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“Prove it,” I say as I exit the jet, trying hard not to let a smile slip.
Fernando is chuckling behind me and my father releases an annoyed groan. “Don't encourage him.”
“I wasn't doing anything but laughing at something I saw outside.” Fernando responds, walking down the steps closely behind my father.
“We just got here and you're both already pissing me off.” My father releases a drawn out sigh.
“As if that's hard to do.” I reach the ground, snapping my eyes back at him.
He rolls his eyes. “Whatever game you're playing at, it ends here. Now get in the car,pendejo. We're running behind as it is.”
Antonio slides into the driver’s side of the car waiting for us, and Fernando joins him up front while I sit with my father in the back. The drive is quiet and no one says a single word until we arrive in front of a large blue house in the middle of nowhere. It's very country out here. Fields of crops wrap around it and as we drive down a long rock driveway, two men walk out carrying guns.
My father exits the car first, lifting his hands in the air. “We are here to see Angel Castaneda. We have a scheduled lunch with him today.”
One of the men lowers his gun. “Ah, you must be Zacharias.” His eyes soften and his face remains hard. Almost as if he wants us to know he hasn't fully dropped his guard and his kindness can end at any wrong move made on our end.
“I’m Angel.” He reaches out his hand to my father, the muscles in his arm bulging underneath his colorful tattoos. He looks like anything but the businessman I imagined. He's dressed in a simple black t-shirt and faded jeans. “Welcome to my home. Well…one of many.”
“Thanks again for having us on such short notice.” My father shakes his hand and Angel glances behind him.
“You brought friends I see.”
“Yes. Only my son will be joining us for lunch, though. We run this business together. Practically partners.”
So he says. He gives me orders the way a boss does instead of working together like the partners we supposedly are. I wait until I have the go ahead to exit the car.
“Hola. Welcome. Welcome. And you are? I don't want to have to call you son the whole time,” Angel chuckles. The man beside him doesn't lower his gun, his green eyes narrowing in on me.
“If we are invited here as guests to talk business then why is he still pointing a gun in our faces?” I arch a brow at the armed man.
Angel glances at the smaller man and sighs softly. “Lower the gun, mi amor. We are all friends here.”
The other man's hand falls to his side. “I don't trust them.”
“You don't trust me either so that doesn't say much,” he says, throwing an arm around who I assume to be his boyfriend. Rumor has it each one of the Castaneda brothers has fallen in love with men fighting on different sides. Who knows how true any of that is.
“This is S and he is my business partner. Please come and join us inside.Mi casa es su casaand all that.” The way he and S stare at each other for too long suggests they are way more than that. They both walk ahead and guide us through the house, S hardly taking his eyes off us the whole way to the back porch, glancing behind him every chance he can.
“Please sit.” He gestures toward the long table. Six chairs surround it. “Can I get either one of you gentlemen something to drink?”
“Whatever you're having is fine,” my father says, taking a seat. I pull out the chair beside him and sit across from S. Such a weird name to go by. It has to be short for something.
“Hey, Eduardo,” Angel calls to a man inside. “Bring us a bottle of my favorite tequila along with a few glasses.”
The man nods from the door and Angel quickly turns his attention back on us. “So you're here to talk business.” Angel rests his palms on the table, his eyes drifting between us.
“Si,” I answer before my father can.
“Then go ahead and talk. We're listening,” S says, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. He doesn't like us and he can't possibly make it more obvious.
“We are looking for a new supplier, and we heard your stuff is top notch. We want to make a deal.” My father leans forward in his chair, placing an arm on the table.
“We aren't really working with new distributors at the moment.” Angel rubs his chin, his gaze shifting between us so neither of us feels left out of the conversation.
“I can promise you we are people you definitely don't want to turn away. We move our product quickly and have a very impressive list of clientele who have been loyal for years. This means more business and money for you as well.”
“What makes you think we are looking for either one? We are more than satisfied with how things have been running so far. It sounds like you need us more than the other way around.” Angel flexes his hands out, cocking his head.
