Page 22 of Shame

She nods. “Bet if you go over there, they’ll gladly let you sit with them.Andit may work in your favor.” She winks before hurrying to her tables.

I smirk, looking at my brother, who groans, shaking his head, but starts walking anyway.

We stop in front of the table with the twins. Everyone in town knows who they are. They’re our town’s only set of identical twins, so they’re practically famous. Born and raised here, too.They own one of the biggest pieces of land in the town, and don’t do a damn thing with it but live happily.

“Hi, ladies,” I say as sweetly as I can. They smile a mile wide. “Heard you may want some company?”

The one near me pushes to the end, making room. “Move on over, Betsy. Let him in,” she says to her sister, who happily does so.

I don’t like sitting in the booths because there isn’t much space. I’m a big guy, and so sitting here ain’t too comfortable, but I’ll make an exception today because I wanna know what this is all about.

Betsy scoots over, making room for Snapper, who sits down, looking grumpier than a cat who’s just had a bath.

“Oh, Cora? Cora dear?” Betsy calls out with a wave of her hand, causing Snapper to flinch, since she’s yelling right in his ear.

“One moment,” Cora calls back while keeping her attention on the table she’s waiting. She nods a few times, taking something down on her notepad, and with her attention still on it, she turns and walks to our table.

“What can I get for you la—” Her words cut off when she looks up, her eyes going wide when they land on me. And damn if that doesn’t feel good.

“We just wanted to let you know that our table oftwohas turned into a table offour,” Bitsy says, patting my arm… then petting it.

Fucking old ladies. No shame. No damn shame.

Cora is stunned into silence for another few seconds before shaking out of it.

“Right, of course.” She smiles at me, then at my brother. “What can I get you? Do you need menus?”

I say yes, the same time my brother barks out a no.

“No?” I ask.

“No,” he says. “I’m tired of diner food. I’m not eating it again.”

Cora frowns. “Is there something wrong with it?” She sounds genuinely concerned. She’s too nice.

“No,” I say before he can say anything. “He’s just weird with his food. Doesn’t like the same thing too often is all.”

That’s not exactly the truth. He has some food he’ll eat every damn day, but it’s easier to explain it this way than explain he’s just an asshole.

“Oh, um, okay… I’ll be right back with your menu.” She walks to the front, stopping at a table on the way to clear empty plates.

“The fuck you gotta say that shit for?” I whisper-shout to Snapper, leaning across the table.

“I told you I didn’t want to come here,” he says.

“Doesn’t mean you have to be rude,” I growl.

“Look at them, fighting like brothers,” Betsy says with a sigh.

“We are,” I answer. She lights up.

“Twins?”

I shake my head. “Thankfully, no. He’s ten and a half months younger than me.”

“Oh, Irish twins then!” Bitsy says.

I grin. “Sure. I didn’t catch your name.”

---