Page 40 of Sweet
“And you didn’t want to meet us?”
Spider kept his gaze steady. “I did not think that was in Daisy’s best interest. I hope that makes sense.”
Roberto kept his eyes steady. “Do you do drugs?”
“No. I had to smoke some weed when I was younger so I didn’t stand out, but I haven’t smoked or taken anything illegal for over five years.”
“Do you drink?”
“Not too much.” Spider’s foot started tapping. “Beer’s expensive, and I prefer to save money.”
“For what?”
Good question. Spider had twenty-five thousand dollars sitting in a savings account. He didn’t go anywhere. He didn’t do anything. He didn’t buy stuff. He worked and he saved his money.
For what?
“I want my own place someday,” he said quietly. “My own house. My own shop. My mom had to sell the house my parents bought after my dad died and then pay rent to someone else to live in her own home.” He hadn’t thought about that in years. “That’s messed up, right?”
Mr. Rivera nodded. “That is messed up.”
“Yeah. So that’s why I don’t drink much. I’d rather just save the money to get my own place.”
“Did you ask Daisy to stay in Metlin and not go to college?”
“Fuck no.” He caught himself. “Pardon me, but no. I’ve been telling her for months that she needed to go, and when I asked her if she finished her forms and stuff, she always said she was working on them, and I know she was, but then she didn’t fucking turn them in.” Spider shook his head. “I just think it’s a good idea to have a college degree, you know? If my mom’d had a degree, she wouldn’t have been stuck cleaning houses after my dad died.”
Mr. Rivera’s eyes lit up. “Exactly. We don’t know what the future is going to be like. It’s better to be prepared.” He spread his hands. “That’s all her mother and I want.”
Spider uncrossed his arms and shook his head. “If she doesn’t decide to do it herself though, she’s not gonna do it. She can act all easygoing, but when she gets her mind set on something—”
“It’s like trying to push a bull up a hill.” Mr. Rivera sighed. “My aunt is exactly the same way.”
Wait. Did he and Mr. Rivera just… bond or some shit?
“So…” Spider didn’t know where to go from there. “Is Daisy okay?”
“She’s with Tia Imelda. They were plotting something at the café today.”
“Plotting what?”
Mr. Rivera stood. “I think you’d better come with me. I’m supposed to bring you to the café.” He turned toward the door, then turned back. “I didn’t tell her I’d be interrogating you before we left.”
Spider stood and reached for his jacket. “She probably guessed that would happen anyway.”
Mr. Rivera laughed a little. “Probably.” He opened the front door and almost ran into the cheerful red wreath that Daisy had hung. “You make my daughter happy, Spider. You’re a hard worker, and Bill speaks highly of you. The gang stuff? I don’t care about that too much as long as you put it in the past.”
Spider carefully locked up and followed Daisy’s father down the stairs. “I’m trying. I really am.”
Daisy was goingto kill her father. He’d sat down, listened intently when she explained the plan, and then offered to go pick up Spider when the time was right. Well, the time was right—Chino was sitting at a table in Café Maya, and Spider was not here.
Now she was stalling.
She’d pocketed the card on Spider’s table days ago, but it had taken every ounce of courage she could manage to call the number. Her aunt was with her every step of the way, just like always.
Imelda handed Daisy a plate with a large piece of apple pie on it and patted her hand. “Remember, it’s not personal.” She glanced at the man sitting in the front of the café. “It’s just business. I mean, you canmakeit personal and then keep it to business; he won’t say no.”
Betsy was standing with Imelda behind the counter; she handed her a fresh place setting wrapped in a paper napkin. “Make him think Spider is doing him a favor.”
