Page 9 of Pallas & Kawehi

He was happy to hear that. “When I saw that guy with his phone pointed at… pointed at you. I… I couldn’t let that happen and not say anything.”

“Well, I’m not upset that you did it.” She looked away from him, her cheeks warming. “Thank you for what you did. I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone say something like that or just step in to fix it that wasn’t family.”

“I find that hard to believe, Kawehi.”

“How did you…”

He gestured back at the counter. “The man at the bar-”

The counter was empty where the other man had been sitting. The place where Pallas had been sitting now had a couple of bowls placed there.

“Oh… what’s going on?” Kawehi made her way back to the counter and he followed behind.

There was a note on the counter, and she picked it up.

TWO

KAWEHI

She shook her head as she read the note, trying not to groan out loud.

“It looks like your Uncle thought I was hungry. Really hungry.”

“He took Mister Compos home so he didn’t have to drive and he left a bowl for me.”

“I guess he didn’t want me to eat alone.” There was a lighter tone to his voice and she found that she liked it.

A lot.

“Or maybe he didn’t want me to stare at you while you ate.” She sighed at herself for possibly sticking her foot in her mouth. “I mean-”

“Come on and sit down with me.” He picked up his bowl and utensils and moved to one of the tables on the carpet. “I promise that I won’t drop anything on the floor.”

Oh. Okay.

She picked up her bowl and the napkin that her uncle had left for her.

She walked around to the opposite side of the table and set it down. “Don’t worry about the floor. I can vacuum it up before I leave.”

He looked up and gave her a smile that she thought might be a little… unhappy.

“If you think I’m going to walk out of here and leave you alone… stop. That’s not going to happen.”

Okay. She understood it now. He was being a gentleman.

That, she got.

Pulling out her chair she sat down and picked up her chopsticks.

He looked up at her and saw the chopsticks in her hand. “Is it easier with those?” He nodded at the chopsticks.

“It’s how I eat it.” She looked at his fork. “Do you want some chopsticks?”

“That would be great.”

She got back up and went to the counter. Leaning over it, she reached under the lip of the countertop and pulled out a set of chopsticks still wrapped with paper. When she turned back, he was smiling at her.

“Thanks,” he took the chopsticks and quickly stripped off the paper, folding the wrapper into a little knot before setting it down on the table. “This is perfect. Thanks.”

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