Chapter 18
My bed is buried under a rainbow of shopping bags. Elle’s still riding the high of her shopping locally downtown with Tita Karra. If there’s one thing the Alzona girls like, it’s a good deal. Meanwhile, my Depop habit is becoming a full-blown personality trait.
“These are super cozy.” Elle smirks as she hands me a lacy number that screams anything but “comfort.”
“Why do you keep suggesting that I wear dresses? He said dress cozy. I think this outfit is fine,” I say, gesturing at my nineties-retro pink tie-dyed cotton shorts and matching crop sweatshirt.
Elle wrinkles her nose. “He already saw you in athleisure wear today. Do you want him to call you beautiful tonight or stick to beast?” My palms suddenly feel clammy. Why did I tell her about our conversation? Now my sister is convinced tonight’s bucket list activity is a date.
Elle gestures at her own outfit, which is like mine except she has on a matching turquoise set with a cute teddy bear eating a taco on hers. “Pajamas,” she insists.
“Fine.” I grab the dress and slip it on.
This lacy spaghetti-strap number is at least stretchy, but it would never be labeled cozy.
As I leave the room, Elle chases after me holding a blinged-up sandal, but I draw a line in the sand as I slip my feet into my white sneakers and walk out of our suite’s door.
As I head to the living room where Gabriel asked to meet, my insides tingle with anticipation, wondering what his plan is.
Although there are no other guests at the inn, the house feels warm and inviting.
A place where a lot of happy memories have happened.
The photographs that line the walls with smiling faces help paint that image.
As I head down the stairs, I stop again to admire the photograph of the couple on the tree swing.
The one Gabriel’s father took of his grandparents.
My thoughts go to my collection of family photos in the White House. There’s something so safe and comforting knowing about the people who came before you. It’s like a mini pep talk from my ancestors.
I lean in so close my breath fogs the glass as I study the photograph. The way the moonlight illuminates the sky, stars scattered like confetti, the way the shadows emphasize the private moment of the couple…it’s stunning. No wonder Gabriel wants to learn how to capture something like this.
When I get downstairs, the living room is empty—no Gabriel in sight. I settle on one of the couches. Everything in this room feels like a perfectly curated Instagram post.
Several minutes pass and I’m wondering if I’m early or late.
I’m even second-guessing if Gabriel asked to meet at all.
Or what if he is having second thoughts?
After a couple days with me, he’s dealt with multiple Secret Service run-ins, a water balloon attack, and having to keep me from being recognized by the public—I’m sure it hasn’t been fun.
I glance by the living room’s entrance where Shaw is standing and wonder if he feels bad for me.
Footsteps creak down the staircase, and I hear my sister chirping along with another person—Ruby. They pause as soon as they see me, both of them looking nice and comfy in their pajamas complete with fuzzy slippers.
“Hey, Abby, joining us for game night?” Ruby asks, her gaze sliding down my outfit. Heat creeps up my neck. Game night? Was that Gabriel’s plan for this evening? He said to wear something cozy.
Footsteps thud down the stairs, and Gabe appears. He’s in a T-shirt and track pants and looks flushed. “Sorry, we had a leaky faucet and—” He stops mid-sentence when he sees me. “Wow.”
I fidget under the sudden spotlight, tugging at the hem of my dress. Across the room, Elle beams like the world’s most unrepentant matchmaker.
Gabe runs a hand through his hair, clearly scrambling. “You, uh…you look really nice, Abby.”
I want to run upstairs and not come back down.
Tita appears from another doorway wearing a white robe and blue jammies.
She cackles when she sees me. “Ah yes, your mother had her diva moments too when she was your age, Abby. She’ll deny it, but I’ve got photos.
” Normally I’d find that amusing, but right now I feel like the butt of a joke.
“I’m sorry. I misunderstood this evening’s dress protocol. I’ll go change.”
“Nonsense,” Tita Karra says. She hands me the fluffy robe she was wearing, which I graciously accept.
Ruby smiles. “Abby, dear, you do you. In this house, we want you to be yourself.” She lifts a knowing brow and heads toward the family room. Elle skips after her, linking arms with Tita.
Now it’s just me and Gabe. “I figured game night would satisfy your ‘stay up all night’ bucket list item,” he explains. “But I could change, if you had other ideas.”
The way his voice lowered when he said “other ideas” gives me goose bumps. I laugh nervously. “Game night sounds perfect.”
He stretches an inviting hand. “After you.”
In the family room, I immediately spot the iconic Monopoly box on the coffee table. A rush of excitement courses through me. “This night is mine,” I declare.
Gabriel laughs. “No way. You’re way too nice. You’re going to be eaten alive.”
I fix a glare on him. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”
“I look forward to it.” He nods toward the kitchen. “First, I have another quick bucket list item for you. Follow me.”
On the kitchen counter is a jar of marinara, a big bag of shredded mozzarella, and a lump of pizza dough. “Here’s your cooking class item—we’re gonna pop a homemade pizza in the oven.” He puts air quotes around homemade. I double over laughing.
“What,” he asks.
“You, me, and pizza. Not a good idea,” I say.
He leans close. “Well, maybe we should have made one together the first time around,” he says. My cheeks burn as he gathers more ingredients from the fridge.
I hip-check him when he says he found the pineapple.
Gabe turns out to be an excellent teacher—doubling every portion I add like I’m rationing toppings in a crisis. In ten minutes flat, our masterpiece is in the oven. By the time we return to the family room, Ruby, Tita, and Elle have set up the game and claimed the comfiest spots.
I beat Gabe at paper rock scissors for the race car game piece. Apparently, it’s both of our go-tos. Elle gets the Scottish terrier. Ruby’s go-to is the same as Mom’s—the top hat. Gabriel winds up with the thimble.
The game is intense. Tita knocks out Ruby and Elle fast. When I knock out Tita, it leaves me and Gabriel. He’s leading in property owned, while I lead with the cash pile.
“I’m taking pity on you, since race cars are so much cooler than thimbles,” I mutter as he collects rent from me after I land on his B hearing a landline is always a surprise here.
Tita Karra hops up, stretching her arms. “I’ll get it. Going to the kitchen to grab us some snacks anyway.”
“Doritos? I’m starving,” Elle asks.
I sigh, since she ate most of the pizza Gabe and I made.
Ruby’s shoulders slump, and I notice her eyes look glassy.
“I might need some tea,” she adds. I study Gabe’s mom, who looks burned out.
Running a business takes a lot of time and energy.
My mom had the same vibe before she became a senator.
Gabe takes a photo of his mom as she stretches, which makes her laugh. “Do not print that,” she warns.
“Are you kidding? I’m going to frame it and put it next to the check-in desk,” he jokes. She tosses a throw pillow at him.
I laugh. “I love the photos in this house, especially the one of Gabe’s grandparents on the swing.
” Ruby nods, a nostalgic look on her face.
“Gabe’s father was an amazing photographer.
” I pause. Would now be a good time to highlight her son’s own skill?
I sneak a glance at Gabe and see the same sad look.
Maybe not the best time, so I change topics. “What’s the oldest photo on the walls?”
Ruby taps her chin. “Good question. The oldest ones of the inn are probably fifty years old. That’s when my grandparents bought the house.”
My face scrunches as I think about Ruby’s comment. An idea sparks. “Are you saying your family has owned this house for fifty years?”
“Yes, they officially bought the house fifty years come July. It took them a few years to open the inn,” Ruby explains with pride.
I turn to Elle, who immediately understands what I’m thinking. She offers me a fist bump. I return it and we make “boom” sounds. “Fiftieth-Anniversary Jubilee,” Elle says.
I grin. “It’s always nice to tie in a milestone to make an event special. For your jubilee we can celebrate the fifty years your family has owned the property.” My mind racing with how to celebrate and promote this milestone.
Ruby claps her hands. “That’s a great idea. It’s our thirty-ninth year of hosting the jubilee, but fiftieth year of owning the house has a better ring to it.”
Gabe raises his Sprite can. “Seriously, you’re next-level brilliant.”
“Well, maybe hold that thought.” Tita Karra stands at the doorway, looking like she just landed on “Chance” on the Monopoly board.
“Your mother is on the phone, Abby,” Tita Karra says. I freeze. Lately, we’ve been trading texts, especially when it’s after 23:00.
The room falls silent. I flash my best reassuring smile. “I’m sure Mom isn’t calling with some earth-shattering announcement for America. She’s just checking in on me as mothers do.” Even I don’t buy the fake confidence in my voice.
I grab the receiver from Tita Karra’s hand and make my way toward the library. Even though I can’t see her, I can feel my mom’s presence on the other side of the phone. “Hi, honey.”
“Hey, Mom. Anything important happen today?”
I can feel her smiling on the other side. It’s an inside joke now that she’s the “most powerful person in the world.”