23. EMMA
Sterling and I are right on track with the final two fundraising events. We finished organizing all the items up for bid for the silent auction the other night. And I hand delivered the invitations yesterday while he was at work.
So, today I’m taking a break to have lunch with Peter and Linda. I haven’t gotten to spend very much time with Linda over the years, but she has always been great. She’s the perfect complement to Peter. The ying to his yang.
Peter can be pretty serious sometimes, but Linda’s lighthearted and helps him loosen up. She’s witty and kind and since I don’t live here, it’s great to know that he always has her by his side.
I suggested ”Top This! Pizzeria” for lunch and they agreed. Nobody can turn down a good pie. I can’t believe I’m admitting this, but the Reuben pizza I had with the girls last week was phenomenal. I need to have it again.
Peter and Linda walk by the front window, and I wave at them as they head for the front door. I’m in a booth, and Peter has just started to slide in on the other side when Linda decides to slam into him like they’re player roller derby instead of just sitting down to eat. His curly blonde hair flops to the side as his shoulder rams into the wall, but he just turns to her and starts laughing. They’re adorable.
No one but Linda could get away with that, not even Sterling. “Oops,” Linda says. “I guess I don’t know my own strength. Sorry, sweetheart.” She gives him a peck on the cheek.
“No problem, maybe stay out of the weight room.” He gives her a kiss right back.
Oh, newlyweds. So stinking cute.
The funniest part of all of it is Linda is no more than five foot one and a hundred and ten pounds, but she’s a spitfire and loves pushing Peter’s buttons. She’s got bright blue eyes and wears her dark hair in a ponytail most of the time, like she’s always ready for action.
I think Peter said she played soccer in high school, and she definitely still has tons of energy. I’m thankful for such a great sister-in-law.
When the action settles down, they take a look at the menu. No need for me look. I’m team Reuben all the way.
“You guys should really try the Reuben pizza, it’s amazing.” I point to the special on the menu.
Peter reads it over then answers, “That’s a hard pass. Sauerkraut and thousand island dressing... No way.”
“That’s why I thought too, but it’s so good.”
I look at Linda.
“I’ll try it.” She’s always up for adventure.
“I’m putting you in charge of making him take at least one ‘no thank you’ bite.” She gives me a thumbs up. That’s why they make a good pair. He needs her to bring him out of his shell sometimes. I guarantee she gets him to taste it.
The waitress comes to take our order. Peter gets plain cheese. Boring. But Linda opts for the ”Peanut Butter and Jelly Surprise.” She’s so fun. I’m definitely going to try a bite of that.
As we wait for the food, Linda asks about the fundraiser. She was just coming home from work the other night when Sterling and I were leaving, so we didn’t get to chat.
“Everything is going so well. There’s not much left to do. The concert date is set, the band is booked, and we only have a few tickets left before we’re completely sold out.”
I feel my excitement bubbling up as I talk about it.
“And I donated the world’s best silent auction item. You’re welcome,” Peter jokes.
“Yes, you did, according to you.” I smile at him.
“Do you need help with anything else?” Linda asks.
“Actually, yes. A member from the country club is decorating for the silent auction, but she said we needed to bring some volunteers to help. Would you be interested in that?”
She raises a hand for a high five. “You got it!” Everything she does has so much energy. I’d like to bottle some of it.
“Great. Thanks so much for your help. I’ll get you the details when it gets a little closer.” She nods.
Peter changes the subject. “I talked to Sterling yesterday. He mentioned something about Dean showing up at our house?”
I forgot I never told Peter about it. Got a little distracted.
“Oh, yep. Said he wanted to get back together. I said no, obviously, but he wouldn’t leave. Thankfully Sterling came to my rescue.”
“Awww,” Linda chimes in. “Isn’t he the best? Did you reward him for his service?” She gives me a wink.
Peter gives her a sideways glance.
Where to go with that question. I don’t like to lie. Technically he rewarded me first, I think. So, I might be safe to say “no.”
In instances like these, I think silence is the best choice, so I say nothing.
Peter gives me a questioning look. “I thought you’d decided to slow things down with Sterling. Ow.” He looks at Linda.
She clearly kicked him under the table. Did I mention how much I like her?
“It’s okay, Linda. Yes, we did talk about that. I took your advice. We’re trying to just stay friends right now.”
“Trying?” he asks. Then he lets out another, “Ow.” He grits his teeth while attempting to form a smile. “That’s really starting to hurt, sweetheart.”
I’m saved by the arrival of the food. Reuben pizza, let’s do this thing. The waitress starts to put the Reuben down in front of Peter. He immediately points at me. “Oh no, that goes over there, please.”
Linda and I laugh.
Thankfully, the pizza is so good that no one talks for a while as we devour it. When I have just two pieces left, I speak up. “Okay, one for each of you. And I wouldn’t mind a bite of that ”PB J” please, Linda. That looks tasty.”
Linda and I trade slices. Then I put my last piece over on Peter’s plate. He waves a hand at me. “Not happening. I can’t stand sauerkraut.”
“It doesn’t really taste like sauerkraut. Just try it.”
“Sauerkraut doesn’t really taste like sauerkraut. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” he says playfully.
He may be right. Sauerkraut always tastes like sauerkraut. There’s no disguising it.
Linda bats her eyelashes at him as she picks up his slice. “For me? Just try a teeny tiny little bite.”
He rubs his face, then looks at me. “Never get married, Emma. You lose all control over your decision-making rights, particularly when your spouse is an absolute knock out.”
Peter holds his nose and closes his eyes as Linda starts to move the slice toward his mouth.
What a baby.
“You’re gonna have to open your mouth, Peter, unless you’d like me to do it for you,” Linda teases.
Peter’s eyes pop open and he cocks his head at her, clearly intrigued by her suggestion. Geez, I feel like I should leave them alone. Offering them slices of my pizza wasn’t supposed to take things in this direction.
“Just open,” I say. “I’m gonna throw up over here.” Linda giggles at my dramatics.
Peter closes his eyes again and opens his mouth just enough for her to give him a bite. He chews slowly, refusing to swallow, like she’s just given him a skunk sandwich.
But after about thirty seconds, his eyes open wide and he’s got a smirk on his face. “Not bad,” he says.
“See, I told you.”
Linda takes his slice and moves it toward her mouth to get her own taste. Peter playfully slaps her hand. “Nope, that’s mine.” Then he grabs it from her and shovels it into his mouth, barely stopping to breathe.
Linda and I howl. He’s got thousand island dressing everywhere and corned beef is falling off the slice and onto his lap. And is that sauerkraut on his neck? It is. Doesn’t look as appetizing when it’s on your skin.
Linda and I both notice the cabbage necklace he’s wearing, but we give each other a look that says neither of us are going to say anything.
He downs the slice in less than a minute, then turns and points to Linda’s plate. “You gonna eat that?”
She hands it over. Guess Peter’s found his new favorite pizza.
He only needs another thirty seconds to finish it, and then we grab our checks and head to the front to pay. When we hit the sidewalk outside, I turn to them, “Well, this was fun! Thanks for coming, you guys.”
I hug them both, making sure I choose the side of Peter that does not have the remnants of the Reuben clinging to it. “I’ll let you know about setting up for the silent auction, Linda.”
She gives me a thumbs up. They both wave goodbye and I head to my car.
But before I get in, I think back to Linda’s question, “Did you reward him for his service?”
Now I’m not going to do what she was alluding to, but I would like to thank him.
So I’m going to grab him some food from his favorite spot in town. And this time when I see him, I’ll make sure I keep a safe distance from his lips.