Tears of the Broken (25 page)

“
Not
all women consider it good manners when a guy forces her to accept
a free lunch.” I tightened the fold of my arms.

“
Oh,
really?” He looked down at me with one brow arched. “Yet, if I
neglected to wrap my jacket over your shoulders on a cold evening
I’d be regarded as a jerk.”

“
I—”

“
I’m
a gentleman, Ara. Get used to it.” He closed the door on my
retort.

David shut the engine off after we pulled up in an angled
space just outside the buzzing café on the corner. “Welcome to the
best burger joint in town,” he said with a smile.

Pink
and blue flashes highlighted the side of his face and made the
hollows of his eyes look deeper, almost menacing. With a shudder, I
looked up at the café and was reminded instantly of a painting I
saw when I was kid, one of a window-walled café, with dogs sitting
at a bar inside.

Beyond the door, the generation gap seemed to be left behind,
with kids sitting on the chrome-rimmed stools by the milk-bar,
singing loudly to Elvis songs, while others gathered around the
white billiard tables on the lower level of the café. Even the
staff, in their flaring poodle skirts and sneakers, seemed to have
jumped right out of a film set. It’s a pretty awesome place, but I
can’t go in yet. “David?”

“
Yeah.”

Looking back from the time-warp, my eyes met his. He smiled
at me softly, comfortably, as if he’d not taken his eyes off me the
whole time. “I’m sorry about the whole independence thing. I think
it’s really sweet that you’re a gentleman.”

He
nodded and took my hand delicately. “I know.”

“
You
do?”

“
Yes. I can see right through your carefully designed facade,
young lady.”

“
Oh,
really.” I leaned back in the chair, my eyes employing a defiant
glare. “And what exactly do you see, Mr. Know-it-all?”

“
I
see…”He leaned forward, his voice becoming low and deep in a
smooth, alluring way, “I see a young girl who just wants to be
loved by a man worthy of her.”

Several retorts came to mind, none of them sassy and creative
like I wished. I went with, “Aw, how romantic,” and squeezed my
fists tightly to stop from launching myself into his
arms.

“
Come. Let’s get some food.” He turned slowly and disappeared,
closing the door quietly behind him.

As I
clambered out of his car, David took my hand; the cold touch of his
fingers made my heart skip a little and blood rush up to warm my
skin. He’s colder than he was earlier, but not wintry cold like me,
just sort of cooler than most guys—like brushing up against a
leather jacket on a person who just walked into a warm
house.

“
What are you smiling at?” David asked, leaning closer to talk
over the blaring music.

“
I
was just thinking.” I looked up from our hands. “With those pointy
canines and cold hands—you could pass as a vampire.”

David laughed aloud, rolling his head back. “Better watch out
then,” he pulled me along and opened the café door, “we are on
a
dinner
date,
after all.”

“
Hm,” I said. “Guess I better order garlic then—or maybe a
steak.”

“
A
steak?” he asked, confused.

“
Yeah, you know…?” I prompted, making a stab-like motion with
an invisible stick toward my heart. “As in…a stake?”

David shook his head but a warm smile sparkled in his eyes.
The door closed behind us, and my face lit up as the
nineteen-fifties time-warp enveloped me. “You like it?” he
asked.

“
It’s great. Crowded, though.”

“
When you taste the food you’ll see why it’s so busy here.” A
cream-covered milkshake floated past me on a round tray. My stomach
groaned.

David chuckled mockingly. “I see we can’t mention the
substance of nourishment without awakening the ogre.” We slid into
a booth near the door, and David shuffled incredibly close—leaving
at least two-seats space on the other side of him while my forearm
pressed against the cold glass window.

“
H-have you seen the others yet?” I cupped my hands together
in my lap, looking down.

“
By
the pool table.” He tilted his head in their direction without
taking his eyes off me.

“
Hu,” I scoffed. “Didn’t even see them when we walked in.” I
leaned around him and watched Emily and Alana, standing close to
each other—covering their mouths and giggling at Ryan. “Are they
checking out his butt every time he takes a shot?”

Without looking at them, David nodded, smiling.

“
Do
you think we should go and say hello?” I asked.

“
No,
they’ll come over when they finish their game. For now,” he
shrugged, “I kinda like this.”

Me
too. I hope they never come over. In fact, I wish David had just
asked only me out tonight.

The
corner of David’s mouth turned up and his eyes sparkled. I spun my
face away as my cheeks burned. Sometimes I feel like he knows
exactly what I’m thinking.

“
Why
do you do that?” He cupped my chin and turned my face back to his;
my heart slapped my throat, exhilarated by his touch.

“
Do
what?” As if I don’t know. But what can I say? Because I don’t want
you to know how much you affect me? How embarrassing.

“
You
turn your face away when you blush,” he said delicately. “I wish
you wouldn’t.”

“
It’s embarrassing.” I smiled sheepishly.

“
It’s sweet.”

My
breath fluttered as our eyes locked together for an awkward moment.
Well, awkward for me—he seems perfectly at ease. David’s dimples
pressed into his cheeks and he looked down. He does that so often
it’s not even funny.

“
What?” he asked, smiling yet defensive.

“
What’s what?” I snapped out of my reverie.

“
You
were staring at me…accusingly.”

“
Oh. It’s…”It wasn’t accusingly, it
was
confusedly
.
David smiled again. “Do you have any idea how often
you
do
that
?”

“
No.” He leaned back a little, his eyes wide but soft with the
same smile. “Do what?”

Then
he did again. “That!” I pointed to his face—to the smile that seems
to hide his own private joke.

“
Oh.” He raised his head a little and dropped his smile,
keeping the smallest hint of humour hidden under his lips. “I guess
I do, maybe do that—a lot.”

I
nodded. “So, what is it? Why do you do it?”

“
You’re very observant, Ara-Rose.” With tightly closed lips,
he nodded. “I just spend too much time in my own head, that’s
all.”

“
Like me?”

“
Yeah, except…it gets pretty boring up here, so I find ways to
amuse myself.” The bright smile dropped instantly and his lost
words hung in the air as I folded my arms and stole his smile for
my own.

“
So,
am I boring you?” I asked.

“
I
didn’t mean it like th—”

“
Hey-you-two.” Emily bounced up beside the table.

“
Hey
Em.”

“
Check it out.” She inclined her head to one side in a quick
movement, hinting with her eyes.

“
Oh,
my God, you guys?” I beamed, looking at Ryan, holding hands with
Alana. “When did this happen?”

“
Well.” Ryan swept his fingers through his hair. “I kinda got
the hard word put on me.”

Alana raised her eyebrows in Emily’s direction. Emily
shrugged. “You weren’t there to talk with me about David, this
afternoon, so I had to find
something
to do.”

A
beaming smile broke out across David’s lips and he looked sideways
at me. I blinked a few extra times. Gee, thanks a lot, Emily. Now
he knows we talk about him all the time. “Well, that’s really cool,
guys.” I smiled at Alana.

“
Yeah.” Ryan shrugged. “I’m pretty happy
about it.” They slid into the booth opposite us, and Emily slid in
beside David. I wonder if she deliberately planned
that
seating
arrangement. I know she likes David, a lot, but I’m sure if she
knew how I felt she’d never try anything.

I
looked at David, nodding to himself again.

What
is he thinking?

A
waitress popped up out of nowhere, wearing a smile that could light
a dark alley—a smile aimed at David—and pulled a pen from her
ponytail. “What can I get you guys?”

David handed me the menu and I placed it back down, shaking
my head. As the others rattled off their orders, he leaned in and
whispered against my ear, “What’s wrong, Ara? Why aren’t you
ordering?”

“
I
am,” I said enthusiastically, logging the cool, minty scent of his
breath in my memory. “I just don’t need the menu.” I looked at the
waitress as a tray of burgers and fries passed her head. “I’ll have
that, thanks.”

She
turned around, then smiled when she looked back. “Okay, Betty
Burger, fries and shake?” She wrote it down and looked at
David.

“
Same.” He smiled.

“
Okay, that’ll just be a moment.” She skipped off.

David stared at me. “That’s a lot of food. Can you really eat
all that?”

Obviously, he doesn’t know me very well. “Okay then?”
Everyone at the table looked at me. “A challenge? Who can eat the
most?”

Emily shook her head. “Ew, no, sorry. Count me out. I’m on a
diet.”

My
eyes bulged. “A diet?”

“
Yeah. I mean, no, not like that.” She waved her hands around.
“It’s just a healthy eating thing—to get fit for the big game. I’m
on top of the pyramid. If I weigh too much, someone could get
hurt.”

“
Okay then. Alana?”

“
Sorry. Count me out, too. I have a really small stomach. I’ll
probably lose on the first fry.”

Ryan
grinned wildly. “I love a good challenge. You’re on, sister.” He
shook my hand, then we both looked at David, who leaned back in his
chair and linked his fingers behind his head.

“
I don’t know—” the right corner of his lip
quirked upward, “—I can eat a lot. I could probably eat
you
and not think twice
about it.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table,
titling his shoulders closer to me. “Do you think you’re up for
that kind of a challenge, little girl?”

“
Bring it on.” David extended his hand; I jammed mine against
his and drew back with a little yelp as a jolt of static shot
through my fingers. “Ow. I hate that.” I laughed, shaking my hand
in the air.

“
Sorry.” David chuckled and touched the sleeve of his thin
black sweater. “I’m wearing wool.”

“
Wool,” I exclaimed with a certain amount of accusation in my
tone. “How do you even know that’s wool—you’re a guy!”

He
leaned on his hand, resting his knuckles just beside his smile. “A
guy who knows what wool feels like.”

“
Sometimes I think you know too much for your age, David
Knight.”

“
Well, I come from a wealthy family—” he distracted himself,
swapping the salt label with the sugar one, “—Grooming and
Deportment were lessons of great significance during my
upbringing.”

“
Grooming and what?” Emily asked.

“
Etiquette classes,” I informed, leaning around David to look
at her. “I had to do them in modelling school when I was
ten.”

“
Oh.” She sat back, staring ahead
thoughtfully. “Hm, that makes sense on
so
many levels.”

Yup,
and it looks like I’m not the only one around here who thinks
David’s not quite right.

But
if he was raised like an English Lord, it makes sense why he’s
so…charming and charismatic and…otherworldly. Makes me wonder what
he’s doing here—in New England.

David and Ryan discussed, rather heatedly, their opinions on
the best guitar brands while I lost myself to thought, sliding my
finger over the condensation on my milkshake glass and swirling the
fermented chocolate syrup with my straw.

The
waitress took our plates and left the bill. David snaffled it
quickly, opened his wallet and placed a few notes on the table,
shaking his head at Ryan’s offer of money. “I’ll get this one,
guys.”

Quiet murmurs of appreciation spread over the
table.

“
Ara.” Emily leaned around David to look at me. “You’re not
human, are you? How do you eat so much?”

I
patted my flat belly and grinned. “I like my stomach to be
full.”

“
No
kidding,” she said.

“
Well, I think it’s good to see a girl eating,” Ryan said.
“Don’t you, Dave?”

“
Yeah.” He looked at me with soft eyes, then linked his
fingers through mine under the table. “Means I don’t have to be one
of those guys who’s gotta convince his girlfriend to eat. Huh!
She’ll probably eat mine t—” he stopped mid-sentence.