Chapter 36

After the guys had nearly ripped the kitchen apart looking for the cookies, Al and Richie egging them on and laughing, they finally realised Tico hadn’t moved except to start the coffee perking and putting sugar and milk onto a tray.

‘Davey boy, me thinks I smell a giant Cuban rat!’ Jon nodded towards Tico, who was failing badly to look angelic.

With that the other three advanced on him, David and Hugh grabbing an elbow each and hoisting him out of the way so Jon could get into the cupboard. ‘Wooohooooo we’ve got cookies!’ Came the triumphant shout from Jon, as he held up a massive plastic box full of yummy treats.

Tico laughed himself nearly sick; his feet still several inches off the ground, ‘Took you assholes long enough to figure it out!’ He chortled some more.

Still laughing the cookies and coffee were all moved to the table, each of the men’s hands diving into the cookie tub and pulling a handful out each.

‘Damn! You’d think you’d not just eaten a massive meal.’ Al looked on in amazement at the speed of which the cookies were disappearing.

'Woman you make the yummiest cookies I’ve had! Just don’t tell my mom though. Hey we’re growing boys.’ David piped up.

‘Yeah outwards if you’re not careful.’ She leant over and grabbed Richie’s love handles, ‘See!’

Tico roared with laughter at the look on Richie’s face.

‘Well fuck! You cheeky bitch I’ve never had a problem with my weight!’ He sniffed with distain, looking at her down his nose.

‘Yeah and I’m a virgin!’ Came the stinging rejoinder from Al. ‘Plus I can produce pictures that say otherwise bub!’ She too looked down her nose at Richie, but it was spoilt as she had to look up to do it.

Jon choked on his cookie, Hugh and David sat with open mouths, and Tico, well he just leant over and dragged her onto his lap, locked lips with her, and kissed her silly. By the time he let her up for air, she couldn’t have strung two words together. The guys still laughing.

With her still on his lap, Tico looked smugly at the others and picked his coffee up and took a deep gulp.

‘Damn woman you always seem to have a comeback.’ Richie shook his head in disgust and munched another cookie to help with the pain.

‘Ok, it’s about time we figured out who this woman in our midst is. We know nothing about ya Al, not even a last name! Do you know it Teek?’ David asked.

‘Oh what’s this, getting him to kiss me silly then while I’m still spinning throw in the questions to see if I can remember my own name? Men!’

‘Well darlin you did say we could talk later, well querido, later has arrived. And no, I’ve no idea what her last name is, or what Al stands for.’ He looked at Al and cocked his eyebrow at her.

‘Ok, let me nip to the loo and I’ll tell you what you want to know.’ With that she hopped off Tico’s knee and headed to the bathroom.