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Gabriel grabs a knife from his pocket and cuts away at the bark. “See that?” He points to the brown underneath. “That means it’s dead.” Then he looks up at the tree. “Even the leaves are starting to brown and wither, and it’s too close to the house.”
Gabriel looks at the space left between the branches of the tree and the house.
“Tree that size is a big job,” Grandpa John comments, placing his hands in his pockets.
“We can handle it,” Gabriel nods.
Grandpa John stares at him, but Gabriel stands his ground.
“Let’s talk cost.” He motions for Gabriel to follow him and I hang back, waiting for them at my Jeep.
I hear Gabriel nod and say, “We can work something out,” before he shakes his hand.
Grandpa John readjusts the John Deere hat on his head and calls over to Gabriel after he reaches the passenger side of the Jeep.
“Be here bright and early tomorrow. Lots to get done.” He doesn’t wait for an answer or a nod before heading back to the house.
“Your grandpa,” Gabriel starts to say as he slides into the passenger seat.
“Is a little rough around the edges, I know,” I interrupt him.
“No, I was gonna say he reminds me of Sam Elliot,” Gabriel says with a smile.
“The actor?” I ask. “Like fromRoadhouse?” I giggle.
Gabriel laughs, “Yeah.”
I shake my head, laughing. “What I find funnier is that you’ve watched that movie.”
“Mi mamáloved Patrick Swayze,” he says in a serious tone.
I start up the Jeep and turn around in the drive so we can head back down to Santa Monica.
“Ya know, there are a lot of older neighbors who could use the help clearing the dead brush for wildfire season,” I suggest as we pass by a few houses that could use some cleaning up. “It could really help your dad’s business.”
He mentioned before that his Dad wasn’t in good health, causing the business to struggle.
“You don’t know anything about my business,cariño,” he says without any humor, making me grip the steering wheel tighter.
“Besides, rich people like these probably already have someone.” He looks down the street.
“You’d be surprised how many are stubborn like my grandpa and think they can still do everything themselves.” I try to lighten the mood.
Gabriel nods, clearly uncomfortable, but I keep my eyes on the road as we take Temescal Canyon back down to the valley.
Gabriel is pensive, staring out the window, resting his cheek on his hand as the wind whips his dark hair around his face, fluttering like a raven’s wings.
“I never planned on spending the rest of my life being a landscaper likemi papá,” Gabriel says as we take the turn onto Ocean Avenue. He audibly sighs. “I guess it’s true when they say you can’t run from fate.”
19
MALIBU GIRLS
CASH
“You hiding from the cops?” Angel asks.
“What? No,” I huff.
