“The Laughtons are fighting. Like, really fighting. She told him to take a hike, that she wanted to do this, she’d saved the money to do it, and he’d done nothing but complain and he could just go, for all she cared. He was ruining her vacation. And he started back on how he had wanted to go to Yellowstone, and they both would have enjoyed that, but honestly, I don’t think that’s true.” Angelica opened her eyes and sat up, reaching for the bottle all in one motion. “Do you want some?”
Espy had bad news of her own, and maybe a glass of wine would help loosen this knot in her stomach. She nodded.
“So he came to me and asked me if we gave partial refunds, and I said we didn’t, and he got really mad, saying we’d broken our contract by bringing them here, and by not having dependable vehicles, and he was really loud, and I was getting worried the others were going to start chiming in, too, adding their complaints to his, but Mr. Blanton tried to calm him down, saying this was an out-of-the-ordinary issue, and that we should just embrace it for being an adventure, and that did not help his temper, and honestly, I think he’s just a miserable human, and I feel bad for Mrs. Laughton.”
“At least she was standing up for herself. So what was the conclusion? Are they staying?”
Angelica took a sip, swallowed, then let out a long sigh. “They are.”
“They will not be happy with my news, then.”
Angelica’s eyes sharpened as they focused on her. “What’s your news?”
“We got the water pump and the thermostat for Tommy to replace, but there’s also a problem with the timing chain, which we didn’t know until about ten minutes ago, and even if San Angelo had one in stock, I wasn’t going to drive back for it tonight, so we are going to have to put everyone in one van for tomorrow.”
Angelica groaned. “Something else we had vowed not to do.”
“I know, but I don’t see another chance for it. Tommy offered me one of his vans, but most are panel vans, except for the one that looks like it belongs to a child molester.”
Angelica’s mouth twisted, part in humor, part in frustration. “Can’t have that. Need windows.”
“I know. We might have to give a partial refund at least, I’m afraid, since this experience isn’t living up to our usual standards.”
“That’s going to really hurt,” Angelica said.
Espy was aware. She was in charge of their company’s finances, after all. “Javi said he’d think about options for us.”
Angelica’s already arched brows lifted further. “Javi?”
“Deputy Saldivar?” Espy clarified, feeling her cheeks heat. “When you sit in the car with someone a couple of hours, that tends to become a mouthful.”
“He’s a cutie.”
Espy didn’t want to talk about him. She wanted to solve their problems and get out of town. But first…
“Did you bring my dinner from The Wheel House?”
“Mama, escucha me, por favor,”Javi pleaded as he sat at her kitchen table, watching her flit about the trailer kitchen like she always did. The woman did not know how to sit still, never had. Probably a holdover from working two jobs to pay for this place. “You can go to my house, stay there until tomorrow night. You don’t have to stay long. I just don’t like you being here when the weather is bad.”
“I’ve been through worse storms than they’re predicting,” she countered, picking up a sponge and scrubbing the spotless sink, then gesturing at the television with it. “The weatherman isn’t worried about it, and he’s always worried about everything.”
“He doesn’t live within a hundred miles of here, and I guarantee you if he did, he wouldn’t live in a trailer.”
“It’s not a trailer. You always say that.”
Itwasa trailer. It didn’t have wheels, like the ones back in the day, but it was definitely not a permanent home. No foundation, light as a feather in a strong wind.
“If you don’t want to stay with me, go stay in Austin’s apartment. It’s brick, in the middle of town. You’ll be safe there.”
“I’m safe here. And all my friends are here, anyway, and they don’t have anyplace else to go. I’ll stay here with them.”
Javi closed his fist on the table. She was tiny enough that he could pick her up and carry her to his truck, but he was still scared of his mama. “If you’re worried about invading my privacy, we can switch houses. I don’t mind.”
“Mijo, don’t worry about me.”
He swallowed his frustration, knowing she would not respond to that. He’d always known she was stubborn, but now she seemed unreasonable. “Mom, there are literal storm chasers in town trying to see a tornado. I think I am perfectly justified in worrying. Do you want to make me worry?”
She set the sponge down, removed her rubber glove to curve her hand over his cheek. “You always worry too much. You always have. But this, you don’t have to worry about.”
