“You like rap?” she says over the music. “That is awesome.”
Kristen would not find that awesome. And she definitely would not find Asha’s dorky car dancing awesome. At least, not post-Warren Kristen. Pre-Warren Kristen was different. Less concerned about looking like an idiot. We used to choreograph silly dance routines in my bedroom, using hairbrushes for microphones. Those days are long over.
Asha doesn’t stop dancing as we enter the diner. She even does a little twirl on her way up to the counter, leans across it and hollers, “Hey, Dex! I’m here!”
“My savior!” An older guy—late twenties, probably—pops his head over the counter. He has long hair, like my dad’s in those old pictures, and a bunch of tattoos up and down his arms. There’s also a big black star inked on his neck. He sees me hovering and grins. “And you brought me a customer? Damn, you really know how to score the brownie points. Speaking of brownies…”
Asha gasps. “You better not be teasing me.”
“Of course not. I would never joke about a subject as sacred as baked goods.” He brings out a brownie on a napkin. “Fresh out of the oven.”
“You rock so hard,” she says. She turns to me. “Chelsea, you have to try this.”
I break off a piece and pop it into my mouth. It is good. Melt-in-your-mouth good, warm and chewy and delicious. I give Asha a thumbs-up to express my approval.
Dex cocks his head to the side. “Have I actually rendered someone speechless with my baking?” he asks. “That may be a first.”
“Don’t be so quick to flatter yourself. Chelsea doesn’t talk,” Asha explains. “She’s taken a vow of silence.”
Okay, now I’m blushing. I hate having to explain this. People probably think I’m just being an attention whore, and it is so not about that. Or people just think I’m a freak. Which…maybe I am. But I’m still not comfortable with letting my freak flag fly, so to speak.
But Dex doesn’t miss a beat. “Very cool,” he says, not sarcastically at all, then to Asha, “Sam’s pulling stock from the freezer, and Andy should be here in an hour or so. I’m going to hole up in the office and make some calls to vendors, so come back and grab me if you need me.”