Page 3 of The Second Deal

Mygaze drifts to the row of snacks in front of me, phone buzzing from gripping it so tightly.

IfTythinksIwas happy, then it’s only further proof of why it was time for me to go.

DirtyPeachStudioskept me busy almost twenty-four seven since the dayIstepped foot through the glass door, and whatever timeIhad left was spent with the guyI’veknown since we were in diapers.Butit was just that: keeping me busy.

Keepingmy mind offTimeless, theRamostwins, and my fuck up of the century.

Iblink the thought away and reach for a twenty-four pack ofLoneStar.

Maybehooking up withTywasn’t my brightest idea, but it wasn’t the worst mistakeI’vemade, either.Nothingis technically bad about the guy besides the occasional flare of temper and being a bit jealous at times.

Itseems no matter whereIgo thatI’mthe problem.

ThesmileIforce whenIcome face to face withGigi, an old classmate and one ofZak’sex-girlfriends from high school, turns genuine when she beams at me brightly.She’sthe same as ever with her dark hair slicked back into a neat bun and big hoop earrings grazing her shoulders.

“Hey, stranger,” she greets. “Longtime, no see.”

“Yeah,Ijust got back into town,”Itell her as she scans the beer. “AndIjust rememberedIcan have breakfast tacos in the morning.”

Gigichuckles. “Alwaysa plus.When’dyou get back?”

“Couplehours ago.Haven’tgone by my parents’ yet.”

Gigisets the twenty-four pack atop the bagging carousel, staring out the door. “They’reover by the creek still, right?”

“Yeah.Why?”

Shehesitates before saying, “Ithink it’s some bored kids, but there’s been some weird stuff going on at the approach.”

Igroan. “Arethey doin’ thatDevil’sBridgeshit again?Theyalways get the wrong bridge—”

“Thebridge don’t matter.Peoplecan summon up anything regardless.”

“What’sbeen going on?”

“I’veseen a lot of stuff left on the approach that look like offerings.Sometimesthere’s blood, but there hasn’t been a dead animal left behind.Maybea coyote gets to them before morning.”

“Guesssome kids are desperate to get the hell out of school and graduate, huh?”Ireach for the beer. “Someoneshould probably tell ‘em selling their soul to the devil for good grades isn’t worth it.”

Gigituts. “I’mserious.Badthings happen when they start leaving stuff like that.There’sno telling what could pop up.”

Iimitate a claw with my free hand. “Maybela lechuza’s gonna swoop down and scare ‘em straight, huh?”

“Ay,Stephani!” she exclaims, crossing herself and kissing the cross she makes with her thumb and forefinger. “Don’tsay that!”

Snorting,Iamble towards the door. “C’mon,Gigi.Don’tbe a scaredy cat.Ibet it’s just bored-ass kids wantin’ to stir up a little trouble.Nodevil or lechuza’s gonna get nobody.”

“Justkeep on the lookout, alright?”

Devil’sBridgeis nothing but a creepy legend that every town has.SanAntonio’slucky to have more than one.But, inLosoya, people always go to the abandoned approach next toLosoyaBridgeover the river—which is the wrong bridge, either way.

“Maybeit is just a bunch of bored kids.Butthere’s no telling.”

Myweight shifts from foot to foot with the glass door pressed to my back.Finally,Inod. “Okay.I’llwatch out.”

Gigipauses for a split second. “Iknow we weren’t close in high school, but it’s still nice seein’ you.”

Iflash a smile. “Goodseein’ you, too.”

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