Chapter 4
Austin
If Austin had ever eaten better tacos in his life, he couldn’t recall it. Guac ‘n Roll was the single best Mexican style street food he’d eaten in his entire life. Part of him wanted to franchise the place and take it back to Minnesota with him – but his waistline was whispering that would be a very bad idea. Innovative menu, fresh ingredients, and the finished product was exceptional.
Mackenzie had given him a reassuring nod when she’d gotten back to the table from the restrooms. And Molly hadn’t attached herself to his side again when she’d returned either, so whatever had been bothering her, seemed to have passed. At least for the time being.
Claudia stood at the head of the table. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”
Mackenzie groaned. “I wish I had a second stomach right now.”
“The best, right?”
He’d also never seen a staff more proud of their business. That said, if he owned such an impressive eatery, he’d have been proud too.
“I hate to admit it…” Mackenzie checked over both shoulders. “But you’re right. You’ll have to tell Abuelita she’s making me want to move to Cedar Rapids – just for her tortillas.”
Claudia’s smile grew. “Let’s hang out when you do. I’m just going to go ahead and drop this off.” She tapped the black, check presenter against her palm. “No rush, though. You guys are welcome to stay for as long as you’d like.”
She paused and waggled her finger. “As long as there is no trouble.”
Enzo reached for the bill. “I’ve got this.”
The entire table stared at him, open mouthed in stunned silence.
“What?” He shrugged, his entire face turning pink. “It’s no biggie.” He slipped a card between the covers, but instead of passing it to the end of the table, he kept it in front of him.
“You want me to run that for you?” Claudia moved to stand behind him.
He nodded, a wicked grin and mischief written across his face.
“Enzo?” Something wasn’t right, but Austin couldn’t place what it was. If Enzo was going to be unkind to their server, he was going to have an Austin sized problem to deal with.
Enzo’s face pinched with a frown as he shook his head. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch, old man. It’s all good.”
Austin might have graduated and moved into the workforce, but he was still seen as a father-figure of the Snow Pirates. That meant he was often the butt of their ribbing and practical jokes as well.
While Mackenzie had managed to more or less convert him to being less of a loner, sometimes he still wished life was just a bit quieter. But he wouldn’t give up his love for the world.
Claudia tossed Enzo an easy, blinding smile as she reached over his shoulder to the black book on the table. When she flipped it open, a red Uno reverse card sat on top of their receipt.
Everyone at the table groaned or laughed, while Enzo pursed his lips and canted his head at the waitress as if to say, ‘your turn.’
Seemingly unfazed by Enzo’s antics, she simply reached into her back pocket.
“No… way.” Enzo’s face fell. “Y-you c-can’t… H-how?” His jaw dropped as she pulled a green Uno reverse card from her pants and dropped it on top of his red one.
The table erupted into whoops and hollers, drawing looks from the table of Raccoons. Austin waved them off as Claudia folded her arms and levelled Enzo with a twinkling stare. “Your move, hot shot.”
Enzo silently picked up the check presenter, snapped it closed and held it across the table to Austin. “Nope. Your turn, Big Daddy.”
Another wave of rowdy laughter engulfed the table.
“How did you know he was going to be a dick?” Mackenzie asked what everyone in their party was probably thinking. “And you just so happened to have an Uno card in your butt pocket?”
Claudia accepted the check and credit card from Austin. “I have seen all manner of things in this place. I knew your table was going to be trouble from the moment they walked in, so I hit up my locker to pick up my trusty reverse card, just in case.”
Enzo groaned. “You mean I wasn’t original?”
