AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Amy had surprised me with something I hadn't known.
“We thought the name was a good one,” Felicia said. “The springboks are quite lovely. And quite unique. How much do you know about our springboks?”
“Correct me if I'm wrong,” Amy said, “but I understand they're the fastest of the gazelles. And as I recall, both the males and females have horns, which is quite unlike our native elk or deer in North America. But what I find most fascinating is how they get all the water they need from the plants they eat and can go all year without drinking.”
“That’s true.” Felicia nodded. “I'm impressed. The average American doesn't understand anything about African wildlife, outside of lions and elephants.” She beamed a broad smile.
“There’s nothing average about my Sunshine,” I chimed in.
Amy nudged me in the ribs. “I just have a particular fondness for animals and try to remember these things when I hear them.”
She was clearly winning Felicia over. Amy innocently stepped on my toe for a brief moment, not catching anybody’s attention but mine. It was another warning to stop the compliments.
A knock came at the door, and the waiter from Mooo arrived with our wine and appetizers.
Hue beckoned us to the table, which had been set elegantly with a starched white tablecloth and an embroidered runner down the middle. I sat opposite Hue, with Amy at my side opposite Felicia.
Hue had ordered shrimp, meatballs, calamari, and something else I couldn't quite identify.
Apparently noticing my confused expression, Hue pointed to the fourth dish. “Burgundy escargot.”
I was game for most anything so long as it swam, walked, or flew, but I drew the line at eating something that slimed its way across the ground. I took samples of the other three as they were passed around.
Amy was braver than I. She scooped a snail onto her plate.
Hue leaned toward me. “I don't like the snails either,” he confided. “Felicia makes me order them.”
“How can you say that, Hubricht? You’ve never even tried one,” Felicia said.
“And it’s staying that way,” he responded.
Felicia put down her wine glass. “How did you two meet?” she asked us.
Amy fielded the question. “It was a Christmas party, or so I'm told.”
Both the Schmulians raised their eyebrows at her answer.
“Liam came on to me at the party,” Amy explained. “But I wasn't very receptive. I didn’t actually agree to go out with him until February.”
Hue's brow furrowed. “Liam, I thought you’d been going out for seven months now.”
“Absolutely right,” I answered. I took a sip of wine. “It's been seven months since I first saw this beautiful woman.” I turned and placed my hand over Amy’s. “From that moment on, I knew she was the one for me. She's been the only one on my mind since that evening. I knew she was destined to be with me, but it took me two months to convince her. The longest two months of my life.”
The blush in Amy's cheeks was bright and obvious. She was going to get me back for this later.
I pulled my hand away and took a forkful of calamari to shut myself up before I got in deeper trouble.
Felicia raised her glass, proposing a toast. “To true love.”
We all clinked glasses, and I turned to Amy.
Her eyes sparkled as she held mine, and we repeated the toast.
With the waiter hovering, Hue suggested we decide on our dinner orders.
I chose the pepper-crusted sirloin, and Amy decided on the beef Wellington.
Felicia and Amy started discussing additional South African animals, while Hue wanted to talk about the prospects for the Patriots this year, and bemoan their draft choices.
