Page 111 of Wishing for La Luna
I shouldn’t send the text, but I’m so pissed I don’t care, and feeling reckless enough to scorch our quiet peace, earth, and everything with it. Luna went on a date with some fucking football player, and I’m in Colombia unable to show up to her house to talk to her. She’s smiling up at him with all her teeth, on the fucking red carpet of some ridiculous award show. Meanwhile, I’m here, trying not to punch a wall. So I hit the one thing I can: the send button.
Rio
So much for ‘I’ll love you forever.’ My kisses are still wet on your skin. But you look beautiful, Mami. I wish the smile reached your eyes.
To deepen the wound, these gossipers on TV keep talking about it. I shouldn’t be watching, but the venom is too tempting for me to avoid.
The female anchor is giddy. “Luna is a lucky girl. She attracts heavy hitters. They were introduced by their publicists, and the tea is that Giovanni lost his mind for her and asked her to come to the Stars of Tomorrow banquet. You see the way he looks at her. Lord.” She fans herself while her tongue hangs half out.
The designer, a small-framed and light-skinned man with black hair and round glasses, resembling Christian Siriano, is also salivating. “Can you blame him? ‘Cause ba-by, she came to shine. That body is bo-dy-ing in a double-asymmetric cut midnight-blue dress that clings to her body like butter. This is how you bounce back after your ex is already out there soft-launching a new relationship. We’re looking at you, Rio.”
My teeth are about to shatter from me grinding them so hard.
The woman presses her lips as if she’s trying to suppress a smile. “It’s the battle of the exes because Katya is gorgeous and sexy, but Giovanni is good enough to eat, and we don’t need crackers. I guess Luna said,you went there and now we’re all going to hell.”
The three of them cackle, and I’m ready to explode. I’m dialing Maeven, who answers on the third ring.
She doesn’t even say hello. “I’ve been expecting your call.”
And I go off. “You fucking set her up with that asshole? What the fuck, Maeven?”
“Okay, let’s dial it down. We went for a hike, and he and his manager happened to be there. I know Dane, so we made the introduction. When they called to ask for her number, I couldn’t say no?—”
Her voice is calm, as if she were explaining breathing to someone who’s been trapped in an elevator for hours.
“Why couldn’t you say no?” I’m almost yelling.
“Because Luna is my client too, not to mention my friend. It’s her decision.”
“Are you serious right now?” I ask.
She sighs. “Babe, you’re in a budding relationship right now. PR is a lot about optics, especially for someone like Luna, who has achieved a small level of celebrity status. She may not be as famous as you, but people know her, and she needs to keep her money flowing for Morena & Miel.”
“You know what my budding relationship is. This is for real. This fucker wants her. He’s drooling over her, and she’s over there smiling like she’s…”
I trail off.
“Rio. All she did was go to an award show with him. You’re going to be on a song with Katya, grinding and looking like you’re about to tear into each other. You can’t expect Luna to sit at home. She’s too gorgeous for that.”
I hang up on her because there’s nothing I can say that will end the conversation well.Is she fucking kidding me?She’s the same person who was almost in tears when I told her we broke up.
My phone pings with a text from Luna, and I know I shouldn’t look at it. I should let it sit because it’s only going to piss me off more.
Luna
Congrats to you, Boo. I know a soft launch when I see one. IYKYK
Yeah, the red-hot anger floods me like a cloud. But I force a breath.
Me
Hmm. All I did was go out to eat. You’re over there on a formal outing. You win, I guess?
Luna
Not a competition. Just having a good time. You should get out and get some sun. Colombia is too beautiful to stay in and pout.
The fuck-off lingers on my tongue.
