Ryan looks at me. "Soda? Wine? Beer? Cocktail? What’re you in the mood for?"
Another difference between Ryan and Asher is that Ryan always asks. He doesn’t steamroll and assume he knows better.
"Wine sounds good."
"We'll do a bottle of Chardonnay" Ryan says. "And maybe some bread to start?"
"Perfect. I'll be right back."
When she leaves, I look around the restaurant again. "This is so different."
"Different good or different bad?"
"Different good." I smile. "Really good."
"I wanted to take you somewhere that felt... I don't know. Real. Not stuffy or pretentious. Just good food and good vibes."
"Mission accomplished."
The wine arrives, and Ryan pours us each a glass. We order the cauliflower, the pork chop, roasted carrots, and a kale salad that the server promises isn't as boring as it sounds.
"To new beginnings," Ryan says, raising his glass.
I clink mine against his. "To new beginnings."
The wine is delicious. Not the kind of wine Asher would order, the kind that costs more than most people's rent.
"So," Ryan says, leaning back in his chair. "Tell me something I don't know about you."
I giggle. "You know pretty much everything at this point."
"I know the big stuff. The hard stuff. But I don't know the little things. Like... what's your all-time favorite movie?"
I don’t even have to think about it. "The Princess Bride."
"Classic."
"What about you?"
"The Shawshank Redemption."
"Of course it is."
He laughs. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's the most Ryan answer possible. Hopeful. About not letting things out of your control break you, perseverance, and never giving up."
"Fair." He takes a sip of wine. "Okay, next question. If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?"
"Honestly? Nowhere. I just got back from three months of traveling. I think I'm good staying put for a while."
"Good point. What about when you're ready to travel again?"
I think about it. "Maybe Iceland.”
"Iceland's incredible. I went a few years ago with some buddies. We did the whole Ring Road thing."
"What was your favorite part?"
