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“You got a little something.” Mave motioned to her chin.
I swiped at my face with a napkin. “That’s when you know the ribs are good.”
“When you’re wearing them?” Mave laughed and leaned back in her chair. She rested her hands on her stomach and sighed.
“Full, Doc?”
She nodded. “I am, but I also spotted pecan pie on the menu. Split a piece with me? I can never say no to pie. Especially pecan.”
I was full to the brim, but I was learning I couldn’t say no to Mave. No matter what it was.
We had spent a good four hours at the car museum where Mave asked fifty million questions and I had been more than happy to answer all of them. We had gotten a late start to the day and didn’t have enough time to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but Mave had spotted a barbeque joint on the way back home she insisted we needed to stop at.
“Only if you get it with ice cream,” I countered.
She moaned and nodded. “Is there any other way to order pie?”
I flagged down the waitress and waited for her to come over.
“How’s it going over here?” she asked.
“Amazing. Probably some of the best barbeque we’ve ever had.”
“For me, it was,” Mave piped in. “Roc travels the country so I’m sure he’s had some pretty good barbeque before, but it was the best I’ve had. Ever.”
The waitress laughed and cleared away our plates. “Is there anything else I can get you two?”
“Pecan pie,” Mave replied without hesitation.
“With vanilla ice cream,” I added.
“She probably thinks we’re bottomless pits,” Mave laughed.
I shrugged and rested my arm on the table. “I’m sure we’re not the only ones who ate ‘til we were stuffed.”
Mave toyed with her napkin and sighed. “So, are you excited for tomorrow?”
“Grilling out?” I asked.
She nodded. “Uh, yeah.”
“I guess so? I mean, it’s not like we’re having a crap ton of people over. It’s just the crew.”
“I’m still not sure we have enough food,” she hemmed.
“Doc, I promise we have more than enough food.”
We had spent two hours at the big warehouse store buying everything. A huge nine hundred dollar dent into my credit card later and we were headed home with enough food to feed an army, four brand new patio chairs, an outdoor speaker, and a portable fire pit.
“I just think maybe we should stop on the way home for more hot dogs.”
The waitress came over with two pieces of pecan pie and ice cream.
Mave’s eyes bugged out of her head when the huge piece of pie was set in front of her. “Uh, maybe we should have told her we only wanted one piece,” she whispered when the waitress walked away.
I dumped the ice cream from mine onto her plate and set my piece of pie to the side. I could eat a shit ton of food, but even I had my limits. “We’ll take that piece home.”
“I like the way you think.” Mave dug into the pie and closed her eyes as she moaned. “Oh my. That is some good pie.”
I watched the beauty that was Mave and tried to control myself from getting turned on from her little moans. She licked her spoon clean, and I knew it was a lost cause to not get turned on when Mave was around.
“I’m going to assume it’s good?”
She nodded. “Not as good as mine, but it’s pretty up there.”
I stuck my fork in the pie and swiped it through the melting ice cream. “Just so you know, you’re going to have to make me your pie when we get home because you said yours is better than this.”
“Is that so?” she chuckled.
I nodded and stuck the fork in my mouth. The ooey gooey caramel-like custard with the toasted pecans was damn near perfect. “Now that is some good pie.”
“I was hoping a barbecue place would have good pie, but sometimes, you never really know.”
I pointed my fork at the extra piece of pie. “You and I can split that when we binge watch tonight.”
“I think you might have to roll me to bed if I eat anything more after this piece.” She moaned but took another bite of the pie.
“That’ll be a change of pace. Normally, you’re the one rolling me around.”
“You’ll be back on your feet in no time.”
I couldn’t wait for the day where I could get myself up and move around without anyone's help. It seemed like I would never get back there.
“Sure as hell doesn’t feel like it.” As usual, I was beyond exhausted and my body felt like it was ran over by a truck again. “I fully plan on sleeping the whole way home, just so you know.”
She took another bite of the pie and pushed the plate toward me. “You can nap on a full stomach because you’re eating the rest of that. I’m going to bust out of my jeans if I eat any more.”
“You sure?”
She nodded and laid her head back. “I shouldn’t have eaten any of it.”
I grabbed the plate and downed the rest of the pie in two bites. I raised my hand to the waitress and asked for the bill and a container for the other piece of pie.
“Let’s hit the road, Doc.”
I laid three twenties on top of the check and grabbed the small container.
“You just want to get going because you can take a nap. I gotta stay away the next three hours when I want to do is lapse into a food coma.”
Mave pushed me around the tables of the restaurant then I took over. I was able to get around the house by myself in the chair but when we were in a cramped area, it was sometimes easier for Mave to do the navigating.
“Quicker every time,” Mave laughed once she was in her seat and I was strapped into the passenger seat. “I think we’re starting to make a good team.”
She buckled herself in and turned on the SUV.
“You’re pretty good at this personal nurse thing.”
She rolled her eyes and backed out of the parking spot. “I don’t really think I’m doing enough to be called that. I think I’m more of a friend who’s helping you.”
“Friend?”
I could work with that. I was worried Mave would be stuck in her head about being my nurse but if she didn’t see herself that way then I didn’t need to worry about jumping that hurdle.
She glanced over at me and smiled. “At least, I think so. Don’t you?”
“That what you want to be?”
“Are you being coy with me right now?” she laughed.
I turned my head and laughed. “I’m good with whatever you want, Doc. Friends works for me right now.”
“Right now?” she asked.
I shrugged and closed my eyes. “You never know what the future holds, Doc.”
“Have we gone from grumpy Roc to wise, sage Roc?”
“Gotta keep you on your toes, Doc.” I sunk into the seat and felt the familiar fatigue settle over me. “Wake me up when we get home.”
“Okay,” she replied softly. She turned the radio up louder, and her soft voice lulled me to sleep.
*
