Page 66 of Nacho Boyfriend

“Is that what all this is about? Out-doing me?”

Mom rolls her eyes. “Oh, here we go. Come on, Olive. Let’s go dance to Surfin’ USA.”

She takes Olive by the arm and the two women head over to the empty grass area reserved for dancing in front of the stage.

I turn to my dad. “Nobody’s trying to out-do anybody. I brought hummus.”

“I don’t care what you bring.”

“Obviously you do or you wouldn’t have said what you said.”

“Okay, just drop it.”

“Does this have to do with the experiments I make for Sunday dinners sometimes?”

“You always have to do something trendy. Why can’t you just make tacos?”

“I’m not trying to compete with you, Dad, if that’s what you think.”

“Maybe not. But you think you’re better.”

I’m taken aback. “No, I don’t.”

“I know you don’t care for the Mexican restaurants. Always making your fusion or whatever you call it. And the catering. You think I don’t know how much you want to do anything but Mexican food?”

“I love Dos Panchos,” I say.

“I see the writing on the wall, Nacho. You want to do your own thing. Fine. But at least be honest about it.”

“I am honest.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me Pancho Two came to the restaurant the other day?”

“I… I was planning on telling you. I just got busy.”

“You want to know how I found out?”

I shrug. “I’m guessing Rosa or one of the cooks.”

“Pancho came to the house. We had a long talk about those surfer boys.”

My blood boils.

“You let that criminal in your house? Why?”

“Because he wanted to talk.”

“He’s dangerous.”

He swats his hand. “Es una idiota.”

“He stole from us. Doesn’t that make you angry?”

“Of course it makes me angry. But I also don’t want him sleeping with the fishes. He asked for help.”

“Please don’t tell me you’re thinking of helping him.” I lower my voice to a whisper. “The Posse is making threats.”

“I know, I know. He regrets working with those punks. The reason he left the country was to escape his connections with them. But then his wife took all his money, and he had no choice other than to come back.”