A Dish Best Served Hot, page 15
11
Lola pulled up to the address Saint had given her yesterday afternoon after they’d spent some time narrowing down potential buildings based on location and price alone. They now had to take closer looks at the places they kept and decide if they would work for everything El Hogar needed. Hence why she was at his house on a Saturday evening.
Saint and Rosie’s house was on a street that fell right on the border of Humboldt Park and West Humboldt Park. It was clear that the gentrification hitting the rest of the area hadn’t quite made it to this neighborhood. The number of fixer-upper homes still vastly outnumbered the newly renovated ones that probably cost more than she’d made in the last ten years. However, Saint and Rosie’s home didn’t fit into either category.
It was a big redbrick two-flat whose exterior showed age even though it was still a beauty. With its off-center covered porch, light brick accents, and decorative wrought iron gate it reminded Lola of an Old Hollywood starlet aging gracefully while still throwing out her flirtatious charm. The house wasn’t the nicest on the street or even the biggest, but somehow it had more presence. It simply drew your eye. Kind of like its owner.
Saint stood on the front porch. He looked so damn good in his long-sleeved shirt and jeans. He took a few steps down and motioned for Lola to open her window.
“Parking out here is impossible,” he told her. “Pull around the back and park in the driveway. I’ll meet you back there.”
Lola followed his direction and pulled around to the alley. She slowed when she saw him step out next to a two-car garage. He motioned for her to pull into the space next to it and she did.
“My cousins came home unexpectedly,” he said when she opened her door to get out.
“You live with your cousins?” she asked.
“They live upstairs,” he replied. “But they’re in their early twenties and still in school, so they frequently show up in my house begging for food when they’re hungry and to use my Wi-Fi when they forget to pay their bill.”
Lola smiled in nostalgia. “The college years. Good times.”
“I’ve been trying to get rid of them, but they decided it’s movie night which usually means they’re too broke to entertain themselves.”
Lola got the distinct impression that Saint did not want his cousins to know about her. She tried to ignore the pang that caused. “Should I go?”
He gave her an alert look. “Do you want to go?”
“I mean, it seems like you’re busy.” Lola fiddled with her keys. “I don’t want to impose.”
He grabbed her hand. “I want you here, Lola. It’s just that my cousin Alex is my tío Luís’s youngest and she doesn’t know about anything going on.”
“You mean about his diagnosis?”
He nodded. “Or about the Raven Realty job, she’d have a fit.”
Lola’s relief that he did want her around battled with her annoyance at having to keep a secret. Lola didn’t like secrets and lies. She preferred to be up-front. “Well, we just won’t talk about it, but I think we can still talk about El Hogar without mentioning any of that.”
“So you’ll stay? Every twenty minutes Rosie’s been asking when you’d get here.”
“Using your adorable daughter to reel me in. That’s playing dirty.”
He was completely unrepentant as he smirked. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make you stay.” He tugged softly on the hand he held and Lola followed.
She didn’t say anything else as he led her through the small backyard featuring a set of four patio chairs and a small ash-filled firepit. The lawn was sprinkled with toys: a basketball, Hula-Hoop, unicorn helmet, some superhero figurines, a monster truck, a princess tiara, and there was a magic wand sticking out the top of a sandcastle that had been built in the small sand table.
Lola eyed the open bag of salt and shovel leaning against the house next to the back door. It was almost spring break for heaven’s sake. However, they were in the Midwest. If things got crazy enough, it could snow in May or June.
Saint opened the back door and motioned for Lola to enter.
She stepped over the threshold and her jaw dropped. “Oh my god.” The apartment was beautiful. She could tell that it had just been recently renovated. There were sparkling new appliances in the kitchen and an open floor plan where she could see from the back door all the way to the big bay windows at the front of the house, but it still held tons of old charm. There was large built-in cabinetry on either side of the window in the dining room. Separating the living and dining areas was an archway with two decorated columns that matched the original wooden beams and baseboards. “I hope whoever renovated this place gets a job on HGTV, because this is amazing.”
“I did it,” Saint said from behind her.
“You did this?” Lola wished she could’ve dialed back the incredulity, but she simply couldn’t.
He did a head tilt, shoulder raise, pursed lips thing that she figured was his version of a shrug. “My cousins helped.”
“The cousins that live upstairs?”
“I figured since they helped me renovate the place, the least I could do is let them live here.”
Lola got the distinct feeling that when he said he let them live there he also meant for free, because that was what Saint did. He took care of his family.
The sounds of talking filtered into the kitchen area from one of the rooms on the right. She could make out the low, soft tones of a man’s voice and two higher tones, but it was the peal of delighted girlish laughter that stopped her in her tracks. Was that Rosie? Lola didn’t think she’d ever heard the little girl laugh before. It was so cute.
The man’s voice rumbled. “You know, Av. I’m not sure you can rock the hot pink like I can. Right, Rosie? It looks better on me.”
A giggle.
“Stop hating, Teo,” a woman’s voice responded. “This color was made for my skin tone. Rosie knows what she’s doing.”
More giggles from Rosie.
Lola couldn’t help herself; she went toward the sound.
“I don’t know about that. She told me this color would look good and now I’m a frog,” another voice stated.
“But a cute frog,” Rosie said. “Kind of.”
“Why, you little punk!”
There was a scuffle and the girlish giggles exploded into a frenzy of squeals and laughter.
Lola reached the door and found a young guy, who looked a bit like Zac Efron, lounging on a princess-pink bed while wearing a large floppy hat with hot pink flowers sticking out of it. Next to him sat a beautiful girl with light brown skin. She had a hot pink feather boa on and a crown on her head. They were both watching the small woman in what looked like a green towel poncho tickling Rosie as the little girl laughed and kicked.
“Mi amor, Miss León is here,” Saint said from behind Lola.
Everyone’s head whipped toward Saint, and Lola found herself being scrutinized by four pairs of light eyes.
Lola cleared her throat. “I think at this point it’s fine to call me Lola. I mean, she’s seen my art collection, so I’d say we’re friends now.”
Rosie smiled at her, but didn’t say anything. She wiggled around until the woman who’d been tickling her sat back and Rosie was free. She hopped up and rushed to grab Lola’s hand.
Lola pasted a smile on her face. “Hi, Rosie, I’m happy to see you.”
The little girl pulled her into the room toward the other occupants. She gestured at Lola as if saying, Tadah.
Lola figured that was her signal to introduce herself. “Hey. I’m Lola. Rosie’s substitute teacher.”
The woman sitting on the floor gave Rosie an odd look before looking at Lola. “So she really doesn’t talk at school, huh?” she asked Lola as she stood up.
“Not yet, but we understand each other just fine. Right, Rosie?”
Rosie nodded.
The woman held out a hand. “I’m Alex, Rosie’s favorite second cousin.”
“Umm excuse me,” the other woman said, standing up. “That honor goes to me.” She held out her hand to Lola. “I’m Avery.”
“Y’all are both liars,” the guy said, sitting up and scooching to the edge of the bed. “I’ve been Rosie’s favorite since I bought her that American Girl doll that looks just like her.” He looked at Lola. “I’m Matteo.”
“It’s nice to meet you all. Sorry for interrupting your...” Lola took a look around the room.
“We were getting ready for our fashion show.” Alex gestured to her frog towel cape and the rainbow scarf she was wearing like a belt. “All designs courtesy of Rosalyn Marie Inc.”
“You designed all of those outfits, Rosie?” Lola asked.
Rosie nodded with a proud smile.
“You’re really good.” Lola looked at Saint. “What about you? Where’s your outfit?”
“According to the boss—” he pointed at Rosie “—I’m the guy that takes pictures of the models.”
“That’s because Rosie knows there is no way she can make you look good enough to walk the runway,” Matteo said with a smart-ass smirk.
Saint gave him a blank stare. “You’re wearing a child’s church hat and a Backyardigans sheet like a dress.”
Lola couldn’t help but laugh. Matteo did look ridiculous. They all did, but it was cute that they didn’t seem to care one bit.
“Case in point,” Matteo said, “And I still look good as hell.”
“Yas, hunty,” Avery cheered. She lifted a hand and snapped three times.
Alex whipped a señorita fan out of her sash, flipped it open, and began waving it at Matteo like she was trying to cool him off.
Matteo began twirling and posing like he was really at a photoshoot.
Alex pulled out her phone to take pictures, following Matteo out into the kitchen where he jumped on the island counter, crossed his legs, and blew her a kiss.
“Yes. Yes. Yes,” Avery began coaching. “Get it! Slay it! Work it!”
Matteo got more and more ridiculous while they all busted up laughing. Eventually he was on his back, resting on his elbows, with his chest popped out and head tipped back, one hairy leg bent coquettishly, and his socked feet pointed looking like a swimsuit model in Sports Illustrated.
“That’s it!” Avery yelled. “That’s the one.”
“This is your new Grindr profile pic,” Alex agreed. She looked at the picture on her phone and made a face like she was trying to hold it together. She held it up for Matteo to see while Avery peeked over his shoulder. Suddenly they were all on the floor cracking up, piled on each other like puppies. Rosie jumped on the very top of the pile and joined in the laughter.
“So those are my cousins,” Saint murmured at her side. “I’d tell you that it doesn’t run in the family, but you’ve met my abuelo. You know it does.”
Lola smiled. “I love it.” It was clear that these three were very close and that Saint was very fond of them. She’d always wondered what it was like to be a part of a big family. Her mother had a bunch of siblings who had kids and grandkids, but she didn’t keep in contact with her family. Lola only knew of them via social media and that was only the ones who had public profiles. “I hope you know how lucky you are,” she told him.
When she turned to look at him, Saint was grinning down at his pile of family members on the floor. “Yeah,” he agreed. “I’m very lucky.”
The group finally separated and were now just sprawled all over. Alex looked at them upside down and Lola realized she had the same eyes as Rosie, Leo, and Papo Vega. “So, now that we’ve officially welcomed you to the nuthouse, why don’t you tell us what you’re doing here.”
Avery rolled onto her stomach and began kicking her feet in the air. Matteo followed suit.
“Yeah,” Matteo seconded. “Because we highly doubt you’re here for teacher reasons on a Saturday evening.”
“Lola is letting me help her find a new building for El Hogar to replace the one that got sold,” Saint told them.
At that they all shot to their feet.
“The shelter that helps the queer kids who get kicked out of their homes?” Matteo asked.
Lola tensed. She didn’t think any of them would say something offensive, but you just never knew. “Yes, the building got sold out from under us without warning and now we’re rushing to find a new place.”
“That’s such bullshit,” Alex exclaimed.
“Alex, language,” Saint scolded.
“My bad.” She began removing her Rosalyn Marie Inc. outfit. “I just can’t believe this keeps happening. It ticks me off.”
“I mean, really?” Avery added. “Who does that?”
“Sells a homeless shelter for profit or kicks their kid out for being queer?” Matteo asked as he also took off his high-fashion ensemble. “Because the answer to both is assholes.”
“Language,” Saint reminded them.
“Have you talked to my dad about this?” Alex asked Saint, who froze.
Luckily Alex didn’t seem to actually want a response, because she turned her attention to Lola. “We’ve been trying to help out area businesses with free or really cheap labor. This is way bigger than anything we’ve done yet, but I think my dad would like the idea of helping out.”
Lola looked at Saint, who was staring back at her straight-faced, but Lola could see the panic in his eyes. He wanted to change the subject. “Once we have more of a plan, I’m sure Saint will talk to him about it.”
“I will. Don’t worry about it. You’re supposed to be focusing on finishing up the school year anyway. Ds do not get degrees.”
Alex narrowed her eyes at him.
Avery laughed. “Look at Saint throwing out zingers for his new lady friend.” She waggled her eyebrows.
“Oh, I’m not—”
“Old lady friend,” Saint interrupted her to say.
Lola’s jaw dropped. Did he really just say that?
Saint seemed to realize what he’d said. “Not old like age old. I meant that we went to high school together.”
“Y’all dated in high school?” Matteo asked.
“No,” Lola said at the same time Saint said, “Yes.”
Lola glowered at him. Seriously? He’d spent months keeping their relationship a secret from his family back then and now he was just telling everyone about it?
The cousins pounced on the potential gossip.
“So what is it, yes or no?”
Saint, the big dummy, finally kept his mouth shut, but it was too late. The cat was out of the bag so to speak. “We did,” Lola admitted.
“For real?”
Alex leaned forward, resting her forearms on the counter. “How serious was it?”
When neither Lola nor Saint answered, three pairs of eyebrows went up.
“Oh, so it was that serious,” Avery concluded.
Matteo shook his head. “And here I thought innocent, good boy, Saint was a virgin until marriage.”
Much cackling ensued.
“Okay, enough,” Saint demanded. “Get it together or go home.”
“Noooo! Don’t kick us out,” Avery cried. “We want pizza.”
“Yes. All we have upstairs are two packs of ramen noodles and condiments we got from takeout.”
Matteo slumped over the island. “We’re wasting away!”
Even Rosie rolled her eyes at the dramatics.
“Go pick a movie and behave yourselves,” Saint told them. Then he looked at Rosie. “Rosie, go make sure they pick something appropriate, because they need supervision from someone more mature than they are.”
A chorus of, “Rude,” “Now that was just uncalled for,” and “Give him a girlfriend and all of a sudden he’s got jokes,” followed the group to the living room.
As soon as they were out of earshot Lola turned to Saint and said, “That was all your fault, you know.”
He nodded. “I had to give them something or Alex wouldn’t have let the topic of El Hogar go.”
“Ah.” Made sense. What better way to distract from neighborhood gossip than with personal gossip about someone who was usually very private.
“Anyway, you can go ahead and join them in the living room. I’m going to order these pizzas. Anything in particular you want?”
“I’m good with anything except anchovies.”
He nodded and pulled his phone out of his pocket, before turning away.
Lola stood there for a moment. She could hear and see the cousins in the living room with Rosie, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to go hang out with them just yet. What if they asked more questions about her and Saint, like what they were doing with each other now? She couldn’t answer that question, because she didn’t know. Yes they’d said they were friends, but it didn’t feel that way. It felt like less, but it also felt like more. She felt like she was on a jungle adventure and at some point she’d gotten lost but she hadn’t realized it until she stumbled across a path. Now she was standing there wondering if she should follow it, scared about what would await her at the end.
Unwilling to join the rest of the group without Saint, Lola decided to be helpful and straighten up. She collected the discarded fashion show outfits that had been left strewn across the kitchen floor, then carried the pile to Rosie’s room. She sidestepped toys, books, and shoes on the floor until she reached the bed. She dropped the pile there and was getting ready to exit the room when something caught her eye.
There, on Rosie’s dresser, stood four pictures of a woman who had to be Rosie’s mother. She had Rosie’s button nose, naturally arched eyebrows, and perfect bow-shaped mouth. She was beautiful in the way that made everyone stop and stare. What was surprising was how young she seemed. In the first picture, which was a selfie, she couldn’t have been much over eighteen with her edgy bob dyed fire-engine red. In the picture of what was obviously their wedding—she was wearing a white sundress and holding wildflowers and Saint was in a special-looking uniform—she looked a bit older, her hair grown out a bit and now the color of clover honey with blond highlights. The next picture was of her cradling a large baby bump and smiling down at it. It couldn’t have been taken long after the wedding photo because her hair had grown out a few inches showing rich brown roots. The final picture was of the obviously exhausted but ecstatic couple holding their newborn daughter. They both looked rumpled and a bit sweaty. Saint looked like he’d come straight from the field in a smudged white shirt, fatigue pants, and dusty boots while his wife was still gorgeous despite her frizzy ballerina bun, red-rimmed eyes, and swollen bottom lip where she’d visibly bitten it hard enough to break the skin. There wasn’t much of Rosie to see as she was bundled up until only her pudgy cheeks and tiny nose showed. It hardly mattered. The love in the picture practically radiated from the frame.
