Page 51 of Star Crossed
“Or a Conner thing,” Chuito agreed. “Either way, I see my life flash before my eyes every time.”
Jules put the Benz in reverse, her hand on Alaine’s headrest as she looked behind them for oncoming cars. When she saw the way was clear, she peeled out of the driveway. Chuito cursed, Alaine laughed, and Jules ignored both of them.
She pulled up to Hal’s Diner, making record time. It was predictably busy for the lunch rush. A quick glance at the parking lot showed all the usual cars and regulars, so she took a moment to look in her rearview mirror and mess with her hair once more.
“That’s like the tenth time you’ve looked at your reflection in the past five minutes.” Chuito narrowed dark eyes at her as he leaned forward from his seat in the back and contemplated Jules. “Do you have a crush on me?”
Jules reached over and pushed Chuito’s face away, making a huff of annoyance as she opened her door. She got out and brushed at her clothes—a black jacket, with a low-cut, gold undershirt and a shorter skirt than she usually wore, but it wasn’t like she’d bought it just for Romeo. It’d been hanging in her closet for over a year. The fact that it was her nicest, most expensive business suit was of little consequence.
Chuito got out of the car, studying Jules fussing with her outfit. “I was joking, but now you got me scared. You’re not really after me, are you?”
Jules rolled her eyes. “No.”
“Thank God. That’d be like doing it with my mother.”
There was so much wrong with that statement, Jules couldn’t help but hit him. “Do I look old enough to be your mama?”
“No, it’s just a mental thing.” Chuito dodged Jules’s second hit, holding up his hands to protect himself in classic boxing fashion. Jules kicked him instead, the tip of her high heel connecting with his shin, and he jumped in response. “Hijo de la gran puta!Why are you attacking me? It’s a fucking compliment!”
“Then don’t compliment me anymore,” Jules snapped as she turned around to walk up the steps to Hal’s and shook her head. “Your mother.”
“Look at me.” Chuito gestured to himself as he dashed up the steps to stand next to Jules at the door. “I’m sexy. That didn’t come from nothing. My mother’s good-looking.”
“I think you should stop now,” Alaine offered. “She’s obviously in a mood ’bout something.”
Jules walked into the diner, which felt warm and cozy in comparison to the chill of outside. For some reason this diner smelled more like home to Jules than the house she’d grown up in, and it helped to calm her wild nerves.
“Hey, Jules,” Melody said as she walked past her with a tray in her hand. “Y’all are earlier than usual.”
“I reckon it’s good for Chuito to get up before noon every once in a while.”
“Shoot, I’m not blaming him for sleeping in. I would too if Clay didn’t get up every morning with the chickens.” Melody laughed and pointed to the right side of the diner. “Pick a seat.”
“Can we get the round booth by the window?” Jules asked with a wince as she helped herself to three menus. “I know it’s not your section.”
“I’m sure we can arrange something,” Melody said with a smile. “Be my guest.”
“Are we expecting someone?” Chuito asked curiously.
“It does feel like something exciting’s ’bout to happen,” Alaine agreed, looking enthusiastic about the prospect. “Good thing too, ’cause everyone’s looking at us. Far as I’m concerned, a distraction can show up anytime now.”
“I’ll sit next to Jules,” Chuito said, the good humor disappearing from his voice.
“No,” Alaine argued. “We’re allowed to be friends. We’re at lunch together for once. You can sit next to me.”
Chuito didn’t complain, but he did seem very aware of the eyes on them as he slid into the booth, settling between Jules and Alaine as if being next to both of them made the sin a little less noticeable. He put a hand to his forehead, looking out the window and mumbling, “Why’d I agree to this?”
An uncomfortable silence fell over the table before Alaine finally whispered, “I don’t care what he thinks, you know?”
“But I do.” Chuito sighed.
Alaine dipped her head, hiding behind a curtain of strawberry-blonde hair as she reviewed the menu. Pale anyway, the freckles on her nose stood out more starkly than usual, and Chuito studied her for one long moment before he turned back to the window again. Then he frowned, leaning in closer with his gaze trained on the parking lot.
Jules knew what he was looking at, and rather than press her face against the glass like a lovesick fool, she observed the other patrons of Hal’s Diner. The wave of curiosity was a tangible pulse that resonated through the restaurant, starting with the people sitting closest to the windows and spreading outward until everyone’s gaze was not so subtly on the parking lot.
The temptation was too much to resist. Jules leaned into Chuito just in time to see Romeo crawl out of the hottest car that had ever graced the fine roads of Garnet County. That black Ferrari stood out like a sore thumb, and Jules realized everyone had been looking at the car until that moment. Now the not so subtle looking turned into full-out shock; the murmur of curiosity was brash and obvious.
“Holy shit.” Chuito glanced at Jules and then back to the parking lot as he shook his head and then said under his breath, “Ahora si se va poner buena la cosa.”
