Page 63 of The Risks of Reuniting

Cesar tilts his head to look at her with a grin. "Because, amiga, I was too handsome and you see me."

Rachelle laughs and takes his hand in hers. "You're right. You stole my heart." She slaps a hand over her chest. "No more men for me."

Cesar chuckles. "My abuela will be so happy."

Rachelle pulls out her ever-present phone and leans close to him. "Take a picture for your grandma," she says, and Cesar presses his head close and smiles alongside her.

"Send me a copy of that," I say, feeling nostalgic. I don't want to someday forget their faces.

Rachelle nods, and I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket as the picture comes through.

"I don't know how Carlos does it," Chloe says, referring to the man who runs the humanitarian center. "He's so happy and nice, but it's hard work to get volunteers, and financing, and keep things running. I admire him." She tugs at her necklaces as she watches Carlos dancing with his wife, Lara.

"I admire him too," I say, looking around at the small cluster of buildings that makes up this place. It could use some love, but it's orderly and has a happy spirit about it. "People like Carlos and Lara are going straight to heaven."

Chloe nods. "Definitely."

"Do you want to dance?" I turn to her and ask. "It's our last night in Peru, and I'd regret not dancing with you under the cloudy haze and flickering gas lights."

She laughs and stands as I do. Cesar jumps up too, reaching a hand out for Rachelle, who beams up at him and takes it. The four of us walk into the middle of the dirt yard and I pull Chloe into a standard dance hold. I notice Cesar do the same with Rachelle and smile at the fact that she's several inches taller than him, and his head is level with her nose.

Rachelle sees me looking and gives me a wink before she pulls Cesar closer and lays her cheek against the top of his head. Cesar's smile fills his face as he starts moving them in slow turns around the open space. She's made his night.

"Cesar is adorable," Chloe sighs as she leans more fully against me. "I'm so glad I know him. Rachelle too. There was a chance I wouldn't like my roommate, and I'm seriously thankful it didn't happen that way."

"I don't know many terrible people who come on trips like this," I respond, inhaling the citrus scent of her hair.

"True," she huffs a laugh.

We dance in silence for a few moments, and I think how lucky I am to have her in my arms.

Her shoulders shake, and I look down at her. "Do you remember when we were studying in the library at the U and you told me you had a funny video to show me, and swore your phone was on silent?"

I smile. "Yeah. But it wasn't, and who knew donkeys could bray so loudly?"

We both laugh at the memory, and she continues on with another. "How about that time that I wrote you a really sappy and heartfelt note, signed simply 'C' and left it in what I thought was your backpack, only to find out you'd never been at the library that night, and some random person was wandering around campus wondering who 'C' was, and searching for their soulmate?"

My laugh is a loud gust of air and I bend my head to press my lips against her hair. "That was so funny, and you never did tell me what you wrote."

She shakes her head. "That was for the owner of that backpack, and it's a private matter."

"You know what I remember?" I ask. "The fateful night I learned that you cannot sing. Can . . . not. At all."

She slaps at my back and looks up to scowl at me. "That was a microphone issue."

I laugh, tossing my head back. "If it was a microphone issue you'd have noticed that something was off as soon as you went for it, but no, you kept right on wailing out a tune like everything was normal."

She pinches my upper arm and fights a laugh herself. "That is not true. I noticed right away, but I was already in it and felt compelled to finish what I'd started."

"The entire place fell silent, staring. How could that sound be coming out of such a pretty face?"

She steps out of my arms and gives me a look. "They were mesmerized."

"Horrified."

"I was given five guy's phone numbers that night."

My amusement continues, but I fake a stern face and pull her back against me, getting us swaying again. "Now that I believe. You were always the most tempting woman in the room."

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