Page 7 of Nacho Boyfriend

“Right. Well, that woman. You know.” I gesture a falling back motion.

“My aunt. Lucy.”

“Aunt Lucy. Got it. Anyway, she was about to take a bite but a bug landed on her food. It was hitching a ride into her mouth like a grimy little hitchhiker. So I panicked.”

I shrug. He knows the rest. He saw me diving for his aunt and the cake disaster that followed. And then the look on his face as he towered over me, blocking the sun, so the intense frown he wore was all shrouded in shadow. It wasn’t my finest moment.

His eye twitches and I can’t tell if he believes me or not.

“So… when you say bug… you mean… insect?”

“Well, yeah. What other kind of bug is there?”

Other than the way my ex used to say I bugged him all the time while he was trying to concentrate—distracting him from his ‘genius’. Whatever.

“It’s actually kind of funny,” I add, hoping he actually does believe me. And let’s face it—the whole story is wild and a little bonkers. And if I’m being honest, I probably could have handled it better. Maybe by tapping her on the shoulder or something.

Boss man is just standing in front of me with those inky eyebrows so low over his eyes, they’re practically covering his entire face.

“There was a bug,” he says with a thousand degrees of displeasure. “An insect. In her food.”

“Crazy, right?” I force a laugh. So far he hasn’t brought up my ninja moves—AKA tackling a geriatric aunt.

“Was it a fly or...?”

“I really couldn’t say.” The more I think about it, the more outrageous it seems. Chef grumbles something under his breath, then goes back behind his desk, sinking into his chair. He seems so distraught. With a tremendous sigh, he presses his elbows on the desk and lets his forehead fall onto his steepled fingers.

“Are you all right, sir?” Surely, my insect story couldn’t be the source of his apparent distress.

“Yes,” he replies curtly.

He doesn’t fool me, but I won’t push it. If I knew him better, I’d get him to sing something happy with me. Maybe ‘Let the Sun Shine In’ or ‘Tomorrow’ from Annie. Singing a happy song always helps me when I’m feeling blue. Or whistling. Whistling is good, too.

As if by their own volition, my lips pucker and I blow a faint tune. I don’t even realize I’m doing it until he says, “What are you doing?”

He seems to ask me that a lot. At least I’m not devising ways to sneak a donut this time. I smack my palm over my mouth. I am not doing anything at all. Nope.

“Uh… I just wanted to explain what happened at the wedding before you fire me again. So, now that you know…” I plop my apron on his desk. “Here. The shirt is probably sweaty by now, but I can bring it back after I wash it—along with the towel I took from the wedding.”

“I’m not going to fire you,” he says laconically.

My tummy flip flops, but I’m not sure if it’s from the relief or hunger.

“Are you sure? You don’t have to pay me for…” I check my Fit Bit. “The hour and fifteen minutes I’ve been here. Or you can pay me in tacos if you want.”

“Do you want me to pay you in tacos?” he bites.

I shrug. “I mean… I’m not picky.”

He lifts his eyes to look at me. Really look at me for the first time. Something sparks behind his eyes.

“I’ll tell you what. Keep the shirt and the apron—and the towel. Go out there and finish your shift. Then come back tomorrow and do the same thing. And if you don’t ruin any more cakes, you can come back the day after that. And I’ll pay you legally with taxes taken out and everything. Sound good?”

“Yes. Yes, thank you.”

I scoop up my apron and cling to it like it’s a lifeline.

“Now go,” he growls. He’s so commanding, it makes my skin tingle. So stern and… crabby.

I crack open the door, but before I can get out of here, he says, “Oh and Olive?”

“Yes Chef?”

“Tacos are free during your workday.”

Free tacos! Oh my goodness. That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day. Well, except that I’m not fired.

“Thank you, Chef. Uh, do you want the door closed?”

He nods, dismissing me with a wave of his hand, getting back to his work. And before I shut the door, his sooty eyes slice to meet mine and I have a sudden craving for crab cakes.

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