He held open the door for me, ushering me inside and pierced me with a look of bewilderment.
“You’re kidding me, right?” He questioned, pulling me by the hand toward the line. I lifted my eyes to the menu that hung over the counter noting that apparently I was in the Mecca of melted processed cheese. The sign even said so, cheez on anything you pleez. The line moved quickly and by the time it was our turn to order I had only made it halfway through the menu.
“You’ve really never been here?” He asked, glancing down at me.
I shook my head and Jack took charge, ordering four roast beef sandwiches with cheese, two large orders of French fries with cheese and two cups of cheese for extra dipping. He completed the meal with two freshly squeezed lemonades before paying the girl behind the counter and taking a number.
“Go grab napkins and get us a table,” he said, before leaning against the wood laminated wall.
“Aren’t you going to need help to carry all that food?” I asked, his lips smirking at my question.
“I got it, Sunshine, but if you don’t sit your pretty ass down at a table we’re going to be eating in the parking lot.”
I glanced around the packed dining area and reluctantly went in search for a table. I spotted a booth for two in the corner of the restaurant and grabbed some napkins before sliding into the tight space. I lifted my head and was about to call out to Jack when I found him staring across the restaurant at me. I pointed to the table and his lips curved slightly before giving me a quick nod.
I told myself to turn away, to break the stare but I couldn’t. What I did was wish for a glimpse into his thoughts. I wondered if they were anything like mine. Did he want to know everything about me the way I wanted to know him? Did he want to know my past and help me write my future? Probably not.
He glanced down at his ticket as they called a number. Moments later he was standing before me balancing a tray full of cheesy goodness. He set the food on the table, placing an order of cheese fries and a roast beef sandwich loaded with onions and cheese in front of me. It didn’t take us long to dig in.
I was three bites in and Jack was swallowing the last bite of his first sandwich, taking a long sip of his lemonade before he spoke.
“What do you think?” He said, motioning to the sandwich.
“It’s delicious,” I responded, licking the cheese off my thumb. “Messy, but delicious.”
“Don’t be afraid to get a little messy, Reina,” he suggested. “Messy can be good.”
I looked at him for a moment, watching as he loaded his fork with fries and shoved them into his mouth.
“You look like you’re in Heaven right now,” I joked. “Bet I could get you to do anything right now.”
“I don’t know about anything…” he said, taking a sip of his drink. Leaning back against the booth and stretching his arms across the back, he asked, “What is it you’re looking for, Reina?”
“Let’s play a game, we each tell one another two truths and one lie. If the other can guess which one is the lie they win,” I suggested, taking a bite of my sandwich.
“And what does the winner get?” He questioned, narrowing his eyes at me.
“A scar,” I murmured.
“And if we both guess correctly?”
“Then it’s going to be a long night,” I answered simply.
“It’s going to be a long night anyway,” he said huskily, his eyes dropping to my breasts. “Christ, Reina you look good enough to eat,” he growled, before leaning forward. “All right, let’s get this over with.”
“Really?” I asked. “Okay, okay, you first,” I demanded, pushing aside the food and giving him my undivided attention.
He ran his fingers through his hair and the lines that marked the corners of his eyes became more profound as he squinted. Then he went perfectly still as he decided which truth he’d share.
“I served ten months in Ryker’s three years ago,” he began, holding his index finger in the air, signaling that was the first admission. “I used to have a drug problem,” he added, lifting his middle finger up, indicating two. He cleared his throat, cocked his head to the side slightly as his eyes bore into mine. “Had a brother once.” He brought his thumb up to join the other two fingers. “There’s your three, Sunshine.”
I frowned. “You suck at this Jack, two is definitely the lie,” I said, taking a slurping sip of the lemonade.
“You sure about that?” He asked, his eyes darkening as they looked at me.
I pulled the straw from my lips and placed the plastic cup back on the table and leaned forward, meeting his wary eyes.
“I’m sure as the day is long that you’ve been arrested more than once, and with that being said odds are you’ve been to jail,” I remarked.
“How perceptive of you,” he grunted.
“And you’ve got a band of brothers, albeit some of them are quite despicable, that Wolf guy? I’m not a fan,” I said, curling my lip.
Jack’s features relaxed and he leaned forward, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear as his gaze softened.