Me: Let me take you out Saturday.
A bubblewith three dots appears, disappears, and appears again. My palms are suddenly clammy, and I feel like a teenager asking my crush out. But I’m not asking her out, I’m fulfilling the winnings of the bet. That’s all.
Riley: I’m free after 4
Me: Cool. I’ll make reservations for 6 for our “not a date” dinner.
Riley: Can I at least know where we’re going so I know how to dress? Can I wear sweats?
Me: No, you can’t wear sweats unless you want us to get kicked out.
Riley: Okay, so where are we going?
Me: That’s for me to know and for you to not find out until we get there.
Riley:
Riley: Fine. I’ll see you Saturday.
Me:
EIGHTEEN
AUGUST
“August, did you see how much their oysters’ cost?” Riley looks back down at the menu with wide eyes. She leans across the table to whisper. “Sixty freakin’ dollars for a dozen of them. We could have just gone for hot dogs. Seriously.”
“Well, considering they’re Olympia oysters, it makes sense.” I check out the prices on each item, and I’m starting to sweat. That’s what I get for ignoring the four-dollar signs when I found the place online.
“Look at this.” She flips her menu toward me and points at the price of a lobster plate. “Their most expensive lobster is one hundred dollars. The cheapest one is eighty.” When she pulls back the menu, she shakes her head. “I can’t let you pay for this.”
I shake the watch on my wrist, centering it again, before crossing one leg over the other under the table, trying to relax. “This is my treat. You did a very brave thing and jumped off a high cliff. I didn’t finish your yoga class. It’s the least I could do.”
It’s been years since Riley and I have gone out with justthe two of us. It was never anything serious when we did. Just two friends hanging out, eating cheap food while we sat on the beach to watch the sun set, talking about different things throughout the night.
We’ve never gone out on a date or to a fancy place like this. Instead, we’d plan the simplest lunch or dinner while enjoying each other’s company. After long, torturous tutoring sessions in high school, we’d treat ourselves to ice cream at Ollie’s.
I keep having to remind myself that this is no different. It’s two friends at a very expensive restaurant that makes my stomach queasy.
“You don’t even like seafood. Why did you take us here of all places?” She sits up in her chair, pushing her short hair back behind her ear. A row of shiny studs’ lines from her lobe to her cartilage. My favorite is the silver, crescent moon that’s lined in gold. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, this is a beautiful place, and we’re right on the beach, but you didn’t have to do this. I’m wearingjeans.”
This is another thing about Riley. She often feels bad when someone wants to treat her to something nice and special. Deep down, she doesn’t believe she’s worth all the trouble. I could shout it from the rooftops that she deserves the world, and she would still disagree.
But that’s the thing, I’d still shout it out for the world to know because it’s true.
She isn’t wrong about the place, though. It’s very rich, in a sense. It’s like we stepped into Poseidon's castle. A large chandelier that consists of crystals hangs in the center of the oval ceiling. It’s lit with candles while glowing a sort of soft purple color, and all the other lights are dimmed around us. The ceiling itself is decorated with gold vines that crawl upthe light, baby-blue design that makes us feel like we’re floating in the sky.
And don’t even get me started on the velvet, tufted chairs and plates they serve the food on. I’m sure it costs the same as my mortgage.
“Good evening. My name is Leland, and I’ll be your server for tonight. Is this your first time dining with us?”
Leland looks like he worked on the Titanic. He probably leaves with five-hundred-dollar tips from a single table.
“Yes, this is our first time here.” I nod at Riley, who’s gaping at Leland.
His lips pull into a tight, professional smile. “May I suggest starting with our Chateau Grand Corbin red wine? It’s one of our finest wines and one of my favorites. It has a rich, smooth texture with opulence and freshness. And you’ll find woody notes after swirling.”
After clearing my throat and building up the courage to ask, I gesture for him to bend down to my level so I can whisper, “How much does this wine cost per bottle?”
