Rio's eyes bored into Beth's. Surely, she didn't know about last night? How could she? His face had been covered and he hadn't spoken a word. He'd let Marcus and Earl do all the talking. But that knowing glint in her eye told him something was up.

He debated inwardly whether to let her inside or have this conversation on his porch. Dylan's best friend lived across the street. If she saw him talking to Beth, he knew there'd be hell to pay. If he let her inside, his family wouldn't be able to keep themselves from prying into their business. Deciding that dealing with his nosy family was the lesser of two evils, Rio stepped backwards and let Beth inside.

Closing the door, he heard his mom call, "Who's that at the door mijo?"

"Just someone I know from school," he called back, motioning to Beth to follow him and go down the hallway while the rest of his family's eyes were glued to the soccer game on the TV. There was no way he'd be able to have this conversation in front of his family. He knew it was going to be about the aspects of his life that his mom pretended not to know about and his sister and abuela knew nothing of at all.

As he reached his room, the door of his brother's room opened and a giggling Lupe and a rumpled looking Marcus strode out. "Hey, little brother," Marcus said, taking his eyes off his fiancee to look at Rio and the blonde girl he was with. "Who's this?"

Holding out her hand, she said, "Beth Marks. Are you Rio's older brother?"

His brother nodded. "Yeah, I'm Marcus," he said, shaking her hand. "I've heard a lot about you, Beth Marks. It's nice to put a face to a name. This is my fiancee, Lupe." At least his brother knew how to be somewhat cool and pretend that he hadn't found out what she'd looked like last night. They hadn't spoken a word about his outburst over her, but the devilish gleam in his brother's eyes let him know that it was far from forgotten.

"Oh, that's a pretty ring," Beth said, eyeing Lupe's engagement ring. "I love the two emeralds around the diamond."

Lupe looked lovingly at her ring and then at Marcus. "Thank you. It's Marcus's grandma's. I love it too. Almost as much as I love this man here," tilting her mouth up for a quick kiss.

"So what are you two up to?" Marcus asked conversationally, a teasing light still in his eyes.

"We're just gonna have a chat in my room. Bye Marcus." Rio replied, opening the door to his room and ushering Beth in.


"It was nice meeting you, Beth!" Marcus called as Beth entered Rio's room.

Turning back, she replied, "It was nice to meet you t—" before the door slammed between them. "That was rude," she scolded Rio.

Looking around, she stared in awe at the decor of his room. On the wall next to the door was a collection of license plates arranged in an aesthetically pleasing way on the wall. Another wall had a myriad of soccer memorabilia, the eastern wall had a giant window, and the wall next to his bed had a spray painted mural of the desert. Everything was neat and orderly. No messy desk, no socks or dirty clothes on the floor. The bed was even made. The only thing not in its place was a small basket of freshly clean laundry sitting at the foot of his bed.

Beth was pleasantly surprised. This was a nice room especially for a guy. Dean's room had been an absolute pit and had the same Star Wars decor that had been there since the fourth grade.

Taking a seat on the edge of his bed, Beth put down her purse and crossed her legs.

Rio leaned back against his door, eyeing her. "What do you want?"

"I want back in."

Laughing out loud, Rio shook his head. "Nah, ma. That ain't gonna happen."

Shrugging, she reached for the basket of laundry and began folding the t-shirt on top. "That's fine. I'll just stop by the police station on my way home and let them know about your activities last night."

"What activities? I was over at Dylan's last night."

Wincing at the sound of his girlfriend's name, she reached for another shirt. "That may be true, but around 8:30 last night you were robbing a Tastee Freez with a couple of your boys. See I recognize this hat," she replied, digging it out of the basket. "I was the one who made it, remember? I was in the middle of being questioned by the police when I realized where I had seen this hat before. On your head. And this bandana with the skulls," she said, picking it up and waving it. "I remember it too. Now, of course, last night I was too distraught to give a proper statement, but after some rest I think I'll be able to fully and accurately recount all the details."

Seeing Rio's jaw tic, Beth couldn't help but grin to herself as she folded the bandana and put it on top of the stack of shirts behind her. She had him right where she wanted him.

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Find me some work. I was able to make ends meet working for you. At the Tastee Freez? Not so much. What I make barely pays to keep the lights on in our house much less food and rent."

Rio shrugged. "That stinks, ma. Even if I wanted to, I don't got any work for you to do. The B&E game ran its course. I'm on to bigger and better things. What I do now ain't really fit for your lily white hands."

Beth bit her lip, knowing he was referring to something riskier and more dangerous than she was used to. "I can do whatever, Rio. Whatever you need that doesn't involve hurting someone. You can think of something for me to do. I know you can. One year. That's all I ask. Help me pay some bills and save up for college. One year and I'll be out of your hair. Girl Scouts honor."

Rio nodded, stepping away from where he had leaned against the door. "Yeah, that's something to think about."

He began to slowly make his way to the bed. Feeling trapped and overwhelmed by his presence, Beth reached over once again into the laundry basket. She needed something to do with her hands so she wouldn't get flustered. So she could at least attempt to be cool, calm, and collected. But fate had other plans for her as she lifted up a pair of gray boxers. She could feel the bright red flush creep up her neck.

Taking his underwear gently out of her hand, he whispered, "You ain't gotta fold my laundry, sweetheart." Tilting her chin upwards, he pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Why don't we stop talking business for a minute? I got some ideas about what we could do instead."

Beth's breathing became ragged as Rio's lips approached hers. Her brain was in a fog. In the deep recesses of her mind, a voice cried out not to do this. Not to go down this path again. But she was mesmerized by his lips and his intent gaze. She didn't know if she had the strength to pull away.

Luckily, she didn't have to find the strength within herself to push him away. His mom barging in unannounced quickly solved all her problems.

"Rio, it's time to eat. Who's this?" she eyed Beth, suspiciously as they quickly pulled away from each other.

"I already told you, mom. She's someone from school," Rio snapped.

A thwack resounded in the room. The result of Rio's mom hitting him in the arm with her wooden spoon. "Don't you use that tone with me, mijo. Introduce me to your friend."

Beth bit her lip to keep from grinning as Rio tried to stifle his embarrassment and slight anger. Rubbing his shoulder, he pointed to his mom, "Elizabeth, this is my mom, Maricela Garcia Sanchez. Mom, this is Elizabeth."

The older woman smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Elizabeth. We're about to have dinner. We'll put out another plate for you."

Beth shook her head. "You don't have to."

"Nonsense, stay and eat." Turning to her son, she ordered, "Go get your abuelita and help her to the table."

Rio rolled his eyes as his mom left, leaving his door wide open. "I gotta go get my grandma."

"I'll help," Beth offered cheerfully. It was kind of nice meeting his family. They were all so much friendlier than him.

They walked to a room a few doors down. Rio knocked. "Abuela," he called. "La comida está lista."

He opened the door and stepped inside. Beth followed, noting the coral walls and the antiques that were littered all over the room. A picture of a beautiful bride and handsome groom was on the dresser. In the corner, next to the window, sat a little old woman with long white hair. "Abuelita, tienes hambre?" Rio asked, approaching the elderly woman.

Beth stood silently as Rio gently wrapped his arm around his grandma's shoulders and helped her up. Beth spotted the walker in the corner and pushed it towards them. Rio made sure his grandmother had a good grasp on the bars before slowly starting to guide her out of the room.

"Tu novia es muy bella," the older woman said, flashing a toothless grin at Beth.

"What'd she say?" Beth asked Rio.

"She's wondering why you're in her room."

"Oh," Beth replied. "Tell her I'm sorry. I was just trying to help."

"Ella no es mi novia."

"Cómo?"

"Olvídalo," Rio replied, shaking his head. "No se importante."


Rio grabbed a strawberry off the top of the cake his mother was slicing and popped it in his mouth.

She slapped at his hand. "Mijo, you are really testing me today. Don't make me take off my chancla."

"No, mama, not la chancla," Rio mocked, but immediately quit when he saw the look in her eyes.

"So this Elizabeth," his mom began as she laid the sliver of a cake on a small dessert plate. "This the same girl I've overheard you talking to Marcus about?"

Rio shrugged and handed his mom another plate. "Yeah, so?"

"She seems nice. You like her?"

Rio was beginning to feel uneasy and wanted out of this conversation and fast. Reaching for two plates, he said, "I'll take these to the dining room."

"Wait until I'm done cutting the other slices," she ordered. "You haven't answered my question. What's going on between you two?"

"Nothing. She's just a girl I know from school."

"Mmmhmm," his mom replied, disbelievingly. "When I walked in on you, it didn't seem like she was just some girl."

"That, um, that wasn't what it looked like," he stuttered. Smooth, Rio, real smooth.

"Mmmhmm," was his mom's only response as she plopped another piece of cake down onto a plate. "Let me tell you something, mijo. What you're doing with these girls never works out in the end. You can't string them both along. It's not right. If you like this Elizabeth, then break things off with Dylan and be with her. If not, cut her loose. She really seems to like you. She's sweet. I'd hate to see her hurt."

Not that sweet, Rio thought. Trick is basically blackmailing me.

"Yeah, OK, mom," he said, picking up the plates she finally let him take.

Grabbing his chin with her right hand, his mother's eyes pierced into his own. "Do the right thing, Rio. You know better."


Beth glanced at the clock on the VCR. The blue light read 9:57. She'd spent almost five hours at Rio's house. After dinner, his younger sister, Maria, had asked her to play Yahtzee and then Jenga. Then, Marcus had broken out a deck of cards and started teaching her and Lupe how to play poker. Rio and Marcus had wanted to bet with money, but their mother had been adamantly against it. Instead, she'd poured a large jar full of strawberry hard candies on the table for them to bet with instead. Beth had had fun tonight. It made her long for a close-knit family of her own.

"It's getting late," Beth said. "I'd better go."

"Oh my, you're right! Time flies when you're having fun," Rio's mom remarked, looking at her watch.

"Thanks so much for dinner," Beth said, grabbing her purse and heading towards the door.

"Don't be a stranger," Lupe called.

Maricela nudged her son. "It's dark outside. Rio, walk her to her car like a gentleman."

Begrudgingly, Rio rose from his seat at the table and followed Beth to the front door.

They walked in silence to her car. When they got to the driver's side, she said, "So?"

Rio chewed on the inside of his cheek and stuck his hands in his pockets, reflecting for a moment. "Meet me at the old spot. I'll find some work for you to do."

Beth smiled. "Good."