Page 66 of Twisted Beauty

“It’s a recipe for disaster, I’ll just tell you that right now,” he said. “Tito likes to plot and scheme.”

Liv glanced between the two of them and chewed on the inside of her lip. She’d become all too familiar with Tito’s plotting today. How much should she tell Matt? That Tito was communicating with his mother? That he’d given her what looked like irreplaceable jewelry? That she’d offered to stop by and rearrange his shop? None of it sounded good. She couldn’t have Matt thinking she was trying to insinuate herself into his life.

“I just offered to hang these pictures for him sometime. He doesn’t want to sell them, but they’re beautiful and I think they need some wall space here.”

Matt shrugged. “Might make the place look even busier, but that’s fine. I won’t stop you.”

“Gracious of you,” Liv said.

Matt glanced down at her chest and his brows shot up. He closed the distance between them and lifted the pendant. His eyes met hers with an intensity that surprised her. He looked over at Tito. “You gave her Lita’s pendant?”

“Oh my god.” Liv threw a hand over her mouth. No wonder Matt looked shocked. No way was she keeping this now. “No, I won’t, I mean—”

“I do what I like with it,” Tito said. “Look good on Liv.” He walked slowly past Matt and out into the shop.

Matt shoved his hands into his pockets and dropped his head. “Tito—”

“Close subject.”

Matt muttered something in Spanish after that, but Liv couldn’t make it out. She covered her face with her hands. “Ugh. I’m so sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. This is all Tito. But it’s a family heirloom. I—Tito gets carried away sometimes.”

“I promise I’ll give it back to you when we leave here today,” Liv whispered.

“No, you keep,” Tito said from the other room.

For a man in his eighties, he had exceptional hearing.

“We’ll discuss this later, when you’ve recovered from all this upheaval,” Matt called back to his grandfather. “You mind hanging out a little longer, Liv? I’d love to rinse off upstairs. I’m covered in floodwater now.”

“Not at all. I still need to set the stuff in these boxes back on the tables, so take your time.”

He left and Liv organized the items into themes on the three empty tables and gave each piece the space it deserved. She packed the remainder carefully into boxes, stored them on the empty shelves, and was labeling the last one when she heard Matt’s voice again in the main shop.

“Well, fuck.”

“Wash mouth, Mateo.”

Matt laughed, and the sound made her warm inside. He seemed much more relaxed now that he’d had his shower. Maybe he’d finally realized everything was fine.

Liv joined them out in the main shop, where Matt stood and stared at the items she’d just arranged, like they’d all grown horns and forked tongues. “Something wrong?”

“Did Tito approve this?” He gestured with his chin toward the tables.

They looked incredible, if she did say so herself. The statues, the trinkets, the ornate boxes. All of them visible, and all looking mystical and enchanting, just as she’d hoped.

“Sí,” Tito said from his seat behind the counter. “Liv organize El Brujo this week.”

“Really.” Matt sounded frustrated, and ran a hand across the back of his neck.

“Um, is that a problem too?” Liv asked.

Matt frowned. “I’ve been recommending this since the day I moved back to Mexico. At least there’s someone here he’s willing to listen to.”

“Maybe you just need to stop calling his inventory junk.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Matt said with a wink.