I was back at the office early and chipper the following day. The beach does that to me. Even though I was nowhere near finished with the problems I had, the saltwater seemed to have washed away most of my stupidity and ill-temper.

Just before lunch, Seb barged into my office, followed by Chino. I clutched my chest and gasped. Luckily, I didn't fall off my seat.

"Could you guys at least knock? You're going to kill me!" I complained.

"Not if I kill you first," Chino's almond eyes went narrower.

"Okay, now that that's settled, let's have lunch!" Seb clapped and rubbed his hands together.

"I'm sorry! I really am sorry! Please, forgive me and let the scabies infestation stop!" I cried, half-serious. This put a big smile on Chino's scowling face as he chuckled.

"But seriously. I am sorry," I said more solemnly.

"Dick," Chino frowned a little. "Get up, and let's go already. I have to be back at the firm by one-thirty."

"Prick," Seb taunted as I walked past him, trailing our friend. I elbowed him straight to the rib and was pleased to hear him grunt.

"You look like a black plecostomus with a shirt on," Seb said to me.

"And you look like a green salamander, even with your shirt on," I countered.

"And Chino looks like –"

"Keep me out of your stupid razzing," the Chinese demon scowled.

"I was going to say you look like a cute and fluffy Shiba-Inu," Seb said nonchalantly as he pressed the elevator button. I waited for the punch line. He wasn't going to let Chino off so easily.

"Especially now that you got a tan on your entire back, but your belly and face remain white," Seb muttered. I stifled a laugh, and Chino narrowed his eyes at me.

"Shut up. It was your fault I fell asleep on the beach," Chino snapped.

"Right. It was all me," I raised my hands.

"What about Jaxx?" I asked as we walked to the car in the parking lot.

"They're already waiting. Strike Zone. You're paying!" Chino shouted over his car.

"They? Who's 'they'? Hey, wait!" He and Seb slid into his pick-up truck and slammed the door shut. "Dammit!"

My hunch was right when I saw Jacob seated with Jaxx, having a serious conversation over nachos and water, while Seb was busy ordering.

"No, that's Chino's seat. Get!" He shooed me away, leaving me to sit beside Jacob in the booth. I tried my best not to be awkward, but his mere aura frizzled my brain and I ended up just nodding and grunting at him.

"You're gonna make me rich today, Ace," Seb smirked. He said he ordered half the menu and he wasn't going to give me a discount, too.

"I have your damn discount card. I am legitimately eligible for a discount," I pointed out. "Besides, I paid for your weekend vacation. I don't see why I should be paying for this lunch again."

"Because you didn't show up. You flaked on your own invite, asshole. I had to wake up early from closing late just so I could spend time with you because you missed me, but then you just left us there high and dry."

Always with the dramatics, this Miguel Sebastian. I rolled my eyes.

"You weren't high and dry, for chrissake!" I laughed. "You were in a five-star beach club with a lot of amenities and an open tab charged to me!"

"It's your fault you flaked. Don't worry; it's nothing your paycheck can't afford. It was probably just twenty or twenty-five. Grand," he waggled his shoulders.

"It was thirty-five. Okay, so what's with you running off like that without telling us, huh?" Chino started the moment his ass touched the seat. My jaw dropped.

"What? You guys are fucking kidding me. Right? Thirty-five grand for two days?" I was shocked and horrified, to say the least. My three days in the northern resort didn't even amount to twenty grand!

"That's what you get for not showing up," Chino said before shoving a loaded nacho into his mouth.

"Ah fuck!" he cursed as some of the salsa fell on his lap, soiling his slacks and the hem of his pristine white polo barong.

"Karma." I handed him a table napkin. He scowled but took it nonetheless.

"What happened, Ace?" he asked again once his mouth was empty.

"It's not something I'd like to discuss openly," I said and gave them a bored look. Especially when the bloody jerk was around! I added in my head. And just as I said it, Jacob gave me a questioning look.

"Thank God, 'cause I don't want to hear some sad, sappy love story about unrequited love over lunch," Seb breathed. "By the way, I saw Brigs yesterday at the park near your building. Said he was assigned in the area. I thought he already retired from the service?"

"He retired from the navy, I guess? But he said he was transferred to another unit that was easier on his back problem. I don't know, man, I don't know how things in the navy, army, or marines work," I just shrugged. "What were you doing in Makati?"

He gave a tight-lipped grin and glanced at Jaxx, who was busy cutting up the smoked ribs. We never breathed a word related to Cara or her son whenever Jaxx was around. It was an ongoing issue with no end in sight.

"He still looks fit, though. I wonder what his workout regimen is. Do you think you could ask him?" Seb asks.

"Excuse me? Ask him his workout routine?" I stared at him, aghast.

"What's wrong with that? Dude, you're friends. You see each other a lot."

Jacob accidentally spilled his drink and mumbled an apology as Chino carelessly threw tissue papers over it.

"Anyway, I don't see a problem. It would be weird if I asked him because we're not that close. I mean, just imagine asking Jaxx his routine. Would you feel weird?" Seb insisted.

"We don't see each other a lot."

"Hey Jaxx, what do you do for your pecs and lats?" he asked the guy to prove a point, and Jaxx answered him like a regular person, taking his eyes off the ribs occasionally to engage with Seb. He didn't find it weird even if Seb asked him in the middle of lunch. Come to think of it, I would not mind asking Jaxx or Seb about their routine. But asking Brigs after what had happened would be next to impossible. I don't even what to see the guy anymore!

"Yeah, yeah... whatever. I'll see what I can do. It's just weird asking another guy out of the blue."

"Workout's not weird between guys who are friends. It's like women and their make-up. I even hear Val complimenting random women about their lipstick or eyes." He continued and mimicked Val exaggeratedly, " 'Oh, I love the color of your lipstick' or 'your cat's eye is flawless!'"

"How on earth can you say that a cat's eye is flawless? Don't they all look alike?" Chino wondered. "

"I dunno. I guess it has more defined edges. They look slicker with liquid eyeliner, too," Seb replied, and Chino was more confused.

"What? What are you even saying? We were talking about a feline's eyes, right?" Chino asked, still clueless. The other guys laughed; I just chuckled. I was just as doubtful as Chino as to what we were talking about.

"No, you dumbass! I was talking about a cat's eye make-up! Why would anyone lug their damn pets around for people to comment on their eyes? You high or what?"

"Whatever is a cat's eye make-up anyway? I only know the road lights," Chino laughed.

The remainder of lunch went smoothly, even when the bill arrived. Seb gave me a huge discount because he was, after all, part-owner of the place. But before I could pay, Jaxx snatched the bill and gave the server his card.

Our cars were parked right next to each other, mine behind Chino's, and Chino's was behind Jaxx's. We passed by mine before getting to their cars, and I was stunned to see two long, deep scratches from the passenger door to mine.

"What the fuck?" I gasped. It was all I could say at the moment.

I looked around to see any hooligan, but even then, it blew my mind because it was done in broad daylight, in full view of passers-by. I didn't consider my car flashy. Because Jaxx's X5 is worth twice as much as my car, if not more. Maybe it was because it was shiny and clean and electric blue?

"Your cars all right?"

Jaxx and Chino quickly scanned their rides and nodded.

"Damn, that looks painful," Seb shook his head slightly and crossed his arms. "Who could have done that? Some random kid around the block?"

Chino ran his fingers along the scratch. "Can't just buff this, man." He stopped by the windshield and cocked his head. "Any one of you know what a jack of spades means?"

We all turned to Jacob, who was standing behind us with his mouth agape. Jaxx snapped his fingers, and he regained his senses. 

"I beg your pardon?" he asked.

"What does a jack of spades mean?" Jaxx asked.

"I have no idea. I play cards, not read them." He seemed a bit defensive, but it couldn't have been him. He was with us the entire time, and he looked just as shocked, if not worse.

"You have any hunches who could have done this?" Chino asked me. 

It could be that bitch Sheryl or his goon boyfriend Franco and his friends. But I did not want to say that. This mess did not involve them.

So, I shook my head, took the card, and threw it in the console box. It was a warning that neither my wallet nor I would take lightly.

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