59. Is it Operation Lex <3 Callanthe other way around?
FIFTY-NINE
Slumping in the booth Lex guides me to, I plead, “A Dopie’s special, please. I need it five minutes ago.”
“Wow, I never knew you were so dramatic.”
Shay, elegant as ever, slides into the booth opposite me. “It’s the Russian in her. They just think they’re cool.”
As I slot my shades onto my face, I slip my middle finger along my nose and waggle it at him. “Bite me.”
“I might catch rabies.”
“Oooh, is this fighting talk I’m hearing?” Wynter sings as she takes the seat next to Shay.
As I ponder the likelihood of her having a crush on my best friend, I declare, “No fighting talk. I already won.”
“Says who?” Shay jeers.
“Says me!” I crow.
Lex taunts, “You do know that minors need adults to be with them if they’re going to eat in here.”
“I think she just called us childish, Victoria.” Shay pats his chin. “Should we be offended?”
“A hundred percent. Now, what do you want to eat?”
“Pizza. With pepperoni and jalapeno. Oh! And pineapple!” Wynter chimes in. “Orange soda for me, please.”
“I’ll have what V’s having. A coffee, too.”
“Matcha latte for me, please.”
She jots our orders down. “You guys know we’re still serving breakfast?”
“I just finished my last exam before break, Lex. I deserve a burger at 11 AM.”
“I think I failed French so yep, I need pizza.”
“I just want a burger,” Shay says with a shrug.
Snickering, Lex bustles away.
I sag into the booth once more then jump when a floating head pops up beside mine. “Vasov.”
“Morgan, goddammit. Did you have to startle me like that? I just flunked philosophy. I don’t need you adding to my anxiety. And my name’s Victoria.”
“I was thinking about your offer of a food truck.” She rests her chin on the cushioned banquette. “Maybe we can discuss it after Christmas break? My plans for Heat N Go never went past the food waste at Annenburg.”
“Hey, that was a great idea. I’m just leapfrogging off it.”
“I can fund it too. Maybe we can really get this going?”
“I worry about some of the lower-income students,” I admit.
“You and me both. So, it’s a plan?”
“Yep. After Christmas break. I’ll bring my—” Maxim’s. “—checkbook along.”
“Sounds good.”
My cell buzzes as she clambers out of her booth and heads for the exit.
Denny: That was awful. I’m so going to fail
Me: We’re at Dopie’s, commiserating about our exams
Denny: God, save me a space. I have another class to fail, then I’ll come and hang out
After recounting this to Shay and Wynter, she inquires, “When are they leaving for Florida?”
“Their flight’s tomorrow evening.” I yawn. “I hate Professor Langton. I think he’s evil. I think teaching philosophy has turned him. It’s made him think he’s God.”
“All professors have god complexes,” Wynter dismisses.
“I agree.”
I glance over my shades at Callan, who popped up from out of nowhere. “You finished your exam early.”
“Can I help it that the professor asked dumb questions that were easy to answer?”
“I didn’t find it easy,” I bemoan. “Are you going to sit down or what? You’re hurting my neck.”
“Oh, hey, Callan!”
When he jumps at Lex’s greeting then turns hot pink, Wynter, Shay, and I share a look and hide our smiles.
“Hi, Lex!” he croaks, half-turning to watch her as she sails past to serve another table.
“Callan,” I prod.
“What?” He shakes his head. “Do you want me to sit somewhere else?”
My lips part. “Huh?”
“I know I rushed through my shower this morning, but do we smell?” Wynter inserts, bemused.
Callan rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t want to impose.” He whips around again when Lex squeezes his arm. “Hi, Lex!”
“You already said that,” Shay grouses. “Sit down before she thinks you’re being weird.”
“I agree.” I lean over and yank on Callan’s hand. “Sheesh. Denny wasn’t wrong about you needing our help, huh?”
“She told you?” he squeaks.
“About Operation Callan Lex? Sure.”
“I thought it was Operation Lex Callan?” Wynter muses.
“Oh, no. The more people who know about that, the likelier it is she’ll hear about it!” He turns pale. “This is going to end in disaster.”
“Hardly. We’re keeping bigger secrets than your obvious crush,” Shay drawls with a cool flicker of a brow.
He does that so much better than I do. His goes halfway up his forehead. Mine barely twitches.
Callan’s shoulders hunch. “I’m going to die alone.”
“I’ll take pity on you,” Wynter chirps. “You can come and stay with me if you think you’re about to expire.”
He peeps at her. “You mean that?”
“Sure thing.”
When Lex comes over with our orders, she stands close to Callan.
Body language alone tells me she likes him. She gently pats his shoulder and turns toward him, a fact he’d notice if he ever looked anywhere other than over her shoulder.
Boys, honestly.
It makes me glad I’m married to Maxim, who I’m not entirely sure was a boy when he was a boy.
“The usual, Callan? Or are you having dinner for breakfast too?”
Callan pulls a face. “Who does that?”
“Your three tablemates.”
“Don’t judge me, Callan,” I gripe. “Salome kept me up all night puking and then I had the philosophy exam from hell, and I’m somehow expected to function without a burger?”
“What she said,” Wynter tacks on. “Without the puking dog or the philosophy exam. French sucked.” She bats her lashes. “Next semester, do you think you can help me out?”
“If Callan won’t, I can. At least, oral. My nanny was French so I sort of learned it. Informally.”
“Oh! We can practice together, then.” Callan beams.
“Callan?” A tick works in Lex’s jaw. “Usual order?”
I spy with my little eye… jealousy! Taking a mental note to inform Denny of this update, I watch as Callan graces the server with his full attention. “Yes, please. Thank you so much, Lex.”
“You’re welcome!”
Shay snorts. “Cool, Callan. Very cool. You need to calm down. You’ll give yourself an arrhythmia.”
“You can’t give yourself that.”
“Sure you can. If she stops by the table every couple minutes, your heart’s going to freak out.”
His eyes widen with distress, then he turns to me. “Wait, your dog’s a boy.”
“Huh? What does Salome have to do with your heart?”
“Why did you call him Salome?”
“Because I’m not calling her Charlie.”
“Fine. There are more names than Charlie,” he points out.
I fold my arms across my chest. “Take their side, why don’t you?”
His brows lift. “I’m not taking—”
“Here we are!” Lex chimes in, settling the burgers in front of Shay and me.
Callan swallows his tongue as he watches her return to the counter for Wynter’s pizza.
When she shimmies next to him on the bench after serving us, his eyes widen like he’s been electrocuted.
“Okay, so what are we talking about?”
Shay’s lips curve. “Unrequited love.”
Lex blinks. “Huh?”
Wynter elbows Shay. “Wuthering Heights. We watched it last night at Victoria and Shay’s place.”