Chapter Twenty-Three
Jamie approached Mike’stable, just as Salzy had cleared away the empty plate.There isn’t even a drop of butter left.“How was it?”Jamie asked, smiling.
Mike looked up, his face completely relaxed.Jamie thought that’s what the man would look like after sex.
“Will you marry me?”
There was an almighty crash as Salzy dropped the plate in his hand, the cutlery scattering across the tile floor.
“You at least have to take me out for a date first,” Jamie answered, after a second of surprise, then laughing nervously.
“I’ve had many variations of that dish, and yours far exceeds most of them.That bread was beautiful.The crust crisp and then light and airy in the middle.All in all, a superb meal.”
Salzy was scrambling around on the floor cleaning up the mess he’d made, all the while glancing at Mike and Jamie.
“Would you like a cup of coffee to go with your pie?”
“Yes, please.That would be perfect, thanks.”
“Cream and sugar?”Jamie asked.
“Yes, please.”
“Would you like vanilla ice cream with your pie?”
“Wow.That’d be great!”
“I’ll get it for you.”Jamie was grinning as he turned around, off to get the pie.
Florence came into the kitchen, a tray full of dirty dishes, which she set down on the dish table next to the big industrial Hobart dishwasher.“Is this day ever going to end?”she asked Salzy, who jumped in to do the pile of dishes already there.
“Tell me about it,” Salzy mumbled.“I work all day on those stairs and then I’m waiting tablesandwashing dishes.”
“You have been busy today.”Florence popped her gum.“But then we all have.I bet Jamie’s been in here since five this morning.”
“I think so,” Salzy said as he pushed a loaded tray in the machine and hit the start button.He motioned for Florence to lean over.“Mike asked Jamie to marry him.”Jamie was looking at them suspiciously, trying to hear what they were saying.
Florence’s mouth fell open.“Nooo.”
“Yes.”Salzy grinned broadly.“He sure did.I heard it myself.”
Florence glanced over towards the big man.When she turned back to Salzy, she was smiling like crazy.“I’ll be damned.When you least expect it.”
“What?You don’t think he was honestly serious do you?That guy can’t be gay.”
“Honey, if there’s one thing I’ve learned in this life, is that you never judge a book by its cover.You never know what thoughts go on in a person’s head, much less a man’s.”
