clear my throat. “That is really important to me. It’s my—”
“You guys in there?” Vera yells from right outside the closet doors.
Logan jumps and almost drops the notebook. My arms immediately cross like I’m trying to hide something. He lets out a deep breath and pulls back the doors.
She smiles up at us. “I love ice cream.”
#17
My journal sits on the console between us as we hit the bricks of Front Street. I’m having to pinch the tips of my fingers so I don’t snatch it up and stuff it under my shirt. Plus, I’m still humming with nerves from that almost kiss in the closet. How many of those have to happen before the actual thing actually happens?
“How does Mi Pueblo sound?” Logan’s voice jerks me out of my thoughts so hard I grab the door handle. Good thing it’s locked or I’d be getting some face time with the Front Street bricks right now.
“Can I get some churros?” Vera asks from her booster seat in the back. There’s barely enough room for her back there. A mountain of random books and boxes are piled precariously next to her.
“Sure, if Maddie wants to go there.”
“Sounds great. I’ve never been there before.”
Logan expertly parallel parks on Front Street across from the restaurant, which makes me envious. I’m the type of driver who will drive around for thirty minutes just to find a spot I can pull into easily.
We each grab one of Vera’s hands before we all jog across the street and go through the glass door of the small Mexican restaurant. Immediately, the smell of foreign spices and fried things hits me, and I’m suddenly starving. The place seems to be designed to make the customer happy. The walls are the color of pancake batter, and the floors are covered in ceramic tile with a Spanish flowery pattern.
Vera runs to the bathroom, and Logan and I sit across from each other at a table that gives us a wonderful view of the river.
“So, go on,” he says. “Spill it. What’s the deal with the notebook?”
I stare out at Cane River and hope he doesn’t think I’m crazy. Then again, that ship has probably already sailed. “It’s just this kind of…journal.”
“Like your diary?” He sounds a little shocked. Bye-bye, crazy ship.
“Not really. It has to do with comics and—”
The waitress, a girl I’m pretty sure goes to our school, comes over with the menus just as Vera gets back from the bathroom. “Can I get you guys some chips and salsa?”
Logan passes out the menus. “Please, Corina. Thanks.”
The girl leaves through the swinging doors behind the counter.
“You know her?” I ask as relaxed as possible.
“Yeah.” He says this like I should know her, too. He tilts his head to the side and eyes me. “She’s in our English class. And she’s been the lead in the last two drama club productions.”
“Oh, right, I remember.” But I don’t really remember. I bury my head in my menu.
“Can I make a suggestion?”
“Okay. What do you recommend?”
Logan slips the menu out of my hand and lays it on top of his and Vera’s. “The monster. We could both eat off of this thing until we’re full and still have leftovers.”
“Sounds great.”
Corina returns with some glasses of water and lemon wedges and the chips and salsa, then asks for our order.
“I’ll have the kid’s bean and cheese burrito and churros,” Vera says.
“And we’ll have the grande verde burrito.” Logan rolls his Rs when he says “burrito.” I love it.
“No problem.” Her eyes dart from me to Logan, a smile lighting up her face. I can see why she’s a drama club star. Her Latina-bombshell factor is off the charts.
I take a sip of my water as she goes to turn in our order. “So, how well do you and Corina know each other?”
He shrugs. “I do the sound stuff for the plays, so we got to hang out a little.”
That’s innocent enough, right? I scold myself for getting even the slightest bit jealous. Here I am, waiting for the confirmation of a breakup, and I’m concerned about this seemingly innocent girl. At that thought, I sneak a quick peek at my phone to make sure I don’t have any missed calls or texts. Nothing.
Logan props his chin in his hand and gives me a far-too-innocent smile. “Why do you ask?”
I play with the stack of cardboard coasters sitting in the middle of the table. “Just curious.”
“Are you sure? Because I thought I detected a