Page 32 of On the Way to You
He couldn’t stop smiling at me. “You’re not going to let this go, are you? You really just want to make this difficult.”
“Therules,Emery.”
I didn’t say his name often, and the sound of it, the way it felt rolling off my tongue made me pause, my eyes flashing to his, cheeks warming when I saw the same pause in him.
He tucked his hands in his pockets, looking down at Kalo before his eyes surveyed the car and the highway again. After a moment, he turned back to me, shaking his head with his signature smirk creeping out. “Fine. What’s our next move, game maker?”
I squeaked, clapping my hands together in excitement as Kalo popped her head up to look at me. My heart deflated a little when I realized I didn’tactuallyhave any idea of what our next move was, but then the universe sent a sign, as it so often does.
My eyes locked on the billboard behind Emery’s head and I grinned. “Let’s get the car to the shop, and then I have a plan.”
“This is insane,” Emery said again as he opened the door for us, guiding us under the large neon sign that read Big Earl’s Wing House.
“Scared?” I teased.
He rolled his eyes, letting me lead as we made our way to the hostess. She was a middle-aged woman who reminded me of Tammy, except this girl was a little more round, and a lot more smiley.
“Hey, y’all! Booth or table?”
“Actually, I have a question about your wing eating challenge,” I said, and Emery shook his head beside me. I narrowed my eyes at him before continuing. “Can you tell us a little more about it?”
“Sure!” She balanced the menus in her arms, opening one up to the wing challenge page and showing us what it entailed. “There are twenty-five wings total, each one dipped in one of our twenty-five famous sauces. You have to eat all of them — including the one rolled in our hottest sauce, Big Earl’s Inferno. And if you can do it, your meal is free. Plus, you get this t-shirt to brag to all your friends.” She pointed at a framed t-shirt behind her that saidI survived Big Earl’s Wing Challengeand flashed us a wide smile. “So, booth or table?”
“Wait,” I said, trying to piece it all together. “So you eat all the wings and they’re free, if not you pay for the meal… is there any…” I looked to Emery, who was just grinning, and I knew he would be of absolutely zero help. “Is there a cash prize or anything?”
The hostess looked a little appalled by my question, her brows pulling inward. “No, sweetie. Just the t-shirt.”
I chewed my lip. “Just give us a minute.” When I turned back to Emery, he looked smug, and I glared at him before pulling him to the side.
“See? They don’t even pay if you can do it,” he said. “Let’s just grab dinner and put the charge on my card.”
“There’s got to be a way…” I tapped my chin with my finger, looking around us like I would find the answer from one of the other patrons in the restaurant, or from the hostess who was watching us closely now, one eyebrow hooked up high on her forehead.
“There is a way. We eat, go back to the shop, pay for the fix with my card, and go back to the hotel room — where we left your dog, might I add.”
“She’s fine. Watered, fed, walked, and probably sprawled out on my bed by now.”
“Still, they don’t have a cash prize. Might have to break the rules just this once,” he teased.
I sighed, pushing the breath through flat lips. It was all too easy, and not at all fun, but if they didn’t pay the winner of the contest, my idea was pretty much shot.
I was just about to give in when it hit me.
Maybetheywon’t pay us if we win, but what if…
“Can I borrow this?” I asked the hostess, pointing to a white bucket filled with paper menus and crayons for kids.
She definitely thought I was insane.
“Uh, sure?” she said, her accent thick as she peered over her shoulder at the other hostess who had joined her, both of them shrugging.
“Thanks.” I grabbed the bucket and pulled the menus and crayons out, making sure they were neat and tidy on the side of the hostess stand before making my way toward an empty table right in the middle of the restaurant. Emery called out my name but I didn’t stop, so he followed, and my heart beat thick and fast in my throat as I climbed on top of an empty chair. I made sure I was balanced and sturdy on both legs and then I stood, booth after booth turning their attention to me.
“What are you doing?” Emery whisper-yelled at me through the corner of his mouth, but I ignored him, shaking slightly as I forced a smile.
“Ladies and gentlemen of Big Earl’s Wing House, may I have your attention for just a moment?”
Those who weren’t already staring at me paused, some of them mid-bite, some of them drinking beer from glasses shaped like cowboy boots, and all of them looking at me with curious eyes, including the hostess we’d left behind us.