“No,” Cass insists.“Justbetween us, Esteban.”
To JJ’s despair, Lucia’s voice floats out from the depths of the truck. “I have ears, you know.”
Cass winces. “Fine. Between us and Lucia.”
Lucia pokes Esteban aside to peer across the counter, waggling her cell phone. “And I already texted Mina from Bibimbap House.”
Cass looks appalled.“Seriously?”
“Can you ask her not to tell anyone?” JJ asks hopefully.
Esteban’s own phone buzzes in his hand. He blinks down at it. “Ah,” he says. “Mina posted it in the food truck group chat. On the bright side, you have fourteen likes already!”
Cass buries his face in his hands. “Nostringvadha have mercy.”
Gingerly, JJ puts a hand on Cass’s shoulder. “Listen,” he says quietly, meeting Esteban’s and Lucia’s eyes, “it’s really important that the Sanctum and the Chain don’t find out about us. Can you please make sure this doesn’t get back to them?”
Esteban looks aghast. “But of course! We would not want any harm to come to you or your family!”
“And none of us are terribly fond of the cult on the hill or the bureaucrats on the highway,” Lucia adds, pursing her lips. “Don’t worry. The Redwater Food Truck Association will keep you safe.”
She says it with the conviction of a crime boss declaring that they’re now under the mob’s protection. Weakly, JJ nods. “Thank you. And, um, could we also get three churros with that order?”
Two minutes later, Cass is hustling JJ and Desi away with their bag of food, throwing a halfhearted wave over his shoulder at Esteban and Lucia. “Well, that was appallingly short-lived.”
He looks annoyed with himself. JJ’s chest twinges. “There isn’t anything wrong with your glamours,” he says softly. “But we always went to Tacos Near Me, and like Esteban said, Desi isveryrecognizable. It makes sense.”
“Still,” Cass says, and he squares his shoulders. “All right. Do we want to eat our food here? Or have we had enough excitement for one day? I don’t think there’s too much risk of word getting back to the Sanctum or the Chain, but?—”
Desi tugs on Cass’s hand. “Cass?”
Cass immediately cuts himself off, crouching down to put himself at her level. JJ’s heart melts a little bit. “Desi.”
“Cass, can we get ice cream, too?”
Cass’s eyebrows furrow. “Sweetie, DJ Ice Cream Truck is at Lakeside, not in the Courtyard. And we said we were only coming to the Courtyard today, remember?”
Desi’s eyes widen.“Pleeeeease?”she begs.
Cass opens his mouth, closes it, and glances up at JJ. “How does ice cream sound?”
JJ snorts. “And you thinkI’mbad at saying no to her.”
“Shut up, Jackson,” Cass says, and he pushes himself to his feet, grabbing JJ’s hand again. “If we’re going to Lakeside, then I’m getting a side of currywurst. Do you want samosas?”
“I always want samosas.”
“Then let’s go.”
JJ expects the twenty-minute walk to Lakeside—along the exact street they took while escaping last month, no less—to be stressful, but it’s surprisingly sedate. Desi keeps her hand tucked into JJ’s, trotting along next to him and chatting about what kind of ice cream she wants; Cass carries their bag of tacos and churros over one arm, futilely trying to get Desi to choose one flavor instead of three?—
He keeps his fingers threaded through JJ’s, even though there are very few witnesses around to see them.
By the time they get to DJ Ice Cream Truck, Cass has talked Desi down to two flavors, butonlyif she can get extra sprinkles. JJ solemnly agrees to their terms, and they pick up Desi’s ice cream, Cass’s currywurst, and JJ’s samosas in a leisurely stroll across the shore, the sunlight glinting off the lake next to them.
“Do you think they recognized us?” JJ asks, balancing their tray on one arm while he helps Desi onto their table’s bench seat. “Anju seemed particularly smiley today.”
“Anju is always smiley,” Cass says, arranging their tacos and churros between them. “But yes. I don’t think they would’ve known without Mina’s influence, but they’re probably going to be watching for us from now on. We’ll be like Redwater’s newest cryptids.”
