Page 74 of Holiday Hook Up

He couldn’t see her dress, but her hair was pulled back off her face. She was beautiful, so much so, he couldn’t peel his eyes off the window until she was out of view. “I’m glad she’s still going,” he said.

“You know, I always rooted for you two to get together.” She laughed, adding, “That is, once you both were a little older. There’s nothing like puppy love.”

Adam turned his head in Ella’s direction. What was she implying? “Who are you talking about?”

“You and Bethany Wilson.”

“Me and LB?” He placed his napkin to the side. “Why would you think we were ever in love?”

“Well, I don’t know about you. You were pretty clueless back in the day, but Bethany, on the other hand, she was smitten a very long time ago.”

Adam pulled out his wallet to pay. She must have Bethany mixed up with Rachel. He decided to play along because he actually liked the idea of Bethany having a crush on him all those years ago, even if it wasn’t true. “Why do you think she was smitten with me?”

“Because that sweet girl would stop here every Saturday morning and hand Ralph a ten-dollar bill for one large sausage and mushroom pizza with extra garlic sauce on the side.” She nodded down to the remaining slices still left on his plate. “Your pizza.”

“She liked sausage and mushroom, too.”

“She likedyou. The pizza was for you, silly. That girl would turn over her allowance every week for two years straight to put that in your belly. She never told you?”

“No.” Ella had to be making this up. “You’re kidding?”

“Nope. She stopped coming by around . . .” She looked up at the ceiling, scrunching her eyes. “I don’t exactly remember when she stopped, but I want to say it was after you quit to go work for your father. Maybe later on that year. You started bringing a blonde in when you’d stop by on Saturdays. That’s when Ralph started to charge you.”

Rachel.He bet anything it was senior year whenhe’d started dating Rachel. And Ella was right. The free pizzas had stopped coming, but he’d had always assumed the old owner was holding a grudge for his quitting.

Adam bolted out of the booth and opened his wallet. “I’m sorry to cut our conversation short, but I’ve got to go.”

She waved off his attempt to pay. “On the house.” She winked. “From me this time.”

He slid on his coat and started to leave, but turned and threw his arms around the waitress, hoisting her high in the air. “Thank you, Ella,” he said, while twirling her around.

“For what.”

“Clarity.” He set her down and rushed out of the pizzeria, heading in the direction of the Majestic Theater.

He needed to kiss one woman fast.

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