Page 64 of Searching for Nova

“I’m going in. I want to check this place out.”

We go inside the dark, dingy bar that reeks of smoke. Joe doesn’t believe in the law that bans smoking in restaurants so he doesn’t follow it.

“Joe!” I yell as he passes behind the bar.

He sees me and stops. “What are you doing here, kid? Ted with ya?”

“No, he’s at home.” I walk up to the bar. “I’m here to get him dinner. Do you have any steaks under the warmer?”

“I got a few. How many you want?”

“Just one. Do you have any potatoes?”

“Yeah. Just one?”

“Yeah. That’ll be it.”

He walks over to the register and rings in the order. “It’ll be twelve seventy-five. I’ll go pack it up.”

I dig in my pocket for the money as Joe goes over to the warmer to get the food.

“Let me pay for it,” Easton says, offering me a twenty.

“You’re not paying for Ted’s dinner.” I take out a crumpled ten dollar bill and throw it on the counter, then see what I have left. I toss a five on the counter.

“Nova, just take it.” Easton holds out the twenty. “The old man let you go out with me tonight. The least I can do is buy him a steak.”

I lower my voice. “Or you could stop treating me like a charity case and let me pay with my own money.”

“That’s not what I was doing.”

Joe returns with a white paper sack. He sets it next to the register and takes the money. “Out of fifteen?”

“Yeah,” I say, glaring at Easton. I didn’t care that he bought dinner. Like he said, he’s the one who insisted we go, but buying Ted’s meal is just his way saying that he has money and I don’t. I don’t need that little reminder shoved in my face. I’m very aware that he’s rich and I’m poor. It’s another reason I can’t be friends with him.

“Who are you?” Joe asks Easton.

“A friend of Nova’s.”

“You actually got friends?” Joe kids, giving me my change. “I thought someone as ornery as you wouldn’t have no friends.”

“It’s almost as shocking as you having a woman willing to go near that.” I point to his huge belly that hangs over his pants.

“Ain’t she sweet?” he says to Easton as he laughs.

“See ya, Joe.” I grab the sack and head to the door.

“Good luck with that one,” I hear Joe say as I’m leaving.

Easton and I go back to the Jeep.

“Those steaks didn’t look very good,” Easton says as he gets back on the road.

“They’ve probably been sitting under the warmer since noon.” I get out my phone and check the time. “It’s after six. Ted’s going to yell at me for being late.”

“Just tell him Joe took forever with the steaks.” Easton reaches over and takes my hand. “I’m sorry about that.”

“About what?”

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