Page 82 of Cross + Catherine: The Companion

The Boy

Catherine POV

Catherine stayed to the edges of the room and kept a close watch on the most interesting part of her fifteen-year-old daughter’s birthday celebration. Cece didn’t want to call it a birthday party because apparently, that just sounded too juvenile for her.

Whatever.

A celebration it was.

The house was decorated. The family had come. Cece’s friends had poured into the house to fill it full. Presents were waiting on a table—piled nearly to the ceiling in beautiful wrapping paper with sparkling bows.

A cake needed to be cut.

And yet, Catherine had other things to do at the moment. Better things, even.

Well, depending on who you asked …

“What are you doing over here in the corner by yourself?”

Catherine gave her mother a look, and put a finger to her lips. “Shhh, look.”

Catrina did, and found the same scene that Catherine had been keeping an eye on all night. Actually, if she were being honest, this whole thing was years in the making for Cece. It was only now that the distance was starting to close between youthful, innocent crushes to something entirely different.

“Oh,” Catrina said.

Catherine nodded. “Yeah.”

Across the room, Cece stood chatting with a group of her friends. Standing close behind her was Juan—Miguel’s oldest son. He had a plate of food in his hands, and every so often, offered Cece a bite to take from his fingertips.

It was sweet.

It seemed innocent.

Except her daughter smiled in that way every single time she took a bite. Cece was constantly checking over her shoulder to make sure Juan had not gone too far from her side. And if another girl tried stepping in Juan’s path during the evening?

Nope.

Cece stopped that fast.

“How long has this been going on?” Catrina asked. “You didn’t tell me anything about this, Catherine.”

“Because you’re a gossip, Ma.”

Catrina poked Catherine hard in the back. “Lies.”

“Ouch.”

“Well!”

Gazes moved in their direction, and Catherine turned fast to make sure her daughter didn’t see her spying. She didn’t want Cece to know that she was keeping an eye on these new developments between her and Juan.

“Stop looking,” Catherine hissed at her mother.

Catrina rolled her eyes. “She’s not even looking this way. She’s too busy glaring at some girl who keeps looking at Juan.”

“Really?”

Catherine turned around to look again.