Page 69 of Cross + Catherine: The Companion

“Leave it alone, Ma,” Cece said.

Catherine laughed, and grabbed her daughter’s wrist to keep Cece from going any further. She pulled hard to swing Cece around. Like this, Cece had no choice but to look her mother in the face—Catherine could see everything Cece was trying to hide, then.

“Wait a minute,” her mother said. “So … Juan, huh?”

Cece made a face. “It’s just a stupid crush.”

“Does he know?”

Her laughter tasted a little too bitter on her tongue.

“Ma, I don’t think he notices me at all.”

Catherine frowned, and took one step closer to her daughter. The way they were positioned kept Cece from view of Juan and Miguel.

Well, her face.

They could only see her back.

“Hey, now,” Catherine said.

“What?”

“Look at me.”

Cece did.

Catherine winked. “You are too beautiful, and far too amazing for someone to overlook you. You stand out—you fucking shine.”

Cece grinned.

Her mom nodded. “And trust me, Juan notices you, too, Cece.”

“You think?”

“I know he does, but I also know he’s a decent young man with his head on straight, and his heart in the right place.”

“What does that even mean?”

Catherine bent down to stare Cece head-on at eye-level. “It means … you won’t be thirteen forever, but right now you are—he knows it.”

Oh.

“Now,” her mom said, “smile.”

Cece did.

“And go say hello,” Catherine added. “He’s just a boy at the end of the day. And you? You are the most amazing girl. Got it?”

She nodded. “Got it, Ma.”

A little pep talk from her mom went a long way when it came to Cece. Catherine seemed to know just what to say, or just what Cece needed to hear to make everything better somehow no matter what.

She loved her ma.

Always.

The two crossed the tarmac to where Miguel and Juan broke out of their conversation to greet them. Juan turned a blinding smile on Cece the moment her eyes met his.