Chapter 23 was such a fun chapter to write. This is the first time Ricardo and Brianna are hanging out after they cleared up their feelings for one another. I love the freedom that this chapter gave me–it was truly fun.
The first thing we see is Ricardo cooking a meal for Brianna. For me, food is a love language, and cooking for someone is one way to share how much you love them. It doesn’t have to be intimate, it can be a parent to their children, or vice-versa. Even though Ricardo brushes it off as not a big deal, we see he has cooked a whole meal for them which comes as a big surprise to Brianna. One of my favorite scenes of this book is where she accidentally gets a piece of spaghetti on Ricardo. It’s something I can seriously picture happening to anyone and even though Brianna is embarrassed, it still shows the level of comfort she has with Ricardo.
Brianna, being bolder than Ricardo, comes right out and asks him why he likes her. It catches Ricardo off-guard and he does his best to try and avoid answering, but she doesn’t budge. It’s at this moment, Ricard turns his chair to face away from Brianna. Much like me in real life, I have a hard time speaking to people about these types of subjects in person. Turning his chair would help the nerves that would accompany this conversation. Of course, Ricardo’s response to her question then caught her off-guard, sending her scrambling to the bathroom with tears in her eyes.
A little later, Brianna gives Ricardo a kiss on the cheek, and of course, his first instinct is to run by saying he’s got to go. Brianna convinces him to stay, but we see that even with things getting to the next level for them, Ricardo still has his shyness, his insecurities, and his doubts about himself. This all stems from years of being bullied, looked over, and sometimes just flat-out ignored. It’s honestly something I still struggle with even years later and married with kids.
DID YOU KNOW: The outfit that Ricardo is describing when he’s remembering seeing Brianna for the first time is actually one that my wife owns. So remember, Save the Bees.
If you haven’t yet had a chance to read this story, I encourage you to do so if you’re into underdog love stories that deal with realizing your self-worth and stepping out of your comfort zone.