“Oh, shit, are we insufferable?” I laughed, loosening my tie and putting my arm around her shoulders. The calm that Mara brought spread through my body, like a drug into my veins getting carried through each limb.
She leaned her head on my shoulder. “We’re insufferable, but now we’re double insufferable because it’s together.”
“You’re pretty cool,” I said, taking a slug of my vodka soda. Mara had chosen that as her drink because it would be the lowest histamine option. She said champagne would increase her likelihood of a reaction. I didn’t want her to feel jealous, so I got what she got.
It’s a shit drink. It’s just rubbing alcohol with bubbles. I don’t care how fancy the booze is.
“What was that?” she asked. “You love me?”
I curled my upper lip. “No, but for real, you don’t love me, right?”
She scoffed. “So what if I did?’
“It’s just a little soon, don’t you think? We hardly know each other.”
“You’re the one who begged me to marry you,” she said, tossing back the last of her drink.
I zoned out looking into the flickering tea light in the middle of our table. “But you don’t, do you? I don’t want to hurt you.”
Her brows knit as she sat up to meet my gaze. “I might not now, but I will.”
I nodded, chewing my lip.
“And I think you will too.” Her warm hand met mine on top of her thigh. “I believe in you.”
I snorted. “Probably shouldn’t.” I flagged down our waiter. “Do any of your desserts have nuts in them?”
“Only the carrot cake.”
I popped my jaw forward, not liking the sound of that. “Do you want to eat it here, or go somewhere safer?”
Mara patted my hand again. “Does the carrot cake touch the other cakes?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Let her pick the dessert, and I’ll take the check.” I kissed Mara’s cheek and stood. “Gonna hit the bathroom.”
When I came back, Mara sat with a massive slice of chocolate cake in front of her, untouched. She looked so sad, and my gut twisted.
“Dig in,” I said as I slid back into our booth.
“I was waiting for you,” she said, resting her chin in her hand. I sank my fork into it and shoveled a bite in my mouth while watching her black-rimmed eyes. Then I forked a smaller bite and held it to her lips. “You gotta taste this.”
Her face brightened as she took a dainty bite off my fork. Her brows lowered. “It’s so rich.”
I hated that she was sad because it had to be my fault. “Wanna take it to go?”
She twisted her lips and chewed her cheek. “You know what I really want?”
I’d have done just about anything to get that frown off her face. “What?”
“PBR.”
“PBR?”
“Yeah. Pabst Blue Ribbon.”
“Oh,” I laughed. “I know what PBR is. I thought it was something more sophisticated. Can you drink that?”
