Read Online Bad Habit by JD Faver - Free Book Online Page A

placed their menus on the table,
giving Angel a view of her cleavage. The hostess swept him with an
appreciative glance under long lashes and sent a dimpled smile his
way.
    Angel met Teri’s amused expression with a shake of
his head and an innocent expression.
    “ Do you always draw that kind of
attention from females?” Teri grinned at his discomfort.
    “ I didn’t do anything,” he
protested.
    “ You were breathing.” She smiled at
him before opening the menu. “What do I want?”
    “ I’ll order for us,” he
said.
    When the food arrived they were
served tall glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice, and a pile of
fresh flour tortillas with their breakfast. The waiter placed three
small bowls on the table. They held a red sauce, a green sauce and
a chunky salsa with roasted tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, onions and
cilantro.
    Teri giggled, taking a warm
tortilla. “It’s a good thing I’m not still making my living as a
fashion model,” Teri said. “If I ever get back to New York City,
I’m going to be such a blimp they’ll fly me in the Thanksgiving Day
Parade.”
    Angel shot her a sharp glance. “I
think you look fine, Teri.” His gaze warmed her insides.
    “ I wasn’t fishing for a
compliment,” she protested. “Just commenting on my expanded state
and underlying hope of returning home soon.”
    We’ll get there, Teri,” Angel said. “And I’m sure
you can step right back into your job at the ad agency.”
    Teri pressed her lips together and
sighed. “At this point, I’m not sure that’s what I actually
want.”
    He smiled at her across the table. “What is it that
you want?”
    “ I wish I knew. Teaching at St.
Pius made me feel truly useful for the first time in my life...Not
just decorative.” She bit into her filled tortilla. “What I really
want is for this to be over. I want the men who killed Colin to be
caught and I want to feel safe to go back to my apartment and get
my life back. I’m just not sure it will be at Kelso and
Richardson.”
    “ You have lots of time to make
career decisions.”
    “ I guess. I have to make up for the
damage I’ve done. I want to make sure Bernie is safe and that the
nuns at St. Pius aren’t in danger. I wish I could make it up to
them for lying. The girls will be so disappointed in
me.”
    “ They’ll get over it and forgive
you.”
    “ I hope so.”
    After their repast they walked
around the Market Square, peering into shop windows.
    “ Oh, look!” Teri pointed to a store
window filled with small skeletons, many involved in daily tasks.
She saw an entire band of hand carved skeleton
musicians.
    “ Día de los Muertos.” Angel smiled
at her in the reflection of the store window. “Day of the Dead. We
usually stretch it over November first and second and make a big
deal of it.”
    “ What’s that about?” she
asked.
    “ A day to honor our ancestors and
loved ones who have passed on.”
    “ Oh.” She ducked
her head. Why is he staring like
that ? It’s like
he evaluates my every move .
    “ Do you have someone to honor who
has passed on?”
    Teri nodded and turned away from
the window. “Too many to count,” she said and walked ahead of him
so he couldn’t see the tears that gathered.
    #
     
     

CHAPTER EIGHT
     
    When they returned to the car,
Angel headed for an older section of San Antonio. Driving into the
historical residential area close to downtown, he turned onto a
tree-lined street where huge oaks reached their branches across to
each other, like lovers straining to embrace. Many of the large
two-story houses had Texas Historical plaques anchored in
front.
    Angel pulled into a narrow driveway
and drove around to the back, sounding the horn.
    “ Where are we?” she
asked.
    “ Home.”
    The back door opened and someone stepped out onto
the screened porch.
    “ Angel? Is it really you?” A lovely
girl in her early teens skipped down the stairs and came to look in
the car. She ran screaming into the house. “Mama!