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13
Two hourslater she was looking at the restaurant menu, trying to decide what to order. It was a welcome distraction from Liam — from the fact that he seemed to get more beautiful each time she saw him, that he’d dressed for their date (she had the distinct feeling that that’s what it was) in crisp gray jeans, a midnight blue button-down, and suede shoes in place of hisboots.
She’d gone down to meet him when he’d buzzed her apartment and had caught the scent of soap and shampoo and an earthy cologne that made her think of wide open spaces and blue sky and places she’d neverbeen.
The dynamic between them was easy, and she felt right at home in black jeans, a silky ivory blouse, and the boots she’d managed to unearth from one of the unpacked boxes in herbedroom.
They’d taken the subway to La Superior, a red and white concrete box tagged with graffiti. The interior was cozy, illuminated by warm lighting and populated by tables placed close together. A partial menu was on display behind the counter at one end of the room, and a few Brooklynites sat on the fifties-style stools, ostensibly waiting for their takeoutorders.
“What’s good?” Ninaasked.
The menu was only one page, but where the Mexican restaurants she’d frequented in the suburbs featured Americanized favorites like tacos and enchiladas, La Superior offered beef tongue and turkey with black beanpaste.
Liam smiled at her from across the table. “Everything.”
“That doesn’t help,” shesaid.
“The Panuchos de Cochinita is terrific. The enchiladas too, if that’s yourthing.”
She laughed. “Is that achallenge?”
He shrugged, affecting an innocent expression. “Your food, yourdecision.”
She set down the menu. “I think I’ll try the Panuchos deCochinita.”
He nodded. “Good toknow."
She leaned back in her chair and drank from a bottle of beer Liam had suggested. “What’s that supposed tomean?”
“You’re the kind of woman who likes a dare,” he said. “That information might come in handy, that’s all I’msaying.”
She smiled. “I think you might be dangerous, LiamMcAlister.”
His eyes met hers. “I was thinking the same thing aboutyou.”
The waiter came to her rescue by stopping at the table to take their order. Liam ordered something she couldn’t pronounce in an accent that made it sound like he maybe spoke fluent Spanish without making him seempretentious.
The waiter collected their menus and Liam took a drink of his ownbeer.
“I hope this is okay,” hesaid.
“It’s perfect.” She hesitated. “I’m a little relievedactually.”
“Relieved?”
“When you said you knew a great place, I was expecting something like that Ethiopian restaurant near the gallery,” she said. “Either that or one of those places in Brooklyn that look humble but are actuallyfancy.”
“You don’t likeEthiopian?”
She considered lying, then thought better of it. She wasn’t going to lie about who she was, not even for the gorgeous man across thetable.
“I’ve never tried it,” she said. “I’m sure it makes me sound boring, but up until the last few weeks, I was in the suburbs, the land of pizza joints and chainrestaurants.”
“I have a feeling nothing about you is boring,Nina.”
She laughed. “I‘m sorry to burst your bubble, but you’rewrong.”
“What brings you to the city?” heasked.
