"Look, I gotta eat or I'm gonna start to gnaw my arm off." He eyes a group of people eating lunch a few yards away from us. "And while I know you find me devastatingly handsome, the one arm thing doesn't really work for me."

I snort and roll my eyes. "First, you won't eat your arm, relax. Second, I do not find you that good looking."

Climbing to my feet he says, "So you are admitting that I'm hot. It's ok, you can say it."

There is nothing more I want to do than smack him but he's got the cutest look on his face and I find myself giggling. And I do not giggle.

"Let's go eat Casanova." I grab my purse. "There's a place just up the ways a bit."

"Finally." He sighs dramatically.

As we're walking I can't help but think about the weirdness of this day and the sudden kinship I feel towards Justin. I'll admit I do, on occasion, maybe build things up in my head to be something more then what they really are. But something about this tells me I'm wrong and this was meant to happy.

"Alright, favorite food?" He asks, taking me off guard.

"Out of all the questions in the world, you ask that?" I question him back with a laugh.

"What? I know about your family and your crazy ‘it's fate' beliefs." He says and I give him a look. "Ok, ok, sorry. Your beliefs."

"The way you beliefs like it's some sort of disease." I'm laughing.

Laughing, "Just answer the question woman."

"Hmmmm, does ice cream count?"

"Ice cream? That is not a food! If you let it sit long enough, it becomes milk. So no, not an answer. Try again."

I roll my eyes as we enter the restaurant. "French fries then."

He seems to mull that over before nodding. "I can accept that."

"Gee, thanks Mr. Thoughtful." I slide into the booth and he sit across from me. "What's yours?"

"Peas." His face is completely serious that I almost buy it.

"No, really. What is it?"

"It's really peas." He tells me. "Growing up I spent a lot of time at my grandparents' house and my grandfather always, always wanted peas with dinner to the point where I loathed the sight of them." He shrugs. "But when he passed away, I found myself eating them all the time. It just became this weird thing for me and now....." He trails off when he notices how I'm looking at him. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"No. No." I shake my head. "It's just...it's a sweet story."

He blushes a little before straightening up in the chair. He reaches out and grabs the wine menu, "So, what'll it be?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"And then he says ‘peanut butter' and jumps into the pool." Justin finishes and I'm almost in tears I'm laughing so hard.

"You're friend sounds like a winner." I wipe my eyes. The wine I've had is starting to make my head a little fuzzy and it's still mid afternoon.

He sighs with a smile. "That he is. But Trace has been there for a long as I can remember and he's like a brother to me."

"That's really nice. I don't think I can even name you five people I went to high school with." I confess.

"No? Where you the school loser?" He leans forwards, both elbows on the table. "Did they dump blue paint on you after they found your spy notebook?"

I give him a weird look. "No?" He laughs. "I just, small town, smaller school. I didn't really click with those people. So after graduation, I went to college in the biggest city I could find and now I'm here."

"Just chillin'." He grins.

"Pretty much." I return the smile.

He just eyes me from where he's sitting and I find myself feeling like a twelve year old girl whose biggest crush just admitted he likes her too. Except that is not the case here and I need to sober up before I do something stupid.

I clear my throat and lean back. Distance. Distance is good.

Maybe he senses my unease because he sits back with this smug look on his face. "What's the plan when you get home? New job? New place?"

"I um, I'm starting a new job." I tell him.

"Now there, calm down with the excitement killer."

"Har har." He laughs and reaches for his glass. "No, I'm looking forward to it. I guess."

"You guess?" He raises an eyebrow.

"It's complicated." I shift in the booth, hoping he doesn't ask too many questions. I'm not really sure why, but I don't want to get into it with him. Not now at least.

"Alright. I can take a hint." He holds up his hands in mock surrender. "How about you and me get out of here? Get some fresh air to let this buzz wear off."

I nod as he pulls out a few bills and throws them on the table. "Where to?"

"You're the tour guide, you tell me." He slips his arm over my shoulder and leads the way out of the room.

"You know?" I look up at him as he steers me down the sidewalk. "I kinda like you."

He throws his head back and laughs. "I kinda like you too."