Page 59 of Praising Haru

We pause our conversation while our waiter puts our food on the table. Although Kyle ordered a mixture of starters, sides, and mains, he asked for everything to come at once.

“It smells delicious.”

“And tastes even better. Tuck in.”

“You’re going to have to tell me what everything is.”

Kyle gestures to each dish, giving me its name and explaining what it is when I frown in confusion. He’s ordered lots of things, including dim sum, bao buns, noodles, salad, curry smothered in a rich red sauce, grilled chicken served in a banana leaf, and sticky and coconut rice. I try a bit of everything, my tongue thanking me for the fantastic array of flavours.

“So good.”

“You look like you’re about to have aWhen Harry Met Sallymoment,” Kyle says.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“It’s a film from 1989.”

“That’s the first problem. Neither of us was born then.”

Kyle snorts. “You’ve never watched films made before you were born?”

“Only the black-and-white movies my parents like to watch, and, honestly, I don’t pay much attention to them.”

“There’s an iconic scene where Sally fakes an orgasm in the middle of a deli to prove to Harry that women can and do fake orgasms.”

“Why?”

“To show him he’s not the stud he thinks he is.”

“Huh.”

“The way you groaned while tasting the chicken satay reminded me of that scene.”

“Trust me. It would have been a real food-induced orgasm, not a fake one.” I wink at him.

“Food gives you orgasms?”

I laugh and shake my head.

“We’re going to watch some classic films, starting withWhen Harry Met Sally,” Kyle decides.

“Why are you into watching old films?”

“Classic.”

“Old.”

He leans across the table, eyes narrowing deliciously. “Are you being naughty, arguing with me?”

“No.” I bite my tongue before I can say ‘Sir’.

“That’s what I thought. My appreciation for classic films comes from the same place as my appreciation for classic music.”

“Your dad?”