On the Run by Charlotte Greene

Author:Charlotte Greene [Greene, Charlotte]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781635556834
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2020-02-16T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

The sun in Santa Fe Plaza was oppressive, hotter, it seemed, than it had been in El Paso last week. Despite the heat, the plaza was crowded with tourists. Many of them were laden with bags of souvenirs, dressed as if they were out for a day at the beach. The tourists here in Santa Fe tended to be older—retirees, mainly, many of them hippies or wannabes, dressed in funky linens and sporting turquoise or beaded hemp jewelry.

Gwen had checked out the area before coming here with Annie, and they were both dressed the part with wide-brimmed hats, white T-shirts, loud shorts, sandals, and oversized sunglasses. Gwen had never worn clothing like this and felt ridiculous. Even dressed this way, she’d gotten several weird glances and a few outright stares. Whether it was her skin, her tattoos, or something else, she didn’t look the part. Annie, however, was a natural in her disguise, almost as if she belonged with these people. And for all Gwen knew, maybe she did.

She led Annie to a restaurant off the south side of the plaza, spotting her friend Tex on the patio out front. He’d found a table in the shade and waved at her when he saw them. They maneuvered around some other patrons to reach him, and he rose, all lanky six foot four of him, and pulled her into a long hug. When he drew back, he put his hands on her shoulders, peering down at her.

“What in the hell are you wearing?”

Gwen shrugged his hands off and made a quieting motion. “Shh. We’re in disguise.”

“Well, you look like a goddamn idiot. You might as well have worn a sign that said, ‘Hey! See me? I don’t belong here!’”

“I realize that now.”

“Not that you would ever belong with this crowd. They might be a bunch of bleeding-heart liberals, but they tend to be, shall we say, a bit, uh, less colorful than they could be. Foreigners like you ain’t exactly the usual. This one, on the other hand,” Tex gestured at Annie, “is a natural. A natural beauty, too, I might add.” He pulled off his cowboy hat, revealing his gray but luxurious hair, and gave her a slight bow before holding out his hand. “People call me Tex.”

“Annie,” she said, smiling and shaking it.

“Will you join me, ladies?” He indicated the table before slipping his hat back on. “I took the liberty and ordered us a pitcher of sangria. That’s why I wanted to meet you here—best damn sangria in town, and that’s saying something. Ain’t no town like Santa Fe for good sangria.”

The three of them sat, and Gwen drained a glass of water almost at once. It was nicer here in the shade, but the air was so hot it made her throat feel tight and almost painful. Tex and Annie were regarding each other, both of them slightly bemused. Tex finally shook his head, sighing.

“I hope you don’t mind me saying, but you’re a right looker, Annie.

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