“Whoa.” Nate grabs my arm again. “You have to do better than that.”
I shrug, “What?”
“You realize you’re stalking this girl.”
“I am not stalking her. I’m not the stalker type.”
My brothers eyes are lit with amusement. “Do you think stalkers know they’re stalkers?”
“Yes. In their hearts, they absolutely know it.” I smack his chest with the back of my knuckles. “Do you think I’m a stalker?”
“If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s a duck.”
Heading for the entrance I mutter, “Don’t even get me started on ducks right now.” It’s even darker inside The Vortex than it is outside. As we make our way to the host stand, skipping the line since we know everyone that works here, I tell him, “The intent is different. It’s all about intent.”
“What is yours?”
I throw him a look, “To punch you in the face if you don’t fucking stop it.”
He laughs and backs off as I greet Misty and Pietro. “You guys got a table opening up?”
Misty says, “Hey Wyatt. Yeah, in about five minutes? That work?”
I’m scanning for Diana but can’t see her. Then her voice comes up behind me.
“Still cutting to the front of the line I see.”
A smile tugs at my lips, caught, and I turn around. “How do you know I’m cutting? Where’s your date?”
I saw the peachy-pinky-whatever-color dress from afar, but now that I’m up close, it’s a greater impact. The color is perfect for Diana. No longer drowned by nature, she’s really beautiful. “You’re not on duty anymore, no more excuse. What is so important that you get your burger before everybody else does?” Her glance flicks to my brother.
“You didn’t answer my question, Diana.”
“Am I under oath?”
I look around for her date since she won’t tell me, and see him returning from the bathroom. They haven’t even sat down yet, looks like. That’s how she knows I’m cutting the line. I meet her eyes, both of us knowing that I finally figured this out. A pretty grin spreads on her face and Nathan says, “This is interesting,” under his breath.
Pietro pulls two menus from the shelf. “Wyatt, one just opened up. Why don’t you take it?”
As Diana’s mediocre date passes me, I raise my voice. “Sure, I’m starving. Let’s eat.”
Nate chuckles and follows me as Diana makes a shocked sound.
The restaurant is funky memorabilia, old license plates, motorcycle hanging from the ceiling — A real one, not plastic. There’s a shark whose origin I’m not so sure about. Never thought to ask if it was authentic.
Nathan and I sit at one of the wood tables that haven’t been replaced since we were born. The tops are carved into by people who desired a degree of infamy in perpetuity. The napkins are paper. Condiments are in a tray, choices almost endless. Don’t have what you want here they have it in the back.
All I know is that there is a mushroom burger with my name on it. And a woman over there who will call out my name.
Misty walks by.
“Hey, can you put that couple somewhere near us?”
She follows my point. “The one you were just talking to? Sure, I can try. No guarantees.”
“Thanks. Do your best.”
“Tell Zoe I’m still madly in love with her.”
Nathan watches Misty sashays away, all curves and unavailability. “Hot.”
“I don’t want to think about it with my sister, when she says stuff like that.”
“Our sister. And I didn’t mean her and Zoe. I meant just her. Bummer she’s not into guys.”
“I’m older than you. Everything is mine first.”
“Who decides?”
“Not you,” I smirk to the menu despite having it memorized. “Oh hell yes. I forgot they have plantains. Here I thought it was useless looking at this thing. Happy day.” I lay it down, gaze drifting back to Diana. Our eyes lock and she looks away quickly, mid sentence.
She was watching me.
First.
Nice.
Nathan closes his menu and leans back in the wooden chair, pulling out his lighter and flicking it while he surveys our surroundings. “So your girl was flirting with you back there. I don't think her date has her interest. But you have.”
“I noticed that.” Misty is walking over to get them and I glance over to discover a busboy clearing the table to our diagonal left.
“Wy, I needed this.”
My gaze switches to him. “Rough day?”
“I didn’t have the fun you apparently had.” Our waiter walks up. “Hey Ronnie, can I get a Sweetwater, and just a regular cheeseburger?”
She smiles, “Creature of habit, Nate.”
His gaze has weight as he answers, “Rituals ground me.”
“And you Wyatt?” She doesn’t need a pad of paper, because Ronnie has been here for six years. She’s got two kids at home and likes the flexible shifts, the quick money, and not having to ever look at her watch as time quickly ticks. I know this because we had a brief fling a few months back. She confided in me all the reasons why working in a restaurant meets her needs perfectly. I understood, since our parents owned two. They sold the final one when Nate went to college. Now they travel and do whatever the hell they want to do. They earned it.
“Hey Ronnie, looking good.”
“You too, Wy,” she smiles.
“I’ll have a mushroom burger, double fries. Give me a shake and a beer. Your pick on both. But make sure they come together, will ya? Bottle, not draft.”
“And before your meal,” she winks since she knows this is my normal M.O, and heads off saying, “I got you.”
Nate waits until the crowd devours her before asking, “You think Ronnie is going to mind your flirting with Diana while she’s on a date with some dude?” He relaxes back more like I’m the best show in town, legs spread, real comfortable.
I match his posture and kick his boot. “Ronnie is banging one of the cooks. So no.”
“You’re underestimating Ronnie. The girl
