Page 51 of The Obvious Check

Is she annoyed that Chloe called this a date?

Ithoughtwe were on the same page. I mean, she dressed up for it, so I didn’t think I needed to spell it out. But with Savannah, I can never be sure.

I never really know what she’s thinking.

“What can I get you both?”

Chloe’s ponytail flicks between us, so I clear my throat and answer. “I’d love the lasagna with cheesy garlic bread and a water. What would you like, Savannah?”

“Yeah, Savannah? What would you like?” There it is again. The drawl in her voice that sounds almost teasing.

Savannah is slow to bring her attention to the waitress, her cheeks a little red. “I’ll have the house salad and a water, please.”

Chloe jots it down. “A house salad with a large side of sweet potato fries and a strawberry milkshake. Got it.”

Savannah’s gaze flicks to me, unease clear in her face.

“Is that what you want?” I ask, almost certain these two know each other.

“Yes,” Chloe answers for her. “It’s her favorite.”

“Great,” I say.

“Well, if that’s it, I’ll get it all prepared for you.” Chloe takes our menus and as she walks away, I look at Savannah quizzically.

With no menu to hide behind, she shrinks into her seat. “Uh, I used to work here.” Her cheeks flame at the admission.

“Really?”

“Yeah, before…” She trails off, and I know why. The same reason she tenses up whenever I mention Luke. She’s embarrassed. She shouldn’t be. This place is awesome and the stuff with Luke, well, shit happens in life, and we all make a bad decision or two. Hell, I made a pretty bad decision fighting for him too.

“I’m sorry. I picked it because it was close to campus. We can go somewhere else if you want?”

She raises her hand. “No. Don’t worry. The food’s great here. Joe makes a mean lasagna.”

“Well, I can’t wait to try it.”

Chloe comes over and drops our drinks on the table and most notably three straws. “One for your drink, and the other two forthe milkshake.” She looks at me pointedly. “In case you want to try it. It’s delicious.”

“I can order my own.”

“You can share mine,” Savannah offers. Chloe walks away, looking far too pleased with herself, but she’s working in my favor, so I like her.

Without waiting for a response, Savannah grabs both straws, slides them into the drink and nudges it to the center of the table.

“Try it,” she says, then leans in and wraps her lips around the straw, taking a long sip.

Well, fuck. Who am I to say no to that?

I lean forward, take a sip and as my forehead brushes across hers, I’m fully aware of how we must look. A perfect little couple, tucked into this booth, sharing a milkshake. Wonder if she’ll let me make this a reality soon.

“Tastes amazing,” I say as I lean back and watch Savannah take another drink. Her lips close around the straw again and I’m pretty sure she’s completely unaware of what that does to me.

Tearing my gaze away, I tap my fingers against the table, taking in the diner around us. With worn red booths and checkered floor, it’s got that old-school charm about it, and I can’t help but picture Savannah working here.

Wearing a little apron, balancing plates on her arm, flashing that small, reserved smile to customers who didn’t realize how rare it was to get. Would she have been flustered when the rush hit? Or did she move through the chaos with that quiet determination she always seems to have?

I bet she was good at it. Quick, efficient, making sure people had what they needed without getting too involved. She’d be the kind of waitress who didn’t stick around long enough for small talk but still somehow left an impression.

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