Page 25 of Roses, Pearls, and Hot Summer Nights
I swallowed hard, since my mouth had gone abruptly dry. A timely server approached and began to set plates on the table, the noise giving me a chance to rub my palms down my legs, searching for steadiness.
Barrett explained, “This is just the beginning. I ordered a lot because you didn’t tell me what you liked. I figured we could try at least a little of my favorite everythings.”
Favorite everythings.I really liked his description. What were my favorite everythings? I didn’t even know.
Curiosity had me asking him, “So what all did you order?”
He pointed toward the three plates and two bowls arriving then, the fragrant steam rising from them in tempting clouds. “That one is Miang Kham. Over there, Tom Yum Goong …” Heseemed to be indicating the soup, so I nodded. “And those are Som Tam and Gaeng Keow Wan.”
All of it looked delicious, though I doubted I could repeat the strange names if he quizzed me.
“There are still three more dishes coming.”
I blinked in surprise, glancing around at the already overflowing feast. “How much do you normally eat? There is no way I’m going to get through my half of this much.”
He grinned. “We don’t have to finish it, so don’t sweat it. Try it all, a bite or two of everything, three if you like something. You’ll love it, I promise. Or maybe you won’t, in which case we won’t come back here for our next date.”
I blinked again, shocked twice in a row. “Date?”
“Sure. You didn’t realize this was a date? Don’t worry, despite being older than you, I’m not trying to pressure you into anything you’re not ready for or anything. We’re just eating together. Afterward, we’ll catch up with my brothers, who’ve been going crazy. Later, we could go listen to some music. So, yes, this is a date.” He pointed to the food. “Give it a try.”
My appetite had fled, so I set my napkin aside. “That would make this my first date.”
“Awesome.” Then he frowned, tilting his head at me like a curious cat or other predatory animal. “I thought Julian took you to the library?”
Another couple rounded to the counter to order. I watched them for a moment, trying to buy time to organize my thoughts, blinked, then pulled my attention back to Barrett. “He did. Was that a date, too?” I thought Jeremy was kidding when he called it a date, but maybe I was the only one not in the loop.
He laughed again, but it wasn’t the kind of laugh that excluded me or made me feel smaller. Warmth suffused me, so I hid it by taking another sip of my drink. I really liked making Barrett laugh.It might end up on my favorite everythings list.Barrett said, “Poor Julian. He really blew it if you didn’t even realize it was a date. Yes, that was supposed to be a date.”
“Why? I mean … we’re friends. That’s what we decided. Well, what Jeremy insisted, anyway. We’re friends. That’s not really a date, not if we’re just friends.”
He shrugged. “They’ll settle for friends, if that’s what it takes, until they wear you down.”
I tasted one of the dishes, finding the bite of food slightly spicy but so delicious. I closed my eyes in bliss. Unknown seasonings burst, shooting pleasure to all of the best parts of my brain. Finally, I opened my eyes, focusing on the topic at hand. I waved my fork before explaining, “It’s not like I can date both of them. I couldn’t even date you, if I was dating them. That’s not how it works.”
He smirked at me before he took a sip of his iced tea. “All kinds of things work. Try that.” He pointed to the soup. “ You’ll love it.”
I did, and he was right.
The twins leanedagainst the wall on the outside of our building when we rounded the corner. Julian scrolled through his phone while Jeremy stared straight ahead, arms crossed over his chest. He jolted when he saw us, and almost in sync, Julian put his phone in his pocket. They both grinned at me before they glared at Barrett.
“All day? Really?” Jeremy pushed away from the wall. “And of course you didn’t tell us where you were, so we could join you. You also didn’t have your tracker on your phone, so we couldn’t just find you. Either would have worked. You chose neither.”
Barrett shrugged, unbothered by his brother’s animosity. “You both got alone time with her. My turn.”
Jeremy shook his head. “I didn’t.”
Julian took my hand. “Go easy on our nerdy brother?”
Is he? Nerdy?I stole a glance back at Barrett as he argued with Jeremy. Neither of them seemed actually angry, or at least Barrett wasn’t. He was kind of grinning at Jeremy. I didn’t have siblings, so I frequently didn’t get how their relationships worked. How often did they fight? Was it daily? Did they make up afterward? Did they dislike each other, or was it all for show?
I glanced back at Julian. “I did. He says we’re going to go listen to jazz now.” I rocked back on my heels, tucking my hands into my own pockets. “Also, it turns out that I like Thai food, but I don’t know what to wear to a jazz club. What should I wear?”
He reached for my hand then squeezed my fingertips. “Come on. I’ll pick something out for you.”
I lifted an eyebrow, my lips quirking into a matching smile. “You want to dress me?”
“Sure, my own personal Alatheia doll. I’m kidding. That would be weird. No, you dress yourself. I just get to tell you what to wear.”
