“Mine too,” Oswald adds, proving he knew I blocked him as well. This is embarrassing.
“Okay, but I signed up for the study group. I think I’ll be fine,” I tell them again while grazing over the whole blocked numbers thing.
“The offer stands, but I still need you to unblock our numbers,” Memphis says and continues eating. I poke around my meat a little more but end up only really eating the toast and gravy with a few bites of hash browns.
When the waitress comes back, things get a little more awkward. “How was everything?” She directs her question to both guys and ignores me.
“Good, I think my girl needs a box.” Oswald wraps his arm over my shoulders and pulls me close to his side again.
She inhales heavily and sighs. “Oh, okay.” I know what he’s doing, I did the same thing to Memphis with Eddy, but my heart is still beating really fast, and it doesn’t diminish how much I like the feeling of him calling me his girl.
“One bill then?” She glances at Memphis for a second.
I open my mouth to say no, but that would ruin the illusion Oswald just created. “Yeah,” Oswald answers for the group.
“I’ll be right back with that box and the bill.” Mickey turns to leave, and her smile slips.
“I should have let her know what was up the second she got all googly,” Oswald mutters under his breath.
I reach for my purse and pull out my wallet, making sure my pill bottle isn’t visible, then I place a twenty on the table before she can come back. “We invited you, plus you fed us yesterday.” Memphis pushes the money back toward me with the tip of his finger.
“You cooked and showed me how to make it for myself,” I argue and push the money back.
“Waylynn.” Memphis lowers his voice and leans over the table. “Put that money back in your purse. We are buying.” One brow tips up, and the edge in his tone is similar to the voice he uses at school—intimidating.
“Yes, sir,” I say and drop my eyes while retrieving the money to tuck it back in my bag.
I’m so close to Oswald, I can feel him shaking his head, but I pretend not to notice whatever secret conversation they seem to be having while I’m occupied.
“No rush, I can take this up whenever you’re ready,” Mickey says, sliding the bill, face down, to the center of the table. Memphis lays a card over top of the receipt without even looking at the bill.
It’s ironic, really. Pretty much anyone I used to hang around came from families just like mine, and most of them were the last to offer to pay a bill, yet I know that’s not the case for Memphis and Oswald, and they are buying me lunch.
“Thank you, my treat next time.”
“Is that your way of inviting us to dinner tonight?” Oswald rubs my arm while looking down at me.
“If—”
“We can’t tonight,” Memphis interrupts before I can finish.
I swallow the invite I was going to extend as the waitress returns with Memphis’ card, a pen, and a box. “I have class this afternoon, I’m not going to be able to take this with me.” I feel guilty for wasting the food, especially since they paid for it.
“I’ll take it.” Oswald grabs the box from the waitress. “Will you put it in the fridge for me until later?” he asks Memphis.
“Do you honestly think it’s going to make it back to school?” he deadpans as Oswald forks a bite into his mouth.
“If we had more time, it wouldn’t, but Wavy has class.”
I internally cringe a little at the nickname, but at least he left out the baby part. I peer up at Memphis to see what his reaction is going to be. It doesn’t disappoint. His brows are raised high on his forehead. “Wavy?” he questions while pulling the receipt over to sign.
“Got a problem with that?” Oswald takes his arm from my shoulders and lifts the plate so he can slide the food into the box.
“No, I just prefer her name.” Memphis pushes the signed bill toward the edge of the table and puts his card back into a slim wallet.
“Well, I like Wavy baby.” Oswald’s tongue pokes out the side of his lips as he concentrates to get the leftover gravy on top of the meat.
“It rhymes.” Memphis sounds affronted for me.
