Vivian perks up and yells first. Margaret, the one with the bun, rolls her eyes. I watch as Vivian grabs a pink duffle bag and stands beside Colin, who is trying so hard to keep his cool and calm facade. Curtis smirks because we know Colin. He is surprise, and he is probably over-thinking why she chose him. Margaret grabs a leather backpack that has been well love and walks her beautiful brown legs to my twin, and I can’t stop myself from arching my brow. I hope she never learns how crazy of a choice she made. I’m also looking forward to see how my brother is going to hide his attractions towards the woman who is physically his ideal type.
It leaves the same two. The leader, Genevieve, and Rosalie. They look at each other and seem to have a heated conversation. Not a single word is exchange, but I can tell the conversation is intense. They nod simultaneously and the leader grabs her bag and walks towards Caleb, who I can tell is trying not to look at her. After making sure the van is locked, Rosalie grabs her bag and walks up to me.
“If anything happens to the van, you’ll have to answer to me,” she says, gritting her teeth.
“Catch,” I call to Caleb as I toss the keys to the van, smiling at Rosalie.
He pockets them in his jacket. We all take out our additional helmets and help them get them on before pulling onto the highway and towards Saddleback, Tennessee.
Once in Saddleback, we stop at the Roadside 14 BBQ. None of us have eaten anything, and I feel like this is the best place for them to talk to the locals and find accommodations.
“Look what the cat dragged in. Hey baby, the Callahan brothers are here.” Sarah Robinson, owners of Roadside 14 BBQ, cleans her hands on her apron and yells to her husband.
Seconds later, Bob Robinson walks out of the kitchen, tall and imposing. His intimidating aura disappears the moment he smiles and reaches out for a hug.
“Cooper Callahan, what do we owe this honor?”
“We are doing our good deed for the month. These ladies’ van stop working in the middle of the highway. Caleb is gonna make sure Leroy gets the van so he can fix it. Sarah, if is not too much to ask, could you guide them where to stay while they figure out transportation?” I ask, afraid of her answer.
I’m not sure why she is still holding a grudge against me. I’ve never flirted with her friend and definitely never lead her on. Bob got me drunk, which cost him a lot of booze, to get me to talk without inhibitions, as I answered every question he had about his wife’s friend. I heard later that her friend came clean with Sarah about everything. I don’t have much details because is drama I don’t want to get involved in, let alone let people drag me in.
I’m not interested in her friend, never was and never will be. If her friend wants to create an alternative reality for herself, that’s her problem.
“Of course I will help them.” Sarah comes closer to me. “You know she’s gonna know you are in town. Make sure you do nothing to fuel her crazy fantasies.”
“You are not mad at me anymore?”
“I’m mad that you don’t like my friend the way she wants you to, but I can’t force you. I know you are just helping them, but I hope she sees you with one of them and gets over you. I love my friend; she is beautiful but man, it has been years since I’ve seen women as beautiful as those four. Did any of you run a background check? Are they celebrities? They must be. They are too pretty not to be. Anyway, just behave. Are you all going to eat?”
“Yes, we are starving.”
“The biggest table is free and will fit you all eight people. I’m gonna get some brochures for your friends.” Sarah pats my shoulder and saunters away, her husband Bob not too far behind her.
Caleb and Genevieve head over to order as the rest of us head to the biggest picnic table they have. It might be a tight fit for us, but they will be comfortable. We are too used to have a lot of space around us. A total contrast with them who seem to huddle close to each other. As if they’ve been used to be constantly in each other personal space and is something that no longer matters to them.
I catch a few words and phrases that don’t make too much sense. Things like hashtags, suppression and cryptic managers’ messages. The one that confuses me and intrigues me the most is the closing of the chat membership. My brain thinks throughmany jobs and careers, but nothing fits the few things these girls were whispering and worrying about. I also notice them constantly looking around as if they are checking if they are being followed. They don’t cover their entire faces, but as the amount of people increases in Roadside 14, they add sunglasses, hats, and even face masks to cover their faces.
Sarah’s friend shows up and I catch her expression falling when she sees me hunching beside Rosalie talking over the two brochures for the hotels chains in town. To her we must look really close and cozy with my chest pressing on Rosalie’s back and her head moving from looking down at the papers and up at me. Out of us four, I’ve stayed the most here, and they asked my opinions about each of the hotels. I’m glad she can’t hear Rosalie’s frustrating tone directed at me and her quip comments.
After they decide where they will stay and getting the room booked, we eat in silence. It didn’t feel awkward to me. It gives me time to think about what happened before we met them and come up with a plan to consult with Caleb. After we all finish eating, my brothers head out and I stay around. I wait at Leroy’s Auto for Calvin to come with the towed van. I skim through the newspapers Leroy has on one chair. One title catches my eyes. I’m not sure why, but something in it makes me read over it again. The photo of the headline is from a concert with four women holding microphones. They are wearing jean shorts and white t-shirts with the letter V, E, R and A on each other’s tee. The lights obscure their faces.
The headlines read: VERA’s face and most beloved member’s manager allegedly caught laundering money. The subtitle of it alludes about a relationship between Domingo ‘Don’ Valente, the right hand of the head of one of the mostdangerous cartels; the Silver Crows, and one member of the group with the same last name.
I shake my head. News outlets these days are reaching for scraps of straws. Valente might not be a common last name like a Rivera or a Smith but is not unique enough to make every Valente out there a family member.
Once Calvin confirmed with me about the corrosion and how long it would take to clean properly, replace the ruined connections, buy and installed a new battery, I head over to my accommodation. Calvin promises to call them himself before it is too late in the evening, so I don’t see any reason to search for them. It’s around eight in the evening; the sun went completely down a few minutes ago when I see them heading to Sing Note and notice two suspicious men following them inside.
I sigh and head inside Sing Note. I keep my distance from both them and the men tailing them.
Rosalie and her friend’s head to the bar, down a shot each before grabbing their cocktails and sit close to the karaoke stage. Tonight is not Wednesday and the classic karaoke crowd is not in. There are a few locals I recognize, but most of the people are tourist giggling over the Saddleback related trinkets. I even catch a young man wearing the ‘I got sauced in Saddleback’t-shirt.
I sit in the bar corner, shrouded in the dark. From here, I could see Rosalie and the men following them. After the second round, the two that rode with Colin and Curtis make their way to the karaoke machine, punch the numbers and surprise everyone with a flawless performance of Christina Aguilera Genie in the Bottle. The place erupts in applause after they are done.
They went back to their table giggling, and the two men move tables, getting closer to them.
They constantly looking at their phones and at their table. I can’t figure out if these men are trying to start a conversation with them and flirt their way into their beds or if is something else. I don’t have to wait too long for the answer.
“Vivian and Margaret, stop it. I will not go up there and sing. Ask Rosie not me,” Genevieve says.
