AllFreeNovel
Share Us
ChapterTwo
Ariana Jones rushed into the bar and grill, the mouthwatering aromas of Mexican food slamming into her. Her stomach rumbled, and she hurried to their regular table.
Lia sat at her usual spot, attention on her phone.
“Where’s Rita?” Ari asked. She sat and dug into the chips and salsa.
“Not sure.” Lia didn’t glance up.
“That’s weird. She didn’t text you?”
“Nope.”
Ariana scarfed down about half the basket of chips and an entire cup of salsa.
Lia lifted an eyebrow, finally pulling her attention from the phone. “Pregnant or something?”
She almost choked. “No. We’re not even talking about it yet. How are your efforts going?”
“Nowhere,” Lia said, her expression falling. Then it lit up. “But we’re having a lot of fun trying.”
They both laughed.
Missy, one of the servers, stopped at the table. “The usuals?”
Ari swallowed and wiped some salsa from the side of her mouth. “Not yet. Where’s Rita?”
“She hasn’t been in today.”
Lia dropped her phone. “At all?”
“Is she sick?” Ariana asked.
Missy shrugged. “I dunno. It’s so unlike her. She didn’t even call, that I’m aware of. Maybe Miguel talked to her and didn’t tell anyone.”
Ariana exchanged a worried look with Lia before turning back to the server. “Boone didn’t call either?”
Missy shook her head. “Never does. Can I get you two anything else while you wait for Rita?”
“No,” Ari said, her ravenous appetite now gone.
“I’ll let you know if I find out anything about Rita.” Missy went to another table.
Lia picked up her phone. “You didn’t hear from her today?”
“Nothing.” Ariana tried to remember if Rita had mentioned anything about not being able to make their usual date.
“She never misses our happy hour,” Lia said.
“I know.” Ariana twisted some hair around her finger, tight enough to turn her skin white. “She didn’t mention anything to you?”
“No,” Lia said, tapping her screen furiously. “Nothing in any of the texting threads.”
“Something has to be wrong. I’m calling her.”
Straight to voicemail.
Lia gave her a hopeful glance.
