Page 36 of Reno

“What do you mean?”

“Talking out of both side of your mouth. It’s biblical. Proverbs, I think. It means you’re saying one thing and also saying what contradicts it.”

I glared in opposition of his statement. “How?”

“You’re telling me how admirable it is that he doesn’t want to have sex, and that he’s trying to keep from hurting you. Then, when I said he’d fold like a deck of cards, you about jumped out of your seat asking when he’d have sex with you.”

“Who’s having sex?” my mother asked from behind me.

Shit.

I sighed. “Nobody, mother.”

As she walked past, she peered over her shoulder, toward Sam. “Who’s having sex, Samuel?”

“Carma wants to have sex with this guy she met, but he told her no.”

“Sam!” I screeched.

She got the cream out of the refrigerator, set it on the counter, and turned around. “You need to be careful, Carmelita.”

“I know, mother.”

“Not just careful with sex. Careful with people.”

“I know, mother.”

She gave me the same motherly look she’d given me since I was a toddler. The one that meant she thought I’d made a bad decision. Fearing her disapproval, I slumped in my seat.

“Where did you meet this man?”

“He came into the restaurant.”

“Who is he?”

“He’s just a guy, mother. A nice guy.”

“A local?” Her brows raised in wonder. “A citizen?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You didn’t tell him our history, did you?”

I mouthed the words I’m sorry.

Her hands snapped into place at her hips. “Carmelita Rosarita Garcia Lorca!”

When she called me Carmelita Rosarita, she was disappointed with me. When she attached both surnames to it, she was angry.

Very angry.

“I can’t go into detail about everything, mother, but I had to.”

“You had to? You don’t have to do anything. You’re putting our family at risk, Carmelita. Maybe he doesn’t care. But he tells someone. They tell someone. Soon, someone knows who does care. All it takes is one phone call.” She raised her index finger. “Just one.”

I stood and faced her. “I’m sorry. But you must believe me, mother. I had to tell him.”

“I think you used poor judgement.”