Page 83 of You Chive Me Crazy

“I’ll have to keep my eyes open for her,” I said, wondering if I would need someone like her to work with me once the franchise was up and running.

The first customer of the day stepped up to the window to order. “I’d like a Plain Jane, but add turkey bacon. Oh, and extra butter, please.”

Rolando wrote his order, slid it to me, then took the man’s money.

And just like that, we were off and running.

It didn’t take long before Lucas started flirting with me. “Hey, how about I get a kiss for every baked potato I make today? I think that’s a reasonable form of payment.”

I pretended to think about it. “Have you spoken with human resources about this? It’s a very unusual arrangement. Maybe even illegal.”

Lucas grinned sheepishly. “I’m willing to do the time for the crime.”

“You wouldn’t last a day in jail,” Rolando said, as he passed another order my way. “Someone would take you out the first day after you reviewed the prison food.”

Lucas chuckled and added scallions and parsley to the top of the potato he was working on. “You’re probably right.” He slid the potato toward the pickup window. “Steve! Your order is ready!”

I loved working with Rolando, Savannah, and Lucas, but today was the last day. Brianna had just texted me to let me know her car was fixed and that she and Brooke could definitely work with me tomorrow. The only positive thing out of that would be that Lucas could finally get some work of his own done, although it certainly seemed like he wasn’t worried about it one bit.

I was busy adding my special smokey sriracha buffalo sauce over a potato when Rolando leaned closer and whispered, “Do you recognize that guy who just ordered?”

I glanced over to look at the man with the black baseball cap standing near the condiments. There was something familiar about him, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“That’s the guy we saw with Damian,” Lucas was quick to chime in, keeping his voice low. “The one with the tattoo.”

“Exactly,” Rolando said. “He’s bad news.”

My heart just about stopped when I looked again and saw the Guns N’ Roses tattoo sticking out from underneath his collar.

“I hope he won’t start trouble,” I said. “That’s the last thing I need. I’ve got a lot riding on this festival.”

Rolando shrugged. “I mean, it could be just a coincidence, but I seriously doubt it.”

“No way,” Lucas said, giving us both a grave expression. “The guy is connected to Damian, which means he’s up to no good. Maybe he’s spying, or wants to steal your recipes, or is going to do something to the food truck. I have no idea, but I don’t trust him.”

“I can go talk with him,” Rolando said.

“That’s not such a good idea,” Lucas said. “We don’t want him to cause a scene and scare away our customers. Let’s just keep working and hope he does nothing stupid. What’s the name on his order?”

Zoe glanced down at the order slip. “Lazlo.”

“If that’s his real name,” Rolando said.

“Well, whatever his name is, I’m going to be watching him like a hawk,” Lucas said.

Rolando nodded in agreement. “You and me, both.”

Fortunately, Lazlo did nothing out of the ordinary.

He simply got his baked potato from the window after Lucas called his name, grabbed a few napkins, took a selfie holding up the potato with the truck behind him, and then walked away.

“Thank God,” I said, blowing out a relieved breath. “No more surprises. Not today. Not tomorrow.”

But that was exactly what I got two hours later.

Half my customers in line suddenly walked away, some of them staring back at me, some shaking their heads, some dropping their menus to the ground, or handing them back to Savannah.

What was scaring them away?