Page 106 of The Plus-One List

“Abuelo would approve.”

We grin at each other.

“You’re not what I thought you’d be like,” I admit.

“What did you think I’d be like?”

“I don’t know. More … resentful, I guess.”

“Me?” Ricardo laughs. “Naw, man. I thought you’d hate me. I figured your whole family hated my existence. If they knew about me at all.”

Something in me shifts, like the sun breaking through clouds. All this anger and resentment I’ve felt toward Abuelo, it seems so pointless, so silly now that I’m talking to Ricardo face to face. Abuelita was right. I’ve been searching for a reason, for the truth, for something to explain what happened in a way that I can easily categorize, put in a nice box with a neat label.

But the truth is, people are messy. People are complicated.

The truth is nobody is perfect. Not Abuelo. Not me. We’re all just trying to do the best with whatever life throws at us.

The truth is my abuelo made his own decisions. And it’s up to me to make mine.

“Hey,” I say. “If you ever want to grab a beer, and talk more about—”

“I’d love that,” Ricardo says eagerly. “I don’t … my mom was an only child, and her parents died when I was little. I don’t have any family.”

“You do,” I say, holding out my hand. He shakes it, beaming.

“Wow,” he says. “This was really unexpected.”

I laugh. “Not for me. I’ve been trying to get an interview with you for months.”

“For real?”

I nod. “Can I use some of your quotes for my article?”

“Yeah, dude, sure thing,” he says.

“Great, thanks,” I say, hurrying to take out my phone and sending off a text to Neil.

Then I see the time.

Oh shit.

I’ve been gone a lot longer than two minutes.

47Eloise

Where is he?

The best man is yammering away in Spanish as the crowd laughs and claps, while I quietly melt into a puddle of sweat and nerves, scanning the room for a sign of Agustín.

He promised. He promised me. So where is he?

The Wheel is a blur in my chest, my skin shrinking over my bones, my throat swollen. My pulse hammers in my ears.

Whereishewhereishewhereishe …

The clapping gets louder and the best man gives a silly bow then kisses Rachel’s cheek and gives Diego a hug. The woman with the headset appears at my side.

“You’re up,” she says.