15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Matías Moreno

W hat are the motherfucking odds of me finding Cattleya on a dating app? Fate must love playing jokes on me because falling for the same girl twice wasn't on my bingo card. Speeding through the wet streets is dangerous, but right now my brain needs to escape. The city noises, the lights, the smoke, it's all too much to process when all I need is to quiet my thoughts. After a while, I realize I didn't drive back to my apartment. Instead, I'm on the highway on my way to San Miguel, my hometown.

I arrive just as my parents are cleaning the table, the smell of beef stroganoff still permeating the kitchen. My mouth waters at the idea of food, but I'm soaked and cold from the rain that kept pelting me. I guess a bike is not the smartest means of transportation for long drives in the rain.

" Hijo , what a beautiful surprise. Is everything okay?" my mom says as she comes to hug me. It doesn't matter that I'm ruining her carpet; she still takes her time to hug me and squeeze my cheeks as she looks me in the eye. "Thank you for coming home, son."

My mom knows me to my core, and part of having this anxiety clouding my mind for my entire life means she has always been afraid of what I could do to myself if my mind became too overwhelming for me to handle.

" Hijo , are you hungry? Why don't you shower and change while we warm up some food for you?" my dad says with a kind smile and a pat on my shoulder—the same gesture that used to send me upstairs as a child.

I turn on the shower, and after a few minutes, I start making doodles on the fogged mirror. I feel like a teenager with a crush all over again. It's funny to see the shampoo I used all those years ago is still here. I think my mom keeps buying it just in case I come to visit. I shower quickly, wanting to eat and talk to Mom before heading for bed.

"Is everything okay?" Mom asks as she picks up my plate from the table, but I motion for her to sit down while I clean up.

" No, ma . Today was a heavy emotional day." I start washing the dishes with warm, sudsy water, and somehow a sense of calmness washes over me.

"Do you want to talk about it? The water is ready for a mate ."

I smile at her, always giving me the space I need to form my thoughts and express myself. After preparing the mates , Mom and I sit down in the living room. The familiarity of the scene calms me further. Mom is sitting on her recliner, the table lamps giving a soft glow to the furniture that we've had since I can remember. Dad is sitting on the loveseat, snoring in front of the TV. The moment Mom or I try to turn it off, he immediately jumps up, claiming he was just resting his eyes. I take a sip of my mate before I open my heart to my mom, something I don't think I've ever done—not because I don't trust her, but because I never had a relationship to talk about.

"Do you remember Marco and Dani's wedding?" I start, and my mom nods. "That week, I met Cattleya. She's Sofi's sister."

My mom opens her eyes wide. "Oh, Franco's wife."

I chuckle at her good memory. "That's right, Franco's little sister-in-law."

A frown appears between her eyebrows. "Little? How much younger?"

"Four years," I reply without hesitation. I know these things by heart. "Anyway, we clicked as soon as we started chatting. I swear Ma , I've never felt that way before. She was so full of life, it made me jealous of her energy, but at the same time I felt important. It was like what I had to say mattered, and she could carry on a conversation without issue. The age difference never became apparent…"

My mind goes to that first night, the way she went and knocked on my door because everyone was drunk and she couldn't find anyone to have dinner with .

We walk in silence toward the dining area and make it to the resort restaurant in no time. I'm looking at her intently. She's lost in her thoughts, but the moonlight is giving her a special glow that makes her look even more beautiful. I shamelessly take advantage of her wandering mind and try to learn every single inch of her face. After a while, I clear my throat, and she finally catches up on what's happening. I'm waiting for her to sit in the chair I'm holding out for her.

"Oh, thank you," she says with a weak smile. Now it's her turn to really dissect me with her stare. I guess we both have been curious about each other.

"Would you like to look at the menu? Or would you like me to tell you the special for the evening?" the waiter comes out of nowhere and asks us.

Cattleya continues to stare at me, and for some reason, I don't feel uncomfortable. I like her eyes on me, it feels nice.

"I think we'll go with the special tonight," I answer and look at her for confirmation, and she nods. We don't even bother to look at the waiter, who vanishes as quickly as he appears.

"So, Cata. Is that your full name? Or is it short for Catalina?" I ask after clearing my throat and sipping the water the waiter brought for us.

She smiles at me, more comfortable this time. "No, my name is Cattleya," she answers, looking me in the eyes, and I can't help it. My eyes grow like saucers, and my mouth forms a perfect O. She chuckles at my reaction, which causes my skin to heat up, and I can feel my cheeks turning red.

"And that, my friend, is the reason why I go by Cata," she says with a chuckle.

"Cattleya," I repeat, trying the word in my mouth and loving the way it rolls off my lips. "Does it mean something?" I ask, and she gapes at me.

"Are you for real?" she asks, and I feel my cheeks burning a little hotter.

"Yeah, of course, I'm for real. Should I know what Cattleya means?" We are both smiling. I'm glad she finds this funny, and she's not offended by it.

"Do you have orchids in Argentina?" she asks as the waiter approaches our table with our food.

I give him a gracious smile and continue looking at her.

"I guess so. I don't think I've ever paid attention to flowers, to be honest," I say with a shrug, and decide to go for a spoonful of the seafood casserole we just got. It smells divine.

"Well, orchids are the Colombian national flower. There is a natural park in Antioquia, the state we're from, where you can find hundreds of different species of orchids. I'm not sure why my parents chose that name for me, but I guess it has given me character," she says as she goes for her food as well.

"Well, it's a beautiful name and way more original than Cata."

"Exactly, which is why I go by Cata. I have enough limelight being the daughter of Samuel Cardona as it is, I don't particularly enjoy drawing more attention to myself than necessary."

"Hmm, I guess you're right. I bet it's not easy growing up with tons of attention." I ponder, and I'm surprised at how well the conversation is flowing. I'm genuinely curious, and she doesn't feel attacked by my questioning.

"Yes and no. I'm aware of who my family is and how that allows us to have the lifestyle we have, and that comes at a price. For some reason, people either love us or hate us. It's like some people think that public scrutiny is the price we have to pay for being rich, when in reality there's not a single member of my family who isn't thankful for what we have. We are constantly looking for ways to give back," she says with such certainty that I believe her.

"I've heard Franco talk about the work Sofia does with the charity foundation, and it's amazing all the good you guys can do. What I was referring to was to always having to behave a certain way to avoid being judged. "

"Oh, yeah. I must admit, I'm a goodie two-shoes. Always keeping my head low, trying not to rock the boat," she says with a nervous smile, and I try to tell her with my gaze that I'm not trying to judge her. "But my sister is my hero, she's the most amazing, strongest woman I know. Besides my mom, of course. And seeing her navigate being a young rich woman, comfortable in her own skin and not afraid of expressing herself, has been my biggest example. Sofi is who I want to be when I grow up," she says as she throws her head back in laughter, and I join her. This is the best date/non-date I've ever had.

"Could I interest you in dessert?" the waiter asks as he refills our water glasses and removes the casserole dishes.

"What's the special dessert tonight?" Cattleya asks.

"Passion fruit cheesecake," the waiter answers, and she smiles.

"Oh, delicious. Yes, please," she says, clapping her hands in excitement. She's so fucking adorable, I could eat her right this minute.

"Make it two, please," I add, and the waiter leaves us alone again.

"I'm excited to try real passion fruit," I mention, and she looks at me, her brows forming a thin line.

"Yeah, it's not a common fruit in Argentina."

"Oh, that's right. Somehow I always forget how much further south you guys are. It's not really a tropical country." I nod at her with a smile.

"So tell me, what's it like growing up in a country that has all four seasons? In Colombia, it's always warm and warmer." I chuckle at her attempt at a joke, and her gaze lights up. Her warm amber eyes, filling with heat. I try my best to get my head out of the gutter and answer her question.

"I can't compare it with anything else since it's all I've known my entire life, but I guess I enjoy having a respite from the summer heat and the cold ass winters. "

"That sounds nice. The only time I've been was last year when I went to the Taylor Swift concert. By the way, thank you for giving up the tickets so Isa and I could go," she says as her beautiful tan skin turns a deeper tone. Is she blushing?

"No problem. I'm honestly not a Taylor Swift fan. Nothing against her, she's a badass artist. It's just not my type of music."

"So what's your type of music, then?" she asks as I eye the waiter who only has one plate in his hand.

"I'm so sorry. There was only one slice of cheesecake left. I brought two spoons in case you want to share, or I can bring a slice of chocolate cake for one of you instead."

I look at Cata, trying to guess what she's thinking but she doesn't make me wait long.

"I'll be okay with sharing this if you are," she says looking my way, and I nod, ruffling my hair. Suddenly feeling a little self-conscious.

The waiter places the plate in the middle of the table, and as he turns to go, I ask, "Would it be possible for us to get a bottle of wine and two glasses?" The waiter looks my way, and I smile.

"Oh yes please, I'm eighteen so I'm legally allowed to drink." I chuckle at her cute-ass response. I move the cheesecake closer to Cattleya, waiting for her to take the first bite.

"Damn, this is delicious," she says as she closes her eyes and wiggles her mouth. My dick perks up at the view and twitches in my pants. "Good, right?" she asks as I scoop a spoonful for myself.

"It's so sour but sweet at the same time. I think my mouth is in shock," I say, and she laughs.

"That's a perfect description of how passion fruit tastes."

Once we're done with the cheesecake, the waiter brings the wine and glasses. I get up from my chair and motion for her to remain seated as I make my way to help her stand. I would roll out the red carpet for this woman if I had one; she has me entranced.

"Thank you," she says with a small curtsy, and I chuckle. How does she make me feel so at ease? I have no clue, but I'm determined to find out.

"Would you like to go for a walk? It's a beautiful night," I ask, hoping like hell she didn't notice the slight tremble in my tone. This sprite of a woman makes me nervous, but not uncomfortable. What the fuck is happening here?

"Sure, that sounds fun," she answers, and we easily fall into step with the sound of the waves gently crashing into the sand. The moon lights up the night just enough for us to see a few feet ahead of us. It's a beautiful night, indeed, and I get to spend it with this extraordinary woman who, for some reason, decided to spend the night with me.

"Earth to Mati," my mom says in a light tone, and I shake my head.

"Sorry, Mom, I just got lost in thought."

My mom's smile widens. "Of her?" I nod in response. "Then hijo , it doesn't matter how or why things ended four years ago. All that matters is that, to this day she makes you feel the same ternura (warm, fuzzy feelings) you had when you met her." I roll my eyes at feeling caught by my mom. "Come on, Mati. Roll your eyes all you want, but I just know that your story with Cattleya is not over. Call it a mom hunch, but I see Cattleya in your future."

I hug my mom. I'm glad I don't need to rehash everything that went down today. I know I have to dissect it, and hit it with the facts as Dr. Sosa taught me. Maybe it's time to admit I'm not done with my therapy. I mean, here I am at home, opening my heart to my mom, and where is Dad? Yeah, I'm sure he thinks I'm less of a man for coming to talk about feelings with Mom. He always made sure I knew how frustrated he was whenever I wanted to express my feelings. Ugh, I definitely need to go back to therapy. For now, I'm home, and I'm safe. I'll take the day off tomorrow, and then I'll figure out a way to let Cattleya know I want to date her. After four years, I'm going to date mi ángel (my angel).