The house she shares with her boyfriend, Ray, is a small Spanish bungalow facing a park on the west side of town. I love everything about the house, especially the kitchen. The terra cotta floors, blue and white tile counters, and a bundle of dried red peppers hanging by the large window over the sink, give the space a warm, homey feel. I’d love to live here.
Taking a sip of the cider she poured for me, I lean against the island. “I’ve never noticed before.”
He always shows up at the diner around the same time every morning like he has an alarm set.
“That’s interesting.” Her fingers tap against the glass as she sends a message. “We’re talking about Boone, right? Tall, grumpy guy? Vaguely looks like me, but less attractive?”
“Sounds like the guy. Sometimes has weird facial hair?” I make a mustache with my finger above my mouth.
“That’s the one.” Laughing, she slightly shakes her head. “You apparently get another side of him.”
“Unless he has a twin,” I say as casually as I can. Do I really think he’s an identical twin? No, but the man I know now doesn’t act like the same cranky guy who barely spoke to me months ago.
“Lord no.” Shari’s dark hair flips in front of her face as she vehemently shakes her head. “One of him is enough. The world couldn’t handle two. Might destroy the space-time continuum.”
“I don’t even know what that is, but it sounds bad.”
“Never took physics?” she asks without judgment. “What did you study?”
“History. I like research, and I avoided science after finishing the basic requirements.” Now I’m thinking I should’ve studied physics and quantum mechanics. Who knew conspiracy theories would require so much advance math?
“Boone’s the math and engineering mind in the family. I’m better at the soft skills. Being a waitress, we get good at reading people, anticipating their needs, managing their expectations.”
“I guess.” I’m not sure I’ve mastered any of those skills. “What’s up with the mustaches?”
She smiles and tents her fingers together. “I shouldn’t enjoy torturing him as much as I do, but he keeps betting me and losing. At least he only wagers ridiculous facial hair. I tried to get him to get a tattoo, but he refused.”
“What are you betting about?” I’m fascinated.
“Anything I know I can win. Mostly silly stuff. Were you around for the mutton chops?” She grins.
“Sadly, no.”
“Handlebar mustache? He got really into that one, even bought the wax so he could have the sharp points. Hold on, I have a great pic.” She picks up her phone and scrolls. “Here.”
I stare at Boone’s face on the screen. Not even the overgrown caterpillar can diminish his handsomeness. How is that possible? While I’m gawking at his face, a text notification appears on his forehead.
*Don’t scare Lucy away. Be there in 5*
Laughing, I flip the phone for her to read it. “Why does he think you’ll scare me away?”
“He’s worried I’m going to spill all his secrets and shatter whatever illusion he’s created of being a decent, kind, fun person. Or show you horrible pics of him.” She snickers, mischief flashing in her green eyes. “Oops. Too late on the last one.”
“Tell me more,” I suggest, grinning back at her.
A few minutes later, Boone strolls into the kitchen, finds us laughing over Shari’s phone, and grumbles, “I knew I should’ve picked you up myself. My sister can’t be trusted. Has she spilled all of our family secrets?”
Holding her phone, I show him the ridiculous pic we’re currently laughing over.
“Hey, I was really proud of that goatee.” He takes the phone from my hand and sets it on the counter. Not caring his sister is a few feet away, he wraps his arms around my waist, and kisses me.
I feel him smile against my mouth before he gives me one more soft kiss. Pulling away slightly, he grins down at me. “Hi.”
“Hello to you, too,” Shari says somewhere behind me.
“I said hi,” he repeats, gazing into my eyes like we’re the only two people in the room and maybe the world.
“You’re going to be insufferable, aren’t you?” Shari asks
“Probably.” He kisses me again. “When’s dinner ready?”
“Enchiladas are in the oven and I need to steam the tamales. Ray’s on his way, and as soon as he gets here, we’ll eat.” She opens the fridge and pulls out a salad bowl.
My mouth waters at the idea of homemade enchiladas and tamales.
Boone takes advantage of her back being turned and lowers his hands to my butt, giving me a squeeze. “I’ve missed you.”
“Me too.” Which is ridiculous because I’ve seen him every day for the past two weeks.
Shari’s food doesn’t disappoint.
“This was amazing,” I tell her, stuffed from eating two servings of enchiladas and a tamale. Even though my plate is empty, I’m tempted to lick the remaining sauce.
“Thanks. It’s my mom’s recipe.” Boone sweeps his finger through the red sauce on his own plate.
“She must be an amazing cook,” I say.
“We’ll have to have her make us dinner sometime.” Boone drops a casual “meet my parents” invite like it’s not a big deal.
From Shari’s wide eyes, she thinks it’s a big deal. Her gaze meets mine and she mouths “wow” and then takes a sip of water to recover.
“What?” Boone shifts his attention to me.
“Nothing,” I say.
Shari speaks up, “We like to play a game after dinner. It’s a tradition.”
“Like board games?” I ask, thinking how much I despise Monopoly and wondering if I can come up with an excuse to leave.
“I wish,” Boone replies, sounding bored. “My sister has a small obsession with conspiracy theories.”
“More of a fascination.” She flips him off in a true little sister gesture. “I think what people believe says a lot about them.”
Ray slings his arm around her shoulder and kisses her temple. For a guy with a shaved head and tons of tattoos, he’s surprisingly sweet. “It’s charming.”
Now I know I need to get out of here before I blurt out my family’s story and come off like a crazy person. The Santos might live in Roswell, but that doesn’t mean they believe in aliens. Most locals don’t.
“I have a better idea. Lucy and I leave now.” Boone squeezes my hand under the table and earns my vote.
“No,” Shari deadpans.
“Can we at least sit outside and enjoy the evening while we torture our guest with the world’s worst party game?” Boone couldn’t sound less thrilled about his sister’s plans.
“Excellent idea. You two can light the chiminea and pull the chairs together.” Shari enlists Boone to do the grunt work. I admire her technique of flattering him and not giving him an out at the same time.
Grumbling, he obeys and steps outside through the french doors, which I assume lead to the backyard or patio. Ray takes his beer with him and follows Boone.
“Sorry about him. Do you have brothers?” Shari rolls her eyes at the open doors.
“Only child,” I reply.
“Lucky.” She sighs and gathers up our dinner plates.
I don’t feel lucky. “I always wished for siblings. But it wasn’t in the cards.”
Swallowing down the rest of the story, I pick up my place setting and a couple of glasses. A benefit of waitressing is I can clear a table in one trip.
“Are you close to your parents?” I ask as I set the plates and glassware on the counter next to the sink.
“I guess.” She shrugs. “They’re . . .”
I wait for her to finish.
Staring out the window, she finally says, “ . . . eccentric. I guess that’s the best way of describing my family.”
“Do they live in Roswell?” Curious, I want to know more about their background.
“Outside of town, but they moved to their place near Santa
Fe a few years ago.”
“Can’t blame them. Must get overwhelming around here with all the UFO believers and tourists.”
Shari studies me as she turns on the water to rinse the dishes. Waiting for it to warm, she opens the dishwasher door. “Mind loading? It’ll go faster.”
“Not at all.” I slide out the rack and load the washer as she hands me things.
“Why Roswell?” she asks me. “I can’t imagine choosing to move here if you could live anywhere.”
“Roswell kind of chose me. My parents met in Albuquerque in college. Or at least my mom was in school at UNM. After she died, I decided to see why she loved the southwest.” None of that is a lie. Proud, I give myself a mental high five.
“Why not move to Santa Fe or Taos? I would.” She hands me the final plate and dumps the silverware in the sink.
“Why don’t you? What keeps you here? It’s only a couple of hours away.” Boone staying local makes sense, but Shari waits tables like I do. She could do that anywhere. Probably make better money in a more upscale town.
“I visit up there. I don’t think I’ll ever leave this area.” Her shy smile surprises me. “I talk a big game, but I’m a hometown kind of girl.”
“You don’t feel trapped?” I blurt out. “Sorry. I don’t know you well enough to judge your choices.”
“No. You know Ray and I co-own the Burger Joint, right? He’s an amazing chef and I run the front of the house.”
“That’s great.” I had no idea. Impressive that they’re my age and business owners. “I thought you were ‘just a waitress’ like me.”
“Don’t put yourself down. We’re all on different paths and journeys. You seem a little lost, but working on finding yourself. I have faith you’ll find what you’re seeking.” She squeezes my hand.
“Glad one of us does.” I contemplate telling her the real reason I’m in Roswell, but hold back. It’s hard enough to make friends.
“Roswell is home for me. When you feel your roots sink into the ground, you’ll know you found your true home.”
“I’m not sure I know what that feeling is. I lived my entire life in the same house, at least up until a few months ago, and I couldn’t wait to go anywhere else.”
Her warm, soapy hands touch mine as she hands me the mess of forks and knives. “I won’t pry, but if you need a friendly ear, you can always talk to me.”
Traitor emotional tears prick my eyes. I believe her. “Thanks.”
To hide the fact her offer is about to make me cry, I focus on slotting each piece of silverware into its own spot in the dishwasher. Blinking away the wave of sadness, I place the last of the knives in the basket and stand. A quick swipe of my sleeve over my eyes hopefully hides all evidence I’m a sappy, lonely crybaby.
“Fire’s ready.” Boone’s voice carries from the doors. “You might want blankets. And you should—”
When I lift my eyes to his face, he stops talking. He glances behind me at his sister. “What did you do?”
“Pfft,” she exhales the sound. “Why do you always assume it’s something I’ve done? We were just chatting.”
He glances at me. “Everything okay?”
I nod. “Sure. I think I got soap in my eye or something while we were loading the dishwasher. No biggie.”
“You made her do chores?” he asks, incredulous. “She’ll never come back.”
“Why wouldn’t I want to?” I glance between the two siblings. “The enchiladas were amazing, and I haven’t laughed that much in a long time. I don’t mind clearing a table or helping with dishes. I do it all the time at work. And as far as the game, I’m sure it can’t be as boring as some of the dates I’ve been on in the last few months.” At Boone’s surprised expression, I add, “Not including you.”
I think that makes it worse.
Boone’s eyebrows drop as he furrows his brow. “You’ve been dating?”
Shari coughs to cover the laugh that snorts out of her. “Ignore me.”
“Yes?” I have no idea why my answer comes out a question. “I mean, I’ve gone on dates since moving here.”
“Hmm.” He narrows his eyes at me for a beat before disappearing back through the door.
“What was that about?” I tip my head in the direction Boone disappeared.
“I think he’s jealous.” Shari stares out the window but I can see her fighting a smile in the reflection. “Maybe he doesn’t like the idea of you seeing other men.”
I follow her outside, my mouth partly hanging open at the idea of Boone feeling jealous. He wouldn’t if he saw his perceived competition. A small frisson of excitement sends a shiver over my skin. Could he be falling for me?
Boone isn’t like the conspiracy believers I use for information.
He’s not even in the same galaxy.
Danger, danger, Lucy Halliday.
Boone Santos is nothing but trouble.
THE PATIO IS bigger than I imagined, surrounded by huge agave plants and other cacti. A group of low, wooden Adirondack chairs encircle a clay chiminea with a fire blazing behind the black metal grillwork. Smoke funnels out the narrow top and disappears into the night sky filled with stars. Slightly dulled by city lights, the starlight isn’t as clear as it is farther out in the desert where the Milky Way is often visible.
I take a seat across from Boone, with Shari between us on my right and Ray to my left. The chair’s cushions are thick and more comfortable than they looked. Settling in, I pull my knees up, rest my feet on the edge of the seat, and lean against the back.
Inhaling the smoke-tinged night air, I relax a bit more. While the rest of the group chats, I zone out, tipping my head back to stare at the sky, looking for constellations I can recognize. Our conversation in the kitchen was odd, and I feel a sense of guilt for going out with other men before dating him. I didn’t mean to blurt out about my boring dates. I hate the hurt that I saw in his eyes; the beautiful sparkling green seemed to dull as he processed my confession. I don’t want to hurt him.
When I’m around him, I turn into a fumbler of word salad, often blurting out what I’m thinking without a filter. I blame his jawline. It distracts me. Without the silly mustache, he’s too handsome for his own good. And apparently his good looks short circuit my brain.
I’ve let him become a distraction. Imagining living in a house like this and hanging out with friends like them pulls me away from finding answers. After the summer, I think I should move to Albuquerque. Maybe Santa Fe. Put some distance between me and Roswell.
And most importantly, some distance between me and Boone Santos. It’s for the best. Once he finds out my past, he’ll run. I’m not sure I could handle another person leaving me. Better to beat him to it.
“Okay, who wants to go first?” Shari claps her hands together.
“How about you? It’s your game.” Boone takes a sip of his tumbler of water.
“Good idea since Lucy’s never played before. It’s easy. Pick a conspiracy theory and defend it like you believe it.” She grins at me.
“Anything?” I ask.
“We try to avoid the really horrible ones like Holocaust denial or anything involving kids dying. Too depressing, not to mention too distasteful. Think more Big Foot or Loch Ness—”
Laughing, Ray interrupts her. “Aliens living among us is always a good choice.”
Boone huffs. “Not very original.”
“I want to go easy on the new girl.” Ray gives me a friendly smile. I like him. If I met him in an alley, I’d probably turn and walk away based on his big size and the neck tattoos. He’s a good lesson about not judging a book by its cover or a man by his shaved head.
“Fine, I’ll start,” Boone says, leaning forward and setting his glass on the wide arm of his chair. “I believe the Earth is flat.”
“You did that one last time,” Shari whines.
“But Lucy wasn’t here, so it’s new to her.” He gives me a wink.
“Why that one?” I ask.
“I
like thinking of Earth being a floating pancake in space. A defined edge instead of a globe appeals to me. Plus, I really enjoy the idea of being able to fall off if you got too close to the end.”
“That’s absurd,” I say, my eyes bugging out at the thought he really buys into this.
“Why? What about the saying ‘I’d follow you to the ends of the Earth?’ Four corners and ends of the Earth are common expressions. Circles have no ends or corners. Or beginning. A circle is infinite. Round and round we go, never ending. Flat Earth means if we can reach the edge, we can hurl ourselves off into space.”
My mouth hangs open. I totally believe he would jump off the planet if given the option.
“Seriously? There’s nothing out there. Space is an empty, silent void,” I say, supporting his nihilism.
“Is that your conspiracy of choice, Lucy? That we’re alone in the universe?” Boone picks up his glass and raises it like he’s toasting me. “Good one. Now defend it.”
Shitshitshitshit.
I’ve stepped right into the one area I wanted to avoid. No way am I defending extraterrestrial life.
“No, I was going to pick the kraken.” I’m totally lying through my teeth.
“Really?” Ray asks. “Go on.”
“Uh . . .” I pause to give myself time to think of any facts I can think of related to the kraken. To buy more time, I sip my cider.
“I like the dramatic pause, but you’ve got to defend the kraken. Game rules,” Shari encourages me.
“Well, we’ve only explored five percent of the ocean. It’s totally possible that what we think of as the giant squid is a smaller relative to the kraken.” I start to buy into what I’m saying, and sit more upright. “How tall is a giant squid? A couple of stories, fully extended? Why couldn’t there be even larger creatures of a similar design hiding in the depths of the ocean? We have drawings and legends from ancient sailors showing huge tentacles. Why shouldn’t we believe them?”
Ray begins clapping. “Totally convinced me. Unlike Boone. Bro, if Earth was flat, the lunar eclipse wouldn’t happen. Way too easily disproven and dismissed.”
Shari and I laugh at Ray’s crossed wrists and buzzer noise disqualifying Boone.
Tinfoil Heart Page 15
