Page 96 of Nacho Boyfriend

“Is… everything okay? Say the code word if you’re being kidnapped. Oh wait, we don’t have a code word. Am I on speaker phone? If so, hey anyone who’s listening—I’m just joking. Ha ha.”

Oh good heavens.

“Yes, I have to cancel our meeting today. I wanted to tell you in person, but we’re going to have to let you go.”

“Whaaaat?”

“Please gather all your personal belongings and leave the premises immediately.”

Olive is quiet for a moment and I hope she gets the hint. She’s smart, no doubt about it. But she’s also sensitive.

“Can I at least get a letter of recommendation?”

“No can do. And I think it’s better if you leave quietly without causing a fuss.”

In other words, don’t get involved.

“So, should I put your number on job applications in that little spot where they ask—”

“I don’t care what you put on job applications, just please don’t ever call me again.”

I hang up before she gets any crazy ideas.

Churro raises a brow with surprise approval.

“Not bad.”

He plucks my phone out of my fingers and slips it in his pocket. The rest of the van ride is more or less unremarkable, except for the little detail of being here against my will.

We reach our destination, which is in the middle of an industrial park. When we get out of the bus, Churro leads me to a nondescript warehouse.

I want to say, “Is this where you dump the bodies?” but instead I settle on, “What is this place?”

“The beginning of a beautiful partnership.”

Okay, maybe not a dumping ground for his victims, but not Disneyland, either.

We go inside through a large roll-up door, and I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t this.

“It’s just an empty warehouse,” I say.

“Not exactly,” says Churro. “Check this out. You are going to love this.”

I am?

He takes me to through to a separate section of the warehouse only separated by a heavy plastic curtain. On the other side of the curtain, the temperature is a good fifty degrees cooler, and on highly stacked shelves are boxes of what appear to be cuts of meat.

Churro spins around with his arms out. “Eh? Eh? What do you think?”

“I think it looks like you’re well stocked for a barbecue.”

He points at me and grins. “I knew I liked this guy.”

“I still don’t understand why you brought me here.”

“We’re your new meat supplier.”

“I don’t need a new meat supplier.”