Page 47 of Calamity Rayne Knocked Up

He smiled and met my stare. “That’s how I feel.”

I leaned over and kissed him. “Willow would say the universe chose us for her.”

He pressed his lips tight, choosing to take another bite rather than comment.

When we finished the salad I brought out the pigs in a blanket. “Munch on these while I get the baby-back ribs and baby carrots.”

Hale lifted a wiener and examined it with a frown. “What are they?”

“They’re pigs in a blanket.”

“Pigs in a what?”

“It’s regular people appetizers. Try one. They’re good.”

He took a tentative bite and raised a brow. “Not bad.”

I transferred the baby back ribs to a platter, slathered them with barbecue sauce, and set them down on the table with a huff. “Those things are heavy.”

Hale’s eyes widened. “Is all this for us?”

“I went grocery shopping when I was hungry. You know how that goes. I also have baby carrots. I’ll be right back.”

He cocked his head but made no comment as I rushed to retrieve the carrots.

“Oh, napkins!”

When the table was finally set with the main course, and we wereready to eat, Hale hesitated. I plated his food, giving him a good sample of everything.

“Dig in,” I said when he looked anxiously at his food. “You can cut the meat off the bone if you want.”

Had the man honestly never eaten a rib before?

I lifted a rib and took a bite, moaning at the savory flavor. Hale rolled up his sleeves and moved his tie out of the way, draping it over his shoulder. He had yet to touch his main course.

“So, you just decided to make ribs?”

“Baby-back ribs,” I said, gnawing the meat off the bone. “Andbabycarrots.”

“I didn’t know you liked ribs that much.”

I shrugged. “Who doesn’t like a rib?” Maybe Hale didn’t. “Are you going to eat?”

He lifted a rib, careful not to touch the sloppy bone with more than two fingers. When he took a bite, he strategically used his teeth in a way that ensured no sauce touched his skin. I, on the other hand, had already dirtied several napkins.

“Good God, Hale, you’ll be here for years at that pace. Don’t you like pork?” Sauce smeared over my lips and cheeks, but it would take the jaws of life to pry this sucker from myhands. Goddamn, I made a good rib!Who knew?

“They’re very tasty. They’re just…messy.”

“So, get messy.Lifeis messy.”

He took another calculated bite. The tension in his body was clear on his face as he battled severe tactile revulsion. After every neat, little bite, he compulsively cleaned up his hands and lips. From what, I have no clue. There wasn’t a speck of sauce on him.

Okay, maybe the ribs were a bad choice for Neatnik Hale. I started to doubt my plan. The stress of eating messy food was sort of overshadowing the ambiance.

“What exactly are we listening to?”

I paused and cleared my throat, thinking I also could have considered my song choices more carefully. “This is, uh,Baby Got Backby Sir Mix-A-Lot.”

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