Bad for Business by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout

Author:Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout [Collins, Yvonne & Rideout, Sandy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781989303122
Published: 2019-01-03T06:00:00+00:00

An unshaven old man in a stained apron tries to block the diner’s door. “You can’t bring that filthy beast in here, missy.”

For a second, I think he’s talking about Carmen, but then I see he’s looking at Banksy. Syd peers under his hairy armpit into room. “I am worried about what Banksy could catch, but I’ll have to take a chance.” She flashes her medical alert bracelet. “The dog stays with me. If you want, I can call a health inspector to confirm that.”

The guy allows us to pass. Carmen slides into a booth at the back, and the three of us crowd in opposite him. A gaunt waitress with bleached out hair takes our order: three cokes in the can, with straws. She stares from Carmen to the three of us and back but he ignores the unasked question and orders a BLT and fries, along with a slice of peach pie and some coffee.

When the waitress has left, Carmen stares across the table at me. “You take after your mother. She used to be a real looker.”

I’m not sure the same could ever have been true of him, but he’s so scruffy it’s hard to tell. We share the same lean build, green eyes and fair hair, but overall I look a lot more like Mom, and Brody does, too. Carmen’s DNA must be weak.

“She still is,” Zahra says, since my voice continues to be missing in action.

He taps under his weak chin. “She’s gotten saggy.”

I wonder if he’s just assuming that, or has been keeping an eye on us.

Syd challenges him. “And you’ve totally kept your good looks?”

Carmen thumps his scrawny chest and says, “Got my hair and my boyish figure.”

Launching into mediation mode, Zahra says, “So you met Glennis at a concert?”

He nods. “I saw her in the crowd and pulled her onstage to sing a song to her.”

“That sounds romantic,” Zahra says, encouraging him.

“Oh that’s Carmen all right,” the waitress says, sliding a sandwich in front of him and resting a hand lightly on his shoulder. “Mr. Romance.”

He smiles, revealing surprisingly nice teeth, like my brother’s. “But you still want me, dontcha Debs?”

“Always and forever.” She winks as she leaves. “Or at least until you tip.”

“You were telling us how you had to chase Glennis,” Syd prompts.

Carmen nods. “That’s why I wanted her, I guess.” He bites into his sandwich and chews. “I did all the stupid sh—” he catches himself, “—shizzle girls like, while I was on tour. Flowers, cards, the whole nine yards. I even wrote a song about her. Then I came back to Austin to start recording.” He picks up a fry and points it at me. “And your brother was on the way before the album was done.”

Looking into his eyes, I find my voice at last. “Is that why you got married?”

He stirs the fry in a pool of ketchup and ponders. “Sort of. I liked how your mom talked about building a life, raising a family, growing old together.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.