I smile, thankful to have her in my life, and walk her to the front door. “Thanks, Eddy. Have fun with your book club tonight.”
“I always do.” She smirks. “Have a good time, Livie.”
You know that scene inThe Emperor's New Groovewhere Kuzco is staring at Yzma while she’s yapping on and on, and he notices a piece of food stuck in her teeth? Yeah, well, that's what’s happening right now during my date with Jerry.
The evening started off promising when I stepped outside and found a tall, broad-shouldered man waiting for me on myfront porch. He had sandy-blond hair that curled slightly at the ends and a smile that was equal parts polite and charming.
“Evenin’,” he said with a thick Southern drawl I absolutely approved of. He held out his arm for me to join him, and I slipped my hand through, feeling a flicker of possibility spark to life in my chest.
This really could have been the start of something—until Jerry ruined the moment by asking me to put on a pair of shoe covers before getting in his car. He then spent the five-minute drive to MJ’s Diner talking about his Tesla and still continues to ramble on now as I stare at his perfectly white teeth, which have a piece of jalapeño from our shared Mexican cornbread stuck in them. It's becoming clear thatTessy,—yes, he named his car—would be my competition for this man’s heart—if I want his heart, that is.
I say a few “Uh-huhs,” not paying much attention to what he’s saying, as my eyes study the old newspaper clippings and photographs that cover the exposed brick wall. The rest are painted a burnt-orange color, which gives this quaint diner a cozy feel, even though I’m feeling the opposite right now.
I pull my phone from my lap and peek down to type out a message to Raine.
This guy is giving “Car Salesman” Justin vibes . I might be sending an SOS soon.
A few seconds pass before I feel the vibration of her incoming text. I look down and read.
Raine
I’m on standby!
He’s spent the first thirty minutes of our date talking about his car. If he wanted to impress me with his vehicle, it should’ve been a food truck
Raine
*Gif of Stanley from the office laughing*
“I’m sorry. Tessy is still new to me, and I’ve been overly excited about her. What is it that you do for a living, Olivia?”
I’m caught off guard by his quick change of subject, so instead of responding like a normal person, I randomly forget my manners. “You have a piece of jalapeño in your teeth.”Smooth, Liv, real smooth.
Jerry looks stunned for a moment, his eyes widening before running a tongue over his teeth, eyeing me cautiously as he does, before taking a drink of his water.
“I’m sorry, it’s really been bothering me. I had to get it out. Anyway, what do I do for a living? I’m a baker.” The words are fumbling out of my mouth as heat crawls up my neck.
“A banker. How do you?—”
“No, abaker. I bake things, like cakes, scones, muffins, breads. Basically, anything that can be baked, I’ve baked it.”
Jerry seems disappointed in my answer, but before he can respond, our waiter arrives to take our order. One of the perks of living in a small town is you see plenty of familiar faces, like our server, Stefanie, who I’ve known since high school. As she approaches our table, I stand up and greet her with a hug.
Once I sit back down, she notices Jerry and says, “Hi, it’s nice to meet you?—”
“Jerry Lincoln.” He takes her hand into his to give it a small shake before eyeing me peculiarly.
“Well, we’re happy to have you at MJ’s Diner this evening. I see that Jessee has already brought you all your drinks and Mexican cornbread. Have you all decided on what you’d like to order?”
“I will have a steak, medium well, with a baked potato and Caesar salad please. And for the lady…” He takes his eyes away from the menu to look up at me. “A salad?”
He didnotjust suggest that I eat a salad. Andonlya salad.I’m a baker, which naturally means I like to eat, and a salad isnota meal. It’s the snack before a meal. Yeah, no thanks, Jerry.
I look up at Stefanie, who's giving me a bewildered look, and I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing. “I would much rather have a steak, please, with a baked potato too, and an order of your macaroni salad. Also, the Mexican cornbread was incredible! I might like it better than the rye bread you all had last time.”
Stefanie’s eyes dart between Jerry and me. I give her a wide smile and bat my eyes for effect, which seems to loosen her up a bit. “Yeah,” she says, her eyes staying on me, “I agree. The Mexican cornbread has been a big hit. I’ll get these orders in for you guys.” She turns and practically rushes away toward the kitchen, possibly knowing that this date is already fizzling out, and the faster we eat, the sooner it can be over.
After a moment, I return my attention back to Jerry, whose eyes are running up and down my body in a way that I don’t care for. The look makes me feel uncomfortable, and I shift in my seat.
