Page 32 of Crash and Burn

“Hope you like Moscato. It’s the only wine I like. I’m more of a beer drinker.”

He smiled when I said, “You could’ve brought beer if you wanted. Thank you, though. I like Moscato.”

I pointed to the cabinet to the right of the stove. “The glasses are in there. Can you pour us some wine?”

He fumbled around the cabinet, but he was so relaxed. I could tell such a difference in him from that first time in the diner. I thought back on it with a smile. He finally found two glasses and poured us each a drink.

“It smells amazing in here. What are we having?”

“Flautas. Have you ever had them?”

“Fla-what?”

I laughed. “Flau-tas. It’s a Mexican dish. It’s chicken, chorizo, beans, and cheese wrapped in a corn tortilla and fried.”

“Damn. That sounds amazing. I’ve never had them. They look like bigger versions of taquitos.”

“They’re similar. My shit is better though.” He got a good chuckle out of that.

“Are you Mexican?” he asks me.

“I’m Mexican and Black. My mom is Mexican, and my dad is Black. I grew up with all my mom’s amazing recipes. I’ll have to make you more.”

I glanced up and he was just staring at me. He realized I’ve caught him staring, so he takes a drink of his wine. Hudson really is a good-lookin’ guy. He was ten years older than me though. He probably sees me as a younger sister or some shit.Just friends, Amelia. Just friends.“Okay, are you ready to eat?” I asked him.

“Hell yeah, I’m ready. I’m salivating over here.”

I laughed and asked, “Can you pull a few plates down from the cabinet above me while I pull these last couple of flautas out of the pan, please?”

He reached above me to grab plates down and I can feel him behind me even though he isn’t touching me. His energy feels so strong. The warmth radiating from him is too much and I find myself holding my breath. I stopped my mind from going where it wanted to go.Just friends, Amelia.I turned the stove off and spun around, accidentally rubbing against him and he froze. I looked up at him and it felt like there was something in my throat. I couldn’t speak.

He was looking at me and said, “Sorry…I um...have the plates here.” He didn’t move. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. It was like he could feel the same electric energy that I did. It felt like it had frozen us in place, and we were still staring at each other.

I cleared my throat again and finally stepped around him, “Alright. Bring the plates here.”

He exhaled a deep breath and turned around to bring the plates over. I served him and we went to the living room to eat on the couch. We are a little awkward at first, but Hudson broke it up by asking me questions.

“So, we celebrated my birthday. When is yours?”

“Oh! It was in August. August tenth. I just turned twenty-five.”

He sounded like he was choking. My eyes went wide.

“You’re twenty-five? Seriously?”

“Wow, Hudson. Don’t make a girl feel self-conscious.”

“No, I’m sorry. You just act so much older than twenty-five. I wasn’t expecting that. I mean, I didn’t think you were thirty-five, but maybe early thirties.”

“Well, I have an old soul. I appreciate things that most people don’t, and my interests aren’t the same as most people my age. I’m not into partying and I like social media, but it doesn’t rule my life.” I laughed. He was just smiling and listening to me, so I took a drink of my wine and went on, “I’m just me. I like my quiet life. I like to read and be at home. I love movies and Netflix. I watch the same shit over and over. I’m mostly into my books though.”

“Listen, it’s fine. I just didn’t know. Everything you said makes sense though. You really are different than anyone I’ve ever met before.”

“Well, I’ll take that as a compliment.” I nod. “I don’t want to be like other people.”

He smiled and said, “Well, that’s what I like about you.”

I smiled and then I asked, “So…what do you think? Do you like the meal?” He was eating so fast.

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