Page 46 of Pining for You

“Sure! With the storm, we’re going to have a weird crowd. Might be packed, but it also might be empty. Either way, I can handle it. Besides, Ari’s got nothing else to do with his life.” He chuckles. “Go. Spend time with your family. They don’t always just show up out of nowhere! That’s a real gift.”

And she wasn’t even on my list!

Audra hesitates.

“Don’t worry, I’ll still pay you for the hours this time,” Arturo says. She looks like she’s going to protest but he holds up a hand. “It’s Christmas. Just be here all the earlier the next morning!”

He winks, and my heart warms. A man who can quote A Christmas Carol—clearly satirizing Scrooge—is a good one in my book. Audra makes prayer hands at him as he walks away. I really wish I’d gotten that on camera.

“Well, what do you think?” Audra asks Izaac. “How about some company on this love mission?”

“You want to come hang out with a bunch of teenagers?” Izaac asks, with an edge of skepticism.

“I want to spend time with my brother at Christmas,” she says, putting a hand on his. “I know I didn’t arrange it myself, but… it’s a gift, like Arturo said.”

Izaac looks at me, and I nod neck-breakingly hard. Finally, I know how to react!

“I mean, okay,” he says. “But be aware, I have more questions and I intend to ask them.”

Well, Izaac’s gonna Izaac.

“Of course, counselor.” She smiles. “Have you guys eaten? Do you have time for lunch?”

“Yes. Yes, we absolutely do,” Cash says as he and Diya suddenly appear at the table. I swear, sometimes just speaking of food summons him, like Beetlejuice.

“Cash!” Audra shouts gleefully, standing to hug him. Once Cash detaches from her, she wraps Diya in a hug too. “And Diya, you beautiful, brilliant thing.”

“So good to see you, Audra,” Diya says.

“So what’s this about lunch?” Cash says.

“Losing makes him hungry,” Diya fake-whispers.

“Everything makes him hungry,” I add.

“Perfect. So you guys are in? Everyone?” Audra’s looking directly at her brother now.

He’s quiet, but then I catch the tiniest flicker of a smile and he says, “Yes, we’re in.”

“Tight!” she says, slapping a palm on the table. “Who knew today was going to be such an adventure? I’ll just grab my stuff, and then you’re all going to have to fill me in on what’s next.”

“That’s a story we’re going to have to let Bennie share,” Izaac says.

Audra puts a hand on my shoulder. “Well, good thing we can always count on Bennie Bosley for some good storytelling.”

13

When we’re all bundled back up and out on the street, Audra presses me for the story. I channel the Cameron Diaz character in The Holiday and give her a trailer-length version. I build in the stakes, the obstacles, the most important beats, giving as much main character energy to all four of us as possible. And as I hear myself run through the TL;DR, I realize it sounds like a rom-com that I’d actually watch.

If we can stick the landing.

Audra listens carefully, but fixates on the cookie part of the story. “Bro, the hojarascas from that place are lit!” she says when I mention Eve’s bakery. “Seriously. Stuff of legends around here.”

“Hear that?” Diya nudges me. “Your girl is famous!”

“Her ‘cookies’ are ‘legendary,’ ” Izaac adds with scare quotes, and I roll my eyes, but I’m just happy to see he’s making jokes again.

Cash giggles. “Do you think her cookies are even better than her milkshake?”