Page 20 of How We Fooled

Thankfully, he responds, “I thought we’d go to Sauce It Up, get some lasagna and garlic bread.”

Aunt Heidi opens her arms wide, motioning to the ingredients she just pulled out of the fridge to get the sauce going. “Funny, that’s what I’m making for dinner. Mine won’t be ready for hours though. That’s why I’m starting now.”

I laugh out loud. “I was teasing him about going to dinner so early.”

Eli places his hand on his stomach. “I had practice all day, so I’m starving.”

“I heard you’re a baseball player. Who do you play for?”

“Right now, I’m on the national team out of Billings. We travel all over during the summer months to play,” Eli responds.

“Bummer. No local games for us to watch?”

“Nope. Not this summer. When the school year starts again, there will be local games. There’s not much competition around here at the higher division. That’s why we have to travel so far.”

She nods her head. “Yeah, that makes sense. Well, you two have fun. Eli, it was great to meet you.”

“You too.” Eli smiles as we turn and head out of the kitchen toward the front door.

I grab my purse that’s sitting on the entryway table and love it when he opens the door for me, then stands back for me to walk through.

I know it’s silly, but I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that small-town charm he has. In Stockton, it was very rare for guys to be chivalrous. They just hadn’t been taught that way. It’s obvious Eli was raised so differently from the guys I’ve dated all my life.

When we get to his truck, he does the same thing, opening the door and waiting for me to walk by, so I give him a quick kiss as I do.

“Thank you,” I say as I climb in.

He shuts the door and heads to the driver’s side to hop in himself. “Have you been to this place yet?” he asks.

I shake my head. “Nope.”

“You’re in for a treat.” He grins as he cranks the engine, puts the truck in drive, and drives away.

Once on the road, Eli leans back in his seat, then reaches for my hand. I grin his way and am met with the same expression as we drive to Sauce It Up without saying a word. Something about being here right now feels so comfortable. I don’t feel awkward, sitting in silence or like I have to fill the air with words.

It’s peaceful, just holding his hand as the radio plays and he drives around town.

He finds a parking spot with ease, which still makes me laugh. I’m so used to living in a town with over three hundred thousand people, so sometimes, finding parking wasn’t as easy as just pulling up and having multiple spots to choose from right in front of your destination.

We exit the truck and head toward the restaurant, him opening the door for me as I walk through. We’re sat at a table, and as I look over the menu, Eli orders some garlic bread before even ordering our drinks.

I have to tease him. “Are you that hungry?”

He opens his arms out wide. “Have you seen me? It takes a lot to fuel this body.”

“When was the last time you ate?”

He leans in to whisper, “I already ate leftovers at my house from last night as soon as I got home from practice.”

I laugh out loud. “How can you still be that hungry?”

He opens his arms wide in the same fashion, raising his eyebrows, as if to repeat, Look at me, and I laugh again, shaking my head.

“It must be so different, raising you, compared to your little sister.”

“My mom always says the same thing. I eat anything and everything while she eats like a little bird.” He leans back in his seat, kicking his legs out in front of him with a sigh. “It’s okay though. I get all of her leftovers. What did you do today?” he asks.

I shrug as I look over the menu more. “Not much. Just helped around the house and hung out.”

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