Page 110 of Reaper

Natalie slidesinto the booth as she looks around.

“What do you think of this place?”

“Well I can’t judge the food yet obviously, but I love the look. It reminds me of an old-school diner you would see on TV.”

I scan the room and try and see it through her eyes.

The floors are black and white in a checkered pattern. There’s an old-school jukebox in the corner and records lining the top of the walls. The red faux leather seats top it off.

“Huh, I never noticed that before.”

Natalie rolls her eyes and teases. “That’s because you’re a man. You don’t pay attention to things like that.”

“Oh yeah? You don’t think I pay attention to the little things?”

“I think it depends on what it is. Do you pay attention to the things around yes? One hundred percent. Do I think you pay attention to things like furnishings that make up a room? No.”

“Hmmm…” I hum as I lean back, resting my arm along the top of the bench. “You might be right. I give absolutely zero fucks about furniture or making a house a home. But I do pay attention to the little things. Like how you nibble on your lip when you’re working on shit to help the sweetbutts, or how I know what you’re feeling when you’re reading because your emotions play across your face.”

I hear her breath catch and keep going.

“I know that in the shower, you wash your hair twice before you put in conditioner. Or that you wash your face before you brush your teeth before bed. If you fall asleep before I come to bed, you always face the door, but as soon as I get into bed, you roll over and face the wall.”

“You’ve noticed all of that?” she asks in awe.

I wink. “I told you, I pay attention to the little things.”

“Hey y’all, I’m Happy, and I’ll be your waitress today,” she says as she slides water in front of both of us. “Have you had a chance to look at the menu?”

I rattle off my order and look at Natalie.

“I’ll have what he’s having…” she mumbles, still looking caught off guard by my declaration.

“If we have kids, we aren’t giving them weird names,” I say as Happy walks away.

Natalie’s so caught off guard some water dribbles out of her mouth from the drink she just took.

“You good over there?” I tease.

Natalie glares as she wipes off her chin with a napkin. “You can’t say shit like that.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know, because I said so? Because it’s too soon?” she sputters.

“So you don’t want kids? Cool, that’s not a dealbreaker for me.”

Natalie huffs. “You’re ridiculous. I didn’t say that I didn’t want kids ever, just not right now at least.”

“Probably a good idea to wait. You need time to heal from dipshit, and I want to take you somewhere and keep you naked the entire time we’re there.”

“I-I don’t even know what to say about that.”

“Just say okay.”

“Okay.” She shakes her head. “Can we talk about something normal, please?”

“Planning our future isn’t normal?” My lips tip up at the glare she sends me. “Fine, I’ll tone it down if it makes you happy. Just know that one day we will circle back to this conversation.”

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