Page 66 of You'll Love it Here

And it’s like all the anxiety I’d built up falls like a stack of blocks. Because it’s not going to be anything. I don’t know why I ever thought she could be my mom for once.

“No, Mom, it’s just a vacation. I should be going back on the—”

A loud groan interrupts my train of thought.

“Oh, that means Aunty is good and ready!” My mom’s eyes brighten. “Do you want to come over for kabob? You can borrow this cream.”

“I’m okay!” I grin, but she’s hung up before I even answered.

Tour de Building

The diner is devoid of customers when I enter. Every table is clean, and the muted TV is playingJust for Laughs Gags. Sami is behind the counter holding out an iPad, doing what looks to be some kind of inventory counting cans of soda stacked on the back shelf, deep stress lines between his brows as he mouths numbers to himself. The sweet scent of something baking lingers in the air.

The stress fades from his expression as soon as he catches sight of me. “Hey, Mon!”

I take a seat, slowly releasing the air from the original stool I drunkenly sat in weeks ago. Back then, I was a stranger to this place, but today it’s sort of like coming into a welcoming home, one that I never realized I wanted to be a part of.

A curious twist pulls between his brows. “It’s a little late for coffee and a little early for Ernest—so what is the reason for this rogue visit you’re blessing me with during what many diner proprietors call poutine hour?”

I grin. “I’ll just have a water.”

“Our specialty.” He smoothly fills a glass with ice water with one hand in pretty much a single move, before sliding it in front of me. “I’m guessing that’s not what you really came for?”

He’s right. But for the hundredth time since the idea for how to get the tenants out of the rec roomfinallycame to me (while I was picking up Ernest’s afternoon poop of all things!), the better part of my mind has me second-guessing it all.

“I have kind of a big favor to ask,” I start, silencing my conscience.

This is the only plan that could work. I have to try it.

“Oh yeah?” Sami eyes me curiously.

I nod. “But first, are you and Abu having cooking lessons tonight?” I search out Abu, who is normally in the kitchen around this time.

Sami shakes his head. “Abu has asked to take a break because they’re, and I quote, sucking all the joy from the short life he has left since I’m always being an imbecile with questions.”

“Are you serious?” I try to suppress my grin as I picture Abu saying all that—and it tracks.

“That’s what he claims.” Sami gives me an exasperated head shake as he pulls out some glassware from the plastic rack on the counter and stacks them neatly on the shelf against the back wall. “Convenient he happens to have a mehmooni to go to with my mom tonight. We’ll resume next week.”

I giggle as the relief swipes in. Canceling their lessons was the one thing I couldn’t ask Sami to do.

Sami finishes out the row of glasses and starts wiping the counter. “So, what’s the favor you’d like to call in?”

I try to keep my voice bright and casual. “Would it be possible to have a really quick town hall? It’s a bit of an emergency.”

“An emergency town hall. Well, I’m intrigued.” Sami waggles his brows. “When are you thinking? Tomorrow could work since Thursdays are usually slow, Friday could work as well if we—”

“I need to have it tonight—say, six o’clock?” Which is exactly half an hour before the time Lana will arrive with people to view the building.

Sami stops his wiping. “Oh, wow. That seems a little short notice.”

“I know, but you wouldn’t have to set up anything! I just need a meeting place.”

“I meant it seemed short notice getting people here.” Sami’s expression drops. “You know how last time the turnout wasn’t exactly high?”

“Fair, but this time there’s a real topic to discuss. It looks like the residents have banded together to fix the rec room, and I just want to make sure everyone is on the same page before they get too deep into the... renovations. I want to stop them spending money on things this early.”

Sami continues wiping the already clean counter. “Ah, the rec room. That’s been the talk of this place since this morning. Carmen said there was an embargo on darts?”