Free Just a Taste by Shannyn Schroeder

chef.”
    â€œSo was your dad. And if I’m not mistaken, I’ll be cooking on the truck.”
    Her heart kicked. This hadn’t been any of the scenarios she’d imagined after the reading of her dad’s will. She’d never thought Liam would walk away from a restaurant to take on the truck. After their few interactions, she’d really been counting on him as a silent partner. “Why?”
    â€œI’m ready for a change. If I’m running the truck, we’ll be in good shape until we decide what to do. When the year’s up, we can reevaluate.”
    He sounded so sure of himself and his decision, as if this had always been his life plan. She couldn’t remember a time when she was that confident about anything. “Are you really sure?” She felt the need to ask regardless of the way he sounded. She knew better than anyone how easy it was to project one image while feeling something different.
    She’d done it for years with her dad. She’d done it so often sometimes she wasn’t even aware she was doing it.
    â€œI’m sure, Carmen. Are you trying to get rid of me?”
    â€œNo. I just don’t want you to walk away from your life. We can figure something else out.” A bit of panic rose at the thought of him giving up his dreams. At least when she’d done it, it had been for family. She was nothing to him.
    â€œThe decision’s made. I’ll let you know when I have things settled at work.”
    â€œOkay.” It was a lame response, but what else could she say?
    â€œWe’ll talk soon.” He disconnected as her doorbell rang.
    Carmen stood staring at her phone, unable to move. The shock of Liam’s announcement settled deep in her. The doorbell sounded again and she shuffled to the living room to answer the door.
    Rosa rushed past her without a greeting. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. It wasn’t until Carmen closed the door that Rosa said, “What took so long? It’s frickin’ cold out there.”
    Carmen noticed Rosa wasn’t wearing a coat, which explained the complaint. “Uh, I was on the phone.”
    â€œWhat, and you can’t walk and talk at the same time?” She flopped on the couch. “You should just give me a key and then you wouldn’t have to let me in.”
    Rosa had been pushing for over a year to move into the house. She wanted desperately to get away from her family, but she didn’t want the responsibility of having to pay rent. Carmen had used her father as an excuse to not have Rosa move in, but now, she’d been considering it. The house was too big for Carmen to live in by herself, but something held her back.
    She wasn’t sure she wanted to keep the house. She still hadn’t figured out what she did want.
    â€œWhy are you here?”
    â€œI came to visit. See what you’re up to.”
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œAnd I fought with my mom. I needed to get out of there. She’s just so picky.” Rosa slipped into a heavy accent. “Rosa, you wear too much makeup. Rosa, put on more clothes. Rosa, you need a better job. Find a good man, Rosa.”
    Carmen smiled at her cousin. “You should take that act on stage. You’ve got her down.”
    â€œUgh. I always wished your mom was mine. She was so cool. I miss her.”
    â€œSo do I. But she wasn’t always cool. She nagged too. Just about different things.” Carmen sat next to Rosa. “Maybe your mom wouldn’t yell so much if you were a good girl like me.”
    Rosa snorted. Sometimes Carmen had a hard time believing there was only two years between them. Rosa always seemed so much younger. Or maybe Carmen just felt old.
    â€œSo who were you talking to?”
    â€œHuh?”
    Rosa pointed to the phone that Carmen still gripped. “Oh. Liam called. He decided to quit his job so he can run the food truck.”
    â€œWhat?”
    Carmen