“Do what?”
“Be polite.”
He snorts. “I’m always polite.”
“That’s a lie.”
He laughs, deep and easy, and the sound slides straight under my skin.
We end up in a booth by the window. He sits across from me, forearms braced on the table, hoodie sleeves pushed up. I try not to stare. I fail.
The waitress drops menus and leaves us alone. The air between us feels thicker than it did in the truck. Like we both know something shifted earlier and we’re circling it instead of stepping right into it.
“What are you getting?” he asks.
“The usual,” I say. “Extra pickles.”
“Of course,” he says fondly. “God forbid you eat a burger without a mountain of pickles.”
“God forbid you comment on my lifestyle choices.”
His eyes flick to my mouth. Just for a second. My pulse jumps.
He clears his throat. “You, uh, still humming when you work?”
I blink. “What?”
“Earlier,” he says. “At the barn. You were humming.”
Heat creeps up my neck. “You noticed that?”
“I always notice that.”
Of course he does.
We place our order. Fries to share. Milkshakes because neither of us pretends to be healthy when burgers are involved.
When the food comes, we fall into an easy rhythm that’s always been ours. Teasing. Storytelling. Talking about Owen’s latest obsession. Complaining about work. Laughing too loud in a mostly empty diner.
But underneath it all, there’s a heightened awareness.
Every time his fingers brush mine reaching for fries.Every time his gaze lingers a beat too long. Every time I catch myself wondering what he’s thinking instead of what he’s saying.
At one point, he watches me take a bite of my burger, eyes warm and unreadable.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing,” he says quickly. “Just… you look happier tonight.”
The words land softly but they hit deep.
“Yeah,” I admit. “I am.”
And for a moment, it feels like it’s just us. No shop. No stress. No walls. Just burgers and shared fries and the quiet realization that being here together feels like relief.
Too much relief.
When we finally stand to leave, he holds the door again. I roll my eyes but I’m smiling.
