older man’s eyes and the way he spoke. It was confident as if he knew a thing or two about winning the hand of a fair lady.
“Julio,” he reached out his hand, and the elderly man shook it in his gnarled one.
“Lord, almighty, I know who you are. Name is Earl, and I am a close personal friend of Sutton and Mark’s.”
Julio nodded. After all, what reason did he have not to believe the man? In his line of work, one just didn’t start talking to someone on the street without at least a gun between them. This whole neighborly business was a bit hard for Julio to get his head wrapped around.
“What can I do for you, Earl?”
It sounded nice and friendly, Julio assured himself.
The older man’s face broke into a wide smile showing an odd number of teeth.
“No, my friend, this is about what I can do for you. My wife Martha said that I need a hobby. And I reckon you're it.”
“Pardon?” Julio placed a hand on his weapon, tucked into the back of his jeans.
Earl just motioned for Julio to follow him.
It was a gamble, but Julio knew he could take the man out in seconds if necessary, and quite frankly, he was intrigued to find out what on earth the man could possibly teach him. So, for better or worse, Julio followed his new guru down the apartment steps and into the local café where he had first seen Natalia—Natalie, he reminded himself.
“Martha,” Earl yelled out. “Got you a paying customer!”
Julio took a seat at the booth where Earl settled himself and looked at the menu. He wasn’t hungry and ended up ordering a cup of black coffee. Earl ordered two sandwiches, fries, and a milkshake. And Julio wondered with a bit of humor if he was paying Earl’s tab at Earl’s wife’s restaurant. It wasn’t like he couldn’t afford it.
And frankly, this was the most entertained he’d been since stepping into Otterville Falls.
“So, Julio, you want to win your girl back?”
“My wife,” Julio corrected. “But yes, that is the gist of it.”
“Well, I can see that you’re trying to court her with the flowers, but son, that won’t get you anywhere.”
Julio ran a hand through his dark hair, “She won’t answer my calls, refuses to talk to me, and I think she might be tracking my whereabouts, so she doesn’t come anywhere near me.”
Earl winced, “Time for some evasive maneuvers, Julio.”
“What do you mean?”
“Did you know that the senior center was vandalized?”
Julio blinked, trying to keep up with the change in the conversation.
“I hadn’t heard, was there much damage?”
Earl chortled, “No!” Earl chortled. “Just a giant dick in pink spray paint.”
Julio snorted. “Sounds like a bunch of kids.”
“I figured it would,” Earl said and took a big sip of his soft drink.
“What? You did it?” Julio choked out.
Earl leaned over and shushed Julio. “Don’t be saying that so loud! I don’t need another night in the slammer. Knox is cheap when it comes to the blankets there. Damn near froze to death last time he arrested me.”
“Have I entered the Twilight Zone?” Julio asked and was only partially kidding.
Earl grinned, “Look, I was talking to Sutton, and she told me that you were staying there. I got it in my head that you might need a little help. So, I started the ball rolling with the dick. Things are playing out according to plan. They have already called Sutton to foot the bill of painting the place. You are going to tell her that you want to pay for it.”
“I do?” Julio looked bemused, “I don’t think I do.”
“Oh,” Earl assured him, “You most definitely do. You come in and paint the senior center, offer to update some of the broken things, and suddenly you’re the town hero. Your lady, she thinks you are a criminal, right?”
Julio winced again, “Something like that.”
“Well, soldier, we need to turn you into a boy scout.”
“That’s your plan, to spend my money and hope that Natalie will find out about it?”
Earl grinned. “I know she will because Sutton already told me that Natalie will be there Saturday when they start the painting. Julio, this is your chance. She isn’t going to leave just because you’re there. She would look bad.”
“Can’t I just hire someone to paint it?” Julio asked.
Earl shook his head, “No, we need to show her you are a changed man. The old Julio would have hired someone. Because he is cold and callous and doesn’t