“Um. I’ll have what he’s having.” Romy gives me a what-the-hell look as the waitress departs.
“Don’t worry, it’s good. So, Romy, what do you do for a living?”
“I’m a software designer at Summit Insurance.”
“Sounds exciting.” Yep. Julie’s friend.
She sighs. “Don’t mock my job. It’s not exciting at all. I’m good at it though, and it pays the bills.”
“That sounds like a sorry way to live your life.”
Her lips firm. “So I’m told.”
“Hey, I’m not judging. I just think everyone should do something they love. Something they’re passionate about.”
“Well, I’ve started doing some design stuff… I opened a shop on Etsy.” She peeks up at me through her eyelashes as if she’s bashful about telling me this. “I started designing websites and doing logos, but lately I’ve been expanding into wedding stuff. Invitations, guest books, favors. It’s called Over the Moon Designs.” She bites her lip in a shy gesture that makes something weird happen in my chest.
“That’s cool. That’s what I’m talking about.”
I watch her as she talks. Her features are fine—her nose small, her chin a little pointy, her cheekbones sharp. She wears her dark hair in a shoulder-length style with bangs that emphasize big blue eyes. Those eyes are so expressive, and her face and hands are animated as she talks. There’s something about her that I can’t look away from—an energy, a glow that surrounds her. It’s an attraction I’ve never felt before, and it confuses me.
“I was always interested in design. My mom thought I should pursue a more practical career though.” She wrinkles her nose.
The waitress reappears and sets down Romy’s beer.
“Put it on my tab,” I tell her.
“Thank you. I need to get drunk.” Romy picks up the beer and downs half of it.
My eyebrows shoot up. “Oh.” This date is more interesting than I expected. I lift up my beer to toast her. “Cheers.”
She grins and her face lights up with that big, bright smile as she taps her beer against mine.
“What’s up?” I ask. “Bad day?”
“You could say that. It’s a long, long story.”
“We have all night.” Never mind my plan to knock back a drink and bolt.
“Eh. I don’t want to think about it tonight.” She lifts her chin and straightens her shoulders. “I just want to have fun.”
Well, she’s going to be disappointed in me if she’s looking for fun. I used to be the one to go to for a wild night of drinking, drugs, and partying. These days, my idea of fun is sanding woodwork or patching drywall. “Okay.”
“They have karaoke here.”
Oh hell no. “I’m not doing that.”
“Boo. Well then, we can race turtles.”
“I can’t believe that’s a thing.”
“Oh, come on? How long have you lived in Chicago?”
“My whole life,” I admit.
“And you’ve never raced turtles?”
“Nope.” It may be the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of, but something makes me zip my lips. “I guess I missed out on that rite of passage.” I had different rites of passage in my life.
“Then you really need to at least watch. Let’s go.”
What the hell. Maybe I could use a little fun too. We carry our beers to the back of the bar where the race is being set up.
“Don’t worry,” Romy says to me. “The turtles are well cared for. Believe me, if I thought they weren’t, I would be protesting to shut this down.”
“Okay.” This is goofy.
“I’ve been told they love the attention and they’re excited to race.”
I give her side-eye, although I’m totally amused by her.
The four turtles have names stuck on their shells—Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Of course.
“Who’s your favorite?” Romy asks in my ear.
“Donatello.”
“That was quick.” She shoots me a smirk. “You’ve thought about this a lot?”
“Hell yeah. When I was a kid, I always played Donatello. I liked having a big stick.”
“Oh really?” Her smile turns naughty, and her eyes gleam.
I bark out a surprised laugh. “Oh yeah.” I wink. “He’s the total package. Smart but badass kung fu skills.”
“Hmmm.”
“He’s gonna win.”
“Want to bet?” Her eyes twinkle. “I think Raphael looks pretty speedy.”
“Ha. Sure. Let’s bet. How about… when Donatello wins, I get a kiss.”
What the hell am I doing?
I think I’m… having fun.
She laughs. “From me? Or from the turtle?”
Another laugh slips out of me. I lean close enough to touch my nose to hers. “From you.”
Our eyes meet with a jolt of electricity, hers dancing with laughter and… awareness. “You’re on!”
The DJ plays some rousing music and then starts talking about each turtle as the crowds of people push forward. Romy and I are standing near the front, in a corner where we have a great view. I shift behind her because I can see over her head.
“And they’re off!”
A man lifts the plastic container off the turtles in the middle of the round track, and they start moving. Well, three of them do. Donatello doesn’t budge. I hope he’s alive. I stare at him.
Yep, he’s alive. As the other turtles meander and waddle, stop and start, his little legs begin to move. Maybe he needs a little help… a little wizardry…
Wait. What am I thinking? I don’t do that shit anymore. But for a kiss from Romy… “Go Donnie!” I shout, earning a mirthful look from Romy.
As people cheer on their turtles, creating an unholy din in the bar, Donatello sprints. Well, he shuffles.
“Look at him go!” Romy cries.
I set my hands on her shoulders as we cheer and watch the turtles mosey onward. Raphael is left in Donatello’s, er, turtle dust. The animated atmosphere infects me as I cheer on my shelled reptile. Slow and steady wins the race, and in a few minutes he’s declared the champion of the night.
“Woo-hoo!” Romy turns to me, laughing. “Donatello for the win!”
“You know what that means…” I lean closer.
Her eyelashes flutter. “I do.”
For a few seconds, I just admire her… smooth cheeks, pretty lips in a sweet, enticing curve, the warm scent of vanilla and sugar rising from her skin. Then my eyelids lower and I lean in and brush my mouth over hers. Once. Twice… and again, this time our lips clinging in a longer, sultry kiss. Heat pulses through me.
We draw apart. Our eyes meet in a protracted look laced with heat and… surprise.
She blinks.
I swallow. Well. “Another drink?” I say hoarsely.
“Sure.”
We return to our table and order another round of beers. “Okay, that was ridiculous.” I shake my head, having regained some equanimity. “But fun, I admit.”
“See? It was!”