He looked into her eyes. “Yup.”
Julieta embraced Ramón. “How did you pull this off?”
Ramón smirked. “Well, after I convinced Señor Gomez to amend the deal, he sold it directly to me. I got my father kicked off the board of directors. Then I met with a team of lawyers. They figured out a percentage of what my dad would’ve owed your mom. So, I gave her stock options, which equaled the amount of the purchase price in Barrio Logan.”
Julieta couldn’t believe her ears. Ramón was brilliant, but she knew that. “So now—”
“So now, she’s the owner of the block.”
Julieta wrapped her arms around Ramón’s neck. “What about you?”
“I’m good. I’m now the boss and don’t have to listen to my dad. Though I’d love to invest in a sexy chef’s restaurant, if she would let me.”
Julieta couldn’t help but tear up.
“But why? Why did you do this? After I was so awful to you.”
“Because I love you, Julieta. And you have changed my life. I was stuck in a rut and had lost my way. And even if you never came back to me, I knew it was the right thing to do. And I’m sorry, too. I should’ve stood up to my father sooner. I needed to lose everything to find my way.”
Julieta caressed his chest. “But you knew I’d come back.”
He smirked. “Well, if you didn’t, I would’ve come after you. We are meant to be.”
She kissed Ramón. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Epilogue
Mija! We are going to be late!”
“Ah, Mamá. I can’t believe I agreed to go to this. You swore to me this year that we wouldn’t have to work Day of the Dead again.”
“I know, but Ramón is working late anyway. We can celebrate tomorrow.”
Julieta could never win. And she was annoyed that Ramón had to work on the one-year anniversary of their meeting.
But that was about the only complaint she had. Ramón was an amazing boyfriend. They now lived together in Coronado in a single-family home with her dog, Taco.
They talked about the future all the time, about how they wanted to have kids and travel and raise them to be bilingual.
Julieta had achieved more of a work-life balance. She took days off and she’d started yoga. She even enjoyed golfing once a week with Ramón and his mother, who was reluctantly beginning to accept her.
And even Mamá was happy. She’d officially retired and onlystopped into the restaurant once a week. She kept making remarks about how she couldn’t wait to watch her unborn grandbabies.
And Las Pescas was thriving.
It had received a Michelin star. It was on several Best of San Diego lists. Ramón had taught her so much about the financial aspect of her restaurant. And she had brought fresh and sustainable authentic Mexican seafood back to the fast-food market. And she and Ramón were already planning the new vegan location in Encinitas.
The grand reopening of Las Pescas had been held at the beginning of July. There was even a block party. Ballet Folklórico dancers performed, and mariachis played music, and there were paleta carts and frutas vendors, and kids playing in the streets, and everyone was joyous. Crowds filled the streets. Señora Flores’s cafe was also renovated and expanded. Mamá even started a new community garden.
Ramón had not yet reconciled with his father, but they had begun therapy.
All the businesses on her block were safe from gentrification now that Mamá was the landlord.
“Julieta, put on your dress.”
“I don’t see why I have to get in costume.”
