Page 116 of The Reason I Married Him
God, when I hear shit like that, it actually makes me feel guilty. Like what will the town think when we divorce in a year? Are they going to have something bad to say about me? I sure hope not.Are they going to pity Aubree all over again?She would hate that.
“Thank you,” I reply. “I’m pretty happy too, but I don’t want to celebrate too soon, not when she hasn’t said yes yet.”
“Oh she will,” Ethel says. “I see the way she looks at you.” Do you now? Is Ethel mistaking disdain for love? Because I’ve seen the way Aubree looks at me, and the only spark I can find in those green irises is a spark of fire, ready to attack—and not in a good way. “There’s no way she says no to a man like you.”
Things I need to remember—always visit Ethel when I need a boost in confidence.
“I appreciate that.”
“So.” She leans forward. “How can I help you?”
I smile and lean forward too. “About that End of Summer Jubilee . . .”
“Seriously,this is the best fucking pizza ever.” I take another bite of the crust and revel in the crispiness.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone who looks like they want to make out with food before, but here you are,” Aubree says.
“Yes, here I am,” I say, eyeing the last piece between us. “I’d make out with this pizza any day.”
She wipes her mouth with her napkin. “That’s not disturbing at all.”
I wiggle my eyebrows at her. “Jealous I’m not making out with you?”
Her expression falls flat. “Definitely not.”
I chuckle and finish my crust.
When I first met up with her for dinner, she was turtling in a bit, shy and slightly awkward, but now that I’ve spent the past thirty minutes coaxing her into talking to me and sharing about her day, she’s loosened up. This is my favorite side of her when she slightly lifts the veil and shows her true self.
It’s when her true personality shines.
It’s when she gives me shit but with a smirk.
“Tell me, Aubree, if you were to make out with a food, what would it be?”
“That’s seriously the line of questioning you’re going with tonight?”
“Might as well,” I say as I point at the last piece. “Can I eat that?”
“I don’t want to be the person who comes between a man and his lover, by all means.” She gestures toward the pizza, and I smirk as I pick it up. See, when she loosens up, she’s funny.
“Come here, lover,” I say before taking a large bite. She rolls her eyes at me and takes a sip of her Diet Coke. “So . . . what food are you making out with?”
“I’m going to guess you’ll keep asking me until I answer. Am I right?”
“That would be correct,” I say. “So best you just give in and answer.”
She sighs heavily and leans back in her chair as she taps her finger on the table. “Not that I want to answer such a ridiculous question, but if I had to choose, I guess it would be mac and cheese.”
“What?” I ask, surprised. “Really? I don’t think I’ve seen you eat mac and cheese at all since I’ve been here.”
“Doesn’t mean I don’t love it. It has to be the right mac and cheese. I don’t like to just eat any kind. The Cliffs makes the best here in town, but it’s not on the menu every week. It’s a special. Hank always lets me know when he plans on making it because he knows I don’t want to miss it.”
“Hank,” I say, clutching my heart. “The best fucking bear claw I’ve ever had.”
“The bear claw that he’s close to naming after you, which Hayes is bitter about since he told you about them.”
I lean forward. “Is Hank really saying that, or is that a rumor? Did you hear it from his mouth? Fuck, I hope he does. The cherry pie is already under consideration for a new name that includes me. Having two menu items in town would be a dream.”
