Hearts, Scars & Horseshoes

Chapter 27 - Toby

I already knew what I was getting to eat but I stared at the menu anyway. The place we were at was one of Stella's favorite restaurants so every time we came down to her school for dinner she always tried to mooch a meal off my parents. I wasn't complaining, they had some good entrees. But what I was dying to try was their seafood. The problem with that was my parents had a strict limit on entree cost per family member, theirs of course being higher than mine and Stella's. Although I noticed if she didn't come home for a while and we didn't go visit, her entree cost limit usually went up by a couple dollars. Mine didn't yet have that fluctuation and I was betting it wouldn't until I moved out.

So when I made bank on my first day at work the previous day I decided I'd take Faith there. Mostly because I wanted to order the lobster and crab cake entree and not have anyone bitch at me about the cost.

I took a drink of water, taking the opportunity to look at Faith as she studied the menu. She had pulled her hair into a braid while I was driving and she hadn't pulled it out. The braid was loose and wild, with pieces of her hair falling out here and there. It made everything about her look more carefree even with the laser focused look she wore. I glanced at the menu, noticing she was reading over the salad section.

"You don't have to get a salad." I told her. "I mean unless that's what you actually want."

She smiled sort of nervously at me, looking back down at the menu on the other page.

"I'm getting the most expensive dish on the menu, crab and lobster." I tried to reassure her I wasn't holding back either. "Get whatever you want, really."

I watched as her eyes roamed over the words, she must have found the price because her eyes widened.

"That's expensive." She commented.

I couldn't stop the laugh that fell out of me. "It's gonna be so worth it though. Do you like seafood?"

"I've never had it."

"Really?" I couldn't hold back my shock. I loved seafood, I wanted everyone else to love seafood. "You can try some of mine." Her cheeks reddened a little as she caught her lower lip in her teeth. I decided to offer some suggestions. "I normally get their pork chops which are good and their filet is awesome."

"Do you come here a lot?" She asked, her focus still on the menu.

"Stella goes to school up here, my parents usually take her out to dinner when we visit."  Faith nodded her head. "Do you like steak?"

I apparently was on a mission to find her something to order. I felt a little sweaty from nerves and I was hoping she couldn't tell.

"Yeah, but it's expensive." She said.

She had this incredulous look on her face and I laughed. I was blaming my nerves for all the laughter. I was usually never this quick to laugh at nothing.

"Live a little, get the filet. You won't be disappointed." I encouraged.

She took a hesitant breath, her gray eyes widening as they met mine. She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. It was more of that smile you throw on when someone asks if you're okay when you're no where close to okay.

"Okay. I'll get it."

"Good."

Elijah's heart was beating a little faster than necessary in my chest. I had been fighting with the urge to bring him up. The worst part was I had the perfect opportunity but the light turned green and my a/c didn't work. And true to her nature so far, my truck wanted to be as impossible as possible when it came to Faith. So when the light turned green, I had to turn my attention back to the road and the noise of the engine filled the space around us. And that was the end of my perfect opportunity. If I brought him up now, it'd seem random and forced and give me away in no time. I wasn't quite ready to ruin whatever this was becoming. Because even though I forced our encounter for a purely selfish reason, I probably would have forced it anyway even if I didn't have her brother's heart.