“Good thinking…so…um…where are we going?” I clear my throat, feeling a little flustered.
“Burgers and beer sound good?” I walk to the door with him close behind.
“Sure.”
We walk down the staircase from my second-floor apartment. When I hit the landing, he places his hand on my lower back, guiding me to his car. Shivers run up and down at the feeling of his hand and the slight command I feel by the pressure of his hand guiding me.
During the drive to the restaurant, we fill the uncomfortable silence with superficial stranger talk.
The restaurant isa small shack with a large, covered patio and a long bar at one end with a wide variety of beers on tap. There is a stage on the opposite side of the patio from the bar. Beer signs and old license plates hang on every inch of wall.
“I know it doesn’t look like much, but this place has the best burgers in town.”
We place our order at a window, and as I reach into my purse for my wallet he tells me, “I got this.”
We find a table, and he pulls a chair out for me. “What would you like to drink?” he asks, still standing.
“Bud Light.”
His eyes widen. “You’re 21?”
I give him my most innocent smile. “Yes.”
The corners of his mouth turn up into a slight grin. “I’ll be right back.” He winks at me before heading toward the bar.
He returns with two pints that look darker than Bud Light. “You need to try this.” He hands me one glass, sitting down.
“I don’t like darker beers,” I'm trying to be gentle. I actually hate darker beers.
“Just try it before you turn your nose up,” he insists.
I bring the glass up to take a whiff. It smells stronger than what I am used to, but I take a sip. It has a stronger flavor, but not the bitter aftertaste darker beers usually have. I don’t really like it, but I’ll drink it to not seem ungrateful, I guess.
“Not bad. What is it?”
“Indio, a Mexican beer. So, how was the trip?” he asks after taking a drink of his.
“It was good. I’ve missed my friends…I haven’t seen them since before we all left for school.”
He gives me a quizzical look for a couple of seconds, then grins like the cat that ate the canary. “This is your first year in college?”
I nod smiling.
“How are you twenty-one?” His smile broadens, but his lips are sealed tight, trying to keep himself from laughing.
I feel the heat on my cheeks, so I drop my face a little and begin nervously biting my bottom lip. “I may not be, but an ID says I am,” I whisper.
“You are just an all-around rule breaker, huh?” He laughs, and I start to smile, seeing he isn’t angry I’m using a fake ID.
“How old are you?” Curious about his age after being called out on mine.
“Twenty-one…but I’m telling the truth.”
Our attention is pulled to the runner dropping off our order, then he begins again, “That’s the reason I wasn’t in class Wednesday…I didn’t wake up in time after a night of birthday celebrations.”
“Happy belated birthday.” I pause feeling thoughtless for letting him pay so close to his birthday. “I should have bought you dinner and drinks for your birthday.”
“No way. I already celebrated my birthday, woke up with a hangover to prove it, and now all I want to do is have a good time with a beautiful girl.”