Page 133 of Puck Me Back to Life

“You smiled.”

“I was being polite.”

“You smiled.”

“She brought me coffee.”

“So?”

“I like coffee.”

“You are unbelievably oblivious.”

I hide behind my menu. “I'm choosing not to participate in this conversation anymore.”

Ash snorts.

We spend the next several minutes studying our menus. Everything comes with either pancakes, waffles, hash browns, biscuits, or all four somehow. The portions look absurd.

I haven't realized how hungry I am until now. Actually, that's not true. I haven't allowed myself to notice. Yesterday morning I drank coffee. Then everything happened with Noah. Then Ash found me. Somewhere in there, food had quietly stopped existing.

My stomach growls loudly enough that Ash glances up. I immediately pretend not to hear it. He definitely hears it. His expression changes. Not dramatically. Just enough.

“When was the last time you ate?”

I keep looking at the menu. “I don't know.”

“Kai.”

“I had…” I stop. Coffee doesn't count. Neither does the protein bar I'd picked at yesterday morning. “I honestly don't remember.” The words come out quieter than I intended.

Ash doesn't say anything for a moment.

When the waitress comes back to take our order, he lets me speak first.

“I'll have…” I scan the menu one more time. “The giant Belgian waffles.”

She nods. “They're huge, you sure?”

I hesitate. Then another thought occurs to me. “Can I actually get two?”

The waitress blinks but doesn’t question my choice. “Absolutely.”

Ash orders eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, and enough coffee to keep a small office building awake.

When she leaves, silence settles comfortably between us. I wrap both hands around my mug. The warmth feels nice.

“I didn't realize.”

Ash looks up. “What?”

“That I hadn't eaten.”

He watches me carefully. “I figured.”

“I wasn't trying not to.”

“I know.”