Page 23 of Proof
“Telepathy.” Cullen chortled.
“Maybe a meatball? No sauce, please,” Luna said. “Here’s a question for you, Gorgio—is it sauce or gravy?”
Gorgio let out a huff. “It depends who you ask. Gravy is popular in New Jersey, and sauce is popular in New York.” He shrugged. “But for me? Gravy has meat. Tomato sauce is tomato sauce. Capisce?”
Luna laughed. “So if I order marinara sauce, it’s tomato sauce?”
“It’s marinara,” Gorgio said, rolling the Rs. “And si, tomato sauce is tomato sauce. Marinara has no meat. Just tomatoes, basil, and oregano.”
“Thank you for explaining and settling the long debate.”
“Piacere, mia cara. My pleasure.” Gorgio nodded. “Anything else?”
Luna and Cullen looked at each other. “Maybe some stuffed mushrooms to start?” Cullen added.
“Va bene.” Gorgio smiled, shuffled through the group of idle canines, and retreated into the restaurant.
Luna leaned closer to Cullen. “Back to the menu. What else do you have planned?”
“I honestly have no idea. Chi-Chi has fixed plenty of Nigerian dishes for me, but I never asked what went into them.”
“Okay. So she’ll give you a list of ingredients to buy. Wine? Beer? Smoothies?”
“A lot of smoothies are made with lumpy stuff.”
“Lumpy stuff?”
“Grains, fruit, and I’m not sure what else. I checked online, and they all look too healthy.”
Luna almost spit out her beer. “Just ask her what she’d like to drink. I think you are making it much more complicated than necessary.”
“It’s because I’m nervous.” Cullen’s face reddened a bit.
“I get it. I really do. You know, today when I was looking through some of my stuff, I realized I suffered from the same kind of rejection anxiety.”
“Since when?” Cullen looked dubious.
“Since forever.” Luna pulled the orange slice from the edge of her glass and tossed it into her beer.
“You? Come on. I don’t believe it!”
“There are some things that I keep under wraps.” Luna raised her eyebrows.
“I also find that hard to believe.” Cullen leaned back into his chair.
“I know I come across as confident. And I am. About a lot of things. But when it comes to matters of the heart, I am a big chicken.”
“Yeah, but you and Chris seem to have a good relationship.” He pointed to the class ring she was wearing around her neck.
“It took a year before he kissed me.” Luna blushed.
“He was being polite.” Cullen peered over his beer mug.
“And I never gave him the green light. Not that I didn’t want him to, but I was afraid to make a move. You know, kinda like leaning in.”
“That is something I can relate to.” He looked her straight in the eye. “I am truly stunned. I would have thought you pushed him onto the ground and kissed him first!”
“How little you know me after all these years.” Luna shook her head. “Don’t think the thought didn’t occur to me, though.” Then she laughed.