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This is where the server stops by again. Neither of us noticed him approach.

“Do you guys need anything else?” the server asks.

“We’ll have another pitcher of Moon Man,” Joe says, pointing to the empty one. “That okay with you, Melanie?”

I nod and the server leaves.

When Joe’s eyes meet mine again, I swallow hard. It’s time to fess up. “Actually, my name is Liz.”

??

Chapter Three

Joe

I do a double take. “Your name is Liz?”

“Yes. For real. I don’t know why I said Melanie earlier.” She shrugs a little, like she’s embarrassed. “Melanie is ... my cousin’s friend.”

“Oh-kay.”

“I promise my name is actually Liz.”

“Should I ask to see your license?”

“You can, but I won’t show it to you.”

“How about something else? A library card? Gym membership?”

She pulls out her wallet, locates a credit card, and carefully covers the number with her fingers, leaving just the name for me to read.

“Elizabeth.”

“That’s me.”

“Liz.”

“Yes.” She actually sounds a little breathless. I swallow hard.

To deflect from my rising nervousness, I go for faux self-righteousness. “Well, in the light of your deception, I think it’s only fair that you now tell me your life story. As compensation for emotional distress.”

“So we’re not watching football anymore?” Her words are almost a whisper.

“Let’s face it—we never did.” My voice sounds lower and thicker than it should.

We look at each other across the table, that tether between us pulled taut. Each of us holds their beer glass with both hands, as if it’s an anchor, something grounding. Something to stop us from leaping.

I clear my throat. “So... Tell me about your family’s business.”

The server comes back with a pitcher and I top off my glass, then hers. Liz’s.

“Dad owns an auto repair shop,” she says. “Both my brothers work for him. The plan was for me to do their books. I was the only one of his kids who didn’t suck at math.”

“Were you the only one to go to college?”

She nods. “The first in my family. Everyone was really proud. And I felt I had to do something to give back, you know. Since they put in so much.”

“Where did you go to school?”