Page 21 of Sunflower

“Certainly, sir. I’ll bring your drinks out as soon as they’re ready.” The server bowed slightly, turned on his heel, and left us alone.

Callum smirked at me, the playful glint back in his eyes. “You’re not used to fine dining, are you?”

Embarrassed that he’d read me so easily, I leaned slightly over the edge of the table to snap at him, “I’m a reasonably poor nineteen-year-old college student. What do you think?”

He chuckled, then shook his head. “I promise you’ll get used to it.”

“Pretty sure I won’t.”

He raised an eyebrow, the sparkle in his eyes still present, like he knew something I didn’t. “We’ll see.” Callum looked pointedly at the menu that I was gripping tightly in my hands. “What do you think you’ll order?”

I was startled at the change in direction. “Uh, maybe the beef dish.” It was the only thing on the menu that I recognized even half of what was described and sounded halfway edible.

His eyes ran down the menu until he found the dish in question. “Oh, good choice. I was thinking I’d get the lamb. It sounds so very succulent.” He raised his eyes to mine and the spark in his eyes turned molten.

I gulped and focused on the menu to see what he was talking about, desperately ignoring the warmth that filled my cheeks. Why did he have to make the wordsucculentsound so tempting? And why was I responding to it?

A shadow fell across the table, making me look up. Our server was back. How did he know to come back? I felt my collar tightening on my neck again as my anxiety spiked.

“Sir?”

“Yes, we’re ready to order. My date would like to have the sous vide filet of beef, pomme anna and mushroom purée—”

I sputtered as Callum pronounced every word perfectly.

“—however, he's allergic to peanuts. Is it possible to make this dish to accommodate his allergy?”

The server nodded. “Certainly sir. This dish has an allergen free alternative that is very popular with our guests. I will make sure to let the chef know of the restrictions needed.”

I let out a breath I wasn’t even aware I was holding. Would I have been as smooth as Callum in asking about my meal? Considering that I stammered whenever I had to make a similar request at any fast food chain, my guess would be a definitiveno.

“Thank you,” Callum responded before referring back to his menu. “I will have the Cinderford lamb, with farm goat’s curd and wild garlic roots and shoots.”

“Very good, sir.” The server took our menus and left, leaving me questioning again why he’d never written anything down.

I stared at Callum long enough to make him squirm.

“What?”

“How are you so good at this?”

He tilted his head to the side and held my stare with a slight frown before he licked his lips nervously, his eyes flitting away. “I’ve been preparing for tonight for a long time.”

“For this date?”

He coughed quietly. “For you.”

I sat back, letting my hands fall into my lap. “What?” My eyes narrowed at him in disbelief, even though my heart stuttered again at his unexpected words. Words that a significant part of me had longed to hear from him for so long, but I’d convinced myself I’d never hear, especially when our parents had married.

This had to be some sort of game to him, right?

I reminded myself that this was just a meal. Just a shared meal. I could get through a meal.

Right?

But was it? Was it really? Did it remainjust a mealonce he’d sat down opposite me? Or had it morphed into something else?

Callum pushed his shoulders back slightly before he let himself relax. “I might need to explain a few things.”

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