“I’m running behind schedule today. I guess it worked out okay,” he said, smiling.
The tray with their meals was placed on the front counter before them. Charlie picked it up and scanned the restaurant. “Where do you want to sit?” he asked her. “Up front so we can watch people go by?”
“No. I think maybe we should sit in the back.”
“Oh, I forgot. This could get you in trouble,” said Charlie.
“Yeah, I guess you could say that.”
“It’s just an innocent lunch.”
“Of course. I know that,” she said.
“Then again, I hope not,” Charlie said.
She looked down, feeling her face growing hot. “How about if we sit back here?” Abby asked, leading Charlie to the farthest corner of the restaurant, not too far from the restrooms. She figured if someone she knew came in she could dart away and hide in the ladies’ room.
“So you’d be in a lot of trouble if someone saw you right now?” Charlie asked after they’d sat down.
“Probably quite a bit,” she said.
“What kind of trouble?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. He wouldn’t like it, of course.”
“That’s too bad. You don’t deserve that.”
&n
bsp; “Thanks,” she said. “But, you know, to some degree it’s normal.”
“For your husband to be protective, you mean?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“You’re making excuses for him.”
“I’m not. Not at all,” said Abby. “What husband wants his wife having lunch with another man?”
“Some guys wouldn’t have a problem with that,” said Charlie.
“Actually, I’m not sure I ought to be talking about him.”
Charlie nodded, watching Abby as he sipped his soda. “So,” he said, after a moment, “tell me something about yourself then.”
“What do you want to know?” Abby asked.
“Well, maybe I don’t know you well enough to say this, but you don’t seem very happy. Am I right?”
Well, obviously. “We’ve been through this. I’m happy.”
“Okay. Good. Forgive me. But would you tell me if you weren’t happy?”
“Probably not, considering we barely know each other.”
He nodded and took a bite of his burger. “Why’s your husband such an asshole?” he asked with his mouth full. “Because he is an asshole, right?”
“I don’t know.”