Page 42 of Small Town Swoo
After he set the fries on the stove top, I poked at them with a spatula. They looked and smelled delicious—browned at the edges, fragrant with truffle oil and parmesan. And yet, I found myself studying them with a critical eye, knowing Niall would comment scornfully on the inconsistent thickness of the fries. Maybe he’d force me to throw them out. Maybe he’d berate me in front of everyone else on the line and I’d have to dig my fingernails into my palms so I wouldn’t cry.
Stop it, I admonished myself.You’re not there anymore. You’re here, with someone who doesn’t expect you to be perfect and would never make you feel bad.
Dash leaned over the tray and inhaled. “God, that smells good. My mouth is watering. But that always happens when I’m around you.”
I smiled. “Oh really?”
“I meant at your house,” he said quickly. “When you’re cooking.”
Ignoring the butterflies in my stomach, I concentrated on plating our dinners. When I turned around, it was obvious he’d been staring at my ass. He quickly raised his eyes to mine, but his guilty expression gave him away.
“Everything’s ready,” I said, grabbing the beer he’d opened for me from the counter. “Let’s eat.”
“So? What did you think?” I asked after the final scene ofWhen Harry Met Sallyconcluded, and Harry Connick, Jr. was crooning my dad’s favorite tune over the credits.
“Fucking delicious. The best sandwich I have ever had.”
“Dash!” I poked his leg with my foot. “I meant the movie, not the food.”
“I liked it. That was way better thanTitanic,” he informed me. “You should have led with that one.”
“It’s not way better, it’s just different. And if you’re trying to improve your range as an actor, I feel like it’s necessary to study a variety of performances.”
“Okay, fine.”
“So what was your favorite part?”
He thought for a moment, rubbing a finger beneath his lower lip. “There were a lot of good scenes with just the two of them. The dialogue was great, the back and forth. What about you?”
“Well, I love the last scene, where he runs through the street on New Year’s Eve and shows up at the party to tell her he loves her, but it’s not good enough until he lists allthe things he loves about her. It just shows how well he knows her, and that all her little quirks are lovable to him.”
Dash nodded. “Perfect ending, I agree.”
“But I really love the scene where she fakes the orgasm at the diner. I wish someone would do that at Moe’s. I’ve always wanted to name a special ‘What She’s Having,’ but my mother won’t let me.”
He grinned. “What would it be?”
“Good question. I’ve thought about this a lot.”
“Have you?”
“Yes. See, what she’s actually eating during that scene looks like a very plain turkey sandwich, so I could either jazz that up, or I could do something with apple pie à la mode, which is what she orders in the beginning of the movie and makes it all complicated.”
“Is that what you’re like when you go to a restaurant?”
“Me?” I shrank back. “Hell no. I’m theleastpicky person at the table when I eat out.”
“Why? I’d have thought you’d have crazy high standards.”
“I do if I’m cooking or serving the food. If I’m just out for a good time, you can pretty much bring me whatever, and I’ll eat it. I’m a cheap date. My favorite thing ever is carnival food.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes! Funnel cakes, corn dogs, deep-fried whatever on a stick. Take my money and put it in my mouth.”
He laughed. “Good to know.”
“I just had an idea . . .” I tapped my lips with one finger. “You know what would be good? Some kind of twist on a corn dog with the Creole mustard I used in the eggs benny special today.” My mind wandered for a moment as I thought about flavors, textures,presentation.
