Page 10 of Nicks and Cuts
“Chili?”
“Trust me. It goes from a solid seven out of ten to a nine.”
“And your ratings on my selection?”
“Low-risk selection, nothing too wild, yet good variety. I happen to like pineapple on pizza.” He grabbed a piece of that one to start with.
Shannon twisted off the cap of his beer and took a sip. “So what is a risky selection?”
“Plain cheese, spicy, curry, and dessert pizza. They are all very divisive.”
Shannon nodded and took a piece of chicken pizza. “I’d never thought about pizza that way.”
“Try ordering for thirty guys…” Someone always wanted vegetarian, or something spicy to prove they could handle the heat, but otherwise most were happy with a standard selection.
He laughed. “True.”
For several minutes they concentrated on the food, or at least Dante tried to, but his eyes were drawn to Shannon. The way he wiped his fingers on the paper before picking up the beer bottle. The way he held the beer and took a drink…
Dante took another piece even though he’d already chomped through several more than Shannon. “When are you back at work?”
“Tuesday, for day shift.” He licked some sauce off his thumb. “I will try to stay out of your way while I get sorted.”
Dante chewed the pizza crust, trying to figure out what to say. “You’re staying here; you don’t need to avoid me.”
He didn’t want Shannon to feel unwelcome… Had he really come across that grumpy?
Shannon grinned and took a swig of beer. “I also don’t want to be underfoot or noisy when you’re sleeping. Do you sleep in?”
“Not usually. So what’s with the fish?”
“You were really restrained about asking. The guy at the motel hadn’t even finished checking me in before needing to know the story.”
“We were having a serious conversation about pizza.”
“Good point. I needed a trailer, and a friend of a friend was selling it. They had a fish care business, ponds and tanks and stuff.” He shrugged. “Anyway, he took my sofa in exchange and even painted over his business name…which is why it now looks more koi than goldfish.”
“That does not explain why he needed a trailer that looked like a fish.”
“Advertising. People notice it.”
“How much stuff does it hold?”
“Quite a bit. He had his equipment in there, so there’s storage racks…anything I figured I didn’t need in the first couple of weeks, I shoved in there. Don’t worry, I won’t unload it all. I am itching to get my bike out and go for a ride, though.”
“Bike?” Shannon didn’t strike him as a cyclist.
“Motorbike.”
“Aren’t they more dangerous than cars?”
“Yep, but if I’m in an accident, I’d rather be killed instantly than die slowly at the scene.” Shannon’s smile faded. “I didn’t mean to be insensitive.”
“It’s okay. Having done the suffering thing I agree. I guess I thought being a paramedic would make you extra careful.”
“I’m careful. I have the safety gear, and I don’t drive recklessly, but I’m also not going to hide under the covers. People also die in bed, in the shower, on the toilet, and walking to the letterbox; death happens, and I want to live before it knocks me over.” He finished his beer and set the bottle down. “What about you? What life philosophy do you have? Or do you need another beer first?”
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