Moreno's (Moreno Brothers Series) - Elizabeth Reyes Page 0,93
laugh at other people’s misfortune, Son.”
Angel and Sofie walked off with the raffle tickets, and Isabella shook her head as she pulled a couple of glasses out of the basket behind the bar. “He and his uncles are also our neighbors,” Isabella explained. “They’re just a little farther up the same street Eric lives on. Might do you good to walk around and mingle. I had the kids pass out flyers in the neighborhood about the grand re-opening. We’ll likely get a lot of our neighbors in here today.”
As always, Alejandro did as he was told and began to walk around thanking customers for joining them on their special day. Just as he approached the booth where the kid with the patch was sitting now with two men, he saw the kid blow something out of his straw. Whatever it was it landed in the coffee mug of the guy sitting across from him.
“Sorry.” The kid laughed. “I wasn’t aiming for that.”
“Swear to God, Moe.” The guy across from him tried fishing it out with his fork. “I’m gonna poke your good eye out, if you keep this shit up.”
“I can get you a fresh cup,” Alejandro offered, reaching out for the cup. “I hear we’re neighbors. I’m Alejandro Moreno, owner of this place.”
“Yeah, yeah.” The heavier of the two men, and closest to Alejandro, reached out and shook his hand. “Our nephew Moe here goes to school with your kids. I’m Manny. This here is my brother Max.”
“My son called you something else.” Alejandro addressed the kid, pointing his thumb over his shoulder.
“Meathead?” Max asked.
Manny laughed. “Wanker? Spastic?” He wheezed with laughter. “Oh, we could be here all day with this one.”
The kid laughed sarcastically at his uncles then turned to Alejandro. “Probably Romero. It’s my last name, and it’s what everyone at school calls me.”
“That’s it.” Alejandro pointed at him. “Romero. Heard about what happened to your eye.” He winced because, up close, he could see the bruising just under the patch. “Sorry to hear it.”
“Eh.” Manny waved his hand in front of him. “That’s just this week’s injury. They’ll be a new one we’ll have to deal with by next week. This guy never learns.”
“I’m good,” Max said, waving off Alejandro who was still holding out his hand for the coffee mug. But he did shake his hand. “I’m done with this anyway. But I’ll take a mimosa now.”
“Sure, I’ll let your waiter know. He’ll bring it right out.”
“Do you have virgin mimosas?” Manny asked.
Peering at him confused, Alejandro shook his head. “You mean plain orange juice?”
Manny stared at him, touching his own chin as if to seriously ponder that for a moment, then nodded and pointed at him. “You know? That sounds good. I’ll take one.”
“Okay,” Alejandro said as he excused himself and started to the next table.
“You’re such a virgin, Manny,” Romero said as Alejandro walked away.
“Shut up, boy.” Manny scolded but laughed. “Your ass don’t even know what that means.”
“Sure, I do. Means you’re too girlie to drink alcohol.”
Shaking his head with a smirk, Alejandro walked over to the table where Eric and his dad sat. Sofie approached them with the raffle tickets just as he reached their table and listened as she explained about the raffle. “You get one too, Eric.” She smiled sweetly. “Everyone gets one free ticket, but you can buy more if you want.”
“What do I win if you pick mine?”
“There’s lots of stuff.” She started to point over to where the gift baskets and other giveaways were but then touched his arm. “Come with me. I’ll show you.”
Alejandro introduced himself to Eric’s dad and spoke with him briefly before Sofie and Eric got back. “Buy extra ones, Dad,” Eric said, taking his seat at the table again. “Sofie sold me. There’s lots of good stuff. Like a Padres jersey. The kind the players’ wear.”
“Alright, I’ll take five more.”
Sofie quickly tore five more off. “I can help you fill them out, Eric.”
When she glanced up at him, Alejandro smiled with a wink, proud of his little princess for putting in the extra effort to sell more tickets. Already the restaurant felt like a full Moreno team effort. Glancing up from his daughter, who’d gone back to helping Eric fill out his tickets, he noticed Isabella waving him down.
“It was nice meeting you, vecinos. I’ll come by again in a bit to check on you.”
He walked over behind the counter where Isabella stood by their newest addition to the restaurant. The