Page 28 of Mission: Possible

Chapter Seven

Solomon was already seated at a table next to the window when I arrived. He was sipping from a plain mug. I leaned in to kiss him and give him a quick hug before I took the seat opposite. "Did you order already?" I asked.

Solomon shook his head. "Just coffee. I thought I'd wait for you."

"You just want to know what I'm going to order."

"I might want to eat yours too. I'm hungry."

"Busy day?"

"A day without enough snacks."

"Rough." I nodded sympathetically as I picked up the menu, browsing it and mentally choosing seven plates. If I came back every day for a week, I could eat them all. If Solomon picked one, and I ate half of it and picked a different one, I could reduce the amount of visits to five. Not for the first time in my life, I realized math really was quite useful in the real world.

When the waitress arrived, Solomon ordered a burger and fries and I ordered the same plus a coffee, as I redid my mental math. I was pretty sure my initial equation was wrong, so what the hell? I just had to return more often.

"That's a look of pure concentration on your face. What are you thinking about?" asked Solomon.

"Food."

"You are such a Graves," he said.

"Speaking of family, we haven't discussed Mom and Dad's pasta party. What should we bring?"

"Pasta?"

I rolled my eyes. "That's a given. Do we make a special sauce? Or bring a side dish? I could make pasta from scratch?"

A smile played on Solomon's lips. "Can you do that?" he asked.

"No."

"Do you have time?"

"No."

"Then, how were you planning to make it?"

"There's a new Italian deli two blocks from the house that makes it. The owner's father is from Sicily and he only shouts in Italian but he understands some English. If I walk there, I’ll cover the effort part. Just don't tell anyone."

"I've got your back," said Solomon, smiling now. "I'll make that spicy sausage sauce you like."

I beamed at him. "We've nailed married life."

"Absolutely." We paused as our food was delivered and for a few minutes allowed the busy sounds of the late lunch crowd to wash over us. "Where are you with the bank case?" I asked.

"It completely perplexes me."

"Sounds about right."

"I can't imagine how Charlie Sampson expects us to solve it. I feel like he wants us to wear blindfolds and handcuffs before trying to make our way through a maze."

Until Solomon mentioned a maze, that sounded exciting. "So you're turning him down after all?" I wondered.

"I agreed to take it. It might be the most challenging thing we've done to date."

"Remember that time we took down a serial killer?" I reminded him.