Page 87 of The Right Garza

I roll my eyes. Ugh. He’s so frustrating. “You never answer me seriously about anything.” I get up and dust sand off my behind. “Come on. Let’s go play volleyball with the others.”

~

It’s my sixteenthbirthday.

Monica is hosting a nice dinner party for me next door. Outdoors, so there’ll be enough room for my large family.

I’m in my room getting ready when Mama shadows my door to tell me he’s here to see me. I’m still in my bathrobe and in the middle of blow-drying my hair, so I ask Mama if she can allow him in my room just this once. She is not at all like Monica Garza—only blood family is allowed in our home.

Mama doesn’t like my request but, because it’s my birthday, she reluctantly agrees with a harrumph. “Solo esta vez,” she says, wagging a stern finger at me.

“Si, Mama.” Just this once.

I smell the scent of Irish Spring first, and I glance up in the mirror of my dresser to see him in my bedroom doorway.

I turn off the blow-dryer and turn to give him my attention. “Hey. What’s up?”

He walks in.

There’s something in his hand. “I…um…I just wanted to give you your birthday gift before things got crazy.”

I flash him a silly grin. “You got me a gift?”

He holds his hand out. A gray box wrapped with white bow sits in his large, calloused palm.

I’m excited as I take it.

I untie the bow and lift off the cover.

Nestled in a delicate ruffle of red silk is a gold necklace. Angel wings that close together in the shape of a heart. “Oh, wow. This is…” I look up at him, stunned. “Is thisrealgold?”

He nods, looking somewhat nervous.

“It’s…Oh my God,” I say. “It’s beautiful.”

And without a doubt the nicest, most expensive gift anyone’s ever given me.

“Open it,” he says. “It’s a locket.”

Oh…

Frowning, I flip it from side to side as I try to figure out how to open it. “How—”

“Lift the wings.”

Following his instructions, I lift the wings outward, then break into a watery smile when I see a miniature picture of Mama and me. “Where did you get—”

“I stole it from your phone.”

My heart stretches tightly in my chest. He knows how much Mama means to me. That she’s my world. They all know. This is such a thoughtful gift it makes me want to weep.

I throw my arms around him, tipping high up on my toes to hug himhardso that he feels every bit of my appreciation.

He sighs in my hair as he hugs me back. Squeezing me tight.

“Put it on me,” I say, spinning out of his arms so my back is to him.

He takes the necklace from me and sweeps my hair to the side, locking it around my neck. His fingers linger at my nape, and his minty breath warms my neck as he whispers, “I love you, Lexi.”