Page 100 of Kissing Games
He shrugged. ‘I don’t know. She didn’t show up, so we’re delayed until we can recast the main role.’
Charlie grabbed Charles and strode outside. If he couldn’t see her in person, he had to get her number and call her.
By the time he reached the street, his phone was already ringing. It was Valentina’s abuelas. He couldn’t help but smile as their faces filled the screen.
‘Is that Dave?’ asked Abuelita.
‘It can’t be,’ replied Abuela. ‘He’s got two eyes.’
Charles barked and they waved at him. ‘This is Charles,’ he said.
‘You named your dog after you?’ asked Abuela, sounding confused.
‘What happened to Dave?’ asked Abuelita. She looked worried. ‘Is he okay?’
‘Dave’s great. This dog is my latest client.’
‘You’re a doggyguard?’ asked Abuela. ‘I thought you looked after people.’
‘Well, normally, yes. But this is a special situation.’
‘Can you get someone else to look after him?’ Abuela demanded.
‘Er, probably. Why?’ He’d only had a few conversations with Valentina’s grandmothers, and all of them seemed to veer into the surreal.
‘Do you love Valentina?’ asked Abuelita.
‘Yes, of course he does. We know that,’ Abuela said crossly to her before turning back to him. ‘You do, don’t you?’
He nodded. ‘Yes, I love her completely.’
‘See,’ Abuela said pointedly to Abuelita.
‘But…’ Charlie began.
‘But what?’ they replied as one.
‘She doesn’t love me back.’
They both started talking at once. Abuelita said that Valentina wasn’t used to putting herself first and being happy, and Abuela said, of course she loved Charlie, she was just a stubborn-headed mule and didn’t want to admit she did. Charles the dog wasn’t sure who he agreed with, so he barked at everything they said.
He calmed Charles down and looked back at the abuelas. ‘I can’t force Valentina to be with me.’
‘But you can fight for her, Charlie,’ insisted Abuela.
‘How? She wouldn’t even give me her number.’
‘Come to Colombia and surprise her,’ said Abuelita.
‘We’ve got it all worked out,’ added Abuela. ‘It’s your mutual birthday in a few days, and she’s coming home for it. You can be here and play Happy Birthday on the piano. It will be perfect.’
‘But—’
‘We’ve already bought your ticket,’ said Abuelita excitedly. ‘You’re flying tomorrow. And you’re going first class.’
What the fuck was going on?‘You can’t buy me a ticket,’ Charlie spluttered.
‘Why not?’ asked Abuela, nose pressed up against the screen, eyeballing him. ‘She gives us too much money. We don’t know what to do with it all, so we’re giving it back to her in a roundabout way.’
