Page 75 of For You & No One Else (Say Everything 3)

Nineteen

Eliza groaned as she leaned back in the booth, her mac-and-cheese-topped burger half-eaten and her fries mostly gone. “Okay, so maybe I overestimated how big of a burger I could take down. Or maybe I should’ve skipped the strawberry cheesecake shake.”

Beckham sipped his own shake and then gave her a surely-you-can’t-be-serious look. “But they’re only on the menu one night a week. Skipping this cheesecake shake when available would be a cry for help. Why else would anyone do that?”

“True. It really was our duty to get them.” She grabbed a napkin to clean the grease from her fingertips. “I’ve been meaning to try this place. My friend Hollyn reviewed it a while back and gave it good marks.” She glanced around. The restaurant had originally been a diner and retained some of that retro-kitsch look with the black vinyl booth seating and the long counter at the back, but the new owners had turned it hip, lowering the lighting with Edison bulbs and painting the walls a deep forest green. And they’d elevated the diner favorites on the menu, keeping the prices affordable but the creations unique. “It’s a cool vibe in here.”

“Agreed.” He jabbed his straw in his shake, stirring it. “Perfect for second dinner at midnight.”

“Obviously.” She glanced out the front windows to the dark street outside and then scanned the handful of other diners in the restaurant. Two silver-haired ladies from a few booths over were looking their way. A familiar image popped into her brain. “You know what it reminds me of?”

Beckham tipped his chin up in silent question as he bit a fry.

“When Harry Met Sally, the famous scene in the diner…or was it a deli?” She frowned. She’d been writing about the movie for her book but realized she hadn’t seen it in a while. She needed to add it to her list to rewatch.

“Haven’t seen it,” Beckham said.

“Wait, seriously?”

He shrugged. “Nope. Have heard of it. It has a funny sex scene or something, right? But I haven’t seen it.”

She tilted her head, processing that. “How is that possible?”

“Remember what I said about my parents? I had to sneak in movies when I was growing up. If it wasn’t PGandreviewed by them first, it was a no-go. Anything with cussing, sexual tension, nudity, or violence was out. So I had to be selective when I got the chance to watch something I wasn’t supposed to. A rom-com wouldn’t have been something I went through the trouble for, especially at that age.” He grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth. “I’ve watched a lot of things since, but I’m still playing catch-up on some pop culture stuff.”

She stirred her straw in her almost empty shake, considering him. That was the second time he’d mentioned something about how strict his parents had been. She’d known from the start there was some issue there, an estrangement, but she got the feeling he was sharing things he normally kept to himself. She didn’t push for more, knowing it could spook him, but part of her ached to know all the things about him.

“Well, it’s a movie worth watching. But the famous scene you mentioned is Meg Ryan faking an orgasm in a restaurant after Billy Crystal basically says he’d know if a woman was faking.” She smiled. “She sets out to prove him wrong.”

He leaned back and stretched his arm along the booth seat. “Maybe I should’ve sought the movie out. Fifteen-year-old me probably would’ve really appreciated watching that scene.”

“Meg Ryan nailed it,” she said with a nod. “Plus, Carrie Fisher plays her friend, so you would’ve gotten a little Princess Leia fix, too.”

“I’ll add it to my list,” he said, pushing his food to the side. “So, have you ever Meg Ryan-ed it?”

“Faked an orgasm in public?” she asked, a teasing note in her voice. “No, but I definitely wouldn’t be above embarrassing myself in public if it meant I got to prove a know-it-all wrong like Sally did in that scene. Ireallylike to be right.”

He gave her a wry look. “We have that in common. But I meant, have you ever faked one in general?”

“Ah.” She gave him a wouldn’t-you-like-to-know look. “I didn’t with you, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Eli,” he said, leaning forward on his elbows. “That isnotwhat I’m asking. Did I mention the howling? You kind of showed your cards with that. No poker face at all.”

She playfully flipped him off and he laughed.

“Fakedwith anyone,” he clarified.

She sipped the last of her shake and then shrugged. “Sure. Sometimes.”

He frowned, clearly taken aback. “Really?”

“Don’t look so shocked. Remember?” She pressed a finger to her chest. “Bad dating history.”

A line appeared in his forehead, and she couldn’t tell if he was confused or annoyed. “Yeah, but what’s the point of doing that? Like why not say,Hey, this isn’t working, let’s try something else?I would imagine most guys would want to know so they can make it better.”

He made it sound so simple, but it wasn’t. At least not for her. She stared at him as she sifted through possible answers in her head and then finally settled on the truth. “I don’t know. I guess sometimes it’s just…easier. Guys want to feel like they’re good in bed. Most want to know that I’ve had an orgasm, too. But I can get really in my head sometimes, and once that happens, it makes it challenging to get to where I need to go. I can still enjoy the event without having the big finale, though. Plus, I know how to take care of myself if need be after they leave.”

Beckham’s frown had deepened. “That’s bullshit, Eli.”

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