Chapter 21 #2
A series of shot glasses was delivered that included samples of different-flavored lemonades and iced teas. Gabe picked up
two glasses and handed one to me.
“A toast to good food and great company.”
We clicked our glasses together and sipped. I read the label on the tray. “This is kumquat lemonade.”
Gabe took a satisfying sip. “That’s properly done.”
I agreed. We tried the others. “If the drinks are like this, I can’t imagine how delicious the food is.”
“It’s old-fashioned Gullah and Southern fare. There’s usually a sampler tray. If you want, we can do that, and you can get
a little of a lot of things.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I said, literally shimmying in my chair.
It didn’t take long for the food to arrive.
When it did, we loved it. Cheddar biscuits, an orzo salad, collard-green egg rolls, fried green tomatoes topped with vinaigrette and cheese crumbles, Charleston’s famous red rice, mac and cheese, sticky chicken, and a spicy whitefish.
I was in heaven. I hadn’t had food this good in my entire lifetime.
“What are you thinking in between moans?”
Glad he hadn’t accused me of gorging, I was honest. “That I live in a city known for its cuisine and don’t eat great food
often enough.”
“Stick with me, and that’s all you’ll do. I make sure to have at least one indulgent dinner a week.”
“I cook, and so does my mother. We eat well, but clearly we need to get out.” I wiped my mouth and pushed my plate away. I
couldn’t eat another bite, yet there was sure to be dessert.
A man came to the table. Gabe popped up, and they pounded. “Alexandra, this is Avril Craig, the man who cooked this dinner.”
“You’re a genius,” I said. “Everything is so good, especially the fish dish.”
“That’s something new I learned when I was in Cuba last month.”
“Reminds me of Jamaican escovitch,” Gabe said.
“It uses the same pickling technique with some different spices.” He smiled. “Similar, as are most of the foods across the
diaspora.” Avril gave me his attention again. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Then he turned to Gabe. “It’s nice to see you with
some company, my brother.”
Gabe winked at me. “It’s nice to have someone I want to keep company with.”
“Let me know what you want to take to go, and I’ll have some prepared for you.”
I threw my hand up like a student. “The fish.”
Avril laughed. “I got you.”
“Everything,” Gabe said, pulling a folded bill from his pocket. He transferred it to Avril’s hand. They pounded again, and
Avril left us.
“I can’t believe we get to take some home. I wish my mother could taste some of it.”
“You two seem close.”
“We are. It was just the two of us, you know.”
When our server interrupted with the dessert offerings, Gabe asked that she give dessert to us to go along with the box Avril
had for us in the back.
With bags in hand, we left the event thirty minutes later.
“This was nice,” I said.
“I think you’ll like what’s next.”
“Next?”
“Surprises only,” he teased.
We got in his car and headed back to Highway 17 toward Hollywood.
Once again, freedom and youth charged my emotions. I hadn’t experienced either in a long time.
We pulled into a driveway behind a large building where four other cars were parked. A young man came out of a booth and greeted
us. Gabe told him his name. “You’re in slot eight,” he said, giving Gabe a ticket and a projector. “Let me know if you need
help with it.”
I was dying to know what we were doing but decided to wait. As we passed the other cars, I could see this was like a drive-in,
but everyone was watching their own movie.
“You are full of different ideas,” I said. “This is a whole lot more than the salmon I cooked.”
At the head of our parking space was a huge screen. Gabe reached under his seat for an iPad. While he connected it to the
projector, he explained that we were at a fresh-air theater, a new take on the drive-in.
“So what do we watch?”
“You told me that Mahogany is your favorite classic. I’ve never seen it, so . . .” He tapped on the iPad a few times.
“It inspired my writing career.”
Gabe angled toward me, putting an elbow on the console and resting his chin on his fist. “Not a book?”
My eyes were trapped in his, and the chemistry between us leveled up quickly. I fought clearing my throat before responding.
“Some books too, but mostly this movie.”
Gabe had beautiful sable-brown eyes. No one should have been so handsome and smart and interesting at the same time. It seemed
unfair.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
And I thought, Fishing. He wanted me to say him. And I almost did, because I was mesmerized. This time I did clear my throat. “I was thinking we
should start the movie.”
Gabe smiled. It was knowing, like he was sure I wasn’t thinking about the movie. Still, he broke the stare, reaching into
the back seat and pulling a bag forward. “I have popcorn and soda and water.”
I scrunched my face. “I am as full as a tick.”
“Me too, but it’s a movie. I can’t watch one without at least picking at popcorn.”
Gabe plugged in a small box and poured the already popped popcorn into a metal pan. “I don’t like it cold.”
“You are more than prepared.”