Page 94 of Panty Dropper

“It’s his senior year,” Timmy replied as if that was a perfectly reasonable explanation.

Things really did operate differently in Firefly. Pigs and birds were allowed in bars. Underage youth were allowed to fill in for their older siblings when they partied too hard. It was like the Wild West down here.

“Timmy this is my best friend from college, Reagan York. Reagan, this is Timmy. He was in my class two years ago. He is a math beast and a national speech and debate winner.”

The kid’s entire demeanor changed under Nadia’s praise. He stood taller and his chest puffed out. “I hated school before I was in your class Ms. Olsen.”

“That’s because you were bored. You weren’t being challenged.”

It warmed my heart to see her doing what she’d talked about during college. Making a difference.

“Nice to meet you, Timmy.”

“You too, ma’am.” He lifted the pad and paper in his hand. “Are you ready to order?”

“Um…” The menu was a tri-fold and looked intimidating.

“I think we need a minute.” Nadia said.

“Can I get you started with something to drink?”

“I’d like a water with lemon.” I opened the first flap.

“And I’ll have a diet pop.”

“Comin’ right up.”

I looked at the menu. “Wow. This is…”

Nadia groaned. “I know, I know. Granny’s Pantry is my favorite celebration or comfort food guilty pleasure. I normally never come here on a weekday. The afternoon slump is intense and unfightable.”

I flipped to the back of the gigantic menu. “I feel like roughly half the names of the items on this menu start with the words ‘Chicken Fried.’”

“You’re not wrong.”

I leaned forward, lowering my voice to a whisper. “Also, am I the only one whose brain reads ‘Granny Panties’ every time I look at the logo at the top of the menu?”

Granny Panties.My afternoon with Billy had forever changed my negative connotation of them. Just one more way that Billy Comfort had imprinted himself.

Nadia burst out laughing. “Well, you won’t be in the future, I can promise you that. In fact, I imagine that’s about all I’ll be able to see.”

My eyes still on the menu, I asked, “So, is this a celebration?”

“What?”

“The lunch. Is it a celebration because of your date with Rusty?”

“Oh… Um…”

I sensed her hesitation and looked up to see the same face she had when she broke the news to me that she wasn’t going to room with me senior year because she was moving in with her boyfriend, Rex. “Or is this a third thing? Like…a ‘making an uncomfortable conversation go down easier’ kind of thing?”

She smiled. “It’s not that dramatic, but yeah, I’d go with that one.”

I returned my gaze to the menu. “Okay, well, this is certainly going to require a chicken fried something or other to get through. Let’s see…”

“They have deep fried desserts, too,” she chirped.

“Good to know.” I filed that in my brain as a to-go peace offering for Daisy.

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