Page 38 of The Best Little Christmas Shop
‘OK, now be careful. The plates are hot.’
‘Thanks.’
Thefood smelled delicious and my stomach let out a growl in anticipation. Thankfully I didn’t think anyone else had heard it.
‘Ooh, sounds like you need to get that down you!’ The waitress chuckled.
I gave a half-embarrassed smile and busied myself unfolding my napkin and laying it on my lap.
‘Sorry it’s taken so long to get some food. We probably should have stopped for lunch before we saw thecar,’ Cal said.
‘Don’t be silly,’ I replied, digging into the lasagne, my mouth watering as I loaded up my fork. ‘If we had, it would have put us behind and we’d have been loading the car up in this now.’ I nodded sideways to the window. Outside the snow was falling steadily. The roads still looked clear and moving but in places that didn’t have traffic, or hadn’t been gritted, the snow was settlingquite nicely.
‘That’s true.’
‘It just means I appreciate this even more now.’
‘Well, just so you know, I’m paying.’
I waved my now empty fork at him, unable to argue with a mouthful of delicious, and very hot, lasagne.
He waved his own back at me. ‘No arguments. You’ve done more than enough today. It’s the least I can do.’
I swallowed. ‘I was happy to!’
‘And I’m happy to pay so it’s allgood.’ He took a big forkful and grinned, before his eyes widened and he put his hand over his mouth. ‘Oh shit … hot!’
