frustrated that no one would give her the full story.
They walked past a series of large, open flame grills in the dining room on the way to their table. Memories of the dinner she'd shared with the friends in their company tonight as well as Annie and Tyler rushed to the surface. Trying to get into Micah's Mustang without destroying her dress. Joking about the girls' hair going up in flames if they leaned too far over the grill. The night of their senior prom was the night she allowed herself to finally admit she was in love with Micah. It was the night she allowed herself to buy into Micah's promises that they would be together forever.
Julia pushed down the sadness she felt consuming her as they reached the table. This was a night to let go of the past and enjoy the moment, she reminded herself. The wait for their server was excruciating. Julia wasn't the only one who was thinking about prom. It was painful to listen to them laugh about the antics of that evening.
When Austin and Lizzie headed to the salad bar, Micah reached for Julia's arm as she stood to follow. "Are you okay with this?" His voice whispered into her neck as he leaned in so they were eye to eye.
"It's just hard, that's all," she responded. In truth, it was one of the hardest things she'd faced in a long time. There were so many forgotten memories seeded within these four walls. Memories that forced her to face the past and question her motives in the present.
He tucked a stray hair behind her ear and lifted her gaze back to his with one finger crooked softly under her chin. "It'll be okay. Let's get through dinner and then I think we need to talk." The hitch in his voice told Julia that this wasn't easy for him either. She nodded and stood. She prayed she could get a grip before she ruined the night for everyone.
With arms linked together, Micah and Julia joined their friends at the salad bar. There were a few uncomfortable moments when everyone returned to the table since it was obvious that the remember-when game was over. Austin was the first to break the silence by daring Micah to tackle The Beefeater, the biggest steak on the restaurant's menu. While it was a similar bet to one made years earlier, Micah bowed out, telling his friend he didn't have to gorge himself on almost three pounds of steak to prove his masculinity.
As the ribbing started to escalate, Lizzie stood and pulled Austin's arm, "Come on hot shot. The baby's hungry and so am I." She cuffed the back of Austin's head when he mockingly rolled his eyes at the statement.
"Julia, grab your man and grab your meat, time to get up out your seat." Everyone froze in place at Austin's statement. "Uh... sorry, habit I guess."
For the second time in less than a minute, Austin felt a hand across the back of his head. This time, it was Micah making contact. "Smooth, man." He shook his head, laced his fingers in Julia's and led her to the grills.
There are some people who don't understand why anyone would go to a restaurant and pay to prepare their own food. To Julia, it was a brilliant marketing plan. Get a group of people talking around the open flames, send servers to check on them and refill their drinks and there would be a healthy spike in the bar tab. This plan obviously worked well for the steakhouse given the fact that every grill was circled with guests who had no problem moving their steaks to a cooler part of the grill if it meant more time to socialize.
Micah asked Julia to grab a steak for him from the meat cooler while he scouted a grill with room for their group. Steaks in hand, Julia made her way through the crowd trying to find Micah. Right as she was getting frustrated, she heard a sharp whistle. His whistle. Women around him glared in disgust that he would whistle after a woman in a busy restaurant but Julia knew there was no condescension meant by the gesture. He might not be the most polished man on the face of the earth but he did have manners.
When Julia returned
They walked past a series of large, open flame grills in the dining room on the way to their table. Memories of the dinner she'd shared with the friends in their company tonight as well as Annie and Tyler rushed to the surface. Trying to get into Micah's Mustang without destroying her dress. Joking about the girls' hair going up in flames if they leaned too far over the grill. The night of their senior prom was the night she allowed herself to finally admit she was in love with Micah. It was the night she allowed herself to buy into Micah's promises that they would be together forever.
Julia pushed down the sadness she felt consuming her as they reached the table. This was a night to let go of the past and enjoy the moment, she reminded herself. The wait for their server was excruciating. Julia wasn't the only one who was thinking about prom. It was painful to listen to them laugh about the antics of that evening.
When Austin and Lizzie headed to the salad bar, Micah reached for Julia's arm as she stood to follow. "Are you okay with this?" His voice whispered into her neck as he leaned in so they were eye to eye.
"It's just hard, that's all," she responded. In truth, it was one of the hardest things she'd faced in a long time. There were so many forgotten memories seeded within these four walls. Memories that forced her to face the past and question her motives in the present.
He tucked a stray hair behind her ear and lifted her gaze back to his with one finger crooked softly under her chin. "It'll be okay. Let's get through dinner and then I think we need to talk." The hitch in his voice told Julia that this wasn't easy for him either. She nodded and stood. She prayed she could get a grip before she ruined the night for everyone.
With arms linked together, Micah and Julia joined their friends at the salad bar. There were a few uncomfortable moments when everyone returned to the table since it was obvious that the remember-when game was over. Austin was the first to break the silence by daring Micah to tackle The Beefeater, the biggest steak on the restaurant's menu. While it was a similar bet to one made years earlier, Micah bowed out, telling his friend he didn't have to gorge himself on almost three pounds of steak to prove his masculinity.
As the ribbing started to escalate, Lizzie stood and pulled Austin's arm, "Come on hot shot. The baby's hungry and so am I." She cuffed the back of Austin's head when he mockingly rolled his eyes at the statement.
"Julia, grab your man and grab your meat, time to get up out your seat." Everyone froze in place at Austin's statement. "Uh... sorry, habit I guess."
For the second time in less than a minute, Austin felt a hand across the back of his head. This time, it was Micah making contact. "Smooth, man." He shook his head, laced his fingers in Julia's and led her to the grills.
There are some people who don't understand why anyone would go to a restaurant and pay to prepare their own food. To Julia, it was a brilliant marketing plan. Get a group of people talking around the open flames, send servers to check on them and refill their drinks and there would be a healthy spike in the bar tab. This plan obviously worked well for the steakhouse given the fact that every grill was circled with guests who had no problem moving their steaks to a cooler part of the grill if it meant more time to socialize.
Micah asked Julia to grab a steak for him from the meat cooler while he scouted a grill with room for their group. Steaks in hand, Julia made her way through the crowd trying to find Micah. Right as she was getting frustrated, she heard a sharp whistle. His whistle. Women around him glared in disgust that he would whistle after a woman in a busy restaurant but Julia knew there was no condescension meant by the gesture. He might not be the most polished man on the face of the earth but he did have manners.
When Julia returned
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