Page 34 of Broken Halos
“You won’t be needing it,” I said through clenched teeth. “Gracie Lou has hated me since the first time she laid eyes on me, and she’s pissed I dressed in drag tonight because it pulls some of the spotlight away from her.”
“I figured she was,” Ollie said. “Can’t blame her. No one in there compares to your charisma, beauty, and ability to captivate a room.”
“Why, Ollie,” I said coyly, “you sure know how to make a girl blush.”
“I’m parked over here,” Ollie said, tugging me toward the right. “So, I’m taking you to a diner that serves comfort food twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. I’m not very hungry, but I’d love a piece of pumpkin cheesecake.”
“That sounds delicious.”
“It’s pretty quiet this time of night, so we should be able to talk without someone’s adorable mom interrupting us every few minutes.” His comment made me wonder once more about his parents, but it wasn’t the right time to ask.
When we reached Ollie’s car, he opened the passenger door for me. I looked at the door and looked at him like I’d fallen into one of the old movies I adored.
“Too much?” he asked. “I don’t want to be like the other guys.”
“You’re already different than them just being your usual self,” I assured him. “I find this cute all the same.”
“It’s not because you’re wearing a dress either,” he rushed to say. “I don’t think women are so weak they can’t open their own doors.”
“Ollie,” I said, unable to keep from laughing. “Your rambling is even cuter than you opening the door for me.” I fisted my hand in his shirt and hauled him to me for a kiss. When I released his shirt, he stood there blinking at me with lust-fogged eyes. “You don’t look like you’re in any condition to drive, Ollie. Maybe you should give me the keys.”
The remark shook him out of his daydream. “Hell no,” he said, rushing around to the driver’s side of the car like I was about to snatch his keys from him.
“I don’t drive that bad,” I said once Ollie pulled out of his parking spot and merged into traffic.
“You are the worst driver I’ve ever seen.”
“You wound me,” I said dramatically, even though everyone said the same thing about my driving skills.
The diner Ollie took me to was smaller than my mom’s pizza joint, but the smells coming from the kitchen were just as incredible. “I smell biscuits.”
“The best biscuits you’ll ever eat.” I turned and saw a statuesque queen making her way toward us. “You look familiar, sugar,” she said, appraising me, “have we met before?”
“Sandy, this is Lady Bea—”
“Oh my God!” she exclaimed. “I knew I recognized the seductive, graceful glide. I’m so excited to meet you.” She turned to Ollie and mock-whispered, “You never said you knew my idol.”
“I never knew you idolized Trix,” Ollie countered. “Allow me to make formal introductions.”
“Oh my God, my hair is probably a mess, and I probably have lipstick on my teeth,” Sandy said. “Oh! Can I get a selfie of the two of us together? Is it too much to ask?”
“Your hair and lipstick look fine,” I assured her. “A selfie is fine by me if Ollie doesn’t mind.” He held up his hand indicating it was fine with him. Sandy looped her arms around me and held the camera up to snap a picture of us.
“I don’t like the way my eyes look in this one. Can I take one more?”
“Sure.”
She didn’t like her smile in the second one, I had my eyes closed in the third, and she sneezed just as her phone took the fourth picture. On the fifth try, she got the picture she wanted. Only then did she ask if we wanted a booth or a table. I realized we weren’t going to get much more privacy than if we’d gone to Mamma’s pizzeria, so I had to act fast.
“Actually, we only stopped by to get two slices of pumpkin cheesecake to go,” I told her. Ollie didn’t let on if he was surprised. “Will that be a problem?”
“No, but I’m sad I won’t get to spend more time with you.”
“There’s always next time,” I told her. She hummed an agreement as she walked off.
“You’re never coming back, are you?” Ollie whispered.
“Not in drag,” I replied.