The place was empty. I assumed not a lot of travelers came through on Thursday afternoons, which was great for us. The gas station was to the right, and the chicken place was to the left through a narrow hallway that opened up to a wide, dated-looking lobby.
“Okay. So I order some chicken,” I told him. “You want to come, or go sit at table, or?—”
“I’m gonna sit,” Micah said, sounding exhausted.
Maybe he hadn’t slept either. Maybe he was up all night thinking about us. I let him go, and he found a booth big enough for three hockey players while I walked up to the server on her phone.
She couldn’t have been more than eighteen and looked entirely bored and irritated to see me. “So, like, can I help you?”
I smiled at her. “Yes. Give me…hmm. One family meal with some potatoes and mac and cheese. Some…what is that word? Coole…”
“Coleslaw,” she said, her voice toneless.
“Yes, that. Three drinks. Some of that bread. Biscuit? Some of those. I think that will be fine.”
She gave me a slow up and down, then put in the order, handed me three to-go cups, then took my card to tap it on her machine. The screen in front of me asked me for a tip, so I hit the button with the highest number on it, then took my receipt and all but threw myself into the space beside Micah.
He jolted. “Could you not?”
I should have felt bad, but I didn’t. I set the receipt on the table. “Why is bad people know about us?”
“Because.”
I waited, but he didn’t elaborate. “My mama give me smacks if I say just because. You want smacks?”
“Are you offering to spank me?” he asked, his voice tight.
Oh. I could tell he liked that. He liked that idea alot. But this wasn’t the place for it.
I swallowed heavily. “I just want to know. You’re embarrassed of me, or?—”
“Jesus, fuck. Vanya.” He took off his sunglasses and pressed his hand over his face, letting out a soft groan. “Is there anyone in here?”
I glanced around. “Just workers.”
“And Alexio?”
Leaning over, I peered through the window andsaw him cleaning his windshield with a fancy-looking cloth. “Is stroking his car.”
Micah choked on a laugh. “Vanya, that stain he found on the seat?—”
“It was you. Or me. I thought I clean up better, but…no.”
He groaned. “Fuck. Okay. Look, if people think we’re together, they’re going to talk. They’re going to say things to make us both feel bad.”
“I don’t listen to people who don’t know me,” I said, waving him off.
“Everyone thinks I’m a slut. That I’m easy. They think I fuck anything that moves?—”
I couldn’t help my laugh. “They don’t know you either.” I moved in a little closer and, feeling daring, rubbed the tip of my finger over his jawline. He let out a shuddering breath. “You’re not easy, pretty goalie. You’re tough. Difficult.”
He made a noise, and it was not a happy one. “I don’t mean to be.”
“No, no. I like it. Always like challenge. When it’s easy, is boring. You are not boring.”
“I have no idea what the fuck to say to that.”
“Just say you don’t regret me.”
