Page 22 of Until August

It sounded like he was trying to convince himself that this was where he belonged. Rio used to be my sauté chef and was damn good at his job. But Taqueria Morales had been in his family for decades, and family came first.

“Thanks. Appreciate it.”

“Here you go.” Frankie set two plates in front of me and slid into the seat next to Rio. “Best tacos and tamales in Chula Vista.”

Rio snorted. “You’re biased, babe.”

“I know my food.” She bopped the tip of his nose with her index finger, then gestured to the plate in front of me. “Let August be the judge.”

“He has to get going.”

“He’s not going anywhere until he eats,” she said firmly.

“She thinks she’s the boss,” Rio said with another snort, earning a scowl and an elbow in the ribs from Frankie.

“Watch those bony elbows, Smalls.”

“Watch your mouth, hot stuff.”

I tuned out their flirty banter and took a bite of a carne asada taco. It was so good I ate the rest of it in four bites. “Damn, that’s good.”

“Right?” Frankie said. She was pretty, with long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, big dark eyes, and a brilliant smile that matched Rio’s.

Funny how my former employees had found loveafterthey’d left my kitchen. Made sense, though. They didn’t have time for a social life when they worked for me.

“Try the tamale,” Frankie urged.

I peeled back one end of the corn husk and took a big bite while Frankie and Rio watched me eating like it was a spectator event. I gave her a thumbs-up to let her know it was delicious. “You were in the middle of a story,” I prompted to divert their attention away from me.

“Oh, right,” Rio said. “When my father broke his hip, I came back to Chula Vista to run this place. It was just supposed to be temporary. When was that…” He looked at Frankie. “Two and a half years ago?”

She nodded and took a sip of her Coke. “Two years, seven months, and three days to be exact.”

He laughed and tapped his finger against her temple. “My math genius. She has a head full of numbers and computer code. So one day, I’m working, and this sweet thing comes in.” He jerked his thumb at Frankie. “And my mom says I need you out front, Rio. It’s an emergency. Come quick.” He and Frankie laughed. “It was my mother’s not-so-subtle way of trying to fix me up with Frankie Vega. Not that I needed much convincing.” He slung an arm around Frankie and pulled her close. “Turns out we went to high school together and grew up in the same neighborhood not so far from here.”

Frankie nodded. “He was a year ahead of me, and I had the biggest crush on him. But he didn’t even know I was alive.”

“I knew you were alive,” Rio scoffed. “I was just playing it cool.”

She shook her head, disputing his words. “He’s lying.”

“It all worked out the way it should. I wouldn’t have been any good for you back then.”

“He was a troublemaker. That’s probably why I had a crush on him.” She laughed. “Was he an asshole when he worked for you?”

When Rio started working for me, he had an attitude and a big ego. One night I kicked him out of my kitchen and told him not to come back until he was prepared to beg for his job on his hands and knees. A few days later, he did just that, and we never had a problem again.

By the look on Rio’s face, I knew we were both remembering the same incident, and he would prefer I kept it to myself.

“Nah,” I told Frankie. I heard Rio’s breath of relief. “The biggest asshole in that kitchen was yours truly.”

“He ain’t lying,” Rio said with a laugh. “But I loved working for you, man. I miss those days.” He looked around the restaurant, a cool little place with distressed wood, exposed brick walls, and chalkboard menus. “This place is nice but a step up from a fast-food joint.”

“Don’t let your mom hear you say that,” Frankie warned.

Rio shrugged. “Pays the bills. But I feel like I’m wasting my potential working here. My parents have a set way of doing things, and God forbid anyone tries to deviate from the menu.”

I heard the frustration in his voice but kept my opinions to myself. I wasn’t exactly the expert on dealing with parents, and it wasn’t my place to mention that he was an adult and could work wherever the fuck he wanted.