Page 5 of The Publicity Stunt
Taken aback by her question, I struggle for words. “Uh, you could get some food? That helps—”
She cuts me off. “Food.” She springs to her feet. “Let’s get some food. I would literally die for cheese fries.”
Let’s?“There’s pizza downstairs.”
“No, not pizza,” April says. “I don’t like pizza. I want fries.”
I turn on the tap to wash my hands. “You should never say that to anyone else, but all right,” I say. “There’s a diner close by. Pretty sure they’ll provide you with fries without demanding a blood sacrifice.”
April looks at my reflection in the mirror above the sink. “You mean Susie’s?”
I dry my hands on the sides of my pants. “Yup.” The one diner in Cooperstown, New York.
Her eyes flick to the side, then back to me, hesitant. “Will you come with me?”
And the night just keeps getting better.
I turn around and arch an eyebrow. “Why?”
April shifts in her stance a little. “I can’t go by myself.”
My frown deepens and I repeat, “Why?”
“It’s a long walk.”
“It’s three blocks away,” I counter.
“It’s dark out.”
“You were ready to offer up your life for those fries a minute ago.”
April’s shoulders slacken and she takes a step forward. “Look, will you please just come with me? It’s dark and I’m a girl. If something happens to me, you don’t seem like the kind of guy who could live with the guilt. I’m just looking out for you, dude.”
I don’t even hesitate. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
April widens her eyes, arching her own eyebrow, looking at me with anticipation.
I heave a sigh. “Fine, let’s go.”
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, we’re at Susie’s, seated at a corner booth across from each other.
One of the waitresses comes over to our table, wearing a white apron over her striped blue dress. “Hi. Welcome to Susie’s. What can I get you?” she deadpans.
“Cheese fries for her.” I point at April. “And a vanilla milkshake for me.”
“Oh, can I get a coffee too? And a plate of French toast, chocolate-chip pancakes, and some buffalo wings?”
Damn.
April’s eyes flick between the two of us and she adds a soft, “Please.”
The waitress takes back our menus. “All that for just you?”
She just shrugs and says, “I’m pregnant.”
I choke on my water and the waitress shoots me a wide-eyed look. Jesus fucking Christ. “Oh, um … I didn’t …” I stutter. “It’s not mine.”
