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I admired her work ethic, at the same time wondering if it was all for chasing that idiotic stunt of hers. I forced my face to stay neutral and kept my mouth firmly shut against engaging her in more conversation. It was too much fun and she was just too much.
“So, uh, do you want to see the menu?” she asked.
I shook my head. “No. I want this world famous potato I keep hearing so much about.”
She rolled her eyes, snapping the menu open and holding it out. “This column has the veggie toppings, this column has the sauces, and this column has your meat choices.”
“Oh, damn.”
“Oh, damn indeed. Do you think we were joking around?” She snapped the menu shut again before I got a good look at the myriad choices. “Actually, do you trust me?”
“Not even a little bit.”
Her face fell and she squeezed her eyes shut, finally peeking at me through one eye. She stuck her hand out. “I’m Laurel.”
I sighed, fighting the urge to take her hand and pull her onto my lap. “What second chance is this?” I asked.
“The second, second?” She shrugged and smiled hopefully. “You’ll forgive me when you see my talent at choosing potato toppings. It’s a gift, I swear.”
I took her hand and managed not to pull her onto my lap, but only gave it a brief shake. “There’s nothing to forgive. And yeah, go for it. But if you put a bunch of radishes and mustard on it to get back at me, this is the last, last chance.”
She scribbled on her notepad, brow furrowed. “Extra radishes, extra mustard.” The huge smile she gave me when she looked back up made me forget my misgivings at being friendly with her again. She was just bringing me dinner, after all, not joining me.
The teenage couple at the counter chose that moment to burst out laughing at something, reminding me that I was all alone.
“Do you have a break coming up?” I asked.
She waved her arm around the mostly empty place. “Until another table comes in.”
“Are you hungry? Want to add a potato for yourself and join me?” What was wrong with me? Something was really wrong with me.
“Blech.” When my eyes widened she laughed and hurried to clarify. “I eat way too many potatoes is all I meant by that. I could go for a burger, though.”
“A burger and a potato, then. But seriously, no radishes or mustard.”
“I’ve got you, Ben.”
Did she? No, she didn’t. I had control of the situation, I was only having dinner with the only person I knew in town after having no contact with any other soul for three days. The guilt twinge struck again when I thought about all the calls and messages from my brothers I’d been ignoring.
I kept flipping through the magazines until she returned with our meals, sliding into the booth across from me. She wasted no time digging in.
“Sorry,” she said around a mouthful. Why did I find everything she did so adorable? “I don’t know when someone else will come in.”
“Seize the day,” I told her, poking at my mystery potato with my fork.
Laurel shook her head. “No, just take a big bite.” I narrowed my eyes and she crossed her heart with her finger. “I take this place’s reputation very seriously.”
I dug in and took a bite. She had chosen barbeque chicken, sharp cheddar cheese, and a combination of chives and grilled sweet corn as the vegetables. It was good, really good, but still a baked potato. I closed my eyes and made moaning sounds. When I opened my eyes she looked honestly disappointed.
“You don’t like it?”
“I love it,” I laughed. “But it’s a potato. I mean…”
“I guess so. I think I’ve worked here too long,” she said. “Too invested.”
“Perfect choices, really.”
“Okay, I know I’m being a diva about it.” God, she was cute. Something stirred in my chest that alarmed me and something stirred lower down that irritated me. No, not again. Just a friendly dinner. She reached over and pulled one of the magazines to her side. “My mom used to getMountain Living.”
