Page 12 of Never Again
“That’s idealistic.”
“No, it’s not.”
“Yes, it is. There were six of us living in a two-bedroom apartment. Do you know how embarrassed I was to have you see my home and learn about our living conditions?”
His upbringing was never far from his mind, and to this day, he still lived life simply, careful with his money, budgeting and saving because he didn’t have a steady paycheck and never knew when it could all go away.
“I didn’t care about your living conditions,” Carmen said in a dull voice.
“ButIcared.”
She pushed away her plate as if she suddenly found the food distasteful. “We’re talking in circles. We’ve had these conversations before. I can’t help who my family is, and neither can you. Just admit you didn’t want to be with me, because everything else you’ve said are excuses, and you know it.”
“They’re not excuses. I couldn’t offer you anything, and I needed to work and prove to myself I could succeed doing the work I love.”
She glanced away from him to the night outside. A muscle flexed in her jawline. When she looked at him again, there were tears in her eyes. “Did you love me?”
“More than anything else in the world,” Carlos answered immediately in a thick voice.
“What’s to stop us from being together now? You’ve proven yourself. You’re successful.”
“I’m not where I want to be.”
“And where do you want to be?”
“In a place where money doesn’t matter. A millionaire, maybe?”
“And if that’s not in the cards for you?”
He shook his head and swallowed. “I don’t know.”
An uncomfortable silence settled over the table, and he didn’t know what to say to fix the awkwardness.
Carmen stared at the empty space her plate previously occupied. “Thank you for dinner, but it’s time I head out. I’m going to call a cab and go back to Nat’s.” Her chair scraped back on the tile floor, and she stood.
She moved quickly, and Carlos scrambled from his seat and caught her halfway to the door. He pulled her back into his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around her. Closing his eyes, he rested his cheek against hers and inhaled the sweet, rosy scent of her skin.
“Don’t go.” He would drop to his knees and beg if he needed to.
She hung her head, but the tension slowly eased from her body and she relaxed into him. When he was certain she wouldn’t bolt, Carlos turned her around to face him.
“How much longer will you be here in Atlanta?”
“I leave the middle of next week.”
Mierda. That wasn’t much time.
“Spend some of that time with me.”
“Why should I?”
He threaded their fingers together and pulled her against him. “Because I’m asking.” He lifted one of her hands and kissed the knuckles. “I want to keep talking to you, and I haven’t shown you my work yet. I want you to see them.”
“Iwouldlike to see your paintings,” she said cautiously.
“Come on. Let me show you some of my completed projects.”
He continued to hold her hand as they walked to the area where he worked. Now that he was touching her, he didn’t want to let go. He felt comfortable like that, and clearly so did she.
