Page 34 of Playing to Win
Chapter 12
“So where are we headed?”
“Do you like barbeque?”
”Does a pig like slop?”
Callie laughed. “I guess that means yes. So, to answer your question, we are going to a place called Smokin’ Joe’s. It’s super yummy.”
“I’m always up for yummy.”
A few minutes later, Kyle found himself outside a little rock-fronted building with big wooden pillars holding up a front porch made up of the same knotty wood. A big sign in one window with the picture of a pig proclaimed, “I like pig butts and I cannot lie.” There was a quaint outside seating area complete with picnic tables. A huge tin statue of a pig the size of a small child stood in the grassy area in front of the store. It was painted yellow, with turquoise wings, eyes, and feet, and a hot pink nose.
“Want a picture with the pig, Dimples?” Callie asked with a smirk.
“I think I’ll pass this time. Let’s go inside. I’m freezing.”
Kyle followed Callie through a set of glass doors into a big room filled with varnished wood-slat tables and concrete floors. An old Sinclair gas pump was sitting in one corner and a myriad of old tintype pictures covered the walls. A set of saloon doors complete with the Smokin’ Joe’s insignia led to what Kyle assumed was the kitchen. The tables were packed as close together as they could without actually eating with your neighbor. T-shirts and a dining table covered with a red-checked tablecloth sitting on top of a cowhide rug was hanging upside down from the wood-slatted ceiling.
“What a cool place,” Kyle said, looking around. “I hope the food is as good as the atmosphere.”
“Trust me. It is. I’m a barbeque connoisseur.”
Kyle let out a laugh. Luckily, it looked like they had gotten to the restaurant before the rush, so they weren’t very busy. It looked like they had their pick of tables.
“How about this one?” Callie asked, pointing to one by the front windows.
“Looks good to me,” Kyle said, pulling her chair out for her.
“Well, aren’t you the gentleman?”
“My momma taught me to always treat a lady well.”
“She must be a smart lady. Tell me more about her. I know you grew up in North Carolina, but not much else. You met my dad. It seems only fair that now I should know a little something about your family.”
Kyle leaned back in his seat and grinned. “Let’s see. Where to start on my family? Well, first off, I’m one of five kids and the only boy. And the baby.”
“I actually knew that..”
“You did?”
Callie’s cheeks turned red. “Yeah. I may have Googled you when you started stalking me.”
Kyle laughed loudly. “Of course you did. I’m flattered, Curly.”
“Whatever. Don’t get the big head. I just really wanted to see how far you’d go with the stalking, is all.”
“Whatever you say.”
“So the only boy out of five kids, huh? Let’s pretend like I didn’t know that already.”
“Yep. The only grandson on my mom’s side of the family, actually.”
“Also known as spoiled rotten then, probably.”
“Actually, no. Because I was the only boy, my parents decided they only had one chance to teach Southern manners to the heir of the family name. So I was drilled on how to be a gentleman from the time I could walk. Never swear in front of a lady. Always open doors and pull out chairs for a lady. Always say yes, ma’am to a lady, even if they’re old and fat and pinch your cheeks and shove your face in their big knockers and cut off your air.”
Callie threw her head back and laughed out loud.
