Page 47 of The Mouse and the Maestro
“No, it’s not. It’s sad and pathetic. I was trying to show you the fun parts of Philly, but all you saw were a bunch of stairs and a possible murder. And now we’re going to be late for your meeting.”
“Don’t worry about it,” she said, resting her hand on his arm. “Besides, we’ll always have cheesesteak.”
“I don’t remember the cheesesteak; I remember our first kiss,” he said.
“The word ‘first’ implies more will continue,” she said.
“I want them to, you know that, Jane,” he said.
She shook her head. “You don’t know what you want.”
“I know what I don’t want, and that is for you to marry a guy you don’t love,” he said.
Jane stared out her window, doing the completely still and silent thing.
“Do you see any lions out there?” Blue asked.
“Just the Nittany variety,” she said, and he laughed.
“Right state, wrong city,” he clarified.
They arrived at the restaurant Blue chose for them to meet Charles. It had been a trendy hangout years ago when he lived in Philly. Now it looked as though it had seen better days, but hewasn’t willing to admit one more failure in his agenda so they left the car, entered the restaurant, and saw Charles already waiting for them at a table.
He stood to greet Jane with an enveloping hug and kiss on the cheek before extending his hand for Blue to shake. They sat, and a waitress came to take their drink order.
“What’s good here?” Charles asked.
“Back in the day it used to be their burgers, but now…” Blue trailed off looking at the dirty establishment.
“A burger seems safe,” Charles said, closing his menu.
“Not if you’re a cow,” Jane commented, and Charles grinned at her as if it were the cutest joke he’d ever heard. Or maybe the cutest joke teller. Blue scowled at his menu, also deciding on a burger.
“What are you having?” Jane asked.
“Also a burger,” Blue replied.
She touched her hand to his leg, and he jumped. “I’m going to slip to the restroom. Can you order for me? I’ll have whatever you’re having.”
“Sure,” he said, but his eyes trailed after her, troubled. She had used the bathroom before they left home, not more than an hour ago. Did she have a tiny bladder, or was it something else? Worse than Jane’s disappearance was the fact that he was now left alone with Charles Stevens.
“So,” Charles said.
Blue stared at him, waiting for more.
“Awkward,” Charles replied. “The ex-boyfriend, the future prospect.”
“Jane said you had one date,” Blue replied.
“Jane remembers things differently. Did she not tell you I was her first ever kiss?”
Blue squinted. “I thought you guys went out a year ago, but Jane had a boyfriend for ten years.”
“I was before the boyfriend. This was back in the day, in Africa. She was fifteen, I was eighteen. I had known her since she was a little girl, and one day I realized she was all grown up. I also realized how much we had in common, and so we kissed. It was epic.”
“No, she didn’t tell me,” Blue said, not admitting how much he didn’t know about Jane. “Her life is extremely unusual.”
“You have no idea,” Charles replied.
