“Yep. I was eleven, he was twelve. My sister Anita was already doing telenovelas. Sometimes they needed kids, and she’d get mework. I met Dusty on set–we played brothers. We worked so well together that over the years we’ve played brothers many times. We became good friends and both went to the same performing arts high school. Dusty was already really into music. I went because they had a hockey team and I wanted to see if I could make them good.” I grinned and finished off my cuernito.
“Did you succeed?” Fiona asked.
“We did well enough.” I was noticed by a scout and drafted by the Knights. While I could have played for a big university, I chose to play for a local community college with a strong program, kept playing for my junior team, and hoped the Knights signed me.
Just because you were drafted by a team didn’t mean you ended up playing for them.
Saoirse's dark eyebrows rose. “Performing arts high school? Why did I not know this? Do you sing or dance?”
Oh, Saoirse wasneverfinding out that I’d been in musicals.
“I was a working actor. A performing arts high school doesn't care as much if we missed class for work. A lot of people don’t know that a shit-ton of telenovelas are filmed here in New York. I don’t really do much anymore other than Monstruo Lane. Though Dusty still does guest roles.” I picked up a concha with a little Christmas tree on it. Sometimes Dusty appeared on Monstruo Lane with me.
“Are you eating them without me?” Dusty bounded over, Hale behind him.
“Yes.” I took a large bite. “This is Dusty, behind him is Hale. This is Fiona and Saoirse.”
“Good to see you again, Fiona.” Hale gave her a really silly smile. “Howdy, Saoirse. Nice to meet you.”
“Hi. Wow, Hale, I didn’t realize how tall you were,” Fiona replied.
Hale was tall. Especially compared to me and Dusty. Dusty was short for an alpha.
Her eyes fell on Dusty. “Wait… you’re…” Fiona shoved me. “You didn’t tell me Dusty was BroKen.”
I grinned back. “You never asked. I kept expecting you to ask me how Dusty got tickets.”
Dusty’s eyes went right to Saoirse who suddenly looked uncomfortable. “Cici! I didn’t know you were coming. My day has been made.”
He did a little happy dance in the aisle.
“As I’ve said many times, it’sSaoirse. I didn’t know your name was Dusty. Where is your shirt?” Saoirse didn’t seem nearly as excited to see him.
Dusty and Saoirse knew each other? But Dusty knew a lot of people.
“Clothes are overrated. Did you think my name was Ken? A lot of people do. And of course you’re Cici. Carlos is Lalo. Hale is Hale-i-o-burrito. I would call Fiona-fairFiona-licious,but that might be an overstep, so I shall call youFifi, because it rhymes withCici.” Dusty nodded sagely.
Fiona laughed. “I’d be honored, Dusty. Plenty of people call me Fifi.” Her eyes focused on Saoirse. “You know him?”
Hale reached over us, grabbed a cuernito, and plopped down in the seat across the aisle. “Fuck, I haven’t had these in forever.”
Saoirse sighed. “Do you remember the hot air balloon race? Also, do you recall me telling you about the job that was interrupted by a flash mob of people in inflatable dinosaur costumes? And the remote control car race? And the cosplay dance battle. Oh, and the one where the naked guy was rappelling down a building?”
“Oh, yes.” Fiona cocked her head. “They wereallhim?”
Dusty took a coffee from the flight attendant. “I was not naked, thank you. I was wearing a skin tone bodysuit.”
I paused. “Dusty’s interrupted your jobs?”
“Yes. Every job that’s been interrupted by chaos? They wereall him.Six times. Five jobs. Three continents.” Sheshot Dusty a frosty look.
“You know you love it. I’m irresistible. And I make it up to you. I don’t mean to interrupt them. It’s not like I do it on purpose.” Dusty turned on the charm.
“Hmmm.” Saoirse’s look stayed chilly.
“What do you do?” Hale asked, as he grabbed a maranito.
“I work in private security.” Saoirse’s look dared him to question it.
