Page 32 of Fixed Up Ever After
“She did, but I still enjoyed our time together. Hmm, let’s see,” Lola said, biting her bottom lip while she attempted to think of a question. Javi tried not to notice, but failed spectacularly and had to covertly readjust himself in his seat. All because she bit her damn lip. “Ah, I have a question. Have you always wanted to work in construction?”
“I’ve always been good with my hands and I enjoy building things. I don’t know if I’ve always wanted to do construction, but I grew up around it. My father worked for various construction companies and would tell me about the projects he worked on. I thought it was so cool. Once I got into the job force, I still felt that way, but I didn’t like my management. It’s taken me a while, but now I’m in a place to go independent.” And now a lot of that had to do with Lola and the amount of money she was paying him for his first big job.
Part of him still felt bad for accepting the outrageous amount of money, even as he finally took it to the bank to cash last week. But another part reminded him how he was caught up with bills for the first time in a long time. He put most of the money in savings to pay for expenses and labor, still unsure if he was willing to accept the entire generous amount.
“Well you’re good at what you do, and I’m excited to see what you do with my bookstore.” Lola’s words filled him with an insurmountable amount of pride. His chest puffed out like a damn peacock, ready to strut his feathers in front of the ladies.
“Speaking of the bookstore, you are going to be amazed at the changes already. The guys are taking care of it while I’m away.” He smiled. Lola had been busy for the past few days and Javi had accomplished a lot, like completely stripping the interior until hardly anything from the original store remained. “Also, I noticed the plan you left out on the counter. The one for a large kids area. Will it be for more storytimes?”
“You noticed that, huh?” Lola’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “I didn’t realize how much fun reading to kids was until I did it at the bakery. I think I'm obsessed now. My grandma would read to me as a kid, and I want kids in the community to be able to experience that as well.”
“What was your favorite book as a kid?”
“Oh, that’s a hard one. We read so many, but I think my favorite was a book calledThe Tortilla Quilt. My grandma read it to me all the time. It was about a little girl and her friend learning how to quilt from her grandma. It reminded me so much of the relationship I had with my abuelita that I made her read it to me constantly.” Lola laughed, a far-off look in her eyes as if she were transported back to a little girl with her grandma. “What about you?”
Javi didn’t read much. He wasn’t like his sister who could devour an entire series in a week, but he had enjoyed the bedtime stories his mother read to him as a child. “I think mine isThe Giving Tree.”
It was as if he said he kicked puppies on the weekends for fun by the reproachful look Lola glared in his direction. “Absolutely not. Your favorite book cannot beThe Giving Tree.”
“And why is that? I didn’t realize this choice was so controversial.” It was one of the only ones he remembered his mother reading to him because he liked how soothing her voice was when she read it.
“Well it is!” Lola all but shrieked. “It’s a horrible story for kids. Promoting the idea that it is okay to give everything you have and expect nothing in return. Which, sure, a nice topic in theory, but the tree literally gave the little boy everything until she died. Where is the justice in that?”
“Well, damn, I wasn’t thinking like that as a kid. I just liked the way my mamá read it to me before bed. It was like our little moment together,” he explained. “She died a few years ago, so I try to hang on to her memory in different ways, you know?”
Lola grimaced and sank into her chair. She shocked the hell out of him by leaning her head against his shoulder. The touch shouldn’t have felt as intimate as it did. “Well, now I feel like a dick. The book is so terrible, but your mother sounds like she was a wonderful woman. I’m glad you were able to have that time with her.”
Javi thought back to the moments he had with his mother. She shaped his entire childhood and although they didn’t have much extra money, Javi never felt like they suffered or missed out. His parents had made sure they were well taken care of and loved. He hoped Camilia felt that way, too.
“My mom was a great woman. She loved picture books too. She didn’t read much unless it was to us, but I remember her taking us to the library, and Ofelia and I would spend hours with her looking at the books and reading them. Of course, my go-to wasThe Giving Treebefore I knew how controversial it was.” He laughed, tilting his head to better see Lola.
She didn’t respond. Javi waited and watched the slow rise and fall of her chest, accompanied by soft snores. She had fallen asleep. Considering how high-strung she had been, Javi wasn’t surprised or insulted.
A smile spread across his lips as he angled his body, moving his arm around her so she could nestle into the crook of his neck. Lola did just that, not waking up as she made herself comfortable against his body.
Javi leaned down and pressed a featherlight kiss to the top of her head. She smelled of lavender, reminding him of his abuela’s house during spring.
The woman in his arms was beautiful. He didn’t know what awaited them in Colorado, but whatever it was, he had a strong suspicion her fear wasn’t entirely about flying. Perhaps it was what awaited them once they landed. He vowed right there and then to be her rock, no matter what was presented to them. She deserved the best and if her family couldn’t see that, Javi would make sure he showed them.
CHAPTER21
Lola
Lola hadn’t realized she had fallen asleep until Javi’s gentle voice and soft caresses woke her up. She noticed a small spot of wetness on his shirt and was immediately mortified that she’d drooled on him. Thankfully he made no comment as she pushed herself off him and attempted to tame her hair.
Lola reached in her pocket for her phone and to check the time. She quickly turned off airplane mode and her phone buzzed. The screen lit up in her hand as missed calls and texts began to pour in. Most of them were from her mother and sister, but a few were from her father asking if she was able to board the plane okay and if he needed to send a car to pick them up. She smiled at his thoughtfulness and sent him a quick reply that she would arrange for an Uber. A few moments later her father responded with a heart emoji.
When the plane door opened, Javi stood up and stepped aside to allow Lola to get off. She didn’t argue with him when he took her carry-on because her mind was clouded with thoughts of her upcoming meeting with her family.
Up until this point she had done a good job at blocking all thoughts of seeing her family, but now that they were only minutes from seeing each other, she no longer had the security of miles between them. How was she going to act when she came face-to-face with Archie? Had she steeled herself enough to face her mother’s scrutiny? What jabs would her sister throw at her for stealing the man she thought she would marry?
Her body moved on its own accord to baggage claim. She sensed Javi next to her and felt his gaze bore into the side of her head. She could feel the unasked questions lingering close to the surface and she feared if she made eye contact with him, her resolve would crumble. Like a coward, she pulled out her phone and busied herself with ordering them a pickup to the hotel.
“I’ll grab our bags.” Javi said after another beat of silence passed between them. He walked ahead of her, and she knew he was giving her space to breathe. She appreciated that he didn’t demand answers from her or pry. She couldn’t put what she was feeling into words and didn’t want to try to untangle the web of emotions dampening her mood. It would require too much backstory and though Javi deserved to know it, she wasn’t quite ready to tell him.
She didn’t want him to see her for how pathetic she was.
By the time Javi returned with her bright pink suitcase and his sensible brown one, their car was waiting outside. She led him out and slipped into the back while Javi and the driver took care of the bags. A few minutes later, both got in and they were on their way to the hotel.
