Love Has The Best Intentions Read Free Page A

I giggled too,
reminded of my next requirement and started to write again. “Good
with kids—I want a big family.”
    I thought we were talking about a date, not a
commitment.” Jenny scowled at the choices on the order blank. “No
pineapple. They don’t offer many low fat options.”
    “Not low fat, but life long,” I whispered.
“Like the type of marriage my parents experienced.”
    “Okay, I’m out of here.” Jenny stood up and
shook back her hair with an impatient gesture. “If I decide to eat
three kinds of cheese and bacon on my pizza, I’m gonna do it some
place where they don’t announce my choices to the world—”
    When she sank back down, her mouth slightly
open, I realized she must have caught sight of Nicky at the
microphone.
    I scribbled down my final item. “Eyes a rich
espresso brown.”
    The man’s husky baritone cut through the
chatter. “Who’s got #31? Hint: it’s a pie Popeye would love!”
    At a corner table, a couple waved to the room
at large. “Spinach pizza. I yam what I yam!” the guy hollered
amidst a fresh burst of laughter.
    I snatched up another slip and with quick
slashes checked the boxes for my usual order. Nicky’s sister
appeared at our table just as the door opened again, the wind
swirling our slips and a napkin to the floor. I dove for the orders
and handed them over to Mara, crumpling my wish list in my other
hand.
    Nicky continued to entertain the patrons with
his good natured comments while I pretended not to watch and
clutched my “order”. If only I had the guts to talk to him. If only
Nicky would notice me watching him ...
    Then Mara, a smile teasing her lips, handed
the next slip to her brother, who announced, “#38’s ready—and, wow!
Listen up, folks, someone’s ordered a great smile, a person equally
good with kids and numbers, and they’re looking for a lifetime
commitment and dark brown eyes. And they want it ‘to go’. Sounds
like we’ve got a marriage proposal here tonight, folks!”
    Everyone applauded, along whistles and
shouts. Mara smiled at me while I sat as stiff as a wooden artifact
in a museum, thoughts flashing like traffic signals in my brain.
She must have recognized my writing, remembered me handing the slip
to her. No. Not possible. I must be asleep; this had turned into a
nightmare.
    Nicky flashed that grin at the now silent
crowd, everyone craning their necks to see who was about to go down
on bended knee.
    Jenny, traitorous Jenny, gestured at me.
“Over here, over here!”
    I hated her.
    Nick ignored her piping voice. “Now speak up,
who’s the romantic fellow—”
    He broke off when his sister grabbed his
sleeve, gestured in my direction and whispered in his ear. Nicky
stared at the order again before his shocked gaze met mine. I
gasped, unfolding the wadded paper in my fist. Oh, no! I was
holding my actual pizza order, not my wish list.
    Jenny burst out laughing. Covering my face
with my fingers, I wanted to sink under the table and die, in no
particular order.
    After an eternity, someone gently moved my
hands; I stared into espresso dark eyes. The restaurant noise faded
as the world shrunk to just Nicky and me.
    “Our advertising promises that we’ll serve
exactly what the customer orders. Shall we discuss your special
specifications?”
    A shiver ran through my body as he brushed a
strand of hair back from my face and plucked my regular order from
my nerveless fingers, replacing it with my wishes and wants.
    I gulped and stuttered, frozen in fear. Then
Nicky smiled the smile I adored, the one that makes me weak in the
knees.
    I wanted to tell him how much I’d longed to
talk to him, how his smiles had warmed my lonely heart. Then from
somewhere I got the courage to pick up the shaker of parmesan
flakes and sprinkle it on his dark curls.
    “If you recall, my usual order calls for
extra cheese.” He chuckled and I couldn’t stop an answering smile
from stretching my lips. “Let’s go for coffee at the diner