Page 74 of You Chive Me Crazy

“Okay,” I said. “I can play the piano. I once accidentally set my kitchen on fire. I also kissed Matt Damon.” I laughed and took a sip of my beer.

Zoe shook her head. “Matt tells me everything, so the last one is a lie, but I didn’t know you played the piano.”

I nodded. “Since I was five years old, but admittedly not much lately.”

“And he’s amazing,” Rolando said.

“Oh. My. God.” Zoe said, her back stiffening. “Damian’s here.”

“I thought I smelled something weird,” I said, looking around. “Where is he?”

“On the other side of the horseshoe pit, talking to a guy with a weird tattoo on his neck.”

We all turned and glanced in that direction.

“Guns N’ Roses,” Rolando said.

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

He tilted his head toward Damian and the man. “The guy’s tattoo . . . It’s got two opposing revolvers wrapped in a rose stem with thorns, and two blooming roses. That’s the Guns N’ Roses logo. Amazing band. I’ve seen them in concert five times.” He grinned. “Thatis a truth.”

“The guy seems nervous,” Zoe said. “Look at him—he can’t stay still

“He’s probably just trying to stay downwind of Damian’s stinky snout,” I offered.

Damian and the man disappeared behind the building.

“Okay, that’s not suspicious at all,” Rolando said, sliding out of his chair.

“What are you up to?” I asked.

He ignored me and took off toward the end of the building, peering around the corner for about thirty seconds before returning.

“What were they doing?” Savannah asked.

“Something shady, from what I can tell,” Rolando said as he slid back into his chair. “I saw Damian give that dude a wad of cash, then he clapped him on the back and said thanks.”

“Do you think it was a drug deal?” I asked.

“It didn’t look like it,” Rolando said. “But he’s up to no good. There’s no doubt about that.”

“Surprise, surprise,” I said, not liking the sinking feeling in my gut.

Since Damian wasn’t the one who’d stolen the truck, he was probably still planning on exacting his revenge on me in another way. And it seemed as if there was nothing any of us could do about it.

“What do you think he’s up to?” Zoe asked.

“That is the million-dollar question,” I said.

And I certainly wasn’t looking forward to finding out.

ChapterFifteen

ZOE

The Big Bang Big Bear food festival was an epic eating extravaganza, focused solely on one thing: food consumption. There were no games, no rides for the kids, and no arts and crafts. People came to eat while they listened to live music. Nothing more. Nothing less.

The air was already thick with the aroma of sizzling meats, savory spices, deep-fried foods, and freshly baked treats. The band on the main stage in the middle of the grassy area with all the picnic tables played a funky rendition of “Dancing in the Streets.” Throngs of people poured in through the main entrance to sample the culinary delights of over one hundred of the most popular food trucks in California.