Page 186 of Avenging Angel

Fifteen minutes later, I was sitting in the suicide lane, staring at the front of The Surf Club.

Primarily the front window, which had been defaced with white shoe polish and said in big, oddly threatening letters,Today’s Tex Special, Blood Orange Mocha.

And then there was a drawing of what looked like a blob with dots, but I sensed it was supposed to be an orange.

I guessed Tex hadn’t yet caught the vacation vibe.

Someone honked their horn at me.

I looked in my rearview mirror and saw it was Byron.

I lifted a hand and waved, then I made a left when it was safe and slid into the parking lot of SC.

Sadly, I did it seventeen minutes late for my shift.

Per usual, no one noticed or said a word.

* * *

I waiteduntil after the lunch crush to approach Tito’s table.

He looked up from playing Stardew Valley when I stopped at his side.

“Thanks for the plant, Rachel,” he said.

My gaze went to the succulent that was still pride of place, then back to him.

“Glad you like it,” I replied. “Listen, are you cool with Tex being here?” I asked to confirm.

“Three customers came to me yesterday and personally thanked me for hiring him. And one did that at the same time telling me he called him ‘turkey.’ In other words, yes, Rachel, I’m okay with it.”

I sensed this, but I had to check.

“How did you two hook up to, uh…you know, follow me when I went to see my dad?” I inquired.

“You went to your locker to take off your apron, and Tex came to me and said, ‘Get up, we’re goin’ to take her back while she raps with her pops.’ So I got up and went with him to make sure you were okay while you spoke to your father.”

Right then.

That explained that.

I was a little surprised at how simple the explanation was, but there you go.

“You don’t have to worry about me,” he said.

“I wasn’t?—”

“You never have to worry about me, Rachel.”

“Okay,” I said softly.

“Though, I worried about you. But I feel a lot better after yesterday.”

Tito wassucha nice guy.

“I do too.”

“Good.”

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