Page 30 of Sex, Lies, and Margarita Mixes

THE PLOT TWIST

ROXY

I wake up to my phone violently vibrating on the nightstand.

Mari Lynn’s name flashes across the screen.

“Hello?” I croak, rubbing my eyes. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Emergency,” she practically snarls. “Turn on channel six. Right now.”

What the hell?

Leaning over Chase’s side of the bed, I slap around on his nightstand, fumbling for the remote. Finding it, I jab the power button. The TV turns on.

A news anchor smiles brightly. “In other news this morning, investor Holden Marks has just purchased more property with plans to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant Downtown… adjacent to a popular new food truck.”

I sit straight up and scream out in horror, “ No ….” just as a shot appears of the building behind… Chase’s food truck.

Holden is smug and smirking on my television screen. He’s standing right in front of the building. The For Sale sign is gone and a giant Coming Soon sign has replaced it. A sign with Holden’s fucking face on it.

Chase walks in, towel around his waist, damp from the shower. “I heard you shriek, babe. What’s wrong?”

I point at the TV and growl. “This piece of shit… I swear… I loathe him… He’s moving in next door to your food truck.”

Chase freezes as he stares at the tv. His jaw clenches as he mutters, “Seriously?”

“He’s doing this on purpose.” I throw the remote down and it bounces off the bed. “He’s trying to steal your thunder because he didn’t get his way with me.”

Chase exhales slowly and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Well, he thinks I stole his girl. And we did just goad him at the launch for his event catering shit.” His eyes meet mine, hard and determined. “Let him try.”

What?

“Let him try?”

How is he so fucking calm?

I blink at him. “You’re… not mad?”

“Oh, I’m mad as hell,” he says calmly. “But I’m not worried.”

I shake my head. “You’re calm as hell and I’m ready to go rip his limbs off his body and beat him with them. You’re infuriatingly Zen, husband of mine.”

He grins. “And you love it.”

“Damn right I do.” I mutter and crook my finger at him. He smiles wider, drops the towel, and takes me to another galaxy.

Chase is prepping for the lunch crowds and I’m sitting at the small desk, working on my laptop and my phone when Mari Lynn and Knox show up at the truck.

“First off, we have news. Danica’s company just filed for bankruptcy.

It’s everywhere this morning. She owes money to everyone.

In fact, she hasn’t even paid her two employees in three months.

That’s why she was so desperate. I almost feel sorry for her.

Almost.” Mari Lynn declares as she looks at me.

I just raise my brow. She continues, “And second, we brought eggs. Let’s egg the shit out of that expensive car over there. ” She nods at Holden’s hot rod.

Knox deadpans. “I’ll cover by distracting anyone and everyone while you two put shrimp peels inside of his rims.”

I laugh. “I see Mari Lynn has rubbed off on you, Knox. Who even are you?”

“He’s a man in love. Plus, he gets that freaky good poonanie, and he’s putty in my hands.” Mari Lynn shrugs.

Chase snickers as he cleans the already clean grill. “Y’all both have that voodoo pussy. But no egging or shrimping will be necessary. He’s gonna throw money at us. We’re gonna win with flavor. And as for Danika… karma doesn’t play around.”

Voodoo pussy?

I smirk. “That’s my man.”

Mari Lynn rolls her eyes. “Fine. One bitch down, one to go. We’ll be the mature ones.”

Knox chuckles. “Mostly,” and kisses the side of her head. Then, he nods at Chase.

That night, Chase pulls me onto the roof of the truck.

We sit side by side, legs dangling over the edge, sipping beer.

“I’m proud of you,” I say softly as I lean into his side.

His arm tightens around my waist and his finger draws lazy circles on my hip. He glances down at me. “For what?”

For everything. For being you.

But I say, “For not letting him get under your skin.”

He nudges my shoulder. “Well, I already won. I got you. Besides, your crazy keeps me grounded.”

I turn to face him. “That literally makes no sense. My crazy has kept us in chaos for years, Chase. Yet, you still think I’m a prize.”

He leans in, “You are .” He kisses me slowly and deeply before smiling down at me. “No matter what he does… he can’t take this away from us.”

I rest my head on his shoulder though my body is humming. “Exactly.” I murmur.

As the city hums below us, it comes to me.

Holden can try whatever in an attempt to beat us. He can compete. He can build walls and freaking restaurants right next to us. But he can’t touch what we’ve built, because Chase is right.

We’re already winning.

We have each other.

And nothing’s stopping us now.