tried to draw me into conversation as we pulled out of the parking lot. “And those clothes. They look good on you. Not your usual stuff.”
All I said was “Mmm.” It was the best ‘thanks’ I could muster at the moment.
Steve turned up the stereo, but not as loud as usual. We rode the next few miles in silence, except for the music, and I pulled out my phone and played some dumb game. I saw him glance over several times. Some glances lasted longer than others. I pretended not to notice, and concentrated on making a worm thing eat dots.
When we pulled into the parking lot of El Matador, I put my phone away, disconnected myself from the monster, and hurriedly climbed out. I was already walking toward the doors before Steve got his own door open. He jumped down and yelled, “Wait up!”
I stopped and waited until he jogged up beside me, and when we got to the door, he held it open. I ducked under his arm and stepped inside.
It was dark after being out in the glaring sun and my eyes took a moment to adjust. We waited in silence until someone came to seat us. She took us to a small table in the dimly lit back area, handed us two menus, asked for our drink order, and told us our waiter would be with us ‘shortly.’
Steve opened his menu as she walked away. “I know what I want. What do you want?”
I didn’t even open my menu. I was ravenous, and already knew what I wanted. I gave him a one-word answer, “Fajitas.”
The waiter came to our table with chips, salsa, and our drinks and then asked for our order. Steve answered, “Two beef fajitas,” then looked at me for confirmation, so I nodded. “No appetizers,” he added.
As soon as the waiter was gone, he leaned on the table toward me. “So what is this?” He gestured with his hand to indicate me .
“I don’t know. Guess I wanted a change. I was in a good mood…” The words trailed off.
“What do you mean was ? You look fantastic. I almost didn’t recognize you. No, I didn’t recognize you until you got in my truck.” He dipped a chip into the salsa and stuck the whole thing in his mouth, crunching.
“Yeah, well. Thanks, I guess.” I filled my mouth with my own chip, thinking maybe he would stop talking. He didn’t.
“So why did you decide you needed a change now ?” He stuck another chip in his mouth and crunched.
“ When else? Now is always best time .” I did my best Yule Brenner ‘kings’ accent. Then I laughed, because I knew he had no clue why I had said it, or why that way. “Yule Brenner. The King and I. Watch it some time, get some culture.” In went another chip, and I crunched.
We went back and forth like that until the chips were gone and the food arrived, then neither one of us was interested in talking. I didn’t care if I looked like a pig while I ate, I was so hungry. I couldn’t slap the fajitas together fast enough. As I ate the last bite of my last fajita, well after Steve had devoured his, I leaned back and realized how tight my jeans felt. It had been fun dressing up, but I was wishing for a pair of sweat pants right now, one size too big. I was stuffed.
Steve insisted on paying the bill and left a respectable tip. I thought I was going to have to ask for help standing up. Standing wasn’t the hard part; it was the leaning forward first that almost kept me seated. I managed to push myself up while Steve wasn’t looking, though, and I waddled behind him until he held the door again. Ducking was not fun.
As we got to the monster, I thought there was going to be no way to raise my legs high enough to climb into that truck, not without exploding. I got to my side first and just looked, assessing the situation, figuring out how I could lean backwards, grab something, and maybe use my arms to hoist myself in. Steve reached around me and opened the door, and before I knew what was happening, he had his hands on
All I said was “Mmm.” It was the best ‘thanks’ I could muster at the moment.
Steve turned up the stereo, but not as loud as usual. We rode the next few miles in silence, except for the music, and I pulled out my phone and played some dumb game. I saw him glance over several times. Some glances lasted longer than others. I pretended not to notice, and concentrated on making a worm thing eat dots.
When we pulled into the parking lot of El Matador, I put my phone away, disconnected myself from the monster, and hurriedly climbed out. I was already walking toward the doors before Steve got his own door open. He jumped down and yelled, “Wait up!”
I stopped and waited until he jogged up beside me, and when we got to the door, he held it open. I ducked under his arm and stepped inside.
It was dark after being out in the glaring sun and my eyes took a moment to adjust. We waited in silence until someone came to seat us. She took us to a small table in the dimly lit back area, handed us two menus, asked for our drink order, and told us our waiter would be with us ‘shortly.’
Steve opened his menu as she walked away. “I know what I want. What do you want?”
I didn’t even open my menu. I was ravenous, and already knew what I wanted. I gave him a one-word answer, “Fajitas.”
The waiter came to our table with chips, salsa, and our drinks and then asked for our order. Steve answered, “Two beef fajitas,” then looked at me for confirmation, so I nodded. “No appetizers,” he added.
As soon as the waiter was gone, he leaned on the table toward me. “So what is this?” He gestured with his hand to indicate me .
“I don’t know. Guess I wanted a change. I was in a good mood…” The words trailed off.
“What do you mean was ? You look fantastic. I almost didn’t recognize you. No, I didn’t recognize you until you got in my truck.” He dipped a chip into the salsa and stuck the whole thing in his mouth, crunching.
“Yeah, well. Thanks, I guess.” I filled my mouth with my own chip, thinking maybe he would stop talking. He didn’t.
“So why did you decide you needed a change now ?” He stuck another chip in his mouth and crunched.
“ When else? Now is always best time .” I did my best Yule Brenner ‘kings’ accent. Then I laughed, because I knew he had no clue why I had said it, or why that way. “Yule Brenner. The King and I. Watch it some time, get some culture.” In went another chip, and I crunched.
We went back and forth like that until the chips were gone and the food arrived, then neither one of us was interested in talking. I didn’t care if I looked like a pig while I ate, I was so hungry. I couldn’t slap the fajitas together fast enough. As I ate the last bite of my last fajita, well after Steve had devoured his, I leaned back and realized how tight my jeans felt. It had been fun dressing up, but I was wishing for a pair of sweat pants right now, one size too big. I was stuffed.
Steve insisted on paying the bill and left a respectable tip. I thought I was going to have to ask for help standing up. Standing wasn’t the hard part; it was the leaning forward first that almost kept me seated. I managed to push myself up while Steve wasn’t looking, though, and I waddled behind him until he held the door again. Ducking was not fun.
As we got to the monster, I thought there was going to be no way to raise my legs high enough to climb into that truck, not without exploding. I got to my side first and just looked, assessing the situation, figuring out how I could lean backwards, grab something, and maybe use my arms to hoist myself in. Steve reached around me and opened the door, and before I knew what was happening, he had his hands on
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