“No. It wasn’t that.” Her eyes shifted over his head.
He waved his hand in front of her face. “Were you having a good time?”
She nodded yes.
Then dammit—why had she left? Ramón hated playing the guessing game.
“Julieta, dímelo.”
She exhaled and took a sip of her own coffee. Her hand shook as she grasped the mug.
“I saw that picture of you and your dad and your brothers.”
“And? You have something against Taco King? I know it’s fast food, but is that why you left?”
“No. It isn’t. It doesn’t matter.”
Ramón clenched his jaw. “If we are going to be working together Julieta, I need you to be honest with me. It’s a requirement.”
“Fine. I left because... because your father stole the fish taco recipe from my mom.”
What? Ramón put down his coffee. “Why would you say such a thing?”
“Because it’s the truth. They dated in the seventies. My mom worked at a taco stand. Your recipe, the beer-battered fish tacos, is my mom’s.”
•••
Ramón rapidly blinked but remained speechless.
Well, this was awkward. But, of course, he wouldn’t know that his own father was a thief, that his company’s success was built on the back of her family’s secret recipe.
He clearly didn’t believe her, so she threw in more details.
“My family were taqueros in Mexico. For many generations. Your signature fish taco recipe is my mother’s. Well, your original one anyway.”
There. She had laid out all her cards. But maybe she shouldn’t have said that. He could still fire her, and then she wouldn’t have any job.
She couldn’t work with him if he didn’t know this. She always vowed to live her truth.
He ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t know what to say, except I don’t believe that is true.”
“Well, it is. Ask your father about it.”
“I will. But if that’s the case, then why hasn’t your mom tried to come after my dad? Or tried to sue?”
“Because Mamá isn’t like that. At all. She’s not vengeful. Shedecided to move on with her life. She married my papá, and they immigrated here. She didn’t want to waste her energy on what could have been.” Julieta threw him a lifeline. “And yes, she made that batter—and the sauce—but your father started the business here from scratch. The recipe is only a part of your success.” The big part, but still.
Ramón shifted in his seat, and a vein bulged in his neck. “Lay it out for me, Julieta. Are you or your mom trying to blackmail us with this claim that she created our iconic fish tacos recipe?”
Julieta clenched her fist. How dare he accuse her of that?
She should throw him out of the restaurant again for even asking.
But after a few deep breaths, she calmed down. Ramón was a shrewd businessman—he was clearly just trying to protect his many assets and figure out what he was up against.
“No. Absolutely not. I just thought you should know exactly why my mother reacted that way to your father.”
“Understood. Well, I’ll ask him about that. And if what you said is true, I’ll make it right by you and your mom. You have my word.”
