“Dad.”
I could have happily died at that moment.
“What?” Dad asked, al innocent.
“Funny, Jet’s explained she has a little trouble with my kind,” Eddie said.
Dad turned to me, his eyes comical y wide.
“Since when? Every boyfriend you’ve ever had was Mexican.”
Nope, I was wrong. It was this moment when I could have happily died.
“Is that so?” Eddie asked, his eyes moving to me and I could swear I heard both Indy and Al y gulping back laughter.
“Yeah. Thought I’d have me some sweet, dark-headed grandbabies way before now but Jet’s taking her f**kin’
time. You know, I’m not getting any younger,” Dad told me,
“Least you final y got a job in a cool place,” he said, looking around. “The old one might have been cushy but… hel o?
Boring! ”
“Maybe we should go somewhere and talk,” I suggested.
“What’s wrong with right here?” he asked, looking at the espresso counter, “I could do with a coffee.”
“What’l it be?” Tex boomed.
I closed my eyes. When I opened them, Dad was already headed toward the coffee and al I could see was Eddie.
He wasn’t smiling, as such, but the dimple was in his cheek.
Guess I didn’t have to worry about him thinking I was a racist anymore.
Before I could come unstuck from mortification, Eddie’s hand came up and he tucked some hair behind my ear. He scanned my face and hair, then his eyes locked on mine and he said, “I like it.”
My stomach lurched.
Without a word, I turned my back on him, pul ing my hair into another ponytail and fol owed Dad who was ordering from Tex. When I got to him, he hooked an arm around my neck and kissed the top of my head.
“Ain’t she gorgeous?” he asked Tex.
“She’s a nut,” Tex answered.
Dad threw his head back and laughed.
“Ain’t that right?”
Indy and Al y both materialized behind the counter, I did introductions and there was general chitchat while Dad sucked back a latte.
They al drifted away, but not far enough away that they couldn’t hear everything we said. I guess this was my payback for being so cagey. People were going to get curious.
Eddie planted himself at the end of the espresso counter and didn’t even pretend to pretend he wasn’t eavesdropping.
I turned to Dad.
“What’re you real y doing here?” I asked quietly.