Page 132

“Grab the cooler for me?” Silvia asked.

He fetched it for her so she could pack the fish in ice.

“I made a mistake,” she said while working.

“Looks like you did everything right to me,” Omar replied.

“No. I mean when I broke up with you.”

He stared at her a moment, the wound in his heart stinging. “Nah,” he said with a shrug. “I’m the one who messed up.”

“Maybe we both did.” Silvia rinsed her hands in the lake before she stood and turned to face him. “I don’t know if you want to get back together—”

“I do,” Omar interrupted. “More than anything.”

She started to smile before her face crinkled with worry. “I need you to promise something. And reallyreallymean it. Because I don’t know how long we’ll last. Some people get married to their high school sweetheart—”

God he loved how that sounded!

“—but I don’t think it’s very common,” she continued. “More likely than not, we’ll break up again eventually.” She held up a hand when he tried to reply. “If that happens, promise you won’t say anything that will hurt my family. You can call me a bitch or whatever names you want. Just don’t do anything that would put my family in jeopardy. They matter too much to me. I can’t stand the thought.” Silvia wiped at her eyes before searching his for an answer.

“There are things I don’t know yet,” Omar said. “Right?”

She nodded and swallowed.

“I love you guys,” Omar said, feeling it was safer to include Hugo, who he really did like. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to either of you. So no matter how upset I get in the future, I’ll think of this moment. And remember my promise.”

“Is that a yes?” Silvia asked.

“I mean, that’s what I was hoping to hear from you.” Omar took a step closer and reached for her hand, feeling tremendous relief when she took hold of his. “I promise I won’t do anything to hurt you. Not intentionally. Please be my girlfriend again.”

“Yes,” Silvia said from around a smile as she moved close to him.

They both looked over to see that her little brother was watching them with a puzzled expression.

“Hey Hugo,” Omar said, gesturing at the sky. “You see that plane up there?” This time it was possible to make out the aircraft’s shape, and not just the trail it left behind.

“Yeah?” Hugo said after turning away to look.

“Is it getting closer to us or farther away?”

Hugo continued to stare while trying to figure it out. Omar didn’t waste any time. He moved forward and kissed Silvia, loving how it felt when she wrapped her arms around him.

“I really—” he started to say before deciding to hold back. The last time he’d told her how he felt, it hadn’t gone down well. But what he decided to say was also the truth. “—reallylike you,” he finished.

“I like you too,” Silvia said, hugging his torso tight.

Omar kissed the top of her head and breathed in the scent of her hair.

“It’s getting closer,” Hugo said at last.

They both laughed and released each other.

“One fish isn’t enough to feed a family,” Silvia murmured.

“Then let’s get back to it,” Omar said, happy that they’d agreed to do just that.

CHAPTER 30