Page 114 of Wishing for La Luna
I open my mouth to say yes when the song switches. Rio’s voice croons from the speakers.
Se que extrañas mis labios en tu espalda.
And I swear it’s a flashback because I think of us in his house in Samaná where he, like the song says, ran his lips up my back. I do miss that, more than I would dare to admit to anyone.
Thankfully, Sel appears by my side with Tito.
“Tíawants to throw the bouquet because they’re ready to head out.”
“I’ll be back,” I tell Gio.
We join the assembly of women who are waiting as my mom turns around in the sleek, long, white, high-neck halter dress. I don’t particularly want to do this, but it’s tradition and my mom’s day. I’m not going to be sour about it.
“How’s it going?” Sel asks.
“Good. It would just be great if I could stop hearing my ex’s voice blaring from the speakers.”
She winces. “Yeah, that’s gotta be awkward. I don’t know what the fuck the DJ is doing. That’s messy AF. But Gio seems nice.”
“He’s a doll,” I say, watching the way he talks to Tito.
“But he’s not Rio.”
I turn to face her. “He doesn’t have to be. And Rio had the chance to be here. Mami invited him.”
“He didn’t want to make it weird for you.” Her voice is unusually soft.
There’s a tug at my chest. As hard as I’m trying to move on, during the ceremony, I wished his face was the one I looked into.
“Here we go,” my mom yells and starts the count. “One, two, three.”
She sends her bouquet over her head, and it’s headed our way. I side-step it, and it ends in Sel’s hands.
Everyone cheers as my cousin stands there, her mouth open. Her gaze shifts from me to Tito. He looks like he’s about to faint. I laugh.
An hour later, I’m in Gio’s Bugatti, cruising on the way to my place.
“This car is cool.”
“Thanks,” he says, brightening up. “It was the first thing I bought when I signed the new contract. I had it custom-made especially for me, featuring red snake leather. It’s my nickname.”
“Red snake?”
He nods. “Yeah, because they say I move silently like a snake, and red was the color of the jersey for my first team, The Vipers.”
“Oh. I didn’t know that.”
“The fans gave me that name.”
“I’m learning so much about you. So, is it safe to say that cars are your passion?”
“Oh yeah. I love everything cars. I even fall asleep to racing videos or the sounds of tires rolling on asphalt.”
He’s so animated and excited about it.
And I wonder if Rio still falls asleep to the videos ofEl Yunque.
No, Luna, stop.
