Page 57 of Love By The Falls

I nod, recalling how he landed his dream job while I was in my dorm readingWhat to Expect When You’re Expecting.

“How are your parents?”

“Fine.”

“They’re still not talking to me, you know.”

I shrug. “You never gave them much of a reason after you left.”

Jason sighs and looks at Charlie, whose eyes bounce from my face to Jason’s.

“How was your sister’s wedding? It was a few weeks ago, right?”

“Yes.” A smile returns to his face. “It was great. Her husband’s a good guy and my parents are happy that one of us has settled down.”

“That’s nice,” I say, looking around the restaurant, unsure what else to talk about.

The server walks up to our table, wearing all black with a black apron and her hair tied in a bun. “Are you ready to order?”

“Yes,” says Jason. “I’ll have the prime rib and a Caesar salad to start.” He sets his menu down andsmiles at me and Charlie. I don’t know why it bothers me that he ordered first, but it does. Everything he does irritates me and I can’t help it.

“Charlie, what are you thinking?” I ask.

“Um… can I start with the… uh…”

The menu doesn’t have some of his favorites like nachos, so I suggest the fried calamari. “Okay, I’ll try those. And then I’ll have the New York steak.”

The server turns to me. “And for you, ma’am?”

“I’ll have your Cobb salad with grilled chicken, please.”

She takes our menus and walks away.

“So, have you seen Casey since he joined the majors?”

I clasp my hands in my lap. Small talk is painful. “I’m sure you’ve heard that he hasn’t been back since college.”

“Yeah, but I asked if you’ve seen him.”

“Yes. He’s invited a few of us to watch his games.”

Jason takes another sip of his drink, grimacing afterward. “Casey and I used to be great friends until…” He looks at me suspiciously, but I glare at him, willing him to say something, but he doesn’t.

“Charlie, please go wash your hands before the meal arrives.”

Without argument, thank God, Charlie gets up to go to the bathroom.

“What are we doing here?” I ask Jason.

His eyebrows press together. “We’re having dinner, Charlotte. Obviously.”

“I thought you wanted some uninterrupted time with Charlie, but this whole time you’ve not once spoken to him.”

“Jesus. I didn’t realize you were judging my every word. This is new to me, you know. I don’t even know what to say.”

“Ask him about school, his teacher, his friends. Ask him about baseball, or who his favorite player is. It’s not that hard, Jason.”

He crosses his arms but then drops them when he realizes his posture. “Fine.”

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