AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Tacos?” She claps her hands and dances in her seat.
“That’s right, and I brought some extra cilantro for you.”
“You know, I do enjoy a man who pays attention.” She rests her chin in her hand and watches me unpack the basket with a soft smile on her lovely face. “It’s a trait that’s rarer than you’d expect.”
“If you want to get to know someone, it’s best to listen when they speak.” I pour two margaritas into plastic glasses and set one in front of her. “I’m sorry, I can’t rim the glass with salt.”
“Oh, this will do nicely, thank you. I didn’t think you made margaritas.”
“I don’t serve them at the pub, no, but I know how to make them.” I wink and take a sip of the sweet drink, then pull out a bag of chips and sides of salsa, queso, and guacamole. “Let’s start with the appetizer, shall we?”
“These are fresh chips. Not store-bought,” Izzy says in awe as she takes one, along with a big scoop of queso and takes a bite. “Where did you find this?”
“I know the owner of the Mexican restaurant in town.” I eat a chip myself and nod in satisfaction. “He set us up for dinner.”
“This is seriously delicious. I might have a cheese problem.”
“Are you lactose intolerant?”
“No, as in I’m addicted to cheese. I’m quite sure it was invented just for me.”
“Cheese is delicious.”
“What’s your favorite food?” she asks.
“I suppose pizza. I know that sounds boring, but when I was growing up, pizza was for special occasions, not something eaten on a regular basis. In fact, we didn’t eat out much at all because Ma loves to cook and fed us all so much.”
“Well, you know I love pizza, too. I guess I just love junk food. It’s no wonder I can’t get rid of the curves.”
“And what’s wrong with your curves, Isabella?”
She blinks at me and then shrugs a shoulder as she looks down at the chip in her hand. “Nothing, I suppose.”
“Did someone tell you that you shouldn’t have curves?”
“Look, I don’t like talking about my ex because I’m on a date with you, and it’s kind of rude, but yeah. He reminded me almost daily that I shouldn’t eat whatever was in my hand at the time and that I needed to get to the gym.”
I shift in my seat, utterly pissed at the man she almost married. “I think you should eat whatever pleases you, as long as you throw a stalk of broccoli or a carrot in there once in a while. And you get plenty of exercise in your job. I like your curves, love.”
Her cheeks darken, and she narrows her eyes at me. “Thanks. I used to just tell him that I’m a girl, and if he didn’t like curves, he was batting for the wrong team.”
I can’t help myself. I laugh out loud, absolutely delighted with her. “And that’s the truth if I’ve ever heard it. I like your sass, Isabella.”
“Well, that’s good because it’s not going anywhere.” She sighs, and I can see she’s ready for the entrée, so I reach into the basket and pull out a half-dozen tacos and some chicken fajitas.
“This is a lot of food.”
“I didn’t know which you’d like better, so I just got a little of each.”
“That’s a lot of each, but I’m not complaining.” She reaches for a taco and takes a bite. “Jesus, I just found my new favorite restaurant.”
“I’ll take you in there sometime. Javier is a master in the kitchen.”
“Obviously.” She takes another bite. “So, what were you like as a kid?”
“In what sense?”
“Were you shy? Nerdy? A jock?”
I laugh and pile some chicken onto a tortilla. “I guess I was a nerdy jock. I liked sports a lot. Mostly baseball and basketball, although I also played football in high school.”
“Definitely a jock.”
“But I also like to read, and I did well in school.”
“A well-rounded kid, then.”
“I guess so. What about you?”
“I definitely wasn’t shy. I was the social butterfly. I had lots of friends, but no super-close friends. Does that make sense?”
“Yes.”
“And I was totally a cheerleader. I know most people make fun of girls who cheer, but I have to tell you, it was hard work.”
“I don’t make fun of it,” I reply.
“And then I went to college and wanted to be a meteorologist on television.”
I take a sip of my margarita. “I remember you saying that before. So, you wanted to be a weather girl?”
“More than anything. Still do, actually. I love the weather. I study it still and keep track of what’s going on and where. It’s actually quite interesting.”
“So, why don’t you do that, then?”
“Because my parents wanted me to work for the family business. Because of that, I had to minor in business in college. As soon as I finished, I started working at my dad’s office. It was soul-sucking.”
