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“Was that supposed to sting?”
She takes the rest of my guacamole, grabs a spoon, and starts eating it straight out of the little white paper scoop container thing.
“How can you do that? It’s like people who dip their french fries in mayonnaise.” I shudder, standing to get in line to buy more guac.
“I dip my french fries in mayo!”
“More evidence of your madness, Fi. Get help now. It may not be too late.” I stick my finger in her face. “And by the way, you and Perky talk about my taco habits behind my back? Some friends!” I hmph and turn toward the counter.
Pedro sees me coming and slides a side of guac to me. “No charge, Mallory.”
“Thanks! What’s this about? You guys always charge me.” I dig in my pocket for change.
“We saw your picture.” He gives me a sympathetic look, which is jarring, given the gang tattoos all over his face. When someone who got tatted up in prison feels sorry for you, you know you’re a hopeless case.
“Oh, that,” I laugh, trying to pass it off as a joke.
“Hey, no judgment, man. We all gotta make our money however we can.” A knowing smile makes him look slightly less threatening.
“No, no, Pedro, I wasn’t really working in a porno.”
“Sure.” Wink. The teardrop tat at the corner of his eye folds up. “Sure you weren’t.”
I take the guac and run away.
“That was fast,” Fiona says, her mouth twitching with amusement.
“You heard every word. Don’t pretend you didn’t. This place has like six tables.”
“You didn’t get the three hundred dollars the porn guys owed you, but at least you got an eighty-five-cent side of guac out of the whole mess.” Fiona gives Pedro an extra look, licking her lips as she does it. Or she’s trying to get every drop of my guacamole that she stole. “And I think he’s suddenly viewing you in a new light.”
“I’m not a porn star!” I hiss, starting over with my taco calculations. My fork becomes a surgeon’s scalpel, assembling a little sour cream, some salsa, and just enough guac to smear on the edge of the taco shell to produce gustatorial bliss. One bite.
One bite is all it takes.
As I chew, I close my eyes and sigh, the push of air out my nose helping me to taste the yummy goodness of Pedro’s kitchen. I have lived my entire life here in this little town, and before Pedro, his father, Pedro Senior, ran this place. They opened during my senior year of high school, and I’ve been a regular ever since.
Why leave heaven–especially Taco Heaven–when everything you need surrounds you?
“Done orgasming?” Fiona asks before shoving the last piece of her McTaco into her McMouth.
“Quit joking about porn.”
“I meant your crazy taco system. You look like you’re coming.”
“No, I don’t.”
“You totally do. All you have to add is an open mouth.”
“Why would I do that? It’s gross. I’m eating.”
“Women eat in porn movies, too.”
“If you say the word ‘porn’ one more time, Feisty, I’m going to hack your social media accounts and find Chris Fletcher and friend him as you.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.”
