Play It Safe(27)

He knew everybody and they knew him. Thus the called out greetings. He also got a lot of smiles, head tips (women), chin jerks (men) and waves (kids).

I just got a lot of looks and every last one was curious. Friendly, but curious.

Except for a few of the younger women. Their looks were minus the friendly.

Gray led me to the last table where there were two seats available at the end of the benches, the rest of the table full.

I slid on the bench across from Gray thinking I couldn’t do this.

I could hustle big, bad, bearded bikers who could break me in two, take their money and clear out of town with Casey driving, gun in his hand, me riding, my baseball bat in mine but this…this I couldn’t do.

But I had no choice. I was there so I had to find a way to do it.

I took off my coat feeling self-conscious. Janie said I didn’t have to change. But I had a tank that had some nice lace at the top and my cardigan was kind of cute. So I’d put both on. I’d also refreshed my makeup and perfume. I’d lastly added a couple of pretty necklaces and some bigger than usual earrings. It wasn’t much but it said something and Gray deserved to have a girl open the door to him who made an effort.

So I made that effort.

And, looking around, no one was in ballroom gowns. In fact, even though it wasn’t much, I was dressed better than most.

This gave me relief.

Gray had on what I’d seen him in this morning and afternoon. Dark blue turtleneck, jeans, boots. He didn’t look any different at all.

He didn’t need to. Gray Cody didn’t need to make any effort. He was naturally spectacular.

He shrugged off his leather coat, unwrapped his scarf and, like me, tucked it on the bench between himself and the person next to him.

“Hey, Gray,” we heard and I watched his eyes go down the table where more greetings were being called.

He did a chin lift then introduced, “Folks, this is Ivey.”

I lifted a hand, looked down the table as a whole and gave a lame wave.

Then I realized it probably looked lame so I dropped it and tucked both between my thighs. As I did this, I took in a bunch of curious, friendly looks, smiles and a few greetings.

Then, to my surprise, that was it. They turned to each other or their meals.

Giving us privacy (kind of).

Wow. That was nice.

“Evenin’ Gray, hello beautiful creature that embodies the reason I put my ass on the line for this country,” I heard, my eyes grew wide, my head turned to the gravelly voice and I tipped it back to look at an old guy standing by our table to see him looking down at me. “Gray knows the drill. Gray gets a T-bone, rare, potato, loaded and loses the veggies. I gotta know about you. You want a T-bone, which, little thing like you, will kick your ass. A strip, which I recommend. A fillet, which melts in your mouth but there ain’t much to it. Or a sirloin, which is okay, still recommend the strip.”

“Uh…then, I’ll um, go for the strip,” I told him.

“Right, then how you want it cooked?”

“Medium rare,” I ordered.

“Pansy but you’re a girl, I’ll let that slide.”

My eyes got wider.

He kept speaking.

“Baked potato or fries and before you waste my time, a loaded potato comes with butter, salt and pepper, sour cream and chives. If you’re gonna eat a potato, I won’t like you if you don’t get it loaded.”

My eyes got even wider.

“Okay, then potato. Loaded.”

I mean, what else could I say?

Still, truth be told, I wanted it loaded.

“You want veggies?” he asked.

“Uh…sure?” I asked back.

“Women, they eat the veggies and/or make their kids eat ‘em. Men are men ‘cause they got out from under their Momma’s thumb and can say a big ‘eff you to vegetables. I carry no judgment, a woman wants her veggies,” he informed me.

“Well, that’s good,” I muttered.

“Still, you could bust my chops, order a steak well-done, a potato plain and ask me to steam the veggies and I’d do it for you ‘cause you’re just that beautiful.”

Wow.

“Thanks,” I whispered.

“Though, that said, it’d still be a pain in my ass.”

I heard Gray chuckle and I liked it, I liked seeing his face when he was amused but I couldn’t tear my eyes off this guy.

“Sonny,” a female from down the table called, “there’s children present.”

Sonny, our unusual waiter, looked down the table and asked, “My seed make that kid?”

I heard Gray chuckle again as my eyes got even wider.

“Of course not!” she cried, offended.

“Then do I care?” Sonny fired back.

I pressed my lips together. Gray’s chuckle became laughter.

“Honestly!” the woman huffed.

“That’s about it,” Sonny muttered then without another word he took off.

I watched him go then my eyes dazedly drifted back to Gray to see the dimple on full display which did nothing to assist my daze.

“Sonny’s a character,” he pointed out the obvious.

“I think I got that,” I returned the favor.

His dimple pressed deeper.

Seeing that, my mind became consumed with the hope that this date would end with a kiss.