“Yeah, Jace, quit before you get hit with aRi-straining order,” Parker drawled.
I stiffened at that word, but no one noticed. They were too busy gaping at Parker.
“Did he just make a joke?” Jace asked, sounding dumbfounded.
“I take it back,” Parker groaned, looking embarrassed.
Jace grinned. “Nope. I’m not forgetting this. I feel like a proud dad. I’m just so happy right now.”
Parker scoffed, but there was a slight blush to his cheeks. He pressed a kiss to the side of Casey’s head, and she looked up athim like he hung the moon. I didn’t blame her for that. With his dark brown hair, eyes an impossible shade of blue, and that easy, confident grin, he looked like he could talk the sun into rising early.
A waitress with a pen tucked behind her ear walked up to the table, her gray hair pulled into a no-nonsense bun and laugh lines framing her eyes.
“You guys again,” she said, shaking her head with a smile. “Didn’t I just see you in here the other night? And the night before that…”
Jace grinned up at her, all charm and dimples. “What can I say, Mildred? Your cheese fries are my love language.”
She snorted, trying, and failing, to hide the blush that crept into her cheeks. “Flattery again, huh? You used that line last week.”
“Only because it worked,” Jace said, leaning back with a cocky smirk.
Her mouth twitched despite herself. “Flattery gets you refills, sweetheart, not free food.”
“Noted,” he said, winking. “But I’m still gonna try.”
She rolled her eyes, smiling now. “Alright, what’s everyone having?”
“Five orders of cheese fries,” Jace announced, and Riley’s eyes widened. “And a glass of milk. Oh! And a corn dog!”
Matty turned toward him, his expression horrified. “You’re disgusting.”
“I’m a growing boy,” Jace said, unfazed. “And I didn’t ask for milk with ice; nothing to be afraid of, Matty-kins.”
Milk with ice? Only serial killers did that. I glanced up at Matty, thinking I’d found another inside joke I didn’t know about, and my skin itched to find out more.
“I’ll have a burger,” Riley said before glancing at Jace. “And I want some of those cheese fries.”
“You’re lucky you’re so pretty and perfect and wonderful, Ri-licious. Sharing cheese fries is a big deal.”
Natalie pretended like she was choking.
Matty leaned over. “You’re pretty and perfect and wonderful, too,” he whispered to me.
I almost melted into the seat.
“Chicken wrap,” Casey told the server politely.
Parker grinned. “And cheese fries. You need more sustenance than that.”
“Big word, Davis. Another thing I’m proud of you about,” Jace announced.
“I’ll have a burger and cheese fries,” Parker said, ignoring Jace.
“Strawberry lemonade and pancakes,” Natalie said. “But hold the strawberry and add extra lemons.”
Mildred blinked at her. “So…a regular lemonade?”
“Don’t stifle her art,” Jace whispered solemnly.
