Page 63 of Fixed Up Ever After
Mattea and Mona had looked at one another, sharing a silent conversation Lola was not part of. None of them tried to coax her one way or another or tell her what she was doing was wrong, but she still saw the hesitancy in their eyes.
“Are you sure you really want to cut Javi off? Just like that?” Mona had asked her.
She wasn’t sure and that was the problem. She didn’t know what she wanted; all she knew was that Archie’s words were fucking with her brain and making her second-guess every decision.
“I think it might be the best choice for now,” she had said.
After that, they dropped the subject of her trip and she caught up with what had been going on while she was gone.
And now she was finally at her shop, ready to walk in for the first time. Excitement vibrated through her and she all but pushed past Mona as soon as she got the door opened. “Damn, eager much?” Mona laughed, following after her. “Be careful, I think there might still be supplies out and I don’t want you stepping on something and breaking your ass.”
“I’m not going to break my ass.”
“Not if I can help it!” Came her echoing reply, followed by laughter.
Lola felt the air leave her lungs as soon as she made her way out of the back and into the main room of her shop. All the old brown, decrepit bookcases had been taken down and hauled out of the room. It opened up the room and made it appear bigger than it was. All along the walls were beautifully placed white shelves. Though unfinished, Lola could picture the end product and the books that would soon line each row.
The coffee area, which also served as a checkout, had been stripped of all the old furniture and appliances. Two new, sleek, pink counters stood in its place. They were L-shaped with a small opening for Lola to move in and out of when needed. She shrieked, unable to hide her excitement.
“Mona, have you seen this?!” she yelled though she knew the answer. Her friend had been here the entire week, so of course she saw the pastel pink counter.
“Doesn’t it look good? I gotta admit, I was a hater until I saw it in person, but it’s soyouand adds a pop of color. Did you check out the floors yet?”
The last time she had been here, Javi’s men were about to start on the floors which made her get her ass in gear and pack all the books. It had been the day Javi brought Camilia. There weren’t many worth saving and she had ended up donating many of the books to the library in town, but still had enough to fill the entire back office.
Lola looked down. What was once a reddish, brown wood flooring was now stained a cloudy gray. The color complimented her color scheme perfectly and made the room feel more elegant. “I’m dying! What the fuck, this is perfect.”
“And it’s not done yet,” Mona said, placing her hands on the pink counter before pushing herself up to sit atop it. She crossed her arms over her chest, surveying the room. “It’s coming along amazingly though. Your man and his crew do a good job.”
Lola’s smile vanished and the excitement became tainted with something ugly and uncertain. “He’s not my man,” she said feebly, but she wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince.
“Right,” Mona said, the tone in her voice telling Lola that she didn’t believe her. “Well, good luck telling him that when he gets here. Do you want me to stay?”
She should say no and maybe it would be easier if Mona was in the car, waiting for her. But she wanted to have a backup in case her emotions got the best of her.
“Stay. Please.”
Mona’s features softened and she nodded. The lump working its way up Lola’s throat subsided, knowing her friend would be there. It felt a lot like relief.
Relief was short-lived though because a moment later, she heard someone knocking on the front door of the store, and her whole body tightened. “I’ll get it,” Mona said, probably seeing the terror in Lola’s expression. She pushed herself off the counter and went to let Javi inside.
Lola waited with bated breath, bracing her body for the fallout that was bound to happen. She heard her heart pounding loudly in her ears. She watched as Mona unlocked the door and swung it open. Lola braced herself, pretending she was ready to see Javi.
However, standing behind the door wasn’t Javi as she suspected. Her entire body sagged forward and her face was a picture of shock. “Ofelia?” she asked, not understanding why Ofelia was here instead of her brother.
The pretty woman offered an apologetic smile. “Hi, Lola. I came here on Javi’s behalf. Something came up.”
“Is everything okay?” Her mind went to the worst scenarios possible. Did he hate her? Did something happen to Camilia?
“Yes, or…I believe it is. He was pretty vague on the details. He said he needed to run an errand,” she admitted and stepped inside. Mona let the door close behind her. “Hi, I’m Ofelia. Javi’s sister.” She offered her hand to Mona.
“Monique. Nice to meet you.” She greeted but was unable to hide the skepticism in her expression. Mona kept looking at her as if she had an explanation for why Javi wasn’t her, as if she knew the reason.
But she did, didn’t she? It was avoidance. Javi was avoiding her and she couldn’t blame him. She hadn’t given him much hope that she wished to continue this relationship and it was selfish, but she had wanted to see him today. If it was to be the last day they had the opportunity to speak about matters outside of the job, then she wanted this final moment together.
Being stood up by a man you planned on ending a situationship with sucked ass. It felt incomplete, like she couldn’t say the last things that were left unsaid. Now they would forever live rent-free in her mind.
“Look, I know you weren’t expecting me,” Ofelia started, clearly sensing the confusion and tension in the room. “But…last night Javi came clean to me.”
