Page 41 of Last Letters to Ara
My flush continues to spread, but for an entirely different reason than feeling self-conscious. “How did you manage to get into a place like this on Valentine’s Day?”
“I just dropped the Carter name. It’s not my fault they never confirm whether or not it’s the Carter anyone cares about,” he says dryly.
“Well, it’s amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever been somewhere this...fancy.”
As we sit down, our waiter appears at the table, asking if we would care for a glass of wine or champagne. Our eyes meet as we both say, “No, thank you” simultaneously. We both smile, not needing to say out loud that neither of us trust ourselves enough to add alcohol to the mix.
Eyes twinkling, Theo says, “I blame the dress.”
“I blame the jacket,” I say with a smirk as I take a sip of my water.
Are we flirting?
I pick up my menu to distract myself from ogling at Theo and realize that I have no idea what the hell this menu says. “Theo. We have a problem.”
He looks genuinely concerned as he leans toward me, “What’s wrong?”
“There are no nachos on this menu,” I deliver with a straight face.
Theo laughs and I can’t help but join in. I don’t know how to describe it, but I’m falling in love with the version of myself that I am around Theo. He brings out the real me. The girl who smiles and makes people laugh. The girl who knows she’salive. Dad would adore him.
My eyes get glassy at the thought, and Theo reaches over to take my hand. I try not to think about how natural the contact feels, or how just by stroking my hand with his thumb, he sends chills throughout my entire body.
“I was just thinking that my dad would have absolutely adored you. He would be so happy to see that I’m out doing things like this.” I gesture to the restaurant around us with my free hand. “With someone like you.”
Theo squeezes my hand, “I’m sure that somehow, wherever he is, he knows we’re together, having fun.”
I believe him.
With perfect timing, the waiter comes and asks for our orders. Theo allows me to go first, and I still don’t know what any of these words means. I roll the dice and pick the item which looks the easiest to pronounce, though I’m sure that I still manage to botch it. Theo looks alarmed. “Are you sure? You don’t want to get something else?”
I’m too embarrassed to admit that I have no fucking clue what I just ordered, so I just say, “I’m sure,” with a smile and reassuring nod.
“Brave.” Theo shakes his head and follows with his order.
I don’t know what I’ve just done, but I’m positive I’m going to regret it.
We devour the bread and butter they start us with, and I’m on my second or third slice before I remember that I’m not supposed toreally eaton proper dates. I put the slice back in the basket and look up to find Theo watching me.
“No way you’re already full.”
I shrug. “I already had a few pieces.”
“It’s bottomless bread, have some more.”
“That’s okay. I know we’re just friends, but I still don’t want to gross you out.”
“Gross me out? What are you talking about?”
I instantly regret bringing it up. Not only am I feeling like an insecure idiot, but now Theo is going toknowI’m an insecure idiot. “You know what I mean. I don’t want to gross you out by eating a whole bunch of food.”
“Um, eating a ton of food is the whole point of going to a restaurant. Why would you think it would gross me out?”
Theo never sounds condescending, he’s asking because he genuinely wants to know. “Doesn’t it gross guys out to watch their dates eat?”
“What kind of dirtbag told you that?” He sounds appalled.
Wow, of course it’s just more poison from Blake, and I didn’t know any better due to my lack of experience. I slap my forehead. “This is just embarrassing now.”
