Oh fuck.
This was supremely bad.
Carolina’s lip quivered as she frantically typed on her phone. “It says they closed the road out of here. We won’t be able to get home.”
Stay calm, Enrique.“I can just turn around and we can go back on the main freeway.”
She pulled up a map on her phone and showed it to Enrique. “But that will take five more hours, and in these conditions? Is that even safe?”
Enrique took a deep breath. “Carolina, I promised I’d take you home, and I meant that. I will.”
She shook her head. “No. This is insane. The only reason you are trying to get me home is because of my father, right?”
“Pretty much.” Enrique ran his hand through his hair.
“Well, staying the night is the only logical option.”
“I could get us a room here. Or two rooms of course, if you like. But I really don’t want to make any more trouble for you.”
Carolina’s hands shook. “You’ve been a perfect gentleman since I’ve met you. I don’t think your intention was to trap me in an unexpected storm and force me to spend the night with you. But I suspect my parents are going to assume this was our plan and the reason you wanted to take a day trip with me.”
Enrique’s stomach churned. How awful. “Carolina, I would never.”
“I know you wouldn’t. I do. But I need to call them.”
She dialed home. “Mamá. I know—
“Yes, we’re caught in the storm, the One is closed—
“Yes, we can go around, but Mamá, we won’t be home until almost morning.
“It’s not safe—I should stay here—”
He watched Carolina’s eyes widen as she listened to her mother on the phone, her mouth a perfect O. “What? No, of course not. How could you even say that—are you serious right now?”
Enrique’s stomach churned.
“You’ve got to be kidding. I am spending the night here for my safety and Enrique’s. It’s not like that, and you know it! You’re being ridiculous.
“Fine, Mamá. Whatever you say. Who cares about my reputation anyway—I don’t want to get married. Bye.” She hung up, tears streaming down her face.
Jesus.“I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. What did she say?”
Her lip quivered. “She said that if I don’t come home tonight, to never come home again unless we get married.”
What the fuck? “Married? Is she serious?”
“Yup. And if I spend the night with you as an unwed woman, I’m dead to them.”
“That’s insane. They can’t mean that.” He tightened his grip on the wheel.
“Oh, they do. I get that it sounds dramatic and literally unbelievable, but my parents take my perceived purity very seriously. It’s ridiculous. You haven’t even seen the half of it in my traditional family. My abuelo did the same thing to my Tía Luísa. She spent the night with her boyfriend and was never allowed back into the home.”
“Really? That’s awful. Do you ever see her?”
“Never. I have fond memories of her as a child. She took me to Disneyland once. The only time I ever went.”
“I’m sorry your grandfather did that to her. And to you. She lives in Barrio Logan, right?”
