“You got something…” He pointed at a spot on Bernard’s face.
“Where?” Bernard wiped at areas of his face, missing the crumb.
“I’ll get it.” Rory grabbed the napkin and wiped it off. “There, it’s gone.”
“Thank you.” Bernard smiled.
“No problem.”
They finished up and perused the dessert menu.
“I have to use the restroom and wash up. Can you order me a slice of apple pie with vanilla ice cream?” Bernard asked Rory.
“Sure thing.”
Rory watched him walk away. His thick body filled out his polo and jeans well. Bernard deserved to find someone who loved him. He was a kind and generous man. Jason and Tracy had broken him.
“So, I thought you were straight?” Sophia asked.
“I am,” Rory said.
“Remember when we talked about flirting?” Sophia asked.
“Yes, and how that Chance guy was not really flirting, just trying to get into bed with me.”
Sophia pointed at him, then to the restroom. “That was flirting.”
“What was flirting?”
“The interactions between you and Bernard,” Jeff said.
“I…wait, what? I wasn’t flirting,” Rory said, his voice pitching the statement slightly into a question.
“Yes, you were,” Sophia laughed. “You like Bernard. You’ve been eying him all night.”
“He’s an old friend I reconnected with. I didn’t get to see him for six years while I was in grad school. We’ve known each other since middle school.”
“Great. How long have you been in love with him?” Davi asked.
“You too?” Rory said. He wiped his palms on his pants. “I’m not in love with Bernard.”
“You laughed at every one of his jokes, no matter how bad. You put your arm on his shoulder at least three times in the last hour. And I swear I saw you put your hand on his knee at least once,” Nicolas said.
“No, I didn’t,” Rory protested.
“Yes, you did,” they all said.
“We’ve been around him for two hours and we noticed,” Sophia said.
“I think you two would make a handsome couple. It’s so sweet,” Jeff said.
“He was flirting with you too,” Davi said.
“What?” Rory asked.
“Yeah, when you went to the restroom, he checked out your butt,” Sophia said.
“He also blushed when you wiped the food off his face. It was so adorable,” Jeff said.
