I pour more wine.
“And let’s also do the foie gras s’mores. Do you guys sell those bloomin’ onion things here? Ernie, let’s eat some more of that lobster thermidor.” Gran shovels a spoonful in his mouth. “More red wine, everyone! How about some truffle butter and bread?”
I take a roll.
“Now.” Gran beams at the old men. “Tell me about your underlying health issues.”
“Gran.” I sigh. “Stop force-feeding him.”
“If you eat this cheeseburger,” Gran tells Ernie, “I’ll let you hit it from the back tonight.”
“Well, let’s tuck in!” Bob says creakily as Kathy helps him with his napkin.
“Well, hello there, girls!”
“Lo—I mean, Laura! Hi,” I tell her, standing up and straightening my dress that’s riding up.
“This is the spot to be.” Laura gives me a strained smile.
“That’s why we’re here.” Could this night be any worse?
Laura’s face lights up. “Fitzgerald Svensson! Didn’t even see you there.” Laura wraps him in a hug and kisses hischeek for good measure. Then she gives me a one-armed hug.
“Winnie. Kathy. I saw a few other people we knew floating around, didn’t we, babe?”
Her fiancé nods. “Funny to run into the boss here.” He shakes Fitz’s hand.
“Ladies, we’ll chat about the wedding planning. Loving the ideas for the cake, Kathy. Winnie, let’s step it up.” She gives that braying fake laugh. “Winnie’s supposed to be the organization queen. Oh! You’re making the wedding cake, right?”
“Sure will.”
“Great, I’ll send you what I’m thinking. I need you to copy the photo exactly. Fitz, are you coming to the engagement party? I hope it will be up to your taste level.” She rests her hand briefly on his chest.
“I’m assuming it’s not hockey themed?” Fitz jokes.
“She won’t let me.” Nolan grins.
“Now, you can hang up a couple hockey things, men.” Laura laughs again. “Actually, you know…” She draws out the word. “You know, I was thinking. Winnie was going to have it at one of her so-cute-and-precious cafés,” she says as she tosses her head back and forth. “But I was thinking, what if we had it at one of your restaurants instead, Fitz? I’d hate to have all these men shutting down Winnie’s café.”
“Sure.” Fitz shrugs. “How about the Raincloud? They have a rooftop bar.”
“But we already have things set up at the—”
“Oh, Winnie. She’s always Miss Independent. Thank you, Fitz, you’re so generous. Free drinks for Fitz at the engagement party, yay!” Laura shakes her fists.
“Right.” I rock on my heels.
“I’ll leave you to your dinner. It was so great to see you, Fitz!”
“Dammit.” Bob is listing to the side. I push him back up in his seat.
“Are we having a threesome?” he asks, confused.
“Not right now. Eat your potatoes. They’ve got extra butter and cheese in them,” Gran adds.
God, this fucking dinner. Gran’s trying to feed some elderly guy to death. Loony Laura is pulling the rug out from under me. I cut up the green beans for Kathy’s date that she’s ignoring in favor of flirting with mine.
“No, no healthy food,” Gran hisses to me.
