I could never catch who took him myfood. To be honest, I didn’t try that hard. Whoever they were always paid, soat least there was that. I had my suspicions, but there were close to twohundred customers nightly, and I only recognized a couple of people fromLilou, specifically. Regardless of who took Killian myfood, Wyatt was always the one that brought the note back.
I glared at him as he walked up tothe truck, shoulders slumped in acceptance. I couldn’t help needling him. “Themessenger I’m dying to shoot.”
He pouted. “I miss eating here.”
“Yeah, well, you’ve been banned.” Ireached out of the order window and tapped the siding next to the chalkboardmenu. I’d made Molly hand draw wanted posters of Wyatt and Killian. Althoughthey were a little worse for wear since they’d been taped outside for threeweeks. I probably should have laminated them.
Wyatt frowned at his faded, windblownpicture. “If it makes you feel any better, tonight he chewed my ass on threeseparate occasions. Once he even threatened to call animal control.”
I suppressed a laugh. “On you?”
He nodded, resigned. “On me.”
“Oh, poor Wyatt. We don’t thinkyou’re an animal. You should quitLilouand come hangout with us. We’re way more fun!”
Molly leaned over, “We also have atwo ass-chewing maximum. So the most you ever get your ass chewed is twice pernight.”
His head tipped back, and he closedhis eyes. “That shouldn’t sound amazing, but it does.” Meeting my eyes onceagain, he looked like he was considering it. “What do you pay?”
I opened my mouth to speak, butMolly cut me off. “I can answer that since I’m her highest paid employee.” Sheleaned back on the stool, resting the book she’d been reading between customerson her lap with her finger in place to hold the page. “Nothing. She pays usnothing.”
Wyatt grinned at her. “Slave labor?I like the way you roll, Vera.”
“Like it enough to become a minion?The position also comes with hugs!”
“I’d love to defect and join theresistance,” he told us seriously. “But I need dental.”
Molly perked up. “You haveinsurance?”
He leaned in conspiratorially, “Andmental health days.”
Molly stared dreamily across thestreet as if she were the one considering defection. I cocked my head back andglared at my delusional best friend. “Molly, youhavehealth insurance. And mental health days. At your real job.Remember the fancy marketing firm you work at every day?”
She picked up her book again. “Oh,right. Sorry. Sometimes I get so sucked into the drama here, I can’t rememberwhat’s real and what’s foreplay between two insane chefs.”
Wyatt barked a laugh, his entirebody rocking with the force of it. She smirked, proud of herself. And Icontemplated creating a Tinder profile for her. Because revenge.
“Anyway.Why are you here, Wyatt?”
He held up a folded over piece ofprinter paper. “Same old.”
I snatched it from him and waved itat Molly. “This isn’t foreplay. This is motive. Which is a pity since palepeople shouldn’t be forced to wear orange.”
Molly rolled her eyes, but she sether book down again. “This is like… if I had a favorite daytime soap. Wyatt,we’re going to need popcorn and Twizzlers.”
Ignoring them both, I opened thenote.Congratulations on the leastoriginal food truck idea ever. If you’re hard up for inspiration, you canalways ask me for help.Just when I thought he’d leave the salt out of it,he added a quickly scrawled,Be real, issalt holding you at gunpoint right now?
I lifted my head, “Huh.”
Wyatt cringed. “What does it say?”
Molly gaped at him. “You mean youdon’t read them?”
He stared back at him. “He trusts me.At least with this.”
“You’re a better person than me,”she told him. “I’m too nosy.”
Wyatt turned back to me, apparentlyjust as meddlesome as Molly after all. “Care to share?”
