The waitress looked surprised. “I’m sorry about that.” She hurried to the front reception area, glared at the hostess, and returned with two menus. “Our special today is rib-eye with our special mashed potatoes. The soup is clam chowder, and I have to tell y
ou it’s delicious.”
“Oh, I love rib-eye,” Holly said, cracking open her menu.
“While I let you look at the menu, can I get you any drinks?” the waitress asked.
Nathan glanced over at Holly, expecting to see her mouth watering as she looked at the menu. He knew the hot chocolate was on the first page. Instead she looked like she might be sick.
“Just water for me, please,” Holly said quickly. Nathan frowned.
“What about the hot chocolate?” he asked her.
“Just water, please,” Holly repeated to the waitress.
“Well, I’ll take a hot chocolate,” Nathan said. “And a glass of water, too, please.”
The waitress smiled and nodded before heading off to the kitchen.
“You okay?” Nathan asked once the waitress was gone.
She swallowed hard as she looked at the menu. “Maybe we could just get drinks here, and food down at the lodge.”
“But you only ordered water,” Nathan reminded her.
“Right.” Her forehead was creased and eyebrows drawn. “I’m actually not very hungry.”
He seemed to remember her saying she was hungry when she asked him to lunch. What had changed?
“What’s wrong?” he asked her, more gently this time. He reached out and touched her hand.
She pulled away, setting the menu down. She stayed quiet for a moment, shame painted clearly on her face.
“I know I said I’d buy lunch, but... I can’t afford this.” He almost didn’t hear her she was so quiet. She smoothed her hair back and took a deep breath. Her green eyes wouldn’t meet his. “I don’t have enough money to pay for lunch here. It's too expensive.”
Nathan sat speechless for a moment. He looked down at the menu and looked at the prices for the first time.
The hot chocolate was expensive. The rib-eye was absurdly marked up. Even just a simple side-salad cost more than a full meal at a regular steakhouse.
“I know I said I’d pay for lunch,” Holly said, filling the silence. Her voice cracked slightly. “But, with Christmas in less than two weeks... and I don’t get paid until the end of the month...”
Nathan felt like an idiot. He was the one who’d suggested the mountaintop restaurant. He looked over at Holly, seeing her well-worn sweater and lack of jewelry for the first time. Her jacket wasn’t designer. Her snow-pants had a tear in the knee and didn’t really match the jacket.
“Here’s that hot chocolate,” the waitress said, setting down a steaming cup of delicious liquid in front of him. From the corner of his eye, he could see Holly shy away, doing the mental math in her head at the cost.
“The lady needs a hot chocolate,” he told the waitress. “And we'll each have the special with soup.” He looked over at Holly’s wide eyes. “I’m paying.”
Holly sat with her mouth hanging open.
“I’ll be right back with that,” the waitress replied, taking their menus.
“You don’t have to do this,” Holly stammered. “Really, it’s not necessary.”
“I’m paying for lunch,” Nathan said firmly. “I suggested it. My treat.”
“It’s so much,” she whispered, looking down at the table. “You really don’t have to.”
“I want to. Besides, I get a discount here.”