Page 44 of Change of Plans

At the mention of HO, and after his explanation of what heterotopic ossification was, Bryce sobered.

“So is surgery the only option when you get these cells growing bone into your soft tissue?” she asked. “It must be nerve-racking to wonder when the next time you’ll be under the knife. Isn’t there something else they can do?”

“There’s radiation treatment.” His palms grew clammy. This was the time to tell her he might be due for another surgery in the not-too-distant future, as well as the sterility likelihood from the radiation at his hip, thigh, and lower leg. “But having prophylactic radiation treatment comes with its own risks, like—”

“Take the next right and you will arrive at your destination on the left-hand side,” came the voice from his phone’s GPS, interrupting Ryker’s train of thought.

“Yay, we’re here.” Bryce practically bounced in her seat. “You sure you’re still okay if I drive it off the trailer?”

“Absolutely.” Ryker swerved from his planned confession, relieved that the GPS had interrupted him. He’d find a way to drop that bomb another time. Who was he to bring up having kids when they were only on their second true date? He was thankful he’d avoided the conversational tripwire.

Unloading the Cougar went without a hitch, and Ryker wasn’t sure if he was more impressed with Bryce’s careful handling of the muscle car as she reversed it off the trailer, or the fact that she knew exactly how to unhook the Mercury from its canvas tire tethers. She’d had her side’s tires free before he was done with his.

“It’s been at least ten years since I’ve done that, and look—my skills are as good as a pro like you,” she crowed in the car after they’d given the Kodak exec his new ride.

“I wasn’t aware it was a competition, or else I’d have moved a little faster,” he countered, then laughed as she squawked with indignation. “How about a rematch?”

“You’re on. I want in on the next delivery.” She crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes in what he assumed was a playful challenge. “And I will hand your ass to you again.”

They bantered through the drive into the city, and Ryker’s heart felt as full as a newly inflated tire.

This is what Drake had meant when he’d said his relationship with Kate had been effortless. This was the full-bellied, joyously floating feeling Zander had described that came over him whenever he spent time with Imani. He got it now.

And damn if he wasn’t going to do his level best not to blow it.

By the time they made it from the parking lot to Nick Tahou’s for lunch, there was a line stretching around the building. It moved faster than he’d expected, and it wasn’t long before they were out of the brisk spring air and inside the restaurant.

“My God. It’s just like I remembered,” Bryce said. The atmosphere of the place had distinct “dive diner” vibes and was packed to the gills. “Mmm, smell that grill. Do you have any idea how well seasoned that grill top must be? I’m salivating so hard for a cheeseburger Garbage Plate with the works. What are you getting?”

“Same but without onions.”

“No onions? Okay, then I’ll do the same. Can’t have a root vegetable taking me out of whatever little game I might have,” she said cryptically.

They ordered as the line snaked around and finally made it to the register.

“We need more bread up here!” called the guy at the register. Then he gave Ryker his change as a skinny kid brought up a black garbage bag.

“Wait,” Bryce whispered to him, her eyes popping in disbelief. “I think that garbage bag is filled with the bread.”

Sure enough, the register man reached in, pulled out two hunks of Italian bread.

“Oh my god. Never have I ever eaten bread stored in a Hefty bag,” she breathed, and then she squealed. “This is so exciting!”

“Want to eat in the truck?” he asked, noticing when she gave the diner’s tables a once-over. The customer turnover was so rapid, patrons didn’t wait for someone to clean off a table. They merely brushed away the last person’s crumbs with a napkin and sat down to dig in.

“Yep.”

Ten minutes later, they were in his truck balancing to-go containers on their laps as they ate. The Garbage Plate was layered like a trippy lasagna, with baked beans, home fries, and a generous scoop of mayonnaise-heavy macaroni salad that was the base of the dish. Flopped atop that goodness was the cheeseburger patty with hot sauce, mustard, ketchup, and mayo drizzled over everything. He’d had his first taste of the dish after a long, hard night of partying with some Marine buddies on leave, and it was true what they said: grease helped cure the hangover.

But this was the first Garbage Plate he’d eaten stone sober, and it was as good as he remembered.

“So?” he asked, when she was silent. “What do you think?”

“It’s unbelievable it all tastes good together, but it does. It’s like a rave in my mouth. The chill cool of the mac salad balances the burger, beans, and home fries.” She swallowed, then grinned at him. “This is the best lunch date. Ever!”

After they polished off as much of the Garbage Plates as possible, tossing the rest into a bin in the parking lot, he reluctantly started the truck. He was sad the day was over and they were returning to Wellsville. He knew how busy she was with her nieces—how rare it was for her to have time to herself—and with working at PattyCakes, plus her catering side business, she likely had mounds of things clamoring for her attention.

Damn, though, he didn’t want this date to end. As if reading his mind, Bryce tapped his arm, her fingers lingering on his forearm.

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