Page 17 of Christmas Shelter

"Nothing, I lost my mind, seriously, suddenly I was there in front of her listening to myself tell her to come with me."

Aida's laughter would be contagious for Patricia if they were talking about anyone else, but now she can't laugh.

"Wait, are you telling me you didn't want to invite her?" she asks, still laughing.

"It wasn't my intention, honestly," Patricia concludes.

"But you did it."

"Yes, I know I did it, but it was this weird impulse I couldn't control," Patricia defends herself.

"If you say so..."

"What are you implying?" Patricia asks, frowning.

"That I highly doubt you did it unwillingly, Patri. Nobody invites anyone anywhere if they don't want to.Maybe you hadn't consciously planned it, but deep down, you want her to go with you, admit it."

"Carlota?" Patricia exclaims, scandalized, "but I don't even like her."

"Do you really not like her? Because it seems to me that you do like her, and you're just being stubborn, convincing yourself that you should dislike her. Like it or not, the reality is that she hasn't done anything to you, Patri, she got a position you wanted, that's true, but it wasn't her fault."

"That doesn't matter, it doesn't mean I have to like her."

"I didn't say you like Carlota," Aida laughs, "you just said that."

Patricia flushes until her ears burn.

"That's not what I meant, I expressed myself wrong."

"I think you didn't, you expressed yourself perfectly," Aida says. "Don't do what you always do because it drives me crazy, Patri, you like the girl and there's nothing wrong with admitting it."

Silence answers for Patricia, who's unable to keep denying it.

"Great," Aida says happily, "now what you need to do is stop being grumpy and make a plan to win her over, though I don't think that'll be too hard for you," she adds and lets out a mischievous laugh.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Patricia asks, laughing this time too.

"Come on, Patri, if I've noticed it after seeing her just a couple of times, you must have noticed it too after seeing her for longer. She's into you, she just doesn't know it yet."

Patricia feels a sudden flutter in her chest hearing from Aida something she also suspects.

"It's possible she likes me a little, yes, but that doesn't mean it'll be easy with her. Besides acting like an idiot, I think Carlota is quite insecure and very lost when it comes to women."

"Well, who better than an experienced woman like you to show her the way," Aida smiles, "I remind you that I was the most straight woman in the world and not only did I end up with you, but now I only date women."

They both burst into loud laughter remembering it.

"It's very different, you're shameless and weren't afraid to try new things, Carlota isn't like that," Patricia says.

"Don't underestimate her so much, I'm sure she just needs a little guidance. Anyway, I'm not going to give you lessons on how to win over a woman, you can do that on your own, all I can do for you is take care of Coco."

Patricia smiles to herself and holds back the response she was going to give because, in her opinion, Aida could give many seduction lessons to her and anyone else, as she's become an expert at seducing women.

"I appreciate it, let's keep in touch."

Chapter 13

"Good morning," Carlota smiles and hands a large thermos to Patricia, who sits in the car with a sleepy expression.

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