Just then I hear the sound of keys rattling. “Becca? Gage? Are you here?”
I freeze at the sound of Maya’s voice. “Oh no…”
“What the f—”
Maya shrieks when she rounds the corner and sees us. “Oh my god! Are you guys doing it?”
She covers her eyes with both of her hands and stumbles backward, bumping into the wall. Gage rolls his eyes as he quickly gets dressed, while I hop off the counter and resist the urge to curl into a ball and melt into the floor.
Gage walks over to Maya. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Are you clothed? Please tell me you’re clothed.”
Gage exhales sharply. “Yes. Now do you wanna tell me why you barged into my girlfriend’s shop after hours?”
Maya’s hands fall to her sides, a sheepish expression on her face. “I’m sorry.”
“How did you even get the keys to come in?”
She stammers. “Tori. I told her I needed to talk to you guys.”
Maya and Tori have become good friends ever since they met at Millie’s baby shower. Maya often crashes at Tori’s place when we have girls’ nights out.
I walk over to her. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I just…um…”
I notice her expression turns nervous as she looks at her brother. “I, uh, have some news. I got a new job.”
Gage rests his hands on his hips, his expression incredulous as he looks at his little sister. “That’swhat you barged in here to tell us?”
She winces. “Yes, because…well, I need to ask you a favor.”
Gage nods once, lips pursed. “There it is.”
I grab his hand and give him a silent look that says, “Be nice.” Yeah, Maya can be a flake with how much she moves and changes jobs, but she’s a sweetheart at her core. She’s welcomed me with open arms since the moment she met me, and I want to show her that same kindness and support.
“This new job is in San Diego,” Maya says. “I’m going to be the personal assistant for my friend Ingrid for the next three months. It’ll be a temporary move, so there’s no point in bringing all of my stuff with me.”
“Three months?” Gage says.
Maya nods. “Her full-time personal assistant is on maternity leave.”
She mentions something about how her friend Ingrid works for her family business, some massive global hospitality chain.
“I have to leave kind of soon,” she says. “Like, right after New Year’s. And I was wondering if you guys could take care of my plants while I’m gone? And, um, Mr. Pudding too?”
Gage rolls his eyes at the mention of the betta fish Maya bought at a pet store a couple of months ago.
I squeeze his hand. “Of course we can,” I say. “It’s no problem, right?” I look up at Gage, who, I can tell by the tight set of his jaw muscle, is holding back a “hell no.”
He manages a slight smile that doesn’t completely look like a grimace. “Sure thing, sis.”
Maya beams and hugs me, then Gage. “Thanks, you guys. You’re the best. I love you both so much.”
“We love you too,” I say.
Gage nods and mutters his affirmation. Maya says she’ll be by my place tomorrow to drop everything off. She starts to leave but spins around. “Oh, I almost forgot! Millie wants to know if you’ll be making any more batches of unicorn swirl. She told me that nursing baby Evelyn is making her ravenous and your ice cream is her top craving.”
