Page 82 of Resting Grump Face
It takes another three courses until she actually snaps out of her food trance. “So sorry,” she says and wipes her mouth, “but this is… just… wow. It’s almost as good as making out with you. Not quite, but close.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I’m enjoying you enjoying things.”
“So, what did you want to talk about? Words left your mouth earlier, I think.”
“Oh, I just wanted to ask how it went with the lawyers. Could they help with the whole Haven situation or do I need to consider other options?”
“They’re still working on it. Right now, according to them, it doesn’t look good, but also not desperate yet. Which is probably something people say who don’t worry about losing their home next week. They did say we would be entitled to stay at a hotel which Harmony would have to pay for, but we still would be out of a home. All of us would eventually have to move somewhere else. A lot of the old folks would lose their community, their support system.” Sienna gasps. “But we don’t know yet. I still hope they’ll be able to come up with something.”
I should come up with a contingency plan in case my lawyers don’t find a satisfying solution.
“I’m sure they will,” I say and see Guy lift his beer in my direction. Even Earnest gives me a small, acknowledging nod. “And how about the work you’ve been doing? I know I told you I didn’t need you to work on my image, but whenever I look at you in the office, it always looks like you’re diligently slaving away.”
“Oh, no, I’m just on Pornhub the entire time. Haven’t you noticed, or do I need to throw my laptop against the bathroom wall to make it more obvious?” She thanks our server for the next course, who disappears quickly while trying to hide his laugh.
“Were you eavesdropping on me?”
“On you jerking off in the bathroom with me next door? No, I told you I’m busy on Pornhub all day. And if I’m not busy with that, I am still looking into that horrible blog that’s dedicated to you. There’s just something weird?—”
“Let’s not talk about that,” I interrupt, trying not to think about it tonight. “Let’s just have a nice date. Just the two of us… and your somewhat eccentric friends.”
We look across the room and both have to laugh as Robyn throws her scarf over her shoulder and Earnest lets a piece of baguette disappear in the pocket of his jacket.
“So, this is a date, huh?” Sienna teases and flutters with her eyes. “The last time I used that word, you seemed very uncomfortable.”
“Yeah, well, maybe the author of Ryker Rumors will need to come up with a new theory, because this is definitely a date. And —I’m not sure about the rules on this— but I’m thinking all the other times we had dinner, went for walks, fucked each other’s brains out and then spend hours cuddling could retroactively be counted as dates as well.”
“No, I say this is our first date. But I’ll let you take me out again, maybe… I’m undecided for now. Depends on if you’re a gentleman or not.”
“Because you don’t date gentlemen?” I ask.
“Exactly.”
“You know, I even asked Olivia for permission.”
“Permission for what?”
“To take you on a proper date.”
Sienna laughs. “How very 1950s of you. Did she tell you to not hurt my feelings while fumbling around with a shotgun?”
“Actually, her husband did that. Not the shot gun bit, but the other thing.”
“Ohh, your best friend threatened you not to hurt me? He’s such a marshmallow.”
“Yeah, a bit too grouchy for my taste, but if that’s your thing…”
Sienna smiles, reaches over the table between us and lets her thumb graze my lips. “Well, your grouchy ass is in luck because, as it turns out, I am not opposed to it.”
A few courses later, the server brings us one shot of whiskey and one champagne, and explains that the table‘with the entertaining seniors’bought them for us. I make sure he puts both on my tab as well. “I’ve kind of gathered a little about it when I was at the Knitwits, but what is the deal with Paige, Guy and Earnest anyway?”
“They’re adorable, aren’t they?” Sienna starts explaining. “Short version? Paige was married to Guy first and Earnest was Guy’s best friend. Then Earnest had a streak of bad luck and lost his insurance and I’m not entirely sure what else happened, but apparently that’s when the three of them grew even closer than they already were and so Paige and Guy got divorced and Paige married Earnest for medical reasons. And now they’re one big, happy throuple… senior’s edition.”
“That’s as sad as it is heartwarming.”
“I was suspecting you had one of those. A heart, I mean. Well, actually I was suspecting you didn’t, but it’s nice to be proven wrong in this case. I like sweet Ryker.”
“I do feel a little bad for Robyn now. Maybe I should have invited an eligible bachelor in his thirties. I don’t want her to feel like the… fourth wheel on a tricycle.”
