“Breakfast,” Max said, gratefully wolfing down the single chicken wing donated by the guy at the next table after thanking him profusely.
“Huh.”
Max shrugged. “What can I say? I have a healthy appetite.”
“No worries. I’ve heard that about some folk who come from Alienn, Arkansas.”
He didn’t smile. “Somethingoddhappened at work today. It might have additionally enhanced my hunger.” He looked very uncomfortable about whatever it was.
“Odd? Tell me what happened.”
Max told her about the strange little man named Howard who had asked a single question regarding their acquaintance and then sprayed something in his face that made him lose time.
“You’re right, that’s pretty odd. Weird even. How much time did you lose?”
“Forty-five minutes or so.”
“Wow. So not just a couple of minutes. Maybe you need to see a doctor.”
“That’s what Astrid said, but I don’t think that’s any stranger than what Matilda and the other woman did. Because I still love you and want to marry you and you know I’m telling the truth at all times. Am I stuck with that forever, as well?”
“Not exactly. They said I need to bring you with me next time I visit and they’ll do their best to remember whatever spell they used and try to remove it.”
“Well, that’s just…typical, isn’t it?”
His stomach made another tortured plea for food. The chicken wing hadn’t held him for long.
Max looked so forlorn, Ruby almost reached out to stroke his arm in comfort, but Bridget approached the table carrying his appetizer order. It looked like enough food to make a horde of starving mercenaries fat and happy. He dug in to eat instead of talking.
Ruby watched him scarf down a bit of each of the six appetizers offered in about six seconds and then a second taste in the next six seconds.
“If I dare reach for a chicken roll, will I pull back a stump?”
Max paused, chewing the onion ring in his mouth, lifted a southwest chicken roll and handed it to her, then continued to mow through most of the rest of the food on the platter in no time.
He’d left her a palm-sized serving of nachos, two onion rings, a mozzarella stick, one spare rib and a scrawny hot wing. “Do you know what you want to order for lunch,” Max asked as he waved Bridget over to their table.
“A double cheeseburger with everything and a large order of fries,” she said, crunching on the end of her chicken roll, waiting for him to criticize her healthy appetite.
“Cheese? I never thought of having cheese before.”
“You should try it. It’s really good.”
Bridget arrived and he ordered three double cheeseburgers, a large order of fries and a family-sized order of fries, as well as her large one.
Ruby smiled. “Thanks for not making fun of me.”
His brows narrowed. “Why would I?”
“I’ve seen a few folks surprised by how much I can eat, that’s all. One dude stared at me, watching every bite until I was done, like I was going to balloon into a big hulk or something.”
“Well, I think those folks—and especially that dude—should mind their own business. I’ve been stared at before and I don’t like it at all. That’s why I’ll never go back to…” He paused and looked around the restaurant. “Well, you know where.”
“Really. Never? Not even to visit your parents?”
“Nope. They had all sorts of chances to talk to me before I left. If they wish to converse, they can come here to Nocturne Falls.”
“Not even pen pals?” She smiled.
