Page 81 of The Plus Ones
“Good. I like you too.”
“Fuckin’ A.”
She takes a big bite of her sandwich, shoves a few fries into her mouth, and then says, “This is hopelessly crazy, you know? Me and you?”
“I respectfully disagree. I think it was always only a matter of time.”
“What if it’s just a vacation thing?”
“What if it isn’t?”
“What if it doesn’t work out? What if we go back to hating each other when we get back to Brooklyn?”
“I never really hated you, and that’s kind of the point of dating. To see if it works out.”
“You hated me.”
“I had complicated feelings regarding your manner of behavior toward me at first, sure.”
She gasps dramatically and then leans forward, lowering her voice. “Did you want to hate-fuck me?”
“DidI? I want to hate-fuck you right now.”
Our waitress comes by, all smiles. “How is everything? Can I get you anything else?”
“We’re good, thank you. It’s delicious,” Roxy says.
“We definitely have everything we need here, thank you.”
Roxy waits for the waitress to walk away and then lowers her voice again. “Speak for yourself.”
“You really can’t admit that I’m enough for you? Have you not had your fill of Tads and musicians? Oh by the way, I asked Aimee about your boyfriends.”
“I know.”
“Interesting.”
She wipes her mouth with her napkin, grips the edge of her chair, and narrows her eyes at me. “Are you saying you can’t play an instrument?”
“Baby, I will become the next drummer for the E Street Band if that’s what it takes to get you to take me seriously, but I don’t believe that’s what you want at this point in your life.”
She rubs her lips together, and I can tell, even though I can’t see through the table, that she is rubbing her thighs together too. “You done eating?”
“You want me to take you back to bed?” I take my napkin from my lap and place it on the table. “I’m done.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
I leave a tip for the waitress, signal to her to charge everything to the room, and we’re heading out of the restaurant in three seconds.
“Would you really learn to play the drums for me?” she asks as she takes my hand.
“I mean. If I learn to play the drums, it would have to be for the benefit of all the ladies. If it makes you dig me more, that’s a bonus.”
“Would you dig me more if I wear a pearl necklace and a headband?”
“I don’t think I could possibly dig you any more, but if that’s all you’re wearing, then it wouldn’t hurt.”
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