it’s accompanied by defensiveness. It’s one thing for me to make jokes about the Dunfield dropouts who join Donner’s ‘Chocolate Graduate Program,’ but it’s another for some stranger to do it. Particularly when one of the dropouts is basically my brother-in-law.
Joey is the first to return fire. ‘Staying in school hasn’t done you much good. Or don’t they cover manners till college?’
‘I guess you’ll never know,’ Shades says.
Tyler tugs on his friend’s sleeve. ‘Leave it, Rico.’
Dan reappears from the kitchen, and the posturing ends instantly. By the time Jason, Tyler and Rico reach us, they’re smiling and the testosterone is directed where it should be – at us. Rico finally takes off his sunglasses.
‘Nice outfit,’ Tyler says, smiling as he runs his eyes over my uniform.
‘If I’d known Mr Fantastic would be here, I’d have dressed up,’ I say.
Tyler doesn’t get a chance to make a comeback before Jason and Rico start teasing him. I finally come to the rescue by telling them about my customer’s comic book collection.
With Dan watching Rico disapprovingly, I suggest that everyone move to a table.
Tyler is still looking at the menu when I go over to take their order. ‘It doesn’t get any better the longer you look at it,’ I say. I point out the lassos, Dan’s specialty. They’re just onion rings, but the Texas allusion gives them some glamour. ‘Try those.’
‘Lassos?’ he asks, pulling out the empty chair beside him and motioning for me to sit. ‘Tell me about them.’
‘The chef starts with the finest onions,’ I begin, perching on the chair. ‘He slices them finely and dips them in a batter made from his mother’s secret recipe. Then he deep friesthem to golden glory in oil that’s been around since the diner opened in ’73. You can taste the history on your tongue.’
‘An excellent review,’ Tyler says, laughing. ‘Very tempting.’
Paz’s falsetto rings out across the diner. ‘Oh, waitress! When you’re finished socializing, could you settle our tab? Some of us have to work for a living.’
Since Shirley is on break, I meet him at the cash register. ‘You don’t have to embarrass me, Paz.’
‘I do, Shorty, and you’ll thank me later. Those guys are losers.’
‘You started it.’
‘You know I hate the smell of Dunfield dweeb,’ he says. ‘Besides, it’s my job to remind them that school is not their only option: they have choices in life.’
I laugh in spite of myself. Paz is wasted on truffles. If he used that brain properly, he’d accomplish great things.
He punches me lightly on the arm. ‘Give Keira a kiss for me. But don’t tell Grace.’
‘Okay, but I wish you’d tell Grace yourself.’
He takes the long way out so that he can clomp heavily past Rico’s table in his work boots.
Tyler pulls up in front of my building and cuts the engine on his Honda Civic.
I’m trying not to read too much into the fact that he offered to drive me home before meeting Jason, Rachel, Ricoand Izzy at the movie theater. It was only ten minutes out of his way, after all. He’s just a nice guy.
‘Are you sure you can’t come with us?’ he asks, turning the key so we can still hear the music.
‘I wish I could, but I have plans.’ More like orders to babysit, but I’d rather let him think I’m doing something more interesting. ‘Don’t you love this song? I’ve been playing it so much that my sister hid my CD.’
Tyler starts talking about the music, and I wait for a sign that he might be my FB. I could totally see myself with a guy like him: someone with an arty, intellectual edge. Last month I wouldn’t have aspired to arty/intellectual, but times have changed. I’m a columnist now.
When he stops talking, I unhook my seat belt and gather my things. I’m not going to ask him out. Izzy says I’m old-fashioned, but I think it works better if guys do the asking. ‘Thanks for the lift, Tyler. You’re going to miss the
Joey is the first to return fire. ‘Staying in school hasn’t done you much good. Or don’t they cover manners till college?’
‘I guess you’ll never know,’ Shades says.
Tyler tugs on his friend’s sleeve. ‘Leave it, Rico.’
Dan reappears from the kitchen, and the posturing ends instantly. By the time Jason, Tyler and Rico reach us, they’re smiling and the testosterone is directed where it should be – at us. Rico finally takes off his sunglasses.
‘Nice outfit,’ Tyler says, smiling as he runs his eyes over my uniform.
‘If I’d known Mr Fantastic would be here, I’d have dressed up,’ I say.
Tyler doesn’t get a chance to make a comeback before Jason and Rico start teasing him. I finally come to the rescue by telling them about my customer’s comic book collection.
With Dan watching Rico disapprovingly, I suggest that everyone move to a table.
Tyler is still looking at the menu when I go over to take their order. ‘It doesn’t get any better the longer you look at it,’ I say. I point out the lassos, Dan’s specialty. They’re just onion rings, but the Texas allusion gives them some glamour. ‘Try those.’
‘Lassos?’ he asks, pulling out the empty chair beside him and motioning for me to sit. ‘Tell me about them.’
‘The chef starts with the finest onions,’ I begin, perching on the chair. ‘He slices them finely and dips them in a batter made from his mother’s secret recipe. Then he deep friesthem to golden glory in oil that’s been around since the diner opened in ’73. You can taste the history on your tongue.’
‘An excellent review,’ Tyler says, laughing. ‘Very tempting.’
Paz’s falsetto rings out across the diner. ‘Oh, waitress! When you’re finished socializing, could you settle our tab? Some of us have to work for a living.’
Since Shirley is on break, I meet him at the cash register. ‘You don’t have to embarrass me, Paz.’
‘I do, Shorty, and you’ll thank me later. Those guys are losers.’
‘You started it.’
‘You know I hate the smell of Dunfield dweeb,’ he says. ‘Besides, it’s my job to remind them that school is not their only option: they have choices in life.’
I laugh in spite of myself. Paz is wasted on truffles. If he used that brain properly, he’d accomplish great things.
He punches me lightly on the arm. ‘Give Keira a kiss for me. But don’t tell Grace.’
‘Okay, but I wish you’d tell Grace yourself.’
He takes the long way out so that he can clomp heavily past Rico’s table in his work boots.
Tyler pulls up in front of my building and cuts the engine on his Honda Civic.
I’m trying not to read too much into the fact that he offered to drive me home before meeting Jason, Rachel, Ricoand Izzy at the movie theater. It was only ten minutes out of his way, after all. He’s just a nice guy.
‘Are you sure you can’t come with us?’ he asks, turning the key so we can still hear the music.
‘I wish I could, but I have plans.’ More like orders to babysit, but I’d rather let him think I’m doing something more interesting. ‘Don’t you love this song? I’ve been playing it so much that my sister hid my CD.’
Tyler starts talking about the music, and I wait for a sign that he might be my FB. I could totally see myself with a guy like him: someone with an arty, intellectual edge. Last month I wouldn’t have aspired to arty/intellectual, but times have changed. I’m a columnist now.
When he stops talking, I unhook my seat belt and gather my things. I’m not going to ask him out. Izzy says I’m old-fashioned, but I think it works better if guys do the asking. ‘Thanks for the lift, Tyler. You’re going to miss the
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