“So I’ve been thinking,” he said with a mouthful of refried beans.“I like the huge celebration idea.Like if we could combine the best of Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo, and the Fourth of July.”
Drea wanted to hate the idea.She really did.She’d looked at it from every angle, and decided Cujo was right.An incredible night packed with fun was what Trent and Harper deserved.“How would that work?”she asked, waiting to understand his vision before she jumped in too soon.
“What if we could incorporate the best part of all the holidays?The food could be Cajun, Mexican, or both, served tapas style.Fireworks of course.Beads for chicks who want to take their tops off.”
She paused mid-bite and raised an eyebrow.
“Just kidding.Was checking if you were listening.”He grinned.
His vision took shape in her mind.“We could do a margarita station.No.Tequila.And a piñata,” she added.
“So you can accidentally hit me with a baseball bat?”He laughed.
“No, but great idea.”
“So what do you think?”His eyes were wide and bright, his smile crinkling them in the corners.
“I like it,” she replied, buoyed by his excitement.
“But?”
“No but.I like it.It has a lot of potential.”
“What happened to the woman who wanted us all to dress up like turkeys?”
“I thought about what you said.I’m a big enough girl to admit I might have gotten carried away.”
“Did you just admit I was right?”Cujo clutched his heart and slumped in his seat.
Drea kicked him under the table, smirking when Cujo let out a yelp.
She pulled out her notepad and started to jot down their ideas.It wasn’t what she had in mind, at all.But there was definitely a way to make it cool and fun.They could have fabulous hors d’oeuvres, mini elote, and individual servings of churros.Could they manage to pull off a crawfish broil?Oh, and boudin balls.Lots of candles and big tin pails of bright flowers.And vibrant lanterns.
“You want another drink?”Cujo offered as their waiter came over.The glass of water she’d been nursing all night kept her share of the bill as low as possible.
“I’m done, thanks.”
Cujo asked for the bill.
It arrived, complete with their server’s phone number on a little silver tray holding two pineapple and chili lollipops.Cujo grabbed it.“I got this, Drea.I ate ninety percent of the food.”
“No.”She placed her credit card on the tray.“This wasn’t a date,” she said, even though it hurt a little to say it.“We should pay for our own.”
Cujo snatched her card and looked at it.“Andrea, huh?”
“I hate it.Only my mom calls me Andrea when she’s mad.”She picked up Cujo’s.“Brody?I like it.Why Cujo?”
“That’s a story for another day.”He took his card back, his fingers brushing against hers.
She refused to acknowledge the shiver that ran down her spine.This was not the kind of guy she was looking for, so why did he keep stirring her up like this?
The server brought over the credit card machine and ran Cujo’s through first, taking her time as she handed it back to him.She took Drea’s next and ran it through the machine.
“I’m sorry, Andrea,” the server said, giving her a look that said she wasn’t sorry in the slightest, “your card was declined.”
Drea felt sick to her stomach.She’d put her mom’s prescription on there, but hadn’t realized how close to the credit limit she was.
“Would you mind trying it again?”She could feel the heat creeping up her neck and cheeks.
