Page 21 of Hard to Get

Jayden picks up a small menu. “I could go for a snack.”

“Yeah? Well, you’re a growing boy.”

He looks at me over the menu and smirks. “As a matter of fact, I am.”

I choke out a laugh. “Oh my God.”

“How did you know that?”

My face is heating again. This guy! I shake my head, and look down at my own menu. They have an all-day menu of appetizers.

“Would you like meatballs?” Jayden asks.

They come in tomato sauce with focaccia. “Sounds good.”

“And… salmon cakes.” He looks up. “I’m going for protein,” he adds apologetically.

“That’s fine. I like protein.” Well, that sounds dumb. “I mean, I try to eat healthy. Mostly.”

“And how about some Brussels sprouts?”

“This is turning into a whole meal.”

He shrugs. “I like to eat.”

“I do, too, but I don’t burn a gazillion calories a day.”

“I have to be careful,” he says. “I haven’t been burning a gazillion calories a day this week.”

He orders for us. When he asks for a sparkling water, I ask for the same. They even bring a bowl of water for the dogs. What a great place.

“I love that we can do this,” I say. “Bring the dogs. There are so many dogs in this neighbourhood.”

“Yeah, there are. It’s cool.”

“Do you like cats?”

He sits back in his chair. “Yeah. We had a few cats when I was a kid. They’re okay.”

“But you like dogs better.”

“I guess.”

“I think cats are evil.”

He laughs. “Yeah?”

“They have weird eyes. Their pupils are…” I gesture with my hands. “Up and down. It’s freaky.”

“They communicate with their eyes. It’s not evil.”

“They stare at you with those eyes. They’re plotting how to dismember you.”

His eyes sparkle with humour. “Okay. No cats for Stella. What about fruit? Which fruit looks the most suspicious to you?”

I take this question seriously. “Hmmm. I think dragon fruit. It’s very odd-looking.”

“Yeah.”