Winter Solstice in St. Nacho's (St. Nacho's #5) - Z.A. Maxfield Page 0,79
was right in a way.
Thuong asked me to back off, and I had. But surely I could find a way to get a scooter to him that didn’t violate the spirit of our agreement. If I could rope in Minerva, I could leave the scooter with her.
That way he’d never know I’d been in Santo Ignacio at all.
After I got off work on Tuesday, I made the drive from Galt to St. Nacho’s with Chloe’s old scooter in the back of my brother Mark’s truck.
I pulled into town at eight fifteen.
My motives weren’t entirely pure.
I was meddling again.
When I got to the SeaView motel, I still needed to make arrangements with Minerva to drop the scooter at Rune Nation the following day. That was best. Despite how much I wanted to see him, I had to respect the privacy Thuong had asked me for.
Minerva answered on the first ring.
“I’m delighted that you’re taking Thuong’s boundaries into consideration,” she said. “I know it must be a terrible temptation to see him while you’re here.”
“I did promise.” A promise was a promise.
“Well, while you’re here, you should take some time to enjoy Santo Ignacio. I think you’ll find you really like it here.”
“I already do, actually. I wish I could spend more time exploring. There’s something quirky about St. Nacho’s that makes me feel like I’d fit right in.”
“Oh, you would.” She sounded like she was warming up to pitch the place. “St. Nacho’s needs dynamic, intelligent people like you. Have you ever considered living on the coast?”
“Sure. I went to UC Santa Cruz. I loved it there.”
“Then Santo Ignacio would be perfect for you. We have all the beauty of coastal living, but because we’re so far from the big cities it’s still quite affordable to live here.”
“I’d love that.” I laughed at the idea though. “But I’ve got my job and a pretty entrenched life in Galt. I can’t even imagine what it would take to make such a drastic move.”
“You’d be surprised. When St. Nacho’s wants you, the town usually finds a way.”
More of Minerva’s woo-woo. God, I was beginning to adore that woman.
“Are you a secret realtor, Minerva?”
“No, but I know someone who could help you find a place here. Just let me know when.”
“I’ll see you in the morning,” I told her.
“I might be running errands. If I’m not in the shop, just leave the scooter with Muse.”
“I will. Good night, Minerva.” I disconnected the call and tried to put any worries out of my mind.
I hadn’t eaten yet, so I unloaded the scooter and headed to Nacho’s Bar for food and a beer. Maybe after, I could take a nice relaxing walk on the sand. I worried that I'd bump into Thuong, but it was nearly time for his curfew. Also I figured a bar was an unlikely place for him to be.
A light fog had rolled in, dropping the temperature. I was glad for my sweater and jacket as I rode. I wondered whether Thuong had warm clothing—especially since he started work in the wee hours. The next time we talked, I’d ask Minerva discreetly. If Thuong needed winter gear, I could send it to her, and she could pass it on without saying who it was from.
I parked the scooter in front of the bar and took off my helmet. As I opened the door to enter, the scent of beer, grilled meat, and fry oil hit me like a fist. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until my mouth started watering. My stomach growled with longing.
The hostess asked to seat me, but I headed to the bar. It looked like the DJ playing was popular dance tunes. People thronged the dance floor. The bartender shot me a pleasant smile as he poured ny beer into a frosted glass.
“Have I seen you in here before?” he asked.
“Maybe?” He was somewhere in his late middle age with sharp eyes in a pleasant face. If we’d met before, I didn’t remember him. “I was here Labor Day weekend.”
He nodded. “That was a crush, but it’s always a mess over a holiday weekend.”
“It’s obvious why. This is a great place.” My stomach gave another complaint. “Is there a bar menu?”
“Sure. Here.” He handed over a laminated card with appetizers printed on it. “If you want anything from the regular menu, I can get it for you, no problem.”
“Thank you.”
He came back a couple minutes later with chips and salsa. I ordered carne asada street tacos and