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“I can live with that,” Bill says.
It’s going to be hard to accept a car from them until I can save up, but now that I know how much Evie doesn’t want me gone for more hours, it’s easier than it was. And I’ll still look for side work, like maybe going back to the idea of work-from-home jobs I can do while she sleeps. It won’t pay as well as brunch tips, but it’ll be worth it if it eases Evie’s mind.
Bill drives us home after pizza, and I notice that Henry’s car is gone. His date must be going well, and I try not to think about it.
Evie and I settle in for the classic Claymation Rudolph, and I hate the Burgermeister even more on this viewing as I snuggle under a blanket with Evie in our too-cold house. First thing I’m doing when I’m done with brunch service tomorrow is installing some weather stripping.
About an hour after I put Evie to bed, my phone rings with an incoming call from Tabitha.
“I talked to my dad and Noah,” she says without any preamble as soon as I answer.
“Please, no more intervention. I get it, I get it.”
“This isn’t about that. Or not directly, anyway. Do you know how I started this cozy little empire of mine?” she asks.
I snort. I love that Tabitha has zero false modesty about her success. “YouTube, right?”
“Right. I started doing cooking tutorials for other college students who were sick of their dining halls, and it grew and grew from there.”
“Okay. You know I don’t cook, right?” I have no idea where she’s going with this.
“Can you hear me rolling my eyes, P? Because I’m doing it loudly.”
“She is,” Sawyer confirms in the background.
“I know you don’t cook, Paige. But whatdoyou do?”
“Run a hardware store.” I’m still confused.
“And?”
I look around, trying to guess what she’s getting at. “Work on my house sometimes?”
“Exactly! And Mom says you’ve been taking lots of pictures, right?”
“Yeah . . .” I’m starting to catch on.
“So do that for an audience! Start a TikTok where you show some of the techniques you do. You could easily make and post three a day. You take for granted the things you know how to do that millions of other people would love to learn. So teach them! And as more and more of them find you, you start getting sponsors. Andmoney. And no extra shifts away from Evie!”
“It’s not a bad idea.” I scootch up in my bed, my brain starting to whir, thinking back to my branding classes and how to create one for myself. Then I sag. “Except that I bet there’s a thousand other people out there trying to do the same thing right now.”
“Wrong,” she says. “You’ve got a secret weapon, but we’ll talk about that in a minute. You have to lean into what makes you unique. Being a single mom. It’s the whole ‘sisters are doing it for themselves’ thing. You show how someone young can be independent and take on a task like renovating a whole house.”
“You think that would be unique enough?” I ask, visualizing it. A series of tutorials is already shaping up in my head. I could even start tomorrow when I do the weatherproofing. It’s seasonal and perfect.
“Yes.Oh my gosh, yes. Yes, yes, yes.Especiallybecause you’re young and unreasonably hot.”
I start laughing as I look down at my dusty Handy’s shirt. “Not lately.”
“Always,” she corrects me. “Own it.”
“Is that my secret weapon?”
“No, I am.” There’s such a note of smug triumph in her voice that I laugh again. “I have a massive following. When you get a good backlist of videos, I’ll blast you on all my socials and you’re going to get a huge running start. Then it’s up to you to keep them. Think you can do that?”
“Totally. I’m going to wear booty shorts and knot my shirts above my midriff.”
“You’re messing with me.”
