Page 9 of Casita Casanova
“Good idea.” She disappears back into the kitchen. “Friends don’treallywant to help friends move.”
I laugh as I flip her off through the wall.
“I saw that, Mom.”
Smiling, I turn toward the door as Ari steps inside with the last of the boxes. “Hey, baby.”
She winks. “Aunt Dani, Mom just flipped you off.”
“Nah, she was just telling me I’m number one,” Danielle calls from the kitchen. “Aha!” A split second later, she exits with the glass pitcher of the blender in her hand. “Where’s the base?”
I shrug.
Danielle groans, mumbling to herself as she heads back into the kitchen to continue hunting.
“I don’t have any tequila either, so…” I narrow my eyes at my daughter. “Do you have a fake ID?”
Ari’s jaw drops dramatically. “Mother, I’m offended.”
“That I would think you’d have one, or that I would think you’dtellme that you have one?”
“Exactly.”
Blowing loose strands of hair off my face, I shrug. “We need margaritas and I don’t have any of the supplies.” I lower my voice and add, “But Danielle can’t find the blender anyway.”
“Because you didn’t label your boxes, Maryn!” Danielle yells. “And who packs the blender pitcher in one box and the base in another?”
I grimace. Guess I won’t be addingexpert packerto my resumé.
Ari laughs. “So you figured you’d send your underage daughter on a margarita run?”
I shrug. “I’m sure you’ve done worse.”
“Oh, I definitely have.” She plops down on the floor beside me and flashes a smile. “Why don’t you guys just take a break and go get some drinks? I can keep working here.”
Danielle appears, stretching her arms up to hold onto the frame of the kitchen doorway. She leans forward, smiling. “You’re my favorite faux-niece.”
“I’m your only faux-niece.”
Danielle laughs, shrugging because Ari’s right, then heads toward me, hands extended and fingers wiggling. “Come on. Let’s go hit up that new little Mexican spot down the street. A pitcher of margs, some chips and salsa, and we’ll be totally loosie goosie for the rest of the unpacking we have to do this weekend.”
It doesn’t soundhorrible. I look at Ari, raising my eyebrows. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Yeah, Mom, I think I can handle a few hours of unpacking by myself. You know I love organizing.”
“Something you definitely didn’t inherit from your mother.” I rise to my feet and cup one cheek. “I love you, kiddo. Thank you.”
She leans her face into my hand. “No problem. I’ll start with the kitchen and locate the coffeepot, since I know how you both are when you don’t have coffee and I don’t want to wake up tothattomorrow morning.”
“She’s smartandbeautiful,” Danielle whispers in awe, her eyes dramatically wide.
Joining Danielle, I step outside and close the bottom half of the Dutch door, leaving the top half open for air flow. There’s an ever-present hint of salt on the air. I breathe in deeply, turning my face up to the sun. I hope I never get used to this ocean breeze or take it for granted. It’s soothing, cleansing, and I didn’t realize how much I needed it until I arrived and felt…
Safe.
“Do either of you need to borrow my fake I.D.?” Ari calls after us.
“Arabella!” I chide.
