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Holstering his gun, he mutters dropping the bag of delicious smelling food on my table and turns walking back out.
“Wait you’re not going to join us?”
He shakes his head, “Nah, I’m done babysittin’ your ass Dev. As nice as it is, I gotta bounce.”
“O-kay,” I stammer feeling slightly disappointed that the big shadow that’s been behind me for the past few days is suddenly leaving. “Hey… wait!” I scramble to my feet as he’s about to shut the door. “I just wanted to say thank you, for helping me in the garden.”
He grunts, nodding his head with one hand on the knob about to shut the door in my face. I stick a foot out, “I just need one tiny little favor…”
He cocks an eyebrow at me.
“Can you bring some wood up for the fireplace?”
“You want to light a fire in the middle of August?”
I bite my lip, “It gets cold at night and Luce is sleeping on the couch.”
He shakes his head, muttering something under his breath in Spanish.
I turn back to Luce who gets busy opening the cartons and getting out the chopsticks. Unwrapping, the towel from my head, I shake my damp hair out and reach into my cupboard for the bottle of Merlot I’ve been saving for a special occasion. Having my best friend fly in to surprise me from Chicago definitely is one.
Pouring two wine glasses more than half way, I offer one to Luce and sit across from her at my table. She’s staring at Federico down in the yard, carrying an armful of wood.
“Are the rest as fine as him?”
“Yep.”
She takes a long sip from her glass and sighs. “So, who else lives here anyway?”
“Some guy lives above me. I’ve only seen him in passing since he works third-shift and sleeps all day. He’s nice enough. Widowed, I think. And supposedly the teacher who went to Cabo on spring break last year and never came back lives on the first floor. Toad told me she keeps paying rent and all her things are still there.”
“Toad?”
“Yeah, you’ll meet him soon. I really like him.”
“What? I thought you had the hots for that Silver Fox, Roger.”
My cheeks turn as red as my wine as Federico nudges the door open with the tip of his boot, eyebrows to the roof overhearing Luce.
“Shut up,” I mouth, picking up a dumpling with my chopstick.
We eat in silence as Federico arranges the logs on top of some smaller sticks, opens the flue and lights us a fire. A few twigs crackle as they catch, shooting sparks up the chimney.
“You sure you can’t stay and eat with us?”
“Nah, I’m good. I’ll see you at Sassy’s tomorrow night.”
“What?”
“Your Silver Fox called when I was out back. They’ll be back by sundown and he wants his bar open.”
“Oh my god,” I groan burying my face in my hands, “I’m never going to live this down, am I?”
“Not a chance,” he laughs shutting the door behind him.
“Sorry.”
“Yeah, you’re dead.”