21. Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-One
Leo
B y the time we’re done clearing our section of sidewalk, my stomach feels like it’s about to collapse in on itself.
“I’m starving,” I tell Juliet once I toss the full trash bag into a nearby dumpster where all the volunteers are throwing away their trash.
“I ate a piece of toast before coming out here,” she says as she wraps her arms around herself, bracing herself against the wind.
I’m going to take a risk. But not as much of a risk as the other night.
“Come get a bite with me. ”
Her forehead creases. “I don’t know…”
“A burger,” I say. “From Zach’s.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Really? You know I can’t deny a burger from there.”
“I still know you pretty well,” I remind her before taking a few steps back. “What do you say? Early dinner on me.”
Juliet rolls her eyes before following me across the street. “I feel manipulated.”
Laughter rumbles in my chest as we take a right at the corner, following the familiar path to the burger restaurant that we used to go to all the time after school. “I’m that bad to be around that you call that manipulation?”
A coy expression forms on her face as she shrugs. “If it fits.”
Seven years ago, I’d bear hug her and quiet her laughter by kissing her. Now, all I can do is grin and fight every instinct in me.
I didn’t think it would be this hard. I didn’t think so many old feelings and reflexes would hit me like they do.
When we reach Zach’s Burger Bar, a diner-style restaurant with colorful tile flooring, leather booths, and a counter to sit at, we pick the same booth in the back corner that we always chose if it was available. They never play any music here, but it’s not needed.
Between the clinking and thumping in the kitchen, the employees laughing and shouting things to each other, and the chatter of patrons, the diner is always filled with noise.
“Welcome to Zach’s Burger Bar. What can I get for you?” the young waiter asks us with a notepad in his hand. He’s probably still in high school.
“Two milkshakes. One strawberry and one chocolate. And two double cheeseburgers with fries,” I tell him without a moment of hesitation.
“You got it,” he says before walking away and shouting our order to the cooks.
Juliet gives me a shocked look. “You still remember our order?”
“We only ordered the same thing a million times,” I tell her with a light laugh. “It was drilled into my brain.”
Her teeth press into her bottom lip as she smiles. “What else do you remember? ”
“We’d be here until midnight if I went through all that,” I assure her, my pulse rising as her ankle brushes mine under the table. “But I also remember that you love mushrooms on your pizza. You hate olives with a passion. And you love watermelon but hate watermelon-flavored things.”
“Impressive,” she says. “Your mind is a steel trap.”
I tilt my head at her. “Do you remember anything about me, or did you try to forget me completely?”
“It didn’t work,” she replies with a wry smile.
“I still remember that you can’t stand the color yellow.
You’re one of those weirdos who doesn’t mind cotton candy ice cream.
And you’re going to drown your burger in ketchup the moment it comes out because there’s never enough on any burger you’ve ever gotten. ”
I can’t speak at first because no words come to mind other than wow . She actually remembers things about me. Little things that barely anyone else knows or cares to know.
“Cotton candy ice cream really doesn’t taste that bad.”
She groans. “You’re so weird.”
“I think you’re being close-minded. ”
“I think I’m being reasonable,” she replies, her smile warming me all the way down to the depths of my chest. I can’t get enough of it.
Our waiter drops off our milkshakes, and I forgot just how large the glasses are.
“I can’t remember the last time I had a milkshake. Or a burger,” I admit as I dip my straw into the thick mixture of chocolate ice cream.
“What do you usually eat?” she asks before taking a long sip of her strawberry milkshake.
“Usually, I’m so busy during the day at work that I don’t have time for an actual meal until nighttime. I’ll just do a protein bar and a smoothie sometimes for lunch,” I reply. “I don’t really cook all that much. I pick something up or order takeout to my place.”
“You have to be eating more than that to look like you do.”
I cock an eyebrow at her. “And how do I look?”
Her cheeks grow pink. “Well, you have a lot of muscle. You must be eating more than 3,000 calories to maintain your physique. ”
“I eat a lot at night and on the weekends,” I say, feeling a spark of excitement at the mere sight of her blushing. It drives me crazy. “I do work out a lot.”
“I can tell,” she replies in a second before taking a long sip, her eyes dropping from mine.
“How are you single?”
Shock ripples across her face. “What?”
I shrug as casually as I can. I’m probably the last person who should be bringing this up, but I’m curious.
“I’m just surprised that you’re single,” I tell her. “From experience, I know that you’re quite the catch.”
Her face reddens as bashful laughter pours from her. “Well, I could say the same thing for you. How are you single? You’re rich and fit and…you know.”
“You know what?”
She flashes me a pointed look. “You know .”
I click my tongue in a teasing manner. “I don’t think I do.”
“You’re…hot,” she admits, her knuckles brushing her flushed cheek. “So, why are yo u single?”
“I’m just too busy with work. I don’t have time to date,” I tell her.
Plus, I haven’t had the desire to actually date anyone since we broke up, but that’s probably getting too deep.
Juliet nods. “I get that. That’s kind of my reason too. Work and Piper.”
“You’re juggling a lot. Taking care of my dad and raising Piper on your own.”
Juliet shrugs. “I’m used to it.”
“It must still be hard at times, though,” I reply. She’s most likely exhausted, but she doesn’t show it. “Piper’s dad isn’t around at all?”
Juliet visibly stiffens. “What? No…he’s…no.”
“Were you with him for a while?” I ask.
Given her age, she must’ve gotten with him soon after I left. So, how long did they last? Was it a fling? Did she fall in love with someone else after me?
I won’t lie. The thought of her moving on so fast feels like a punch to the stomach, but I don’t have any right to be upset. She only got with someone else because I turned my back on her.
Juliet makes a move that looks like a shrug and a shake of her head at the same time. She goes back to drinking her milkshake, remaining silent.
I take it that she doesn’t have a good relationship with Piper’s dad. I’d rather not spend our time together talking about another guy anyway.
Luckily, our waiter comes by with our food, dropping off two large cheeseburgers and a pile of crinkle cut fries on each plate.
“This thing is almost as big as my head,” I say as I pick up the burger with both hands, toppings nearly spilling out from under the sesame seed bun.
“Don’t drown it in ketchup yet. Just taste it as it was made,” she tells me.
“Fine. One bite.”
Laughter bubbles from her as she watches me sink my teeth into it. “Well? Still as good as you remember?”
Holy shit. I’ve gone years without this ?
“Better,” I reply after wiping my mouth with a napkin. “Damn, that’s good. Still needs more ketchup, though.”
She playfully rolls her eyes. “Insufferable.”
Deep down, I think she likes me like that.
I take off the bun and squeeze a large dollop of ketchup onto the first patty with melted American cheese on it. “Hey, I never complained when you downed our movie theater popcorn with a bucket of butter.”
She wrinkles her nose at me. “Do you like dry, flavorless popcorn?”
Amusement swells in my chest as I chew, both of us peering over our burgers at each other. Damn, this feels like old times.
I’d drive us here after school. We’d feast on our usual meal and then take a walk around downtown before heading to the estate to do homework. If there was a chance for us to spend time together, we did it.
Granted, we had to lie a lot so that no one would get suspicious .
We always told our parents that we were out with a group of friends. We didn’t want them to know that it was always just the two of us. That would’ve been too obvious.
In front of our parents, we acted like casual friends and classmates. Nothing more.
It was the furthest thing from the truth.
“This is really nice,” she tells me.
“Yeah, I was just thinking that this feels like old times.”
Her eyes soften. “Yeah, it kind of does.”
I hold her gaze, fighting every urge that’ll end with us getting too close for her comfort. I shouldn’t be getting attached either, if I’m going to leave town but that’s so hard to do when she’s right next to me.
“Juju, about the other night…”
Juliet looks away from me. “We can just forget about it, Leo. It was just one of those in the moment things. It wasn’t anything deeper than that.”
Why does she sound so defensive? She either fully believes her words or doesn’t believe them at all.
“Right,” I say, regretting even bringing it up .
Juliet sighs and sets her burger down. She dabs at the corners of her mouth with a napkin before taking a breath like she’s going to speak.
Her phone rings, cutting her off.
“It’s my babysitter,” she explains once she checks to see who’s calling.
I nod.
“Hello?” she says as she presses the phone against her ear. Her face immediately drops. “What? How high is it?”
My stomach sinks at the fear in her voice.
“I’ll be right there,” Juliet says before hanging up the phone, her eyes wide and shining. “She said Piper really doesn’t feel well. Her fever hit 102.”
I dig my wallet out of my pocket and put down enough money to cover our meal and then some. “Let’s go.”
Juliet’s hands shake as she grabs her things. “I shouldn’t have left the house. I should’ve stayed with her the entire time. ”
I place my hand on her back, guiding her toward the exit. “I’ll drive you. She’ll be okay, Juliet. You’ll see her in just a few minutes.”
Juliet doesn’t protest. As soon as we leave the restaurant, she quickens her pace, and I’m right there beside her the whole way to my car.