Page 14 of Tentacles for Christmas
Was it still a date if you split the bill? I had no clue, but I wanted to make my intentions clear. If I paid, it was definitely a date.
“I insist,” I told Cam right as a waitress walked up. She didn’t have a paper to write things down, though. I wasn’t used to eating inside the pizza place, always ordering to go. “Do we need to order at the counter?”
“Nope. We’re waiting for the extra barback to get here to take orders over there.” The brunette, Kaytrina according to her nametag, who looked about eighteen pulled napkins from her apron along with a pad and pen. “What can I get you?”
Before I could say we needed more time, Cam jumped in. “We’ll get a large pan pizza with garlic sauce, Canadian bacon, and half sardines. Oh, and a lemon-lime soda. Whatever is on tap, thanks.”
Blinking at Cam and ignoring the face our waitress made at the sardines request, I licked my lips and added, “Make that two sodas, please.”
She took note of our requests and went back to the counter to put our order in. Cam put the menu back in the holder before giving me their undivided attention. “So, have you always lived in Blue Lake?”
“No.” Smiling to myself, I appreciated that we were facing each other, though I’d always imagined a date to be sitting side by side. Cam couldn’t hide their emotions, and I liked how open they were. They made me want to be open in return. “I was in foster care or group homes from about two years old until I was six. Then my dad adopted me.
“Do you remember your birth parents? Or is that a rude question to ask?” Cam’s face scrunched up in concern. “You don’t have to tell me.”
“It’s fine. I don’t mind.” I shrugged and set my hand over Cam’s where they were fidgeting. “I only have a vague flash of memory of my birth mom. Red hair and the smell of the ocean. My dad has been there for me my whole life, and I don’t really think about him differently than as my father. Though better, because he chose to be my dad.”
“That makes so much sense. I’d never thought about adoption that way,” Cam smiled, flipping their hand over the hold mine.
Kaytrina dropped off our drinks and said our pizza would be out soon, and Cam didn’t let go of my hand.
Waiting until the waitress went to another table, Cam asked, “Why do you call him Superman?”
“Ha, um…because he’s Clark?” I rubbed my beard with my free hand and held back a chuckle over a memory. Kids teased me about the name when I started school in Blue Lake, but the boys in the pack stood up to them. King, Rel, and Ricky were two grades above me, and the bullies in my grade shut up real fast. “And he sort of rescued me.”
“How sweet,” Cam cooed, their lips pouting adorably. “You make me wonder if I might adopt some day. I’ve always liked kids, but I don’t have siblings to give me niblings. And I generally date men. We keep trying to make babies, but it never takes.”
Cam winked and I threw my head back on a laugh. “Keep trying,” I repeated and laughed again. Movement and a laugh louder than mine across the room caught my attention. Someone who’d been at the park and I hoped was going home afterwards.
There went my privacy for my date.
My friend Ricky was moving behind the bar, laughing at something our waitress had said. He sometimes filled in when he wasn’t needed at the Barn where he was a bartender. Ricky used to travel all the time as an MMA fighter, but he’d recently retired with King returning to take over the pack. Plus, at twenty-nine, his body had taken a beating for a decade already. Even a wolf shifter needed a break.
“How about you?” Cam’s question interrupted my brooding. They took in my scrunched brow, as I clearly lost the train of conversation. “I’m aware it’s a big topic for a first date, but do you want children?”
Smiling at the confirmation we were on a date, I gave an unguarded answer. “Yeah, I want to adopt at least one…”
Stopping myself before I finished, I had almost said the full truth. I wanted to adopt an abandoned shifter kid like me someday. If there were siblings, I’d adjust. Having the benefit of a father to help meunderstand my shift and how to keep it a secret was something I wanted to pay forward.
“I love that. I know there are so many children who need a good home,” Cam replied, unaware of my internal thoughts.
Our food arrived and we both took a couple pieces from our respective sides as I gave a warning. “My dad tried to order half-and-half, but he said the sardine flavor migrated to his side and started getting me my own.”
Cam bit into their sardine-free piece and chewed thoughtfully, replying as if they were a fancy food critic. “Good ratio of cheese to dough. Salty, with the slight taste of fishiness lingering. I approve.”
Shaking my head with a grin, I was glad my first date was with someone who humored my preferences and could be funny as well.
Cam was worth the wait.
Digging into my fish-covered half of the pizza, we fell into a companionable silence. Trading smiles and happy food sounds, I wanted to make the date last forever.
Until a loud group of men replaced the children at the big table in the middle. They were firefighters from across the street, and my friend Rel was at the center of the group. I had to guess it was a shift change as they ordered beers from Ricky before moving closer.
Cam was finishing off his second piece, and I realized I wasn’t worried so much about my friends teasing me. I didn’t want to share Cam’s time.
“Do you want to take this to go?” I asked abruptly.
Cam tilted their head but didn’t seem bothered by my sudden change of pace. “Kind of hard to carry on the bike.” They pointedout, but then continued, “I live just past Perk on the marina. It’s only a couple blocks to walk.”