“Should we ask your mom first?”
“She’ll say yes. We sometimes go for pizza after my games.”
“Sure, I’d like to—if it’s okay with your mom.”
We headed down the bleachers, waiting for Seraphina outside the bathroom, talking about the game. A few minutes later, she came out, her eyebrows raising when she saw Tyler and me.
“Mom, Hunter and I want to go for pizza,” Tyler said. “I’m so hungry.”
“A common occurrence these days,” Seraphina said. “Let’s do it. Marco’s okay with you?”
“Fine with me,” I said.
“We’ll meet you there in a few then.”
The three of us set out for the parking lot, still talking about the game. It was way too easy to spend time with these two and could quickly become a hard habit to break. But maybe I didn’t want to. Hopefully they didn’t either.
5
HUNTER
Ifollowed Seraphina’s car out of the school parking lot and through the Friday early evening streets of Willet Cove, three cars behind her, close enough to keep track of the turn signal on her white Volvo. Tyler was in the passenger seat. I could see the back of his head, still in his cap, and occasionally the gesture of his hands.
I really hoped Seraphina didn’t mind that I was joining them for dinner a second night in a row. But I could tell she’d been raised in the south. Her manners were impeccable. If she’d wished I’d decline, I’d never have known it.
Marco’s was located just north of city center. I was just behind them as I pulled into the lot in back of the restaurant. I got out of my truck, checking my back pocket to make sure I had my wallet. There was no way I was letting her pay tonight.
Marco’s on a Friday afternoon was busy, but nothing like it would be this coming summer when the tourists descended like flies on a cow patty. We grabbed a just vacated booth. Tyler slid in first, plopping himself smack in the middle of his side, making it impossible for me to do anything but sit next to Seraphina. I tried to keep my thigh from brushing hers, but I was a big man.It would take a lot of effort to keep my leg even an inch from hers.
“Okay, so I love the meat lovers one,” Tyler said. “But Mom likes the barbecue-chicken. So we usually get a medium for me and a personal size for her.”
“You can eat a whole medium pizza?” I asked.
“Without even trying,” Tyler said, grinning. “What kind of pizza do you like? Cause I can try something new.”
“That’s okay. I love the meat lovers one,” I said.
“You do? For real?” Tyler searched my face, looking for cracks.
“For real. That’s what I get every time I’m in here.”
“Maybe a large then?” Seraphina asked. “And I’ll get the barbecue?”
“Perfect,” Tyler said.
“We should share a Greek salad,” I said. “Otherwise Margaret will scold me for not having any vegetables.”
“No onions, though,” Tyler said. “The red ones last for days in my mouth.”
Seraphina laughed. “So true.”
“I absolutely hate that,” I said. “A person should not wake up tasting the dinner they ate the night before.”
“Right?” Tyler asked, looking pleased that I agreed.
A server came by then to take our order. Seraphina and I each got a glass of red wine. Tyler a root beer. Someone brought glasses of water, which I was grateful for. My mouth had gone dry. It might have been the scent of the woman beside me. She smelled floral with a hint of vanilla. And she looked so cute in her baseball cap. She had her hair in a ponytail with it sticking out of the back of the cap, and I had the urge to tug on it. Fortunately, I restrained myself.
“So, how was your day?” Tyler asked me.
