Page 45 of Arrested Trouble
“And we’re going to help get her established here in Trinity Falls through the senior center,” Mimi added.
“This is so surreal,” I said. “I’ve never known grandparents to interfere with their grandkids’ love life before.”
Marla raised her glass. “It’s like Ingrid said, it’s what we do.”
Everyone raised their glasses in the air for a toast as the waitress delivered our food. I’d ordered the Cobb salad and had just taken a bite when something caught my eye. Off to the side near the kitchen was a huge holding tank filled with live lobsters, little blue bands holding their pinchers closed. The sign announced diners could choose their own meal. Kat caught my eye and she smiled.
“I need to use the restroom,” I said quietly to Chase.
He looked up from his plate of steak and shrimp and pointed to a set of doors toward the back of the restaurant.
“Don’t eat my salad,” I teased.
“As if.”
Kat stood up, too. “I think I’ll go with you.”
Grinning, we took off toward the tank. A miniature ladder was propped up next to the wall, and I looked around to see if anyone was watching. No one was. Of course, the dim lighting helped out immensely. I scrambled up the ladder, plucked out two lobsters, handed them to Kat, then went back in for the other two.
Hopping down off the ladder, I shook my head at a kid who was trying to get his mom’s attention. Luckily she was in a deep conversation with another adult and didn’t pay him any mind.
The kitchen saloon doors opened, and a waitress carrying a tray filled with food hurried out. Kat and I turned to face the wall, our backs to her. Once she’d passed, we carried our lobsters into the kitchen and set them down…backing away slowly so as not to draw attention to ourselves.
We didn’t wait around to hear the commotion. We jogged back to our table just as the first scream filled the air. Acting like nothing was wrong, I sat down next to Chase and took a huge bite of my salad.
“What did you do?” Chase demanded.
“Hmm?” I pointed to the bite in my mouth and shrugged my shoulders as if to say I had no idea what he was talking about.
“Someone let the lobsters loose!” a waitress cried.
Chase reached over to grab my wrist, but I was quicker. Standing up, I reached for my satchel as Kat and Mimi both stood.
“Gotta run,” I said. “Thanks for dinner.”
“I’ll drive,” Mimi said.
Chase stood and shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. “I’m going to give you a ten second head start, then I’m coming for you.”
Grinning, I kissed him hard on the mouth until I was tugged away by Mimi and Kat. “Gosh, you’re such acop! See ya at home!”
As the three of us took off for the front door, I could hear his laughter behind me.
