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“Are you ready for lunch?” Shelly poked her head in the door and asked. It was still early, but she needed to eat before the lunch rush or wait until it ended. I looked at Aunt Carol who nodded before going back to the box she’d just opened. “Yay,” Shelly said as I walked over to her.
“Mind if we just eat at The Wedge? I want to get as much done as I can today, so we don’t need to do it again tomorrow.”
“Sure, Dad made some chicken and dumplings for the special today,” she said as we walked the short distance to her shop.
“That sounds good,” I said and stepped up to the counter where her dad stood writing a list of something.
“Hey, Willis, how are you doing today?”
“Oh, hey, Eli, sorry, I didn’t see you there. I’m doing pretty good for Monday. Just trying to get this week’s order ready.” He set the notepad he’d been writing on aside and looked between Shelly and me. “Want to try the chicken and dumplings?”
“Yes, that sounds great.”
“It comes in a bread bowl. Did you want that or the bread on the side?” He looked up as he waited for my answer.
“On the side. Thanks, that sounds perfect.” Shelly walked around me to the other side of the counter and got busy putting my order together while her dad rang me up. As soon as he was done, he passed me a tray.
“Enjoy your lunch. I think it’s going to be a busy day today.”
I tipped my head at him and carried the tray to a table. Shelly followed with her own lunch. “So, how is it living with your boyfriend?” she asked, not wasting any time.
“It’s been over a month, and we haven’t killed each other yet. I call that a win. Plus, he’s not a slob, and we always have baked goods.” I tore off a piece of bread and dipped it into the broth. “This is really good by the way.”
“Thanks, it’s an old family recipe,” Shelly said and took a bite of the sandwich she’d made herself. “So, is it everything you hoped it would be?” she whispered as she leaned in close.
I leaned in close to her. “It’s so much more. I never thought I could love someone so much.”
“Aww you two really are adorable.”
“How’s it going with you and Rick? I guess he doesn’t miss having a roommate?”
“He probably misses your share of the rent, but he seems happy living alone.” She smiled and the faraway look in her eyes told me she didn’t mind me not being there either.
“Did you guys figure out your plans for Valentine’s Day?” I asked.
“Nope, not yet. Neither one of us wants to make a big deal of it. We really are happy to stay home and watch a movie. Are you two still going to Tahoe?
“Yes, which reminds me I need to book our room because Randy’s been busy,. Any suggestions?”
“I haven’t been to Tahoe for a while, and it was with my parents, so they booked it. Hey, Dad, any suggestions for hotels in Tahoe?” Shelly asked.
“Sure, I can recommend a few. Who’s going?” he asked, and Shelly filled him in on our idea to spend a night or two there.
“Don’t wait too long. Valentine’s Day is always busy,” Willis said before naming a few hotels he thought would be good. “You could also stay at the other side of the lake, it’s not as busy there.”
“Thanks, neither of us have been there alone and I want it to be special.”
“I would tell you to take a ride on the Tahoe Queen but it’s still so cold at night. You could always order room service then go to a show. Or go to a dinner show.”
“I asked Randy about those same things. I think I just need to book it and tell him what we’re doing. He’s going to see what else we can do but he’s always working so hard I want him to have a special night.”
“Hey, you work hard too,” Shelly said, and the two of us laughed.
“I guess I’ll see what shows are available that night. I wish I’d thought of this sooner so I could have had more time to book it. I really didn’t think about things being booked up.”
“Just do what you can, he’s not going to care what you do. Only that you do it together.”
I smiled then. She was right. “It’s our first Valentine’s Day, I still can’t believe it.”
