Page 61 of Just The Way You Aren't

“I don’t suppose they write things down here?” Damien asks, bewildered.

I laugh. “Why would they? Most people who come here are regulars. They start making their orders the second they walk in the door.”

“Convenient,” he concedes. He smiles at me, and it is wide, genuine, and relaxed. “Thank you for letting me tag along with you today.” He reaches across the table and takes my hand again. “It really meant a lot to me.”

I squeeze his fingers. “You did more than tag along. You really helped.”

“I’m glad.” There’s something in his eyes that thrills and scares me at the same time.

“We did have a lot of fun, too,” I admit, adding more wattage to my smile to cover my nervousness. “I thought Mr. Fitzgerald was going to try to marry you off to his daughter.”

He laughs. “Which one?”

“Good point.” I pretend to give it serious consideration.

Billy puts our malts and Cokes in front of us. “Burgers and fries should be up soon,” he says. “Good to see you with someone, Willow. I was starting to worry about you. I’d have hooked you up with my son, but he’s an idiot.”

“I heard that!” Max shouts from the kitchen where he’s frying up our Cheesy Louiseys as we speak.

“He’s also seventeen, Billy,” I chastise him. “What would people say if I showed up at his prom?”

“They’d say he’s a lucky sonofabitch, that’s what they’d say,” Billy grunts. He looks at Damien. “You treat her right, you hear?”

It must be the five-thousandth time Damien’s heard that today, and I blush on his behalf, but he doesn’t miss a beat. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it.” Billy saunters back the way he came.

“I’m sorry about all the pressure from everybody,” I say as soon as he’s gone. “I know you’re not… I mean, I’m not sure…”

“Let’s not call it anything yet, how about that?” Damien suggests.

“I’m good with that.” I let out a breath, feeling like a teenager on a first date.

“And I like how everyone looks out for you,” he says. “It makes me less worried about your safety. Especially in this neighborhood.”

I shrug. “These are all good people.”

“I’m still going to worry.” He pushes his napkin-packed silverware away as Billy returns with two wax-paper-lined baskets. It smells amazing, and I watch Damien’s eyes go wide as he inhales the greasy, grilled goodness in front of us. “Wow, this looks incredible.”

“Better than any of that so-called gourmet crap,” Billy says with a wink at me as he hovers at our table.

Damien grunts in acknowledgment. Then he picks up his burger and starts to bite right into the Cheesy Louisey. Billy and I both cry out to stop him. “Wait!”

“That cheese is still molten,” Billy warns. “You’re gonna want to cut that burger in half.”

“Ah. Thanks.” Damien takes a leaf out of my book and cuts the burger right down the middle, letting the steaming melted cheese cool a bit.

“You’d think he never had a Cheesy Louisey before,” Billy snorts.

Damien chuckles. “Well, the two of you saved me, so that’s good.” He looks at Billy, who is watching him expectantly. “Um, can I help you with something?”

“Nah. I just want to see you take your first bite. It’ll change your life.”

Truth be told, I want to see the same thing. We both watch him.

“I feel like I’m in a fishbowl,” Damien grumbles, before he blows on his burger and takes a bite. His eyes close. “Wow. Oh my god.”

Billy grins. “What’d I tell ya? Life-changing, am I right?”

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