The waitress came back with our food which gave me something else other than the perfection of Lucas' date to focus on. I snapped my napkin across my lap and dug in.
I didn't hear anything from Chuck's side of the table so I glanced up only to see his hands clasped together, his eyes closed, and his lips moving in what appeared to be a fervent prayer.
I slowly set my fork down and chewed like a Beaver given a buffet of delicious wood so I could swallow before he looked up.
I was such a jerk. Very few people in this town were religious, but that didn't mean we didn't have churches or places of worship.
It felt like forever when Chuck finally blinked and adjusted his own napkin.
"Amen!" I said cheerily.
Chuck didn't look amused, especially when he waved his index finger over his lip, inferring I had food on my mouth.
I swiped it off with a napkin and gave him a sheepish smile.
Crap.
Chuck ate like I imagined he had sex - carefully and methodically. Four cuts per piece of meat, careful wiping of any extra sauce on the side of the plate, a cautious lift to the mouth, and at least ten chews per piece.
I assumed it was for proper digestion. Or maybe just an extra way for me to want to claw my eyes out.
Considering Chuck wasn't talking much, I was going to go out on a limb here and say I wasn't his dream date either.
I took another massive bite of food so I wouldn't be tempted to make awkward conversation.
My eyes drifted back over to Lucas and his date. I opened up my powers just a teensy, tiny bit.
It was terribly stupid of me.
I inhaled a piece of chicken so hard I bent over double coughing and retching. Once I finished and inhaled quite a bit of water, I tossed my napkin down, grabbed my purse, and excused myself from the table. I could feel my face and could only imagine how beet red it was. I pushed out through the doors and made my way to my car.
When I got in and finally felt like I was safe, I put my head on my steering wheel and howled in embarrassment.
I'd never before used my powers for something so utterly stupid.
His date was going to have quite the athletic night.
Lucas, for that matter, was going to as well.
I would never get the image of enormous breasts and Lucas' blond head hovering over them out of my head for as long as I lived.
I was a grade A tool.
Letting out a shaky sigh, I did my best to banish thoughts of sex out of my head. I'd send Chuck some money to cover the date. Or I'd just call the restaurant when I got home and cover my part.
Portia was going to murder me.
I started the car.
