Her eyes widened. “Oh my God! I told my friend it was you, but she didn’t believe me. What are you doing here?”
Jaime didn’t know how to take that question, since the answer was obvious, but gave the girl the benefit of the doubt, that she wasn’t being rude and was just curious. “I went to college with Leti’s brother. I’m happy to escort her.”
“Wow. That’s so cool that you would do that. I never thought someone like you would do something so cool.”
Jaime paused. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, you know. I mean, I follow you on Insta. You just seem to be a typical influencer. Like you only do something or post something if you’re getting paid.”
Jaime winced. “I can see how you would think that. Good night.” He wasn’t mad at this girl. She was right. Normally, he didn’t do anything he wasn’t paid for.
He had been a douche. And though he’d come up to Marin to learn about tequila, and he’d had an ulterior motive for going into Alma’s bar, Jaime had agreed to escort Leti to prom because he had wanted to. It was as simple as that.
Maybe there was hope for him.
Leti waved at him, and she and Tanía walked over to havesome punch. Tanía, Ben, Leti, and John danced a few more songs.
Santi nudged his sister. “Save a dance for your brother?”
She nodded and he led her to the dance floor. Jaime took out his phone and captured some pictures of them.
After they were all danced out, the girls took their dates to the dessert table, with Santi and Jaime following. It was filled with pastries, cookies, cakes, and mini pies.
Leti chose the chocolate cake, and Tanía had a mini apple pie. Ben and John made root beer floats.
“Is it good?” Jaime asked Leti.
She smiled and forced him to eat a bite of his own cake. “Jaime, only think of the cake.”
Jaime inhaled and enjoyed the dessert. He focused on the bitterness of the chocolate, the moistness of the cake, and the sweetness of the whipped cream. He didn’t think about anything else but the taste.
At the end of the night, the limo took them back to Santi’s mom’s place, where Santi and Leti’s mom, Tanía’s mom, Ben’s mom, and John’s mom were all waiting. Jaime opened up Leti’s car door and walked her inside.
“Good night, Leti. I had a great time.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. “I did too. It was the best night of my life.” She ran inside and started talking to her mom in the kitchen.
Santi bid Tanía, Ben, and John goodbye and sat on a swing on the front porch with Jaime.
Twinkling stars lit up the sky like jewels. Horses neighed in thebackground and Jaime could’ve sworn he heard a distant coyote bay. The fragrant smell of orange trees from the grove filled the air.
Santi put his hand on Jaime’s shoulder. “Thanks again, man.”
“Seriously, don’t mention it. I had fun. I was shocked what a good time I had.”
Santi shook his head.
Jaime looked at him. “What? I did.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt that. It’s just you.”
“What does that even mean?”
“You. You’re this great guy, Jaime. Like you really are. But you are so hard on yourself, and you think you’re such an asshole. You aren’t. You had a rough family life and you fucked up with Alma, but you can’t keep beating yourself up about it or living in the past. You have to move on. Allow yourself to be happy.”
Jaime rolled his eyes. “Pot, kettle. You don’t enjoy your life. You work like a maniac—dare I say more than Ramón used to.”
“Fair. I’m a workaholic. But since my dad died, I support my family. I don’t have a trust fund like you do—I have to work and make sure they are provided for, and that Leti gets the care she needs. Next year she will be going into an assisted-living program, and they will help her get a job.”
