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He tosses up his hands, as if giving up. “Fine, I won’t do the reality show, but he does need to move on, plus Nydia needs a boost. Do you know she’s about to lose her farm?”
“Things can’t be that bad.”
“Oh, they are. She should be filing for bankruptcy. That woman needs someone to invest in her business and believe in her. That’s exactly what I’m doing.” He shrugs a shoulder. “Do I get something back? Yes, my friend might finally be Nydia-free. Plus, that’s not the only thing we need to fix in Luna Harbor. Look at the town. It’s falling apart. You’re a Cantú. How are you going to fix it?”
“I haven’t put much thought into that.”
“It’s been what, three, four weeks, and all you’ve done is screw the manager of the brewery and pretend to give a shit. Stores are closing, people are moving out, and that inn is falling apart.”
Though I’d love to say that’s not true, he’s partially right. I scrub my face with both hands because trying to avoid the inevitable will not take me anywhere. The last thing I want is for my abuelo to return home and see his beloved town destroyed.
“I get it,” he continues. “The place has pretty bad memories for you. There’s your mother who destroyed the town and you having to leave all your friends to start anew with a broken family. But think about all the people losing their incomes, their homes, and…”
He’s right, I’ve been too focused on Siobhan to see what’s happening around me. If I had been paying attention, Nydia wouldn’t be renting her place to him.
“I’ll look into it and fix it.”
“Listen, I know your pride has no limits, but why don’t we join forces and do this together?”
I groan because what he’s proposing is painful. “If it was only you, I wouldn’t have a problem, but you’re going to want to include everyone.”
He smirks. “It’s time for you to learn how to work as a team.”
“Oh, please stop. It looks like you’re about to break into song.”
“For you, I would even call in a few favors to create an entire musical. We’ll have it on Broadway—or whatever street in Luna Harbor has a venue for performances.”
“It’s a small town. They only have one auditorium in the high school that everyone uses. That’s where the kids do plays during the holidays.”
“Aww, were you a tree during the Christmas play?”
“Fuck you, Lang.”
He smirks. “You’re so easy to tease. Easier than your brother. Do we have a deal?”
“What is it that you want me to do again?”
He grins. “Work with us while we bring your beloved small town back to life. I’m already buying some abandoned homes and getting a contractor to flip them.”
“Listen, I’ll do it under a couple of conditions.”
He leans closer to the desk, pressing his palms together and resting his chin on his fingertips. “Goody, we’re at the negotiating phase of this meeting.”
I roll my eyes. “Do you always have to be this… this annoying?”
“Only for you. I’m usually more of a matter-of-fact kind of guy. With you, it’s more fun to take on Fisher’s personality. It’s just a way to irritate the fuck out of you.”
I rub my temples. When Manelik brought his friends Beacon, Sanford, and Fisher to the house, he was around five. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t even give them much thought. At some point, they all became just as annoying as the rest of my siblings—including Lang. To this day, I still don’t understand their friendship, but I guess life without the four would be boring.
“You’ll let me live on the farm too, and when the first house you flip is available, you’re selling it to me. Also, I get to make the decisions.”
He chuckles. “The first two are a yes, but the last one is a fuck no. We’re doing this as a team. We all agree and vote and… I’ll guide you through this since you’re new to it.”
“You’re a pain in the ass, Langdon.” I point at him. “This whole Nydia thing better not fuck my brother because I’ll find a way to make you pay.”
He touches the right side of his chest with both hands. “You wound me, Iskander. How can you dare to insinuate that I’d hurt Mane? He’s my brother. Plus, I’m highly trained. If you try anything, I’ll just have to kill you. It’ll be in self-defense.”
I show him the middle finger on my way out. Maybe this is why I sometimes resent Lang and the guys. Mane is my brother. I’m supposed to look after him, but he always chooses these clowns over me.
