The Big Chihuahua Read Online Free Page B

along,” Tavo said. “Since I knew you weren’t expecting me so early, I decided to rent a car. Thought I’d save you the trip to the airport.”
    “I don’t see how you can stand to live in a climate like this,” Chloe said to me, still shivering. I pulled a towel out of the linen closet and directed her toward the bathroom where she could dry herself off. I also offered her one of my favorite cardigans, which I thought was very nice of me, as it was one of my favorites: a shell-pink number with silver flowers embroidered up and down the placket.
    “Is this OK, Geri?” Felix asked, coming into the kitchen, putting his arms around me and whispering in my ear. Tavo was in the dining room opening the beer. I could hear the pop and fizz of the cans as the pressure was released. “Tavo felt sorry for Chloe since she didn’t know anyone in Seattle and invited her along.”
    “Yeah, sure,” I said. “Why don’t you go keep them busy while I finish up the dinner preparations? We should be ready to eat in about fifteen minutes.”
    Felix gave me a kiss on the cheek, then went out into the dining room. I set the water on to boil for the pasta. Normally I might have felt rushed, but since I had everything prepped, dinner would be a snap.
    I was just setting another place at the table for Chloe when she came back from the bathroom, still wearing my sweater, I noted. I offered her a glass of wine, but she said she preferred water.
    Once the pasta was done, I whipped up some of my homemade dressing: a raspberry vinaigrette. We all gathered at the table, and Tavo and Felix made appreciative noises as they sat down to eat, but Chloe pouted. It turned out she was vegan, so she couldn’t eat the pasta because of the cheese, not to mention the ham. I offered to share the small meatless portion I had set aside for myself, but she declined my offer.
    “Is that your dog?” she asked. Pepe was circling her ankles as if he thought they might be good to eat.
    “Yes, that is Pepe,” I said, thinking she would reach down and pet him, which is what most people do when they see Pepe.
    Instead she shuddered. “Please get him away from me. I don’t like dogs. I got bit once when I was a kid.”
    “Go watch TV,” I told Pepe.
    “Your dog watches TV?” Tavo asked as I sat down at the table.
    “He loves telenovellas,” I said, pouring my homemade dressing over my salad. “Of all the Spanish soap operas, Paraiso Perdido is his favorite.”
    “Can you believe what Ramon did last week?” Tavo asked.
    “What did he do?” I asked.
    “He turned his own brother over to the federales ,” Tavo said, twirling some of the pasta noodles around his fork.
    “ Sí , his brother is a big drug lord, and he will have his men after Ramon now for sure,” said Pepe. He was licking his lips, no doubt waiting for some ham to come his way.
    “Pepe, go watch the next episode,” I said. “And you can tell us what happens.”
    “I can tell you right now what will happen,” said Pepe. “Ramon better go into hiding. Preferably at the home of Conchita.” But he went trotting off into the living room.
    “He obeys you now,” said Felix.
    “Yes,” I said with a sigh. “He’s very good at doing what he wants.”
    “He can turn on the TV?” Tavo asked.
    “He can operate the remote,” I said. “He’s highly motivated when it comes to entertainment.” I heard the click of the TV coming on in the living room.
    “Amazing!” Tavo said. “Does my brother get any credit?”
    “No,” said Felix, helping himself to another serving of the pasta. “Geri is the only one who can train this Chihuahua. I’ll have to settle for working with bigger dogs.”
    Unfortunately, I had also dressed the salad with crumbled feta, along with roasted walnuts and chopped fennel root. Chloe was picking her way through the salad, removing the crumbly white chunks of feta and making a little mountain of them on her plate.
    “So tell me about your movie,” I