“Not to work. To hang out.”
Nicole squinted at me through the screen. “Are you suggesting a booty call?”
“I’m not opposed to some booty call activities,” I admitted. “But I was thinking it might be fun to hang out, eat some food, maybe watch a movie or something. It’s been an excruciatingly long week for both of us. We could use a break.”
Surprise flashed across her face, then she shrugged.
“Sure, that sounds fun if you’re not worried about your friends coming over and interrupting us.”
“To be honest, it’s fifty-fifty, but if they show up, I promise I’ll get rid of them.”
“Sounds good. What should I bring?”
“Do you like Italian food?” I said.
“Who doesn’t?” she asked jokingly.
“Okay I’ll order some food from the restaurant downstairs and how about you bring a bottle of wine.”
“I can do that. Do you want me to bring anything else?”
I paused, feeling the tiniest bit embarrassed.
“What?” she asked.
“Could you bring Nutter Butter Peanut Butter cookies?”
Nicole
“So Nutter Butters are your secret comfort food, huh?” I asked over dinner that night.
“One of them.”
“What are the others?” I asked curiously.
“Oh no, you have to tell me yours first.”
Grace had ordered a variety of dishes for dinner:gnocchi, spaghetti with meatballs, spinach lasagna, salad, and soft breadsticks that were still warm from the oven. It was all delicious.
“Red vines,” I confessed. “Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby ice cream. And I really love those snowballs, you know the kind you get at the convenience store with the coconut flakes on the outside?”
“Oh my God, I haven’t had those since I was a kid,” she laughed. “I remember liking them though.”
“Well, what are your other secret food vices?”
“Cool Ranch Doritos,” she answered. “Oreos. Ooh, and Chunky Chips Ahoy.”
“You’re a fan of cookies, huh?” I teased.
“I guess so.”
I looked around as I ate a forkful ofgnocchi.
“Your house is nothing like I expected,” I confessed. “I pictured you in something modern, done in shades of black and white. But this is comfortable. It reminds me of my grandma’s house, but not as tacky.”
“Oh thanks,” she said.
She seemed a little embarrassed for the second time tonight.
