After washing my face and applying a regular amount of makeup, Colin and I head out to his car and begin the sojourn back to Astoria, where he tells me he’s taking me to the world’s best Greek diner. Because it’s before 4pm, there’s still not much traffic, and when we arrive, Colin’s lucky enough to find a parking spot close by. The diner is small, with compact booths and linoleum floors, giant, thick menus, and a bakery case full of house-made cakes, pies, cookies, and other dessert treats.
A waitress named Ginger brings us glasses of water and directs us to look at the chalkboard wall for today’s specials. “No need,” Colin says. “Can you please bring us a dip and spread sampler to start?”
I raise my eyebrows, impressed.
“Sure thing, honey. Any drinks?”
“Two ginger ales, please,” he says. “You good with a gyro?” he asks me.
I nod.
“Then, can we please have two gyros with extra tzatziki on the side? And a plate of fries to share.”
“Anything else?” Ginger asks.
“That’s it for now. Thanks,” he says, handing over his menu.
I hand her mine and watch Ginger speed walk over to the kitchen window and pass the order slip to a heavyset line cook. “That’s the first time anyone’s ordered a meal for me since I was a kid,” I say.
“The thing about this place,” Colin replies, “is that the menu is huge.Everything’s good, don’t get me wrong, but you can’t come here and not get the dip sampler, a gyro, and baklava. At least the first time.” He takes a sip of water.
“Well, I’m psyched,” I say.
“I know you mentioned you ate not too long ago, but even if you just have a little bit of the stuff we ordered, you can wrap up the rest and take it home.”
I shake my head. “I don’t think you know who you’re dealing with,” I say. “It’s 3:45—that’s perfect timing for second lunch.”
“Secondlunch?” he asks.
I nod, grinning. “It’s a thing. Believe me.”
Colin laughs.
“So, what happened to you today? I thought you’d be in the office, but evidently I was wrong. You said you had a meeting, no?”
“I did. I got up early and went to the gym, and then Ididhave a meeting, but it wasn’t for work,” he says. “I ended up taking most of the day off.”
“Oh,” I say. “That sounds nice. So then, how come you’re having a shitty day?”
“The meeting was with Elle.”
“Your ex-wife.”
“The one and only.”
“Yikes. What about?”
“We’re selling the house.”
“Well, that’s good, isn’t it?”
He sighs. “Do you have anyone in your life who, like, it’s just never a dull moment with?”
I think about that. “Not really. I mean, my mom’s kind of a pain in the ass but she’s pretty harmless,” I say. “Why? What happened?”
“Okay,” he begins. “Remember how I told you about the threesome with the woman who gave me”—he lowers his voice—“the STD?”
I nod. “Thank you for reminding me about that.” I smile.
