AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I rub my hands over my eyes, pulling my knit cap further down on my head. I have been out here for at least fifteen minutes and still no Theo in sight.
Jorge, the owner of the food truck, eyes me suspiciously. I am a regular – have been since he opened two years ago. But I have always come here alone. It is my sacred place. My time to enjoy pigging out on tacos and beer without anyone judging me.
He slides his window open, “You alright, Cate?” he asks in Spanish.
Even though I was young when my parents died and have spent all but four years of my life in the United States, they made sure I was fluent in Spanish. It is part of my heritage, and they didn’t plan on letting it die.
Plus, Jorge is from Mexico and his first language is Spanish. Since his four kids started elementary school, he has been learning English with them. He came here for the American Dream and according to him, he is living it.
“I’m alright,” I nod and reply in Spanish, the mother tongue. “I’m just waiting for someone.”
His eyes nearly bug out of his head. “You’re waiting on someone?”
“Yes, Jorge, is that so hard to believe?” I tease.
“Your boyfriend?” His eyebrows wiggle.
“No,” I click my tongue. “A friend.”
“You have been eating my food for two years and not once,” he lifts his index finger to stress the point, “have you brought anyone with you.”
“I’ve sent people here more times than I can count.” I wrap my arms around myself, shifting side to side, trying to get a little bit of warmth back into my bones.
“Yes,” he nods his head in agreement. “But those customers you send my way, you never come with them.” He flashes a warm, older-brother type smile at me. “Who is he?”
I shrug, still dancing in place to fight the chill. “I already told you. A friend.”
“Hey, Cate.” Theo seems to appear out of thin air, and I turn to him.
“You’re late.” I cross my arms over my chest, hoping he thinks I am upset with him, but really, I am still battling the cold wind whipping by.
Theo looks at his watch and shakes his head. “I believe I’m right on time.”
I glance at my own watch and see it is pointing to six o’clock exactly.
“Guess you were so excited to see me you got here early.” He smiles down at me.
“You got lucky,” I grumble.
I turn back to Jorge’s window and his eyes are wide. A toothy grin spreads across his brown face.
“What?” I ask in Spanish.
“This is your friend?” Jorge asks.
“Yes, and?”
“Don’t go breaking his heart,” he wags a finger at me. “Apart from you, he’s my best customer.”
“And what if he breaks my heart?” I click my tongue, narrowing my eyes.
“I won’t.” Theo chimes in, in English.
I whip around.Did I say that in English by mistake?
He seems to know my thoughts and puts his hands deep in his coat pockets. “I know enough Spanish to get by.” But I can tell he is lying. With how fast Jorge and I were speaking in Spanish, it would take someone with a little more than “get by” knowledge to follow.
“You understood everything we were saying?”
