Can't Fix Cupid

“That’s impressive.”

Rob rolls his eyes. “He won twice last Saturday, and one of them was because the other man had to forfeit when he threw his hip out.”

“It was still a legitimate win,” Hale defends.

“Sure it was.”

“Hush,” Hummingbird Judy reprimands them as she skims her finger down a sheet of paper. “Oh, you’re lucky. You’ll be staying with the twins.”

I just nod.

“I’ll walk you,” she offers, before looking at her lovers. “You two bozos can go home and get the kettle started. I need some ginger tea. I’m having digestion issues.”

They don’t even skip a beat. They just wave to me and then walk off, still making fun of each other about their shuffleboard strategies.

Hummingbird Judy leads me to the path that takes us to the individual huts. Some are bigger than others, but all of them have some sort of artistic expression to them, whether it be glass bottles stuck into the concrete or spray paint decorating the walls.

She breaks off the path and leads me to a hut that’s noticeably nicer than some of the others. It’s made of dark stained wood and has a metal roof sheeting that’s been cut to look like palm leaves. Hummingbird Judy wastes no time rapping on the door.

A woman answers in just a few seconds, and I look at the dark-skinned beauty, noting her long dreadlocks and reddish brown eyes. She has thick lips and dazzling white teeth, and she’s wearing a paint smock with nothing else beneath. She’s the youngest person I’ve seen here so far, looking like she’s in her late twenties or early thirties. With her cool vibe and striking features, she’s beautiful.

“Hey, Hum,” the woman says in greeting.

“Bea, this here is a new guest,” Hum Judy motions to me. “What are we calling you, honey? Have you decided on a name that sings to the beat of your soul?”

Shit. I forgot to nail down the whole name thing.

“Uh…”

I look down at the XXX on my wrist. Thirty…Triple…Tri…X…

“Trix? Trix Valentine?” I blurt out.

Hum Judy taps her lips. “Yes, I think it’s a perfect name. So organic.”

“Thanks.”

Bea looks me up and down with a nod. “Alright, Trix, so I guess you’re bunking here with us,” she says before moving aside to let me in. “You’re lucky. Gary Palomi was on the schedule for last month, but his hut doesn’t have indoor plumbing, and everyone knows that Palomi drops the worst bombs in the outhouse every time he goes out there. He stinks up the whole sidewalk. You don’t want a roomie with a reputation like that.”

“Yikes.”

“You good here, Bea?” Hum Judy asks.

Bea waves her off. “We’re good. I’ll take care of her.”

Hum Judy blows me a

kiss as she starts walking away. “If you need anything, just come on over to my place—you can’t miss it. Our hut is painted like a pink armadillo with the pot pipe in its mouth.”

Honestly, I’m not even surprised.

Chapter 10

Once Bea invites me in and shuts the door, she wipes her hands on her smock and takes a good look at me while my ears pick up on rock music playing somewhere above us.

“So what’s your story? Get tired of The Man and decide you’re gonna live your truth?”

I nod, thoroughly impressed that she figured me out so easily. “Yes, exactly! The man’s name is Warren, and he doesn’t believe I’m going to get him to fall in love, but I am.”