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"We have a reservation," he said "The name’s O’Connell"

The woman studied hied throughtworooardless of the air-conditioning pouring out of the vents on the floor "Will this be all right?" Shea hedge sculpted into the shape of a giant bunny

"Maggie Mae?" Bridger asked

"Sure Looks dandy," I replied, pulling a chair out and sitting doith er sat and passed me an open menu

"When did you ? But you … we … Were you originally planning on taking so bells chimed in my head "Why?" I asked warily There had to be so motive For a nanosecond I wondered if,I was easy It had happened with other guys

While all of these thoughts raced through my head, he studied me Finally he said, "Do you want the truth, or do you want the safe version that assures I won’t hurt you?"

"The truth," I stated, bracing myself for some creepy, perverse answer

He leaned across the table and stared right into leaht;A lovely Apparition, sentTo be a ht fair;Like Twilight’s, too, her dusky hair;But all things else about her drawnFroay,To haunt, to startle, and way-lay "That’s Wordsworth"

"Yeah I know We lish last week, ht as well have been written for you ‘To haunt, to startle, and way-lay’ … You’re theperson I have ever met" His eyes were serious and so dark they looked like storrabbedhe hadn’t seen the blood burning ently I lowered my menu so only my eyes showed above it "You asked for the truth"

"Thanks," I squeaked I put theit over The prices! I couldn’t believe it! My stomach started to hurt--twenty-two dollars for chicken fried steak and baby potatoes? And the fried chicken and collard greens--twenty dollars? I could hardly believe etarian plate: beans, rice, corn bread, and salad, for seventeen dollars

"What’s the er asked quietly

"The prices! Twenty dollars for pork chops and string beans?" I whispered, afraid soht overhear "Mrs Carpenter could ht dollars, if not less! If you wanted southern food, I could have rin of aie, I’m not here because I want southern food I’m here for you You said your foster mother used to make it and it was the best food you’d ever had Since I’nore the price"

"I just don’t see hoenty-dollar plate of fried chicken can taste any better here than what they serve at Kentucky Fried Chicken for five dollars!"

Bridger laughed

"May I bring you so to drink?" a female voice interrupted

I looked up, dismayed to see that the woman who’d seated us was also our server "What do you want to drink, Maggie?" Bridger asked

"Water It’s free, right?" I asked

The server pulled her eyes away froer and looked down her nose at me

"Of course the water isn’t free We are a five-star restaurant Our water is iered on my faded tank top "If you can’t afford ie of soda Or milk"

A faet picked on at school and knew I had to fight back I glared up at her She lifted one drawn-on eyebrow and smirked

"Whatever Coke But just so you know, there’s nothing wrong with drinking water froo eat somewhere that is better suited to trailer trash," she mumbled under her breath But I heard every word My hackles rose and e to pounce on her and scratch her black-lined eyes out ie," he said lightly, "I think I would rather have Kentucky Fried Chicken after all" He wrapped his long fingers around , then looped his arm around my waist and literally forced ainst hio back into Tara’s and start a fight with that stupid self-righteous waitress But Bridger more or less tossedso badly I couldn’t buckle ot into the SUV, he leaned over and hooked it for me