This Could Be Us (Skyland, #2)(72)

“I’ll finish this school year,” Lola says. “But come summer, we’re packing it in and relocating. Olive may go ahead of me and move in the next few months.”

“You have money saved up?” I ask. “Like for the transition?”

“I do,” Lola says. “But I thought a cushion might be good too.”

“Cushion?” Nayeli walks through her house, holding the phone to stay on FaceTime. “Sorry. I need to check upstairs. It’s too quiet, and I should make sure no one has done a sibling bodily harm.”

“We have to think about what we’ll do with the house when I move,” Lola says.

I freeze, shocked that wasn’t the first thing I thought about. I love that house. We all do.

“Do we want to sell it?” Lola asks.

“No!” Nayeli and I say in adamant unison.

“Don’t get your panties twisted.” Lola laughs. “I figured as much, but we can’t just have it here empty and collecting cobwebs. I wondered about using it as an Airbnb. It would generate some income, which I need during this transition. And I know you could use the money, too, Sol.”

“Always,” I agree. “Though things have been good lately. I’m getting the hang of this influencer thing.”

“You have videos go viral like every other week,” Nayeli says. “I’d say you are.”

“That doesn’t always translate into cash,” I tell her. “Matter of fact, most of the time it doesn’t. But the more visibility, the better chance I have at getting brand deals, ads, et cetera… Anyway, the moral of the story is that I always need more cash.”

Which reminds me I should finalize the menu for the CalPot Christmas party. I’ve been trying not to think about it because there’s a chance I’ll see Judah there. Bad enough I think about him all the time. Dream about him. Fantasize about all the things he could do to me. The things I could do to him. How good we might be together.

“Did you hear me, Sol?” Lola frowns at me on-screen.

“Huh?” I mutter, sitting up straight. “What was that?”

“We asked if you want to give it a shot,” Nayeli replies.

“Um… sorry. Give what a shot exactly?” I ask.

“Updating the house before we start using it for Airbnb,” Lola says.

“Yeah, that could be cool.” I force myself to tune back in.

“Okay. I just wanted to run all that by you,” Lola says. “We can talk more details later. In the meantime, Christmas is coming. What we doing?”

“I’m sorry,” Nayeli says, her tired eyes flicking from me to Lola. “Six kids traveling cross-country is hard at any time, but the holidays, and they’ve all been so sick? I think it’s best if we stay here in Cali this year.”

“Ain’t no thang, Nay,” Lola reassures her. “We get it. Olive and I are going to Austin after Christmas to look at spaces and get the lay of the land, but I was thinking of visiting you guys the week before, Sol.”

I wish I could reach through the screen and squeeze her. I’ve been blessed to have Yasmen and Hendrix here with me through all the shit Edward left me to deal with, but the ache of missing my sisters is tangible and deep.

“Oh, Lola, please come.” The prospect of a week with my big sister lifts my heart. “The girls would love to see you. So would I.”

“Consider it done,” Lola says, her smile gentle and understanding. “Anything for you, mija.”

“Love you guys.” Nayeli shoots us a harried glance. “But I gotta go. I knew those heathens were too quiet. Now I have to cut gum out of this child’s hair.”

We chuckle and disconnect. And not a moment too soon. I need to set up for the “Cook with Me Live” broadcast.

“Dammit,” I say. “Already late.”

I get my phone set up and start the session.

“I know I’m late.” I shake my head and chuckle. “It’s been a day, but come cook with me. If you’re following along, get your ground beef going. I have two pans here. One for my carnivores and one for my vegetarian. If you were wondering what’s for dinner…”

I look into the camera and wink, already feeling like I’m among friends as I see the comments flooding my feed.

“Don’t worry. Sol’s got ya.”





CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN


SOLEDAD



“Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with others without using them as a means of escape.”

—bell hooks, All About Love: New Visions



A day in the life of an influencer dating herself.

That could work as a title for my next post. My followers like seeing the times I carve out to be alone each week. I’m still blown away by how many of them have started their own “dating myself” journeys. I hope these times alone provide them with the same comfort and contemplation they afford me.

Walking through Skyland is a different experience on a Sunday morning at seven than at any other time. Shop windows are shuttered, CLOSED signs turned to the street, café tables stowed inside. The only signs of life are in nature, like a choir of birds waking up to sing their Sunday-morning hymns.