Page 110 of Always Us

“Two for lunch?” the hostess asks. At least she’s not wearing a funny hat.

She takes us to a table that’s three down from where we sat on our first date.

“Can we have that one?” Garret points to the other table.

“Sure.” She leads us to the table and hands us our menus. “Your server will be here shortly.”

There’s hardly anyone in the restaurant because it’s just after eleven and they just opened.

“I don’t see your singer,” Garret says, glancing around. “I bet he only works at night. You wouldn’t want to waste a talent like that on the lunch crowd. You need to save it for the more serious dinner patrons.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s it.” I peruse the menu. “He’s so good he probably got a better job, like in Vegas or something.”

“I’m getting the burrito platter.” Garret sets his menu down. “What are you getting?”

“Nachos.” I set my menu on top of his.

“Why don’t we get that as an appetizer and you can get something else?”

“Nope. I just want nachos. And I want the whole platter all for myself.”

“You’re going to eat the whole thing?” He smiles. “Have you seen how big the nacho platter is here?”

“No. But I can eat it.”

“I bet you can’t finish it.”

“I bet I can.” I lean back, folding my arms over my chest.

“So are we really betting here?”

I shrug. “We can, but I already know I’m going to win.”

“Pretty sure of yourself, huh?” He cocks his head. “What do you wanna bet?”

“Hmm. Okay, I got it. If I eat the whole platter, which I will, you owe me a massage every day for a week.”

“Jade, I’d do that anyway if you asked me to.”

“Doesn’t matter. That’s the deal. Now what’s yours?”

“If you can’t finish it, you have to wear the cheerleader costume every day for a week.”

I smile and hold my hand out. “Deal.”

We shake on it. I wouldn’t mind losing the bet. I like the cheerleader costume and I love the effect it has on Garret.

The waiter appears at our table. “Have you decided, my dos amigos?”

The way he says ‘dos amigos’ makes me laugh but I try really hard to suppress it.

“Jade, go ahead.” Garret’s smiling at me. He knows I can’t speak when I’m all giggly like this.

“What would you like, Seniorita?” The waiter grins really wide and I see that there’s a shiny gold cap on his front tooth. His dental work should not be funny, but to me it is. What is wrong with me? A laugh sneaks out but I pretend it’s a cough.

“She’ll have the nachos,” Garret says, handing him the menus. “And I’ll have the burrito platter.”

“Gracias.” He walks away.

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