Page 122 of Back in the Saddle

“I sure hope Tito hires him,” I announced when I arrived.

No one looked at me like I was crazy I’d want a big, loud man shouting at me in my place of business.

Then again, I was among Angels and Rock Chicks, so they wouldn’t.

Shirleen showed me the listing for her condo, and as I scrolled through all the pictures, I whistled.

“Dope,” I said.

Shirleen jerked a thumb at me. “See?”

“Wewillsee at the showin’ this afternoon,” Daisy replied.

“Aaaaaaargh!”

We all turned at the loud shout to see Byron, a regular, slip on the spent coffee grounds on the floor and fall on his ass.

Whoops.

Probably should have seen to those so Tito wouldn’t face a lawsuit.

Raye and I raced to him.

“God, sorry,” I said. “I forgot to wipe them up.”

Byron was on his feet and dusting wet grounds off the ass of his jeans. “How did they get there?”

“Tex,” Raye told him.

“Oh. Right then. Whatever,” Byron said, then he walked to his regular booth at the back, across the club from Tito, and he sat back down at his laptop.

I was a little surprised at this, since we’d learned (the hard way) Tex didn’t make tea, so Byron got his dirty chais from the bar.

But I guessed that was part of the magic of Tex.

Luna bent over the grounds with a dishtowel and swiped them up.

Tex came out from behind the cubby, right at me, and shoved a paper cup in my hand.

He then lumbered away without a word.

I tasted my sugar cookie peppermint mocha.

And yeah.

Tex had magic.

Sublime.

* * *

It waslate in the lunch hour when it happened.

A triple threat to a great day.

Shirleen and Daisy hadn’t left yet (the showing was at 3:00), which was awesome, because I wanted the shot to get to know them better, and since I spent a lot of my time behind the bar, mixing lunchtime cocktails, I could hang with them.

Tex was now with Hunter in the coffee cubby.

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