Page 13 of The Last Sunrise

“Honey, no one likes Americans. Not even the Americans.”

“True. But he was so rude about it. He… he was obnoxiously cocky and annoying.”

“Ohhhh, do tell me more. Was he hot?”

I sigh. “Does that matter?”

She nods enthusiastically. “Thatalwaysmatters.”

“I mean, I guess he was. But he was so arrogant and obnoxious.”

“You already said that.” Her smile grows as she narrows her emerald eyes.

I would typically stop there, but for some reason I feel free to vent around Amara, though I barely know her.

“Right. He was also charming in that asshole kind of way. And he spoke English so well and had a crossword puzzle book, which was weird but makes me think he’s smart and—”

“A crossword puzzle book?” Amara’s voice changes.

I nod.

“Built like a god… dark, kinda curly hair?”

I nod again. Oh no.

“Big brown eyes and thick, feminine, envy-inducing eyelashes?”

My head might roll off my neck if I keep nodding. “You know him?”

It sure sounds like she knows him. Oh god, what if he’s her boyfriend?

Amara dramatically slides her elbows and head on the counter. “Yeah, Julián Garcia.”

“Is that a good thing or bad thing?” My interest is officially piqued. If she’s not dating him, that is.

She hesitates, chewing on the side of her cheeks. “Both? He’s great. So fun, but it depends on what you’re looking for. He’s my friend, so he’s a good guy deep down. I’m not friendswith assholes, but I wouldn’t recommend someone like you to hang out with him if you’re looking for emotional connection.”

I take her words as a slight blow. “Someone like me? What does that mean?”

She lifts her arm up and places her hand on my shoulder.

“Not what you’re thinking it does. I’m not labeling you, but I don’t get the feeling you’re someone who’s down to hook up and never speak again. Unless I have you totally wrong and that’s exactly what you’re looking for?” She raises her brows suggestively and I loosen up, my defensiveness slipping into a smile.

“No, I’m not really looking for anything, actually. Is that what he’s known for around here?”

“Mostly. But also, his family’s business is our biggest local fishing producer. Most of the local restaurants and even our hotel get their seafood directly from them. He works all the damn time, so he doesn’t hang out as much in the summer as he does in the offseason, but when he’s not hiding out on his boat, he’s the life of the party. Julián Garcia is pretty much a tourist destination himself.”

The pit of my stomach aches. He almost, almost, almost got me. I was so easily charmed by his confidence and energy. I can totally see why many women want to hook up with him. Not me, though. I will absolutely not let my name be added to his list. I don’t have the time or energy to get distracted.

My tries at dating in the past have been massive failures. Turns out, teenage and college-age boys can’t and don’t want to handle being with a woman with complications. At first, my mom’smoney and status had boys flocking to me, but after my first public seizure, they practically ran the other way. In college I managed to keep a boyfriend for a few months, but he was an athlete and constantly restrained by my lack of ability to join him in his adventures. To his credit, he did try to adjust, but after meeting his parents, his mom pulled me aside and kindly begged me to end things with him.

His grades are slipping, she said.His future is bright. As if mine wasn’t. I agreed because in a way she was right, so I broke up with him the next day and we never spoke again. If someone who I’d spent a few months with couldn’t handle the possibility of a life with me, there’s no way some random guy who lives on the other side of the world can see me as more than just a liability. Maybe picking out chairs and curtains with my mom is the best use of my time here after all. Though I had planned to enjoy the island and find out more about myself and my mother.

“Anyway, just don’t hang out with him if you aren’t into that. Sorry, hang on,” she says, pulling her cell phone out of the pocket of her slacks.

Her phone case is bright green and covered in rhinestones. So cute. She speaks Spanish into the phone, looks at me, nods, and hangs up.

Her eyes blink slowly. Something is up.

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