Tides and Tidings

Chapter 28

Blythe

C harlie’s hand weaved through mine as we were escorted to a table towards the back of the diner. This place gave off the fifties– the tiles on the floor were black and white, the booths were ripped red pleather, and the lighting was horrible—but it offered a comfortable vibe.

“Have a seat, and your waitress will be right over.” The woman with the wiry gray hair motioned to the table. Two menus were plopped down on the table in front of us.

I offered up a small smile, “Thank you.”

“I don’t know if you’ll need this or not.” Charlie handed over my menu.

I opened up the menu, which was so obscenely large it had page numbers…

I scanned the page with the burgers, and my eyes locked on the San Diego. Two thinner patties with cheese, guacamole, lettuce, onion, and all the condiments. Charlie is a burger purist—cheese and ketchup only.

“What are you getting?” My eyes trailed from the closed menu on the table to the handsome man sitting in front of me.

“This menu is massive.” Charlie flipped through the twenty-page menu. “Probably a boring burger and fries.” His eyes locked on mine, “Can I guess what you’re gonna get?”

My brows raised in surprise, and I pointed to the menu. “You think you know what I’m going to order in this thing?”

A bushy eyebrow raised in response, “I have two guesses.”

“Go for it,” I challenged.

“My first guess—and one I feel the most confident in—the San Diego.”

My mouth dropped.

“Was I right?” Charlie’s eyes lit up.

I shook my head in disbelief, “ You sure did.”

“Honestly,” he shrugged his shoulders shyly, “as soon as I saw it had guacamole on it, I knew you were a goner.”

My stomach fluttered. Charlie knows everything about me. “You know me so well.”

“I’m observant…and also know what my lady likes.” Charlie lowered his voice, “Both with food and in the bedroom.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw our server on her way over to us.

“Good evenin’, y’all! How are we doin’ today?” Her brunette curls bounced against her smooth cheeks as she smiled at each of us. She was younger—fresh out of college—and had the energy I wish I still possessed. I glanced down at her name tag: Junie B.

There’s no way this girl had the same name as my favorite book series when I was a kid.

“We’re doing well, thanks.” I paused, seriously considering my next step. “Were you named after the book character?” I motioned to her name tag. I could feel my cheeks turn red.

“Which character?” Junie’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Junie B. Jones. It was a book series from the 1990s.” I confirmed.

She paused awkwardly. “I wasn’t born then.”

My stomach sank. I am officially old. I suppose now is a good time to throw one foot in the grave.

“Oh,” I plastered the best pretend smile I could on my face.

“Is this your first time here?” Junie plowed through the awkward like a champ.

I nodded, “It is.”

“Welcome!” She pulled a notepad from her apron, “What can I get ya?”

“Can I please have a water and a San Diego burger?”

“A great choice. That’s my favorite.” Junie jotted it down, “Would you like fries with it?”

My eyes went wide. If I could eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be perfectly crisp and salty fries. “That would be great. Thank you.”

She turned towards Charlie and batted her eyelashes, “And for you, handsome?”

He drummed his fingers on the table while his eyes wandered the menu for the last time. The man was utterly oblivious to her flirting. “I’ll have a double burger and fries with a sweet tea, please.”

“Anything else?” Her eyes were locked on Charlie.

“That’ll be it.” He immediately looked at me.

“I’ll get that put in for you and will be right back with your drinks.” She returned a moment later with our drinks. “Are you sure I can’t get y’all anythin’ else?” Her gaze was locked on Charlie.

“We’re good, thank you.” He replied.

My eyes went wide, and a smirk spread across my lips. “She was totally flirting with you!” I whisper yelled.

“Was she?” his head cocked to the side, a piece of his hair falling across his forehead.

“Yep. Batted her eyelashes and everything.”

“I hadn’t noticed. I was too busy trying not to laugh that she didn’t know what Junie B. Jones was.”

“Have you read any of them?”

Charlie shook his head, “No, but I had friends who did. I was a late bloomer with reading. I started around the time when the Chronicles of Narnia was popular.”

“Oooh, I liked those.”

“Me too.” Charlie reached for his phone before handing it over to me. “I think I found the first bar we should go to tonight.”

“This looks like a college bar.”

“So?” A smirk played on his lips.

“Charlie, we can’t go to a bar with college kids. We’re old now.” I playfully rolled my eyes.

“I say we do it. Unless you don’t think you can hang.” He challenged, a stupid grin spreading across his full lips.

Junie returned with our burgers, “Flag me down if ya need me!”

I looked down at the burger with the cheese dripping down the side and then locked my gaze on Charlie’s. “Let’s do it.”

He held up his sweet tea glass, and I clinked it to mine. “Atta girl!”