“Not your… not your f**kin’…” Tex spluttered. “You have no business goin’ to a goddamned haunted house when you got lunatics chasing you. I’m cal in’ your mother!” My body went stil . Everyone’s eyes turned to me.
“Don’t you dare cal my mother!” I yel ed.
Everyone’s eyes went to Tex.
“I’m cal in’ Trish. No!” Tex’s voice blasted across the room when I opened my mouth to speak. “Shut your pie hole. I don’t want to hear it.”
There was a col ective gasp and everyone’s gaze came to me.
My eyes narrowed and I leaned forward. Hank’s fingers were biting into my waist now, not for assurance but to keep me from launching myself at Uncle Tex.
“You did not just tel me to shut my pie hole!” I shouted.
The eye swivel went to Tex.
“You heard me right, girl,” Tex boomed.
I turned to Hank.
“Take me to Lee’s office,” I demanded.
“Don’t you do that, Nightingale. I want her here so I can keep an eye on her,” Tex bel owed.
Hank was grinning.
“I’m thinkin’ I don’t have to worry about Tex giving you any crazy ideas,” Hank remarked.
I frowned at him.
He gave my stil -frowning mouth a light kiss then started to leave.
“Don’t expect me to erase your day tonight!” I shouted at his back.
He turned at the door and winked at me.
Then he was gone.
I turned to the woman nearest me and said, exasperation dripping from my voice. “Men!” She was staring at me. “Are people real y shooting at you?”
I looked at her. “Wel … yeah,” I admitted.
“Honey,” was al she said on a shake of her head, that one word speaking volumes, then she turned back in line.
* * * * *
Annette, Jason and Daisy strol ed in two hours later. I was sitting on a couch, nursing my second coffee.
Uncle Tex was experimenting on me. The first one was an almond mocha with cinnamon sprinkled on the coffee grounds before brewing. This one was snickerdoodle with a hint of vanil a. Both were divine.
“That space across the street is phat,” Annette announced, throwing herself on the couch next to me.
“We’ve put in an application. I’m, like, jazzed.” She turned to Tex and yel ed, “Americano, big man!”
“Gotcha!” Tex boomed back, scowled at me, apparently not over it yet, and then started banging on the espresso machine.
Daisy sat across from us while Jason went to the espresso counter.
“There’s some space for let down the street. I’m thinkin’