“And you?” the waitress asked Rev.
“I’ll take a sweet tea and a milk.”
The waitress scribbled down our order. “Be right back.”
I started to glance over the menu when Rev said, “By the way, the milk is for you.”
My gaze snapped to him. “Excuse me.”
“You need the vitamins.”
“What if I don’t like milk?” I countered.
He cocked his brows at me. “What if I don’t give a fuck whether you like it?”
I couldn’t believe his sudden audacity. “I have a very controlling father back in Virginia. I don’t need another one.”
Rev leaned his elbows on the table and shot me a no nonsense look. “I’m not trying to control you. I’m merely showing concern for your health. You ate like a bird in the hospital, so you’re already at a nutritional deficit. I couldn’t say for sure, but I would imagine you didn’t eat well while you were with Mendoza?—”
“Actually, I had all the best food available there since I ate my meals with him.”
It was the truth. Whereas the girls in the barracks got the bare minimum. Mendoza was too smart to starve them because if they lost too much weight and looked unhealthy, they lost their attractiveness to potential buyers. As for me, I sat up in the mainhouse eating lobster and steak simply because I was Mendoza’s favorite of the moment.
Rev held up one of his hands. “I stand corrected. However, with the blood you lost, coupled with your surgery, you’re going to have to fight off anemia. After drinking your milk, I would suggest you order a steak, along with some green leafy vegetables like a salad or have some spinach.”
“Now you’re my nutritionist along with my rescuer?” I snapped.
“Annabel,” Rev growled.
I sighed. “I’m sorry. You’re just trying to be nice, and here I am taking out some shit on you, aren’t I?”
Rev bobbed his head. “But I get why.”
“You do?”
He nodded. “For the last two months of your life, you were completely under someone else’s control. It’s only natural now you’re free that you would fight against anyone trying to exert any control over you.”
I blinked at him a few times before I could gather control of my emotions enough to respond. In the few days I had known him, it never ceased to amaze me how it was possible that Rev could read me so easily. None of my family or even my close friends had ever had such insight to me.
The waitress returned with our drinks. When she sat the milk down in front of Rev, I reached out and slid it over to me. I was rewarded with a genuine smile from him.
“Know whatcha want?” the waitress asked.
When he saw I was still uncertain, Rev went ahead with his order. “I’ll have the sirloin, well done, a loaded baked potato, and a salad with Italian dressing.”
The waitress turned to me. “And you?”
“The same. Except can you make mine a sweet potato?”
“Sure can.”
“Thanks.” When I caught Rev’s eye, I said, “They’re full of potassium, which I’m sure I could use.”
He grinned. “I’m glad you’re taking this more seriously.”
Once the waitress left, I began slowly sipping on my milk. I’d never been a big fan of milk outside of a bowl of sugary cereal, but I wanted to do everything I could to help my recovery.
We sat in silence for a few moments, listening to the hum of the conversations around us. Before I met Rev I had already rushed to fill silences with small talk. But there was something about being around him that made it somehow more tolerable…more comforting.
