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I chuckled, thinking maybe this was turning around. “I suppose so.”
“So, you’re a teacher. What’s that like?”
“Um…well, it’s fulfilling and irritating at the same time.” The waiter stopped by and poured another glass of wine for me. I thanked him and took a sip as I waited for him to leave. “I love teaching, but the kids don’t always put in the work. It makes it feel pointless at times.”
“Man, I hated school. I always cheated off my friends. I was a terrible student.”
“Well, you wouldn’t believe the number of students who cheat and think I don’t know about it.”
“What do you do?”
“If I catch them red-handed, they automatically get a zero.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Really? Isn’t that kind of harsh?”
“Not at all. There are no shortcuts in life. They need to learn that sooner rather than later.”
He shot me a look that made it perfectly clear he thought I was hurting students. “Yeah, but doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance?”
“Their second chance is on the next assignment. They get the chance to not cheat and actually study.”
He didn’t respond to that. Just shrugged and drank his boring water.
“So, no wine tonight?”
“I don’t drink,” he replied swiftly.
“Oh? Are you on call?”
“No, I make it a rule to always be ready at all times for any emergency.”
“So…you never let go?”
His brows furrowed in confusion. “I took an oath to do a job. Saving lives is no joking matter. Imagine what would have happened if I had been drinking yesterday while you were crossing the street. If my reflexes had been even a touch slow, you could have died.”
“And that would have been my fault,” I said. “You can’t always live your life for other people.”
He glanced around the restaurant, his eyes taking in all the customers. “No, it’s best that I keep my mind clear and ready. This place is a fire hazard.”
“Then why are we here?”
“Because it’s the best restaurant in town.”
I looked around, trying to see what he saw. “And what makes it a fire hazard?”
“Look at all the candles on the tables.”
I frowned. “Um…they’re LED candles.”
“And those are made with lithium batteries. Do you know how many fires are started every year because of lithium batteries? We’re lucky the whole place isn’t up in flames.”
My eyes widened as I drank another long swig of wine. I reached for the bread at the same time as him, then smiled because it was the polite thing to do. “Go ahead.”
“You should really have it. You have to soak up that alcohol.”
I gritted my teeth, trying not to snap at him for being a jerk. I wasn’t drunk yet, but I might be by the end of the night. “I’m fine. Really. You should have it.”
“Okay,” he said, snatching it up without a second thought.