“Take a bite,” he mumbled, still chewing. “Right now.”
Claire did. Her eyes went wide before she even swallowed. Then she leaned in, taking another massive bite like she was trying to solve it like a puzzle.
Neither of them spoke.
There were no words.
Only chewing. Eye contact. Silent praise to the burger gods.
Ten minutes later, Claire was down to her last onion ring, dabbing grease off her fingers with a napkin. Jaxon, however, was waging war.
He stared at the burger like it had insulted his ancestors. He took one more bite, sighed, and leaned back against the booth, defeated.
“I can’t even look at this thing anymore.”
Claire cackled.
The waitress returned just in time.
“House burger got another one, huh?” she said, sliding the check onto the table.
“Oh, it got me good,” Jaxon replied, shaking his head. “I might need medical attention.”
“Don’t feel bad, sweetie. I’ve only seen one person finish it and live to tell the story—and he hasn’t been right since.”
After he paid—and left a tip that could feed a family—they started the slow walk back to the hotel.
Neither could stop talking about it.
“That was unreal.”
“I told you. It’s always the no-frills spots.”
“My stomach is fighting for its life right now.”
“Same. Shower and food coma sound like the only possible future.”
They reached the elevator, stepped inside, and leaned back against the mirrored walls.
Claire caught his reflection beside hers.
And for one long, quiet moment—they just looked.
Not at the buttons. Not at their phones. Not at the floor numbers climbing above their heads.
Just at each other.
And for the first time all day...
Neither of them had anything to say.
But everything was being said anyway.
36
Breadcrumbs
“Shit,I’msorry,Sara.”
