Page 77 of The Plus One
He was back in a blink, arms overflowing with various takeout bags. He set them gently at his feet.
“Oh shit.” Indira scrambled across the floor to meet him. “Did you buy out an entire restaurant?”
“Try five,” Jude said with a laugh, sitting cross-legged with her.
Indira stopped, hand on a bag, looking at him. “What?”
Dragging a hand across the back of his neck, he let out a nervous cough. “Well, uh, it’s probably a poor reflection on my gift-giving abilities but I couldn’t decide what you’d like best. So I got a little bit of everything.” He waved over the bags.
Indira blinked for a moment, then squealed again, turning into a rabid raccoon as she tore through the bags.
“Nachos?” she cried, opening one Styrofoam container filled to the brim with chips and hot cheese. With a gasp, she opened a few more bags. “Cheesesteak? Pad see ew?”
She inhaled, eyes rolling back in her head. “Wait, is that Halal Guys?” she asked, hand darting for another container. “Oh my God, mac ’n’ cheese.” Holy shit, was she going to cry?
Jude cleared his throat. Indira turned to him, jaw dangling open.
“Happy birthday, Dira. I’m so lucky to spend today with you,” he said, holding out a tray and looking at her with those coffee-black eyes brimming with emotion.
Indira’s breath caught in her throat and her belly swooped as she blinked between his earnest face and the giant platter of parmesan, bacon, and truffle waffle fries with a single lit candle wedged in the center of it.
She scooched closer, watching the little flame dance. “This might be the most romantic fucking thing to ever happen to me,” she whispered.
“That’s extremely alarming.”
Indira threw her head back and laughed.
“You have to make a wish,” Jude encouraged.
Indira chewed on her lip, trying to think as happiness bloomed in her chest, roses and sunflowers sprouting in the spots between each rib.
She hated the pressure of wishes. She was always scared she’d make the wrong one, send a hope into the universe that would throw her entire life in the wrong direction.
Glancing at Jude, at the soft way he stared at her, like she was the most important person in the world, inspired an idea.
I wish to always remember the feeling of this moment.
She blew out the candle and smiled at him, leaning in to give him a kiss.
“Let’s eat,” she said against his mouth.
Jude laughed, sending an electric hum through her blood. They picked at the variety of food, Indira groaning every few seconds at how delicious it was.
She had the tray of fries cradled on her lap when Jude nodded his chin toward it.
“Give me a bite?” he asked, voice low. Perfect.
She picked up a fry, holding it out for him. Jude leaned forward, but at the last second, she popped it in her mouth.
“Oops,” she said, pressing her lips into a remorseful frown as she chewed.
Jude narrowed his eyes.
“Here,” she said, holding out another bite for him. Jude stared at her expectantly, eyes glinting and sharp.
Finally, he leaned in again, his mouth a millimeter from the food, before Indira snatched it up, eliciting a growl from Jude.
“Oh gosh, so sorry!” she said through her full mouth.
