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Turnsout jackfruit crab cakes are one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever put it my mouth. They don’t taste like fruit, nor do they taste like crab cakes. Seriously, I felt like I had a mouthful of shit for a moment, until I washed it down with half a glass of wine.
I’m not completely sold on this vegetarian thing.
Meanwhile, Amalia’s duck looks so good I want to cry. All juicy, with the perfect amount of greasiness.
It would be weird to ask for a bite, I suppose.
The dinner is awkwardly silent, and it’s clear Amalia’s eating as fast as she can to get the hell out of here.
“How’s the duck?”
Jesus. Boring.
“Very good. You liking your faux crabcakes?”
I want to tell her they taste like ass.
“They’re great. I have them all the time.”
She gives me a look like ‘yeah, right,’ and shovels the last bite of food from her plate into her mouth.
My phone buzzes for the third time during dinner so I finally take it out of my pocket.
Mom. Again.
“Everything okay?” Amalia asks.
“Oh yeah. It’s just my mother.”
She smirks. “You live with her? Maybe down in the basement?”
This woman’s onfire.
But she’s not too far off. I jump in with an excuse, not wanting her to suspect that my mother is still hovering over me even though I am thirty-eight years old and a self-made gazillionaire.
“We’re nailing down plans to get together next week. Sorry about the interruption.”
Amalia finishes her wine and looks around for the waiter. She does not mess around, no sir.
“Your mother lives here in New York?” she asks.
“No. She does not.”
“When is she coming to town?”
I push the food around on my plate to make it look like I’m actually eating it. “Don’t know. Haven’t seen her in a while.”
She looks confused. “I thought you just said you’re making plans to see each other.”
Crap.
“Yeah. Right. Well, we are. She’s just kind of… noncommittal. And my schedule is so crazy.”
She doesn’t buy it. Not any of it.
I respect that.
Levi told me to throw her off the trail. I should honor his wishes, since I’m the one who caused this mess. But I figure I’ll only have one chance with this woman, and I’m going to take it. She’s beautiful and smart, and clearly a ball-buster.
