Moments later, we were digging into the feast as if we’d never eaten before.
We ate in silence, and I knew we were thinking about the same things. How to keep each other safe from Dominic being the primary issue. I watched Brian digging into his burger and wondered what he would look like sitting at my family’s table during the holidays. Then, realizing how ridiculous that sounded, I shook my head and returned to eating my own food.
“What?” Brian asked.
“Nothing,” I replied as I took a huge bite of my sandwich so that I would have an excuse not to talk.
“Okay, just checking,” he shrugged and popped a fry in his mouth, then took a big gulp of the soda in front of him. “This food isn’t half bad, is it?”
“Mmmmph, rths not,” I mumbled through the food.
“Personally I prefer foie gras with a good pinot,” he said casually. “Well, when I could still drink pinot and not black out.”
“You what?” I said almost choking on the fry I’d just bitten into.
“What? You thought I was just a dumb musclehead?” he asked with a smile. “That I guzzled cheap beer and didn’t know the difference between pinot and cabernet?”
“No, I just…”
“You just thought I didn’t know about the finer things, did you?” he was serious now.
“I guess, if I’m honest, I didn’t think you did,” I admitted. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he said. “It’s a common mistake. No hard feelings.”
“I’m sorry, Brian,” I said more quietly, setting my sandwich down and leaning back on the couch. Between the worrying and the teasing, I’d lost my appetite.
“Ava, don’t get mad,” he said. “I’m sorry I baited you into that. It’s just that that letter really got to me. I’m not stupid.”
“No one said you were,” I replied.
“I know, but having a rich educated guy say that I’m not smart enough to be with someone like you, well…” he trailed off.
“I get it,” I said.
“Do you?”
“I mean, I don’t get it get it, but I understand why it might be something that would dig at you,” I replied.
Brian nodded as he finished off his burger, and then stared at my plate.
“Oh my God,” I laughed. “Go ahead, finish mine. I’m done.”
“You sure?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m positive. Eat it!” I laughed harder when I saw the forlorn look on his face. “You are so pathetic.”
Brian happily polished off the rest of my sandwich and all of the fries that had grown cold on my plate, then he searched the cart and found dessert hiding on the shelf under the main serving area.
“Ooooh, look at this! Chocolate cake and cheesecake!” he announced as he pulled he plates out and set them in front of me.
“None for me, I’m stuffed,” I said as I held a hand up.
“Fine, then all the more for me!” he cried as he dug in to the chocolate cake.
I watched him devour the sweets and marveled at his appetite and his ability to find the good in even the most stressful situation. He smiled as he polished off the cake and then moved on to the cheesecake.
“How can you eat all of that and not get sick?” I asked.