star running back of our rival team. We dated for a bit…until I popped up pregnant. The rest, as they say, is history.”
“What a dick.”
I shrug, trying not to dredge up old hurts. “He was a teenager, and a baby didn’t exactly fit into his plans.”
“So were you.” He reaches across the table laying a comforting hand over mine. And although I know that I shouldn’t, I let him. “I’m sorry you had to go through all of that on your own…” He shakes his head with a timid smile. “Fucking millennials, man. No sense of responsibility.”
“I haven’t really been on my own, though. My parents didn’t bat an eye, just stepped in, and they’ve been by my side every step of the way.”
“Your folks are good people.”
I smile at his assessment. “I can only hope someday to be half as decent as they are.”
I’m grateful for the interruption when our waitress finally arrives to take our orders, gulping down half the glass of water she sets in front of me without stopping for a breath.
We order two of their famous hurricanes to sip on while waiting for our food, making small talk about the weather and the house he purchased on the river. His passion for what he does is infectious. He’s so animated when he speaks about the big plans he has for the renovations.
“I can’t wait to see it all when it’s completed,” I say while scrolling through the before pictures on his phone, shocked by how much I mean it.
“I’ll look forward to showing it to ya.”
By the time the server delivers our meals, an easy friendship is already forming between us. I’m truly taken by how witty and intelligent he is.
Charming, sure, that I expected. I mean, he charmed the panties right off of me the night we met. But he’s also fun and thoughtful and so much more. It’s a shame we can’t just erase the past and have a do-over. If it weren’t for that unfortunate hookup, I might be inclined to explore this crazy attraction… but who the hell starts their happily ever after with a quickie in a public alley? Not this girl.
I wait until we’re a few drinks deep and almost done with our meals to bring up what went down earlier in the day. It’s killed me to hold off this long. I’ve been itching to interrogate him since Mom filled me in.
“So, you actually thought my mom pooped her pants, huh?” I am snickering over my plate of shrimp alfredo, just imagining the way it all went down.
His face turns beet red. “I knew it wasn’t me… I assumed there was only one other option.”
“When a person dies, their muscles relax,” I explain, sucking my tongue to my front teeth. “All the muscles.”
“Disgusting.”
“It’s no bed of roses, that’s for sure… Sometimes they leak so much that Daddy has to pack ’em with cotton.”
His eyes get big and round. “Their butts?”
I nod. “Uh-huh.”
His face starts to look a little green as he stares down at what’s left of his ribeye smothered in crawfish etouffee.
“How ‘bout a change in subject,” I offer, starting to feel bad for ruining his dinner.
“I’m good,” he assures me, pushing his plate away. “I’ll just take the rest of this to go.”
“Oh, come on, if you’re gonna be hanging around the Daigles, you’re gonna need a stronger stomach.” I twirl my fork in my plate, loading it with pasta, and pop it into my mouth, before shielding my lips with a hand to speak. “Besides, we haven’t even gotten to the part where you took out three mailboxes.”
“Didn’t say I was ready to go.” He sets his utensils down, ready to indulge my antics. “You really should have warned me.”
I finish chewing and swallow before shrugging a shoulder. “Didn’t dawn on me. We’re all so used to it.”
“Well, next time you send a guy out to fetch a body, I suggest mentioning the deceased have a tendency to groan and gurgle.” He outwardly cringes. “Pretty sure you’re responsible for shaving ten years off my life.”
“Oh, my God. I wish I could have been a fly on that windshield.”
He dips his head into his hand, giving it a good shake. “I’m never gonna live this down, am I?”
“Not a chance.”
We order another round of drinks and continue chatting. Wash, rinse, repeat, and before I know it, we’re closing the place down.
I haven’t laughed this hard in ages. It was totally worth having to suffer through a