Page 18 of Betting on the Best Friend
I pick it up and settle in. “I’m skipping two protein bars and a Cup o’ Noodles for this.”
“Side hustle keeping you too busy to grocery shop?”
“Correct.” Sneaker flipping is time-consuming, but it’s also doubled my salary.
“Party at the H-E-B.”
“Party” means Ruby is now plotting for us to go for groceries together.
I dig my burger from the bag and unwrap it, scraping my teeth against the waxy paper to get the melted cheese. Around here, it’s bad manners not to.
“The date last night was a bust,” she says.
I hide my smile behind the wrapper and nod to let her know I’m listening.
“We went to a chocolate tasting. The guy—Colton–is a personal trainer. Would only eat tiny bits of dark chocolate because the other stuff wasn’t on his ‘plan.’ He passed on truffles.” She shakes her head at me. “Truffles,Charlie. Withganache.”
“He knew he was going to a chocolate-tasting and didn’t suggest doing something else?”
“He knew, and no, he didn’t suggest anything else. I think he was trying to show off his willpower.”
“Weird flex. ‘Let me show you how sad my life is that I can’t enjoy the things in front of me.’ Was the chocolate good, at least?” I’m trying to be anti-Colton without being blatant.
“I had a Swiss dark chocolate mocha truffle that changed my life,” she says. “Not that I have a corroborating witness since my date was so disciplined.”
“You mean joy deficient.” Too far?
“His whole personality is talking about his nutrition.”
Definitely not too far then.
“Everything that would pollute his body, I love, and I’m not changing for him.” She takes a big bite of her burger.
“I’m going to need to try this truffle. I’m looking for something to believe in.”
She reaches into her purse and hands me a small box stamped with the name of the chocolatier. “I brought you one. Welcome to the cult.”
We eat in comfortable silence, Ruby handing me any crispy fries she finds because they’re my favorite. How does she not realize she’s more content polluting our bodies in camp chairs on the library lawn than being at a chocolate tasting because she’s with me? I need to point that out in a Chill Charlie way.
I finish my lunch and take a bite of the truffle. “Oh, wow.”
“Right?”
I eat the rest of the chocolate and stretch out in my chair so I can study the treetops like I’m ready to drift into a post-lunch coma. “Don’t you wish every first date could be like this?”
She gives a content hum. “Like what? Indoctrinating people into chocolate cults?”
I give a soft laugh. “No. Like easy.”Do not say comfortable. Do not use any of its synonyms. No words that could mean “boring.”“Like you can talk about anything. Ask anything. Say anything. Do you know what I mean?”
She nods. “I should pretend every date is Ava, so I don’t feel nervous.”
I try again, keeping my voice casual. “Or me. Might be easier since I’m a guy.”
“Same difference.” Her shrug hits me in the gut like a fist. “But I know what you mean. It would be great if every first date was as easy to talk to as you.”
Did I just help or hurt my goal? “You have my permission to superimpose my face on all future dates.”
“Noted. At least I don’t have a date today.” She leans back to tree gaze with a sigh.
