mostly men who worked labor and construction, fishermen, dockworkers and boat builders. None he supposed who owned expensive dress shops.
She sat down across from him, crossing her legs in a stately pose as she settled in and picked up the menu gingerly. He expected her to bring out her hand sanitizer next.
“You hungry?” he asked.
She shrugged. Her gaze bounced around the place. Maybe it was disdain at the collection of fried food being eaten around them that had her studying it with so much interest.
“Well, I’m starving and am going to order something with my drink. Do whatever you want.” When the server came he ordered a large basket of fries and a double cheeseburger, with a beer.
“I’ll just have the side salad and a glass of wine.”
“Sure, sweetie, watching the waistline?” the waitress asked.
Sarah shrugged but color filled her cheeks. He assumed the salad was because the food wasn’t up to her standards.
She set the menu aside, and straightened the condiments haphazardly strewn on the side of the table. “So, why Cookie?”
He shifted his gaze to her face. He’d been watching her red painted nails as she deftly organized the ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper and sugar dish. Why was she doing that? “What?”
“Why did you name your dog Cookie?”
Now the red nails were scraping at the table. Was she cleaning a dried on spot off the table? Sure as shit she was, it came up and she flicked it off. He blinked. She was freaking for real. He answered her absently, “She kept stealing the cookies out of my lunch, still does.”
“Really? She sounds so sweet.”
“She is.”
“Does she go everywhere with you?”
She dipped her napkin in the water before her and scrubbed her hand off. She didn’t drop her gaze to look at what her hands were doing. “Yeah, if I take my work truck.”
“And she’ll just wait for you to come out?”
Her tone was so…almost in longing. He glanced at her face. She looked almost wistful about his dog. “She never goes anywhere. When we’re home she shadows me. Results of being a stray, I guess. She seems fine as long as she’s by the truck. She knows I’ll always come back. Otherwise, she’ll only give me about a ten foot radius from her.”
“That doesn’t bother you?”
He shrugged. Like he’d tell her that dog was his best friend. Talk about a pathetic sap.
“I think I’m kind of jealous.”
“Of what? Having a dog?”
“No, having something love you so much.”
“It’s just a dog.”
She laughed and shook her head. “No, she’s not just a dog, and you know it. But I’ll let you hold onto your macho ideal that she’s just a dog.”
He didn’t want to notice how pretty her laugh was, how her mouth tilted up, and her eyes gleamed. He looked away as if perturbed by her, and not disturbed with old adolescent flashbacks of misspent youthful lust.
“What is it you do?”
“Do?” He turned back toward her.
“Yes, as in a job. Why do you act so surprised I’d ask? It’s a normal question people ask each other.”
“My experience you haven’t been curious about anyone much. Especially someone like me.”
She sighed. “That again? God, you hold a grudge until you can’t see straight, don’t you? And what is someone like you? I don’t know you so how can I know what you’re like?”
“You just seem so clueless, like you’re the transplant to this town, not your best friend Kelly. I mean you’ve never been to The Oyster? Everyone’s been here.”
“Not Kelly.”
“Sure Kelly has. Several times with Luke. I’ve seen them with my own eyes. In fact, I had dinner with them a few weeks ago.”
“You did? Kelly knows you?”
“Kelly knows me. Luke is Angie’s geometry teacher. I’ve had conferences with him, along with knowing him for years. I just don’t get how you have never heard of my name. I’ve heard of you in round about ways, off and on, for years.”
“Oh.” She shrugged as she dropped her hands
She sat down across from him, crossing her legs in a stately pose as she settled in and picked up the menu gingerly. He expected her to bring out her hand sanitizer next.
“You hungry?” he asked.
She shrugged. Her gaze bounced around the place. Maybe it was disdain at the collection of fried food being eaten around them that had her studying it with so much interest.
“Well, I’m starving and am going to order something with my drink. Do whatever you want.” When the server came he ordered a large basket of fries and a double cheeseburger, with a beer.
“I’ll just have the side salad and a glass of wine.”
“Sure, sweetie, watching the waistline?” the waitress asked.
Sarah shrugged but color filled her cheeks. He assumed the salad was because the food wasn’t up to her standards.
She set the menu aside, and straightened the condiments haphazardly strewn on the side of the table. “So, why Cookie?”
He shifted his gaze to her face. He’d been watching her red painted nails as she deftly organized the ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper and sugar dish. Why was she doing that? “What?”
“Why did you name your dog Cookie?”
Now the red nails were scraping at the table. Was she cleaning a dried on spot off the table? Sure as shit she was, it came up and she flicked it off. He blinked. She was freaking for real. He answered her absently, “She kept stealing the cookies out of my lunch, still does.”
“Really? She sounds so sweet.”
“She is.”
“Does she go everywhere with you?”
She dipped her napkin in the water before her and scrubbed her hand off. She didn’t drop her gaze to look at what her hands were doing. “Yeah, if I take my work truck.”
“And she’ll just wait for you to come out?”
Her tone was so…almost in longing. He glanced at her face. She looked almost wistful about his dog. “She never goes anywhere. When we’re home she shadows me. Results of being a stray, I guess. She seems fine as long as she’s by the truck. She knows I’ll always come back. Otherwise, she’ll only give me about a ten foot radius from her.”
“That doesn’t bother you?”
He shrugged. Like he’d tell her that dog was his best friend. Talk about a pathetic sap.
“I think I’m kind of jealous.”
“Of what? Having a dog?”
“No, having something love you so much.”
“It’s just a dog.”
She laughed and shook her head. “No, she’s not just a dog, and you know it. But I’ll let you hold onto your macho ideal that she’s just a dog.”
He didn’t want to notice how pretty her laugh was, how her mouth tilted up, and her eyes gleamed. He looked away as if perturbed by her, and not disturbed with old adolescent flashbacks of misspent youthful lust.
“What is it you do?”
“Do?” He turned back toward her.
“Yes, as in a job. Why do you act so surprised I’d ask? It’s a normal question people ask each other.”
“My experience you haven’t been curious about anyone much. Especially someone like me.”
She sighed. “That again? God, you hold a grudge until you can’t see straight, don’t you? And what is someone like you? I don’t know you so how can I know what you’re like?”
“You just seem so clueless, like you’re the transplant to this town, not your best friend Kelly. I mean you’ve never been to The Oyster? Everyone’s been here.”
“Not Kelly.”
“Sure Kelly has. Several times with Luke. I’ve seen them with my own eyes. In fact, I had dinner with them a few weeks ago.”
“You did? Kelly knows you?”
“Kelly knows me. Luke is Angie’s geometry teacher. I’ve had conferences with him, along with knowing him for years. I just don’t get how you have never heard of my name. I’ve heard of you in round about ways, off and on, for years.”
“Oh.” She shrugged as she dropped her hands
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