Delilah gags behind the podium. “You guys know you’re not as quiet as you think you are, right?”
“Oh, sorry.” Kate’s cheeks redden.
Delilah peeks around the corner. “Looks like the table is ready. Do you need menus?”
“Nope,” Kate grins, “I already know what we’re getting.” She grabs my hand and pulls me toward the table Delilah pointed out.
“You know, you and your brother have a knack for ordering food for people. Is that a hereditary thing?”
“I don’t think that’s possible.” She gets into the chair and I push her in until she’s closer to the table. “We just know good food, and everyone should eat it.”
“If you say so.” I move around to the other side of the table. I see a few couples sprinkled at tables around the room. Most of them are sitting side by side. That feels weird to me. How are you supposed to look at the person you’re with if they aren’t in front of you. Unless they don’t talk on dates which is weird in itself.
When the waiter comes, Kate orders us wings. I swear sometimes it’s like they are the same person. No wonder they get along and fight at the same time. Before the waiter can leave, she asks, “Do you know who’s playing tonight?”
“We aren’t supposed to say anything, but it’s Crooked Halo.”
“I knew there was another reason Spencer and Tiffany were in town,” Kate claps her hands together, “I love these guys.”
I know their music. I’m a fan, but it’s not a band I expect to play here very often. “I guess this means no dancing.”
Kate reaches her hand across the table and pats mine. “We can dance during the slow songs.”
There is that. The waiter brings our food, but our drinks haven’t come yet. I’m about to get up and ask what the holdup is, but that guy I saw with Kate that first night comes to our table, drinks in hand.
“Sorry about this, guys. Joan was supposed to work tonight but the kids are sick,” he shakes his head and sighs. “I told her they are teenagers and capable of taking care of their basic necessities when they’re sick, but she won’t listen.”
“Thanks, Eric,” Kate grins, “be happy she’s there for them. There are a lot of parents who aren’t.”
“True,” he nods in agreement, “hey, do happen to have any friends looking for a rental? Joan and I are getting a house, and Carlos asked me to put out some feelers.”
“Actually, I might be interested,” Kate surprises me with her answer. She made it clear she doesn’t like to do the maintenance in an actual house. What angle is she playing here?
“I’ll tell Carlos. And it’ll be about a month or so. We’re waiting to sign a contract,” he taps the table. “Let me know if y’all need anything.”
“We will.” The words come out of my mouth, trying to get him to leave the table. Once he’s gone, my focus is on Kate. “Since when are you interested in his house?”
“Since I know it’s coming up for rent, and as much as I love apartment living, we’ll need a bigger space to host friends.”
“So, you really meant what you said the other night?” Confirmation is the one thing I need right now.
“About what? You moving in and not leaving? Yes. We talked about that this morning.” She takes a bite of her wing.
“No, not that part. When you said you loved me?” Surely, she wouldn’t ask me to move in if she didn’t feel some sort of emotion toward me.
“Have you been wondering that this whole time?” Her mouth opens wide in shock.
“A little.” Yeah, my parents may be the poster children for a happy couple, but I still need the assurance.
“Yes, I love you.” She slides out of her chair and walks around to my side of the table. “Why would you think otherwise?”
“I don’t know,” I shrug. “It could have been one of those middle of battle word slips.”
“Love isn’t something you accidentally say. It’s something you feel.” She leans her head against my chest and sighs. “I just happen to feel it when I’m with you. It took Samantha getting mean with me for me to realize it. I was heading to your place to share my revelation with you. Then all hell broke loose and you decided to storm my parent’s house.”
“That wasn’t entirely my fault.” I wince at the memory of confronting Kate’s dad. “But it needed to be said.”
“And that right there is why I fell all the way in love with you. Our relationship may not be convenient with work and everything else, but I can’t deny I love you.”
