“It’ll be delicious. I’ve eaten at this place many times before and have never been disappointed.
Luke grunted and grabbed the bag of food out of my hand, peering inside. He turned and headed inside, leaving me to scurry and catch the door before it shut in my face. “What’d you get me?”
“A black bean burger with the works and a side of hand cut sweet potato fries. All vegan and guaranteed to change your mind about sticking to a plant-based diet.”
He stopped and turned, looking back at me with a frown.
“Just try it.”
He rolled his dark brown eyes and not for the first time, my stomach clenched. I closed the door fully and followed behind him, looking over the light-colored hardwood floors that ran throughout the entirety of the first floor, from what I could see. The kitchen was plenty spacious with its black cabinetry. Unsurprisingly, everything looked pristine, as if it hadn’t been touched since it was installed.
“I guess I’m not going to get a tour of the place.”
Luke’s frown deepened. “Did you come here to conduct an inspection or to watch this documentary?”
“I can’t do both?” I quipped.
Luke mumbled something under his breath and turned from me, moving to the cabinets over the sink, opening it and pulling out two plates.
“Oh, so you don’t eat like a barbarian? Good to know,” I joked.
“You know you can easily get put out on your ass.”
I chortled. “You wouldn’t.”
I expected a smartass retort, but one never came. In fact, I watched his eyes narrow and his lips thin as if he was biting his tongue to hold back whatever he’d been about to say. I didn’t give it much thought, not wanting to press my luck too much.
I always felt like I was skating on thin ice with Luke. Like he’d only take so much of my trying to bulldoze him before he really did kick me out on my ass. While I’d often gotten that impression from most people and didn’t care one way or the other, with Luke, I did.
“You do have Netflix, right?” I questioned as he led me into his living room with our plates of food and cans of flavored seltzer water in hand.
“You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t,” he answered, lifting the remote and turning on the flat screen mounted to the wall, opposite his dark grey, leather couch. Above the couch, on the wall, hung a sectioned painting of an older man smoking and the smoke creating these beautiful dark blue clouds above his head.
“That’s a beautiful painting. You had someone in here to decorate?”
“I’m a fighter not an interior decorator,” he said before sitting down unceremoniously.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
I stood there silent for a moment when he didn’t say anything. He barely acknowledged my presence as he set his plate and seltzer down on the coffee table.
“You’re a real charmer, you know that?”
He looked over at me, before taking his first bite of his burger. “Are we on a date? Am I supposed to be wining and dining you?”
Rolling my eyes, I responded with, “I would never dream of it.”
“Good.” Was all he said before taking another bite of the burger made out of black beans and quinoa, topped with mushrooms, red onions, lettuce and a chipotle vegenaise sauce.
Sitting with my own plate, I anxiously waited to see what Luke’s verdict on the food would be.
“Well?” I questioned when I couldn’t wait any longer, before he moved to take his third bite.
“Well, what?”
“How is it?”
“I’m still eating it, right? Haven’t tossed it across the room and shoved you out the door, have I?”
