Page 43 of Alice & Meg: Summer Vacation
“It’s kind of like shrimp.The penguins love it,” she answered swiftly.
“How were you going to feed it krill?Where do you even buy that?”Clash asked.
Again, no hesitation from Greta.“You can buy krill at pet stores.”
We all laughed harder.
Raven was intrigued, “What happened with the penguin?How did they catch you?”
Greta rolled her eyes.“James Frank tattled.Wanted to keep the penguin for himself.I was on the bus, almost free, and he starts yelling he wanted one.”Everyone bust into laughter.
“I wish I could have been there when Gwen got the phone call about there being an incident at the zoo,” Clash sighed with laughter.
Greta sipped her drink.“I learned then never to trust a man.”
Bear pouted mockingly.“Hey.”
She patted his cheek.“Not you, baby.Or any of the guys at this table.”
Peri returned with the appetizers: soft mushrooms overflowing with seafood, creamy dip bubbling, and those bacon-wrapped dates.
“I dare you to try one,” Meg said with that devilish grin.
I hesitated.Bacon-wrapped anything was normally good, but I wasn’t sure about the date.But I’d trust Meg.
I picked one up and smelled the salty bacon and sweet date aroma.“I mean, it smells good.”
I bit into it.The sweet, sticky fruit that was wrapped in smoky bacon burst in my mouth.It was chewy, crunchy, salty, and sweet.My eyes closed involuntarily.
It was delicious.
Meg grinned.“I knew you would like it.”
I opened my eyes and popped the rest of it in my mouth.“Yeah, that is damn good.”
Greta polished off another one with serious joy.
“You can’t go wrong with Meg,” Greta said around a mouthful of dates.“Down the hatch, Alice.”
Meg handed me the last date.I popped it in and sighed.
“I’m never doubting you again,” I told her.
The other appetizers disappeared quickly.It was honestly some of the best finger food I’d ever had.
Soon, entrées arrived.
The scallops were perfect, golden disks that were roasted brown on the edges, sitting on a bed of creamy lemon-butter sauce surrounded by tender asparagus spears.They smelled heavenly.
I cut a scallop—excuse me, Icut into heaven.It flaked under my fork.I tasted it.Silky, buttery, with a hint of citrus and sea.My mouth made the best inadvertent loud “mmph” noise.I looked at Meg.She winked and took a bite.
Raven dove into her salmon, and Bear carved into prime rib that steamed off.Wrecker cut a bite and offered me a piece.It melted in my mouth like velvet.
“This is...next level,” I said, barely whispering because I was chewing so slowly.
Wrecker just smiled.“It’s fucking good, babe.”
As dinner wound down, Peri returned for dessert.
