Finally, we arrived at a private dining area set apart from the main floor by a folding screen. I stepped around the side of the screen and came to a halt when I saw Joey’s entire family seated at a long table.

My mouth dropped open as I scanned their faces. Joey’s parents, his sisters and brother, his cousin Mateo, and a few others I didn’t recognize were gathered at the table, drinking wine and passing baskets of bread. Joey rose from his chair and grabbed a bouquet of flowers.

A hush fell over the table, and everyone turned toward me. His long strides didn’t bring him to me fast enough. I hurried to meet him halfway and threw my arms around his neck, nearly tackling him.

Everyone at the table erupted in a loud cheer.

Joey crushed me to his chest, lifting me off my feet. I buried my face in his neck, smelling his familiar scent of spice and sunshine.

“Watch the flowers,” someone cried, but Joey didn’t listen.

His arms tightened around my back, and he took my mouth in a possessive kiss. The table cheered again, and Santiago boomed his familiar line: “Get a room!”

Finally, Joey let go of me and presented me with the bouquet, which was no worse for the wear.

“You miss me?” he asked, grinning.

“A little.” I kissed his cheek, rubbing my face against that familiar scruff. “What’s all this?” It was unusual that all the members of his family would be sitting down in the middle of a busy dinner hour.

“I thought that since you were missing supper with your family right now, we would have it with mine.”

I glanced from Joey to the table, where everyone who mattered in his life was seated. Tears filled my eyes, but I choked them back. These people mattered to me now, too. They were Joey’s, so they were mine.

He put his arm around my waist and guided me to my seat next to Santiago. I sat and clasped my hands in my lap, trying not to cry.

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