Page 108 of A Dish Best Served Hot

“What’s unnecessary is you completely missing the point here.” At Lola’s continued silence and confused expression Yara scoffed. “I mean you, mensa.”

“Me?” Lola asked. “But I’m too dangerous. My past—”

“Your past is just that, your past. I respect Fonseca’s decision to put distance between you and the center. There clearly was a target on your back, and that could have endangered our members. But things have changed since your father died, and anyway, do you know how many of the kids we serve come from the same background as you do? Should we turn them away because of their parents’ choices?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Then why would I do that to you?” Yara reached over and grabbed Lola’s hand. “I have plans for El Vecindario and to accomplish them, I need people on my team that I can trust. I trust you with every fiber of my being and I know that you are the best person to take over my role. That’s why I’m making you go to this meeting without me.”

Anything warm and fluffy Lola had been feeling at Yara’s praise flew straight out the window. “What? I can’t go to this meeting alone.”

“You won’t be alone. Saint will be there.”

“But he’s only coming because his cousin is the one who organized this and he wants to be available to answer any renovation questions. He already said that we are the ones in charge.”

Lola still wasn’t sure how she felt about this change of his. Of course, she loved the fact that he’d finally realized that he didn’t always know best and he was working on being supportive. However, she didn’t know where exactly they stood. Were they just working together for the sake of El Hogar? Were they friends? Did he still have any feelings for her? In the last two weeks he had given her exactly zero hints.

“Youare the one in charge,” Yara countered. “I have every faith that you will kill this meeting. You’ll Krav Maga the shit out of this.”

“But—”

“No buts,” Yara told her firmly. “As the new director of El Hogar, this is on you now.”

“I haven’t accepted the position,” Lola pointed out.

Yara snorted. “Don’t make me roll my eyes at you again. We both know that you’ll take the job.”

Lola fought the urge to grumble that Yara didn’t know her like that. Mostly because Yara did in fact know her like that. Lola was totally taking the job. There was really nothing else she could envision herself doing.

“Besides,” Yara continued. “I’ve had a huge crush on Chord Bailón since forever. I know I would make an ass out of myself and probably jeopardize my relationship, so really you’re saving my pride and my marriage by going without me.”

It was Lola’s turn to roll her eyes. “Yeah. I’m such a great friend.”

Yara smiled. “You truly are.” She clapped her hands loudly. “Now get out of here, before you’re late and make our organization look bad.”

Lola popped out of the chair with a look at her friend. “I can’t stand you.” She grabbed the folders off the table and turned to leave.

Yara smacked her on the ass. “Love you too, Boo Boo.”

“That’s sexual harassment,” Lola called as she rushed out the door.

“Sue me!” Yara yelled back.

Lola practically ran to her car, not an easy task in four-inch heels, and raced to the theater where she was meeting the rest of the group. Luckily there was a parking lot attached to the property, so Lola didn’t have to try to find a space along the busy street. She pulled up next to Saint’s truck and a black SUV with tinted windows. Shit. Everyone else was already there.

She threw her car in Park and jumped out. She sped to the front of the building, yanked open the huge, heavy, gilded front door, and stopped at the sight of the two men standing in the old but still opulent lobby.

Her attention should have gone to the rich, famous, and incredibly good-looking man she was supposed to shmooze. Instead it locked onto the person it always did whenever he was in her vicinity.

Saint stood tall and impossibly sexy in a pair of navy blue pants, a white-and-blue-striped button up with the sleeves rolled up, and a cognac belt and shoes. He looked like the cool guy at the office that everyone else drooled over. She kind of wanted to ask him to bend her over a desk.

Of course, there was no desk in this scenario. Only a big dilapidated building that she was going to try to bamboozle a hermit millionaire into buying for her.

“Lola!” Rosie called, appearing from one of the side hallways and running toward her.

Alex followed behind her.

Rosie threw her arms around Lola’s hips and squeezed as much as she could even though her tiny arms barely spanned the width.

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