“Sterling,” I counter. “I thought you were a visitor?” And asurfer.
“Need to make money somehow, eh? The restaurant needs summer help, and I’m here every summer to help.” His lips curl into his charming dimples that could make any womanblush.
“So you’re a surfer by day and waiter by night?” I ask, feeling Jade’s fingernails dig into my knee, which she’s nowgrabbing.
“Jules here has always wanted to learn how to surf,” Jade interrupts. “Are you really asurfer?”
“I am, yeah,” he says, chuckling . . . probably at the weirdness Jade and I areconjuring.
“Oh! You should teach Jules,” Jadecontinues.
“Jules,” he says, enunciating the shortened part of my name, “must learn how to swim before she learns howtosurf.”
My hand is over my eyes, totally embarrassed. This conversation may be between the three of us, but I counted at least three pairs of other patrons’ eyes staring with wonder as the words continued to flow between Jade andSterling.
Finally, there is silence between the two of them, and I peek through my fingers, hoping the conversation has shifted, but no such luck, of course. They’re both still staring at me. “You really don’t know how to swim, Jules?”Jadeasks.
“It’s because she’s from Indiana,” Sterling defends me, which I didn’texpect.
But like any good sword fight, Jade counters back. “Well, so am I, but I know how to swim. Everyone should know howtoswim.”
“Okay,” Sterling says, “I’ll give you two a couple of minutes to look over the menu, and I’ll come back for your order. If you want anything from the bar, feel free to order that when Richie comes around.” He points behind the bar to the bartender, who I assume isRichie.
“Thank you,” I tell him, intending to express my gratitude for more than just the breather he’soffering.
“Where the hell did you meet him? And how did I not know you can’t swim?” Jade starts in the second Sterling is out of hearingrange.
“This morning at the bakery and because we live in Indiana and it never came up. Kind of like your relationship with Chip ending,” Iretort.
Jade inhales sharply through her nose and takes one of the menus. “Touché,” she says, flipping the menu over to view thespecials.
“While we’re coming out with truths tonight, I’m dying to hear about your Sandwich and Brewster buddies, oh, and the possibility of you and a certain Liam?” I jiggle my eyebrows at her, watching steam pour from her ears as her cheeks darken to a shadeofred.
“If he was such an asshole to you, how did you talk to him long enough to find that out?” Honestly, I’m trying to think back to the conversation today. For the number of times we passed each other and said something snippy, it’s hard to believe we were able to manage a normal conversation for more than twominutes.
“I don’t know. It just happened,” Itellher.
Jade places her menu down on the bar top and a squeamish pout stretches across her lips. “So, you’ll be okay if my three amigos join us here inabit?”
“You invited Liam?” I ask, scowling so deeply, I feel premature age lines forming on my forehead. I wanted a stress-free night where I didn’t have to think about assholes or hot surfers, and here we are, about to be surrounded by bothdemons.
“He’s just had some bad luck. I promise you, he’ll warm up.” She keeps saying this. I saw it for two minutes today, but those two minutes were overshadowed by the other eight hours of the lovely repartee heprovided.
Sterling returns with his hands folded behind his back in true waiter fashion. “So, what can I get for you two lovely ladies?” The smile returns and it makes my chest tighten.No. Just no.I feelnothing.
One look into Sterling’s turquoise eyes, and I seem to have forgotten what I was going to order. I lift the menu back up and drag my finger down the center of the list until I remember I wanted the coconut shrimp. How could I forget that? “I’llhave—”
“Great choice,” he says before I have a chance to finish my sentence. I am pointing at the menu item, and he is looking directly at me. “It’s all fresh catch around here, so it’ll be the best coconut shrimp you’ve ever had. I canguaranteeyou.”
Out of my peripheral vision, I see Jade looking between Sterling and me like a teenage girl watching Jacob take off his shirt in one of theTwilightmovies. I want to tell her to relax, but I should probably take my own advice first. “I’m sure you’re right,” I tell him. “Especially since I’ve never had coconut shrimpbefore.”
“You’re in for a treat,” hetellsme.
“Yeah, she is,” Jade mutters. I elbow her, but miss and accidentally get her in the boob, and of course, she yelps while grabbing her boob as if it were a tiny baby.Jesus,Jade.
Sterling looks at Jade like she’s crazy. He’s made that accurate assumption very quickly considering he’s now known Jade for a full twominutes.
After Jade calms down and peels her focus away from her precious boob, she looks up at Sterling with a giddy look in her eyes. “I’ll have what she’s having.” I can’t help but nod at her indirect, not-so-subtle hint to theHarry Met Sallydinerscene.
