“I wanted to call. I just didn’t know what to say.”
Ramón kept walking. “Got it.”
“Can’t we accept that me working for you will never work? Just like you and I will never work?”
Anger flared through Ramón like a tornado. How could she say that now? “I never lied to you,” he hissed. “You accepted the job knowing what would happen. And I don’t blame you for quitting. But you shouldn’t have walked out on me. I’ve always tried to do right by you.”
“I know, I know. But it is your company that is shutting my restaurant down. And all the other businesses. I can’t separate you from your name.”
“ ‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,’ ” he said, snidely.
“It’s not that simple.”
“Actually, it is, Julieta. Let me go.”
“Ramón, I’m so sorry.”
All he’d ever wanted was for someone to have his back, no matter what. For him to be worth risking something for, and it was clear to him that Julieta had chosen her family and her community over him.
The heat of the crowd suffocated him. He was the enemy. The chants got louder.Go back home. We don’t want you.
Ramón walked to the front of the restaurant and took a deep breath. “I know that you don’t want us here, and I understand all thereasons why. And you are right, but the building was for sale. Someone had to buy it, and we were the ones.”
The crowd booed.
“I am a proud Mexican man. I appreciate and love our culture, but we have to evolve. I’m working toward a solution to do right by your community. Our community. And I pray that you give us grace, and the space, to fix this mess.”
The chants started right back up. Ramón walked inside to face his father.
“Ramón, what are you doing here? We have this under control.”
Ramón looked at the barren walls and shuddered. All of Julieta’s love and character for this place was erased.
“I came to do what I didn’t have the guts to do before.”
“You are quitting?” His father’s fist clenched, and his face reddened. “ ’Bye, go. Who needs you?”
Ramón never truly hated Papá until that moment. “Well, you do. But I’m not quitting. I spoke with Señor Gomez and told him your plans for the block. As you know, our lawyers were still drawing up the final papers. We had never executed the final agreement.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying you no longer own this block. I do.” Ramón’s mouth widened into a devilish grin. “And I’m telling you to get out.”
Papá stood there, his jaw dropped, and his eyes went wide as saucers.
“I can’t believe you, Ramón. I started this business.”
“Yes, on the back of Julieta’s mom’s recipe. And guess what? Now I’m going to save our company. Oh, by the way, Father, the board of directors convened this morning. They were very interested to learn how you put the company at risk by taking over a restaurant whose founder you also stole our main recipe from a lifetime ago. For what, Papá, some misguided love vendetta? Grow up. They have begun aninvestigation that will result in your removal. Or you could save us all the trouble and humiliation and resign.”
Papa’s hands shook. “How could you? After all I’ve done for you. The life I’ve given you.”
“I appreciate that. But you’re on a power trip and need to be stopped. I won’t allow you to destroy Barrio Logan. The man you once were, the Brown Beret who fought for this community, who chained yourself to these pillars, would be disgusted by you right now. You know I’m right. And I’m my own man now. You were the one who taught me how to lead without regret. And I’m finally doing it now. Get out of my restaurant.”
Papá sneered at Ramón and left out the back door.
And for the first time in a very long time, Ramón was proud of himself.
Chapter Thirty-Five
