“I was going to tell you, Belen.” Kris moved closer, trying to get my attention.
I draped my purse over my body. Sliding my feet into my boots, I tied the laces.
“Are you just going to ignore me?”
My shoulders rounded; I was suddenly exhausted. Perhaps I should listen to what he had to say. I wasn’t good with confrontation or uncomfortable truths. The vast majority of my romantic relationships ended because I’d dug my feet into the sand, unwilling to listen to reason or change my perspective. At a young age I’d learned the male species was prone to lying, when Santana Brighton told me he wanted to take me to the winter formal but ended up going with Synthia Harris instead. I could forgive a lot of things, but lying was where I drew the line. Standing, I deployed the handle on my roller bag. “No more secrets … do you remember promising that?”
“Yes and I meant it.” He blocked my way to the door.
“California is a pretty fucking big secret.”
“I’m not saying you don’t have a right to be mad. I’m not saying I wasn’t wrong. But what I’m asking is for you to stay and talk to me.”
This was a test of my conviction. Kris was practically begging me to stay and hear him out, and I wanted to relent and give in. But I was a Goodwin, and we were known for our stubborn nature. “I don’t want to talk Kris, I want to leave. Please don’t try to stop me.”
He stepped aside, his posture losing all its fight.
In the hall, I stopped in the dining room where the Kringle family was still all gathered.
“Belen, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to mess shit up,” Matthew said. “If you leave, Kris is going to kick my ass.”
I ignored Matthew, addressing the family as a whole. “Thank you so much for having us. It was nice meeting you all. I hope you have a great New Year. And I’m sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused.”
“Maybe we just take a beat. This has escalated quickly. Why don’t you and I go for a walk,” Rayna suggested.
I glanced at Kris and his eyes were pleading for me to take his sister up on her offer. “No, I have to go.”
Irene rounded the table and clasped her hands with mine. “Sweetie Rayna’s right. It’s the day after Christmas. Where will you go? It’s going to be hard to find a flight back home.”
With a jerk of my shoulders, I said, “I’ll figure it out. I always do. Let’s go Celeste.”
Irene was right.I couldn’t change our tickets. There were no available flights leaving in the next few days. Any hotel that wasn’t booked was charging an arm and a leg. So, I headed to a place I knew would be open … the local mall. The place was bustling with people excited to spend their gift cards or return unwanted presents. Bayshore Mall closed at eight, so I had nine hours to come up with a plan.
“Are you still mad at Kris?” Celeste asked.
“Yes.”
“Lying is bad. But sometimes lying is good.”
“When is lying ever good?”
She fidgeted in her chair. “Like when you wear that dress with the polka dots and you ask me if you look nice.”
“Wait, are you saying you lie to me and don’t like that dress?”
“Not your best look.” Celeste grimaced.
Note to self, donate the polka dot dress when I get home.
“I think you should let Kris explain.”
“I don’t need an explanation, what I needed was the truth.”
“So what, you just don’t love him anymore?”
“Who said I loved him?”
“Your face.”
