Page 45 of Take You Home

“JJ argued quite passionately that I should say it first,” Ez says. “It was a moving speech. I almost cried.”

“Huh.” Obie shrugs. “Well, heisthe only other human among us. He probably knows best.”

“Probably,” Ez concedes, redirecting her attention towards Chester and Roma as they stroll up to the table with a tray of churros con chocolate in tow.“Finally,our sustenance has arrived. What took you so long?”

“Not my fault,” Roma says, shooting a pointed look at Obie as she sits down next to Ez. “Ana and Julio had severaldetailedquestions for Kyle about his intentions towards Obie.”

“I felt like I was being interrogated by my prom date’s parents,” Chester agrees, setting the tray in the center of the table before cautiously taking the seat next to Obie. “Does everyone you meet just decide to adopt you? The bowling alley, the food truck crowd…”

“What can I say?” Obie says, grabbing his churros and a cup of chocolate. “I’m charming.”

“Sure you are.” Chester waits for everyone else to claim their orders before taking his own, eyebrows furrowed. Obie can tell that Chester doesn’t quite know what to expect, but he gamely follows Roma’s lead, putting one of the churros in his cup to soak up the chocolatey goodness.

Ez idly dunks her own churro a few times, scrutinizing Roma critically.

Then, all at once, she straightens in her seat like she’s made an important decision. “Hey,” she says to Roma.

Roma frowns back at her. “Yes?”

“I love you,” Ez says. “You know that, right?”

Roma stops dead. “What?”

“Aw,” Chester says, sounding almost touched. “That’s really sweet. That’s‍?—‍”

“Goddamnit!” Roma snaps, slamming her hand on the table. “What the hell, Laguerre? You just lost me a bet!”

Ez gapes at her. “I’m sorry?”

“Abet?”Obie repeats, incredulous. “What do you mean, you lost a bet?”

“Exactly what Isaid,”Roma complains. Obie is amused to note that Ez and Roma are using the same speech patterns now. “JJ and I had a bet about who would say ‘I love you’ first, Ez to me or Obie to Kyle. And I bet on Obie and Kyle.”

“Yikes,” Obie says. “Well, at least that explains why JJ wanted you to say it so badly, Ez.”

Ez looks thunderstruck. “You bet onObie?He and Kyle have only been dating for two and a half weeks, Gutierrez! We’ve been dating for over amonth!”

“Well, you’re kind of notoriously allergic to feelings, babe,” Roma counters. “I figured it was easy money!”

“How much was it?” Chester asks, twirling his churro in the chocolate before taking a tentative bite.

Roma sighs, defeated. “Fifty dollars.”

Ez squints at her. “Do you even have fifty dollars?”

“No,” Roma says. “On an unrelated note, can I borrow fifty dollars?”

“Absolutely not. You bet against me.”

Roma turns hopeful eyes on Obie. “Obie?”

“I don’t know,” Obie drawls, fighting back a smile. “Kyle, what do you think? Since Roma bet on us, should we loan her the money?”

Chester doesn’t answer, staring down into the depths of his cup of chocolate.

Obie frowns, poking his shoulder. “Hello? Earth to Kyle? Did you hear me?”

“I… think I’m having a religious experience,” Chester says faintly, shoving another huge bite of churro into his mouth. “These arefantastic.”