He sat down in the seat next to me, riffled through the magazines, and pulled out the cooking one.
“Really?” I asked.
“I know, it’s like I’m a tiny bit interesting or something.”
I rolled my eyes. “For the record, I never said you weren’t interesting. But I know you walked in on the middle of a conversation between me and Alana. Perhaps it will be your lesson on eavesdropping.”
“Fair enough.”
“So you like to cook?”
“I do.”
“That’s cool.” Alana liked to cook, too. She specialized in Hawaiian dishes, but she loved all different kinds of food and trying new things to eat. As with a lot of things in my life, I didn’t go out on a limb with food; I preferred to play it safe.
I wondered if Alana knew Diego cooked. I’d have to tell her. “I didn’t realize how much insight the magazines someone reads can give into that person’s life,” I mused out loud.
“Really? What do you now know about me based on these magazines?” Diego asked, raising his eyebrows.
I tapped my fingers against my lips. “I know you like alone time, to think or ponder or speculate on the world, away from people. Maybe you’re a bit private.”
“Because I like to fish?”
“Yes.”
“What if I go fishing with a bunch of friends?” he challenged.
“Do you?”
“No.”
I smirked. “And cooking … that says to me that you like to try new things. You like to experiment and you have an adventurous side.” I really wasn’t sure about any of this. I was making some major generalizations based on very little knowledge.
“Impressive,” he said. “What about you, Kathryn? Any magazines on our table that you read?”
“Aside from outdated celebrity news?”
“Aside from that.”
The phone behind the counter rang, and it took a moment for either of us to react to it. Then it was like we both realized at the same time that Diego worked here. I pointed to the phone while he simultaneously hurdled the coffee table, slid around the counter, and picked it up.
“A-plus Counseling, Diego speaking.” After a moment he said, “She must be off exploring somewhere.” He rolled his eyes. “No, I got it. Dora and Diego are cousins. Yep. It was funny. How can I help you, sir?”
I cringed. Diego turned to the computer on the counter and began scrolling through some screens and typing. “How about Wednesdays at four thirty?” He waited for a response. “Okay, I have you on the schedule. Thanks.” He hung up the phone and looked at me over the counter.
I bit my lip. “Full disclosure in the spirit of honesty?”
“Okay,” he said warily.
“I thought of Dora when I first heard your name.”
He laughed. “I’m glad to know you are unoriginal. Thanks for clearing that up.”
The phone rang again and he gave me a smile and picked it up. “A-plus Counseling.”
I got my phone out of my pocket and texted Alana: You’ll never guess who I’m staring at right now.
She texted back right away.
Alana: Someone famous?
Me: Only famous in our world.
Alana: Like a local newscaster or something?
Me: No! Do you even know what they look like?
Alana: Who then?
Me: Diego.
Alana: You’re stalking him? For me? I appreciate it!
Me: He tutors at the counseling center where Liza goes.
Alana: Awesome! Now you have a legit reason to spy on him and give me intel.
Me: Yep. I already found out that he likes to cook. I think you should challenge him to a cook-off as a way to spend time with him outside of school.
Alana: Good idea. I will try to work that naturally into a conversation.
Me: I have faith that you can do just that.
Alana: Hey, find a way to say something nice about me while you’re there.
Me: He’s on the phone now, but as soon as he gets off, I’m on it.
Alana: Thank you!
Only he didn’t get off. Two more phone calls came in. While he was on the third call, Liza came around the counter to where I’d been sitting.
“I’m done,” she said.
“Already?”
“It’s been an hour.”
“It has?”
She raised her eyebrows, looked at Diego and then back at me.
I stood and pocketed my phone. “Do you need to schedule your second session?”
“Nope, they’re every Monday at the same time.”
“Okay … I guess we should go, then.” I gave one last glance at Diego, thinking I could wave or something, but he had his elbows on the counter and was glued to the computer screen. He didn’t even look our way when the bell on the door signaled our departure.
Once outside, I asked, “So how did it go?”
“It wasn’t bad. Tommy is nice,” Liza said with a small smile.
I gave her a hip check. “Older guy, huh?”
“No, it’s not like that. Whatever.”
However it was or wasn’t, Liza didn’t seem to be as concerned about who might or might not see her on the way back to the car. So Tommy must’ve said something to make her realize going to tutoring wasn’t a bad thing. I’d have to thank him for that next time. Because Liza wanted me to come back with her again. And I would. For her.
“He likes to cook?” Alana said when I called her as soon as I got home.
I shut my bedroom door to keep my little cousins out—not that a shut door would stop them—and filled her in on the interaction I’d had with Diego.
“See, isn’t he amazing?” she said. “And I can ignore that fishing thing. That’s more a solo activity anyway, right? I knew we were meant to be.”
“I haven’t fished in forever,” I said, flopping down onto my beanbag chair.
“Even you, lover-of-all-things-lake, know it’s boring.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Now, we need to somehow use these tutoring sessions to my advantage. He and I have established we are good at flirting with each other, but flirting doesn’t always lead to a relationship.”
“Really?” I said. “He’s passed the Alana test? He’s ready to move past the crush phase?”
“Yes! And we need a plan before you go to Liza’s next session.”
“Okay. Let’s work on that.”
My door flew open and the handle banged into the wall, most likely adding to the dent that was already there.
“Kate!” Cora cried, dashing inside.
Cora was my youngest cousin. She was four and a half and right now had chocolate all over her face.
“Did you eat pudding?” I asked.
“What?” Alana responded. “No, but that sounds delicious.”
Cora was now circling my room, running her hand along the walls.
“Not if you saw it in its current state,” I told Alana. “I have to go before this ends up all over my stuff.”
“Okay, see you at school.”
“Cora, come here.” I scooped her up and took her to the bathroom across the hall. “Did Aunt Maggie give you pudding or did you get this yourself?” I held her up to the sink, turned on the faucet, and used my hand to scrub her face.